Date:         Tue, 6 Aug 2013 18:11:45 -0700
Reply-To:     Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Battery Charger Sizing (Amperage) Woe and Warning (?)
Comments: To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <52017B23.2020401@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 03:39 PM 8/6/2013, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>I don't think anyone here can be sure about the reefer wants for power,
>but it likely wants a constant voltage (12v), not a constant current.

I doubt the fridge cares what the voltage is, as long as it's between
about 10.5 and 14.6 volts.  After all, it's designed to work until
the battery is depleted, and while the alternator is charging.

>So I'm wondering about trying something really simple and
>inexpensive, like this eBay 12VDC 8A laptop computer style power supply.

I just think it'd be a shame to incur the extra complexity of a
separate supply for the fridge, when it'll run off the battery
charger just fine.

Yes, as we've discussed, a smart charger's charging algorithm might
be confused slightly by a fridge.  But I really don't think that's
significant enough to justify the added complexity.

Several people have said Iota's tech support is great.  So if one of
us has time, let's call them and ask, "Hey, how does your smart
charger algorithm account for continuous and intermittent loads from
the appliances that we use while the battery charges?"  I'll be
curious to hear what they say!