New fridge and power options

[dylans]

I just bought an ICECO VL45 Pro fridge and it's pretty cool. Pun intended. Now I'm faced with the power side of things, and didn't quite realize the potential scope of it all.

So far I purchased and installed the ARB wiring kit and the ARB DC fridge plug cable.

As far as battery goes, I have only ever had a single standard Toyota True Start battery in there. I know now it shouldn't be and isn't made to run stuff like this.

I own a Flex Solar 120w folding solar panel with alligator clips and an PWM charge controller as well. Also I've carried around a Lithium jump pack for a couple of years as a standard accessory to the truck.

I'm not sure which direction to go in to really support and power the fridge. I'm only thinking of 2 to 3 days max without driving. To add to it, I live in Southern AZ and our temps are high. I've considered this when thinking of the power needs of the fridge to maintain temps. I've got it running on a Kill A Watt power meter right now to get some baseline numbers at my house ambient temp of 78F.

I know I could do an AGM with a voltage booster. I'm not sure if it would be adequate and give me enough room to avoid a no start situation. Also, having read about voltage boosters and their safe nature... I'm still unconvinced of their safety to the system and its parts.

Ultimately I do know I could do a dual battery, and that would be best however, the costs associated can get high. My own situation would involve me needing to first go back to a stock washer bottle to place a battery where mine is now (in the air pump spot), only adding costs.

I've considered the Jackery route or like, but also would like to just leave the fridge plugged into the truck and not have to swap cables and such. Picky I know.

I'm not necessarily looking to cheap out, but do the least amount of work while still being adequate for the fridge and remain as simple as possible.

If I've really gotta do dual battery, I will. But do I really need to? Any thoughts or experiences to share? Part of me feels like I'm way overthinking it, as I do occasionally.

 

[johnnygraphic]

Nice fridge! This is exactly the one I've had my eye on the past several years, but still haven't pulled the trigger.

As to your question, why not just buy a power station (ala Jackery or equivalent) and be done with it? Going that route will give you much more flexibility in use and ability to charge/power other devices and be mobile with your power. A dual battery setup is permanent and by the time all is said and done, you will have spent a pretty penny for a one trick pony.

You can charge the power station as you drive or if stationary for a few days, use the solar panels. This is a very simple, easy solution.

One word of advice, don't use the AC outlet in the back of the 4Runner to charge your power station while driving. It will trip the circuit breaker and shut off. I experienced this during a week long trip into Death Valley earlier this year. Use the DC output in the back into the power station and then into the Iceco. Use the DC jack also as it is most efficient. There will be a loss of power due to the conversion from DC to AC if you try to use the AC jack on the power station.

I bought a Grecell 1000 and it powered a friends VL90ProD for 2 days. No power from solar panels or a wall outlet. It was around $475(?). Right now, it's on Prime Day deals for $500. Not a bad deal compared to all of the other name-brand power stations.
https://www.amazon.com/GRECELL-Generator-Portable-Off-grid-Emergency/dp/B09VDHJ3C3?th=1

 

[Matt831]

I run my fridge with a Jackery 500 plugged into the 12V in the back. The Jackery charges when the truck is running and passes through to the fridge. When the truck is off, the Jackery runs the fridge.

I can get about two says of runtime off a fully charged Jackery 500 and my fridge. I also have a portable 100 watt solar panel I use with a small travel trailer that I can charge the Jackery with if I am not moving for over two days or running the truck while camping.

 

[Lost in trees]

I run my fridge with a Jackery 500 plugged into the 12V in the back. The Jackery charges when the truck is running and passes through to the fridge. When the truck is off, the Jackery runs the fridge.

I can get about two says of runtime off a fully charged Jackery 500 and my fridge. I also have a portable 100 watt solar panel I use with a small travel trailer that I can charge the Jackery with if I am not moving for over two days or running the truck while camping.

I run the same setup with similar results. No trailer just lay solar panels on roof when parked!

 

[trey99ek]

I bought the Dr. Prepare 100ah battery with the power port. I have a 100w solar panel on the roof. I've never had to worry about power. I think all in out was under $400. I can run without solar input. The most I was away was 3 days and I still had 1/2 charge.

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[dylans]

Thanks for the replies. I see the power stations as super convenient and simple in a lot of ways. It’s gotta be as small as is realistic, given the things we pack usually and how it all fits so perfectly. The Jackery 500 seems like a decent workable size. But space is a big concern. I acknowledge the versatility as well, but there’s no way we need so much. We’re very device light on trips and we don’t use our phones but for alarm clocks camping. Some of the cost for that versatility would be wasted on us. Still, to power the fridge with the truck off… that is the whole point and it’s cheaper than a dual battery setup.

The 12v outlet is gone in my rear compartment, I used its space for the ARB fridge receptacle, which uses its own locking pronged plug coming from the fridge. It’s pretty great.

 

[Mr_Bingley]

I have a Setpower AJ40 or somesuch that I run off the cig outlet in the back through a Bluetti 740w or so battery, works amazing and esily gives 3+ days of running on a full charge, and more when I have the 100w solar panel on the roof. simple and easy setup ,and no extra wiring needed

 

[johnnygraphic]

Thanks for the replies. I see the power stations as super convenient and simple in a lot of ways. It’s gotta be as small as is realistic, given the things we pack usually and how it all fits so perfectly. The Jackery 500 seems like a decent workable size. But space is a big concern. I acknowledge the versatility as well, but there’s no way we need so much. We’re very device light on trips and we don’t use our phones but for alarm clocks camping. Some of the cost for that versatility would be wasted on us. Still, to power the fridge with the truck off… that is the whole point and it’s cheaper than a dual battery setup.

The 12v outlet is gone in my rear compartment, I used its space for the ARB fridge receptacle, which uses its own locking pronged plug coming from the fridge. It’s pretty great.

Think of the size of the fridge + power station as a trade off. You can bring a heck of a lot more food/perishables in the same size fridge than you could if you used a traditional ice chest. One 50 qt fridge is the equivalent of 1/2 of that same ice chest since a big chunk of the ice chests volume is taken up by ice.

And, don't think of the power station as a one trick pony. As your gear shrinks, you can easily change where you put it (depending on wiring etc). Also, if my power ever goes out (a common occurrence here in CA), I have a way to power my wifi/security cams.

Also, if I ever was so inclined to get fancy and use my rice cooker at camp, I can do that too!

PS-Don't limit your search to just the big name power stations such as Jackery or Goal Zero etc. They are expensive and are a little behind. The technology for battery power has advanced and so has the capability for these units. I bought my Grecell 1000 wh unit and it is small enough to fit in a tight space and provide power for a huge 95 qt fridge. I have other uses for it too. I can recharge not only my devices, but my HAM radios etc.

 

[grizzlypath]

I run my fridge with a Jackery 500 plugged into the 12V in the back. The Jackery charges when the truck is running and passes through to the fridge. When the truck is off, the Jackery runs the fridge.

I can get about two says of runtime off a fully charged Jackery 500 and my fridge. I also have a portable 100 watt solar panel I use with a small travel trailer that I can charge the Jackery with if I am not moving for over two days or running the truck while camping.

Very similar for me, fridge powered by Jackery 240. The 240 has enough for about 10-16hrs of run time in hot weather (80-90). Worked okay, but I recently upgraded to a 700Wh battery so about 3x as much power, I also got a 100W panel to help supplement.

Imo OP would be best off either building a secondary battery system or having a battery pack, 'cause looking at where they live (AZ) it's gonna suck down that stock battery fast in hot weather.

 

[dylans]

I suppose a power pack might be the best way to go with all this input. I'm really only concerned about those camp trips anyway. For our typical type of road trip I don't worry about plugging into the truck while we drive for hours and take the fridge out and into our hotel or airbnb while we're in a town or city.

So for a Jackery or like, I'd plug the fridge into its AC port? I've put the fridge into our AZ room to test its power use in the heat as that room isn't cooled like the rest of the house so it get hot in there, like the inside of a car may. Over 24 hours it used .40 kwh set at 34 on eco mode (actual internal temps swing from 37 low to 38.8 high when the compressor kicks on again.)

 

[johnnygraphic]

I suppose a power pack might be the best way to go with all this input. I'm really only concerned about those camp trips anyway. For our typical type of road trip I don't worry about plugging into the truck while we drive for hours and take the fridge out and into our hotel or airbnb while we're in a town or city.

So for a Jackery or like, I'd plug the fridge into its AC port? I've put the fridge into our AZ room to test its power use in the heat as that room isn't cooled like the rest of the house so it get hot in there, like the inside of a car may. Over 24 hours it used .40 kwh set at 34 on eco mode (actual internal temps swing from 37 low to 38.8 high when the compressor kicks on again.)

I wouldn’t use the AC outlet. Use the cigarette lighter plug/DC outlet. There is power loss when using the AC outlet since the power station has to convert that DC to AC.

You’ll probably notice that the power consumption increases as the percentage remaining decreases too. Not sure why, but that’s what I’ve heard.

Happy hunting for a good power station! And my opinion is to get a bigger one than you need. Your needs will change as time goes on.


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[TurboX]

Question, My Dometic CFX3 55IC pulls about 6 amps. I have had no problem Off Roading from 7am to 5pm and running cooler off the vehicle battery over night, what is the amp/hour rating of my car battery versus let's say a Jackery 1000 ? The day my car battery dies and Im overloading will be the day I wished I spent money on the Jackery but what is the factual data ? Just can't see spending the Money nor do I have the space for a power station.

TIA

 

[johnnygraphic]

Question, My Dometic CFX3 55IC pulls about 6 amps. I have had no problem Off Roading from 7am to 5pm and running cooler off the vehicle battery over night, what is the amp/hour rating of my car battery versus let's say a Jackery 1000 ? The day my car battery dies and Im overloading will be the day I wished I spent money on the Jackery but what is the factual data ? Just can't see spending the Money nor do I have the space for a power station.

TIA

I can't really answer your specific question, but if you're foregoing a power station, I would at least carry a Lion battery jump starter (<$100).
Amazon.com

As long as your car battery and alternator are healthy, you shouldn't run into any problems. But, age and short drive cycles (if its a daily driver) can take it's toll. Also, you should be able to set the fridge to automatically shut-off if your car battery drains below a certain amount.

IMHO, having at least a battery jump starter and an air compressor is required trunk-kit for any car.

 

[johnnygraphic]

Also, here's a nice video of the pros/cons of buying a fridge for car/overlanding/wheeling use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=7&v=KbzZ_sAwN2A&feature=youtu.be

 

[TurboX]

I can't really answer your specific question, but if you're foregoing a power station, I would at least carry a Lion battery jump starter (<$100).
Amazon.com

As long as your car battery and alternator are healthy, you shouldn't run into any problems. But, age and short drive cycles (if its a daily driver) can take it's toll. Also, you should be able to set the fridge to automatically shut-off if your car battery drains below a certain amount.

IMHO, having at least a battery jump starter and an air compressor is required trunk-kit for any car.

I have ARB Air Kit, that booster will fit in my box. Thanks for that tip

 

[johnnygraphic]

I have ARB Air Kit, that booster will fit in my box. Thanks for that tip

No worries!!! Like having extra gas or air compressor, sometimes the one you help isn’t yourself. I recently used mine to help a friend while camping. She left her back hatch open and drained the battery.


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[El Dusty]

I wouldn’t use the AC outlet. Use the cigarette lighter plug/DC outlet. There is power loss when using the AC outlet since the power station has to convert that DC to AC.

You’ll probably notice that the power consumption increases as the percentage remaining decreases too. Not sure why, but that’s what I’ve heard.

Happy hunting for a good power station! And my opinion is to get a bigger one than you need. Your needs will change as time goes on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I suppose a power pack might be the best way to go with all this input. I'm really only concerned about those camp trips anyway. For our typical type of road trip I don't worry about plugging into the truck while we drive for hours and take the fridge out and into our hotel or airbnb while we're in a town or city.

So for a Jackery or like, I'd plug the fridge into its AC port? I've put the fridge into our AZ room to test its power use in the heat as that room isn't cooled like the rest of the house so it get hot in there, like the inside of a car may. Over 24 hours it used .40 kwh set at 34 on eco mode (actual internal temps swing from 37 low to 38.8 high when the compressor kicks on again.)

I second the DC port to power the fridge, Its much more efficient.

The nice thing about using battery generators over dual batteries is the portability. Fridge and battery come out every ski season and took them on a RV / houseboat trip.

In terms of charging the battery bank while in your vehicle, I would recommend to use both the AC & DC chargers in the back of the 4runner simultaneously. You can accomplish this on most power stations by using a usb-c cable in the DC port and the standard 120v charger cable in the AC. You need to push the 120v power button next to the steering wheel to initiate the charging using that method. In my experience you can pull around 120-140w while driving using this method as opposed to 20-30w using DC alone.

I have run a dometic 55IM and a 550wH battery generator for a number of years now and charge mine as described above. A few tips for those considering a similar setup. Most battery banks have a low power cutoff feature so if power is not drawn for say 15 mins the battery will shutdown. The shutoff happens often with efficient fridges so as a work around I have a 1-2 watt string of LEDs plugged into the dometic's usb-a slot. These lights prevent the cutoff from occurring and also act as a visual indicator of when the fridge is on.

 

[johnnygraphic]

I second the DC port to power the fridge, Its much more efficient.

The nice thing about using battery generators over dual batteries is the portability. Fridge and battery come out every ski season and took them on a RV / houseboat trip.

In terms of charging the battery bank while in your vehicle, I would recommend to use both the AC & DC chargers in the back of the 4runner simultaneously. You can accomplish this on most power stations by using a usb-c cable in the DC port and the standard 120v charger cable in the AC. You need to push the 120v power button next to the steering wheel to initiate the charging using that method. In my experience you can pull around 120-140w while driving using this method as opposed to 20-30w using DC alone.

I have run a dometic 55IM and a 550wH battery generator for a number of years now and charge mine as described above. A few tips for those considering a similar setup. Most battery banks have a low power cutoff feature so if power is not drawn for say 15 mins the battery will shutdown. The shutoff happens often with efficient fridges so as a work around I have a 1-2 watt string of LEDs plugged into the dometic's usb-a slot. These lights prevent the cutoff from occurring and also act as a visual indicator of when the fridge is on.

When I tried to use the AC outlet in the back of the 4Runner, it would keep shutting off as soon as I shifted the car into Drive. I'm not sure if it's the power station (Grecell 1000 WH) or what. I tried both with and without pushing the button on the dash and every time I shifted into R or D, it would shut-off.

I'm not sure if I'm tripping a circuit or what.

 

[El Dusty]

When I tried to use the AC outlet in the back of the 4Runner, it would keep shutting off as soon as I shifted the car into Drive. I'm not sure if it's the power station (Grecell 1000 WH) or what. I tried both with and without pushing the button on the dash and every time I shifted into R or D, it would shut-off.

I'm not sure if I'm tripping a circuit or what.

Sounds about right. The 120v plug in the back is good for 400w while parked and 100w while driving. Check the brick on your charging cable, if it exceeds 100w that is probably the issue. You can upgrade the inverters limit to 400w while driving. See thread below.

400W Inverter Mod?

I have a 90w charger brick in my rig and I have found that sometimes it trips the inverter as well. I need to push the inverter button and allow things to normalize for about a minute before I can shift to drive.

 

[johnnygraphic]

Sounds about right. The 120v plug in the back is good for 400w while parked and 100w while driving. Check the brick on your charging cable, if it exceeds 100w that is probably the issue. You can upgrade the inverters limit to 400w while driving. See thread below.

400W Inverter Mod?

I have a 90w charger brick in my rig and I have found that sometimes it trips the inverter as well. I need to push the inverter button and allow things to normalize for about a minute before I can shift to drive.

Yup, my AC charging wall wart shows 150W. Wish I had known this earlier. Oh well. It would've saved a lot of hassle and trouble senseless shooting on the trail.