House Battery
- Thread starter dchurch3
- Start date
I have a dolmetric tundra fridge it is supposed to run on 12volt and 110 shore power but it seems to run only on 110 ?? I think I need to do the solar thing also maybe that would keep the batteries up so the fridge would run on 12 volt .It seems i read that the fridge will shut off if batteries are down but not sure about that . Maybe someone can chime in about solar and fridges running on 12 volt . thanks
journey on
New member
First, not knowing the size of your house battery, the Norcold fridge in Journey On uses an average of 2.5 amps, which remarkably works out to 2.5 amp-hrs/hr. So just devide 2.5 into the capacity of your battery, and that's the number of hours you get. Remember the true amp hr. capacity of a battery is 1/2 the rating. We get at least 12 hrs on the original factory battery. I think it's a 27. We now use a couple of golf cart batts so who cares?
Second, I haven't looked inside a Dometic, but I know the factory Norcold installation has two ea. 12 VDC fuses in series. Check them both. One of mine crapped out and I had to pull the fridge and look in there. I suspect the way the fridge is powered is that there is a 12 DC inverter which is fed by 110 AC and if the AC isn't present the 12 VDC input is switched in. So there should be a fuse on the boats DC supply, and one on the fridge.
Remember those things are there only to keep the beer cold.
Good luck, Boris
Second, I haven't looked inside a Dometic, but I know the factory Norcold installation has two ea. 12 VDC fuses in series. Check them both. One of mine crapped out and I had to pull the fridge and look in there. I suspect the way the fridge is powered is that there is a 12 DC inverter which is fed by 110 AC and if the AC isn't present the 12 VDC input is switched in. So there should be a fuse on the boats DC supply, and one on the fridge.
Remember those things are there only to keep the beer cold.
Good luck, Boris
I guess thats what i will be doing when i pull the boat out and clean the bottom iLL have to pull the fridge out and check the fuses and see how it is wired up . I love the idea of a fridge but only if it works On the Duck c-22 we have used a big cooler and have been very happy with it. ON the Cape cruiser the fridge is standard I wonder how large of a solar collector I would need to keep the batteries up.I have a 12volt starter battery and a deep cycle 12volt battery both are series 24 probably need to go up to 27s or 31s.would that skrew me up if I put the battery selector on both having one 24 and one 27 or 31 would they charge up differently Would I need to put on an isolator on . I know this has been discussed before I need to do some more research.thanks Jim on Duck
Here's a ballpark figure from our experience: we also have a 25 and don't use a cooler on our boat, using the fridge exclusively when cruising. Our boat has two Grp. 27 batteries for the house. We find that we can make it about 2 days before the batteries need to be juiced up. This pretty well fits our cruising style, since we don't often sit at anchor in one place for a long time. We use our Honda 2000i generator when necessary, but the alternator does a fine job of keeping the batteries up, as long as you are running almost daily.
When we are home and just day-tripping, we turn the fridge off and use a small cooler for lunches and drinks. The draw from the fridge would be too much to just turn in on and leave it, unless you are plugged into shore power each night.
We find the fridge to be a great addition to our cruising, eliminating the "hunt" for ice... we can even make a Barbie-doll size tray of ice cubes daily for our sundowners. If you take groceries out of the packaging, we have found that we can easily provision for 10 days or so, with the fridge and non-refridgerated items.
Hope that helps.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
When we are home and just day-tripping, we turn the fridge off and use a small cooler for lunches and drinks. The draw from the fridge would be too much to just turn in on and leave it, unless you are plugged into shore power each night.
We find the fridge to be a great addition to our cruising, eliminating the "hunt" for ice... we can even make a Barbie-doll size tray of ice cubes daily for our sundowners. If you take groceries out of the packaging, we have found that we can easily provision for 10 days or so, with the fridge and non-refridgerated items.
Hope that helps.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Since we do tend to stay put without moving for several days, we are interested in running the refrigerator and maintaining peace of mind. It sounds like golf cart batteries are a good route to go. Unfortunately, I am mostly electrical-stupid, even though my father was a television retailer/repairman and one son is an electrical engineer. 
I know the 6 volt batteries must be connected in parallel, but what are the implications for charging with the factory charger or with the Honda 2000's direct connect? What else should I know or factor in?
Regards to all,
Greg
I know the 6 volt batteries must be connected in parallel, but what are the implications for charging with the factory charger or with the Honda 2000's direct connect? What else should I know or factor in?Regards to all,
Greg
marvin4239
New member
Nan-C":1pw1rzs3 said:
Greg the 6 volt batteries must be connected in series to get 12 volts.
journey on
New member
Greg,
I installed as set of golph cart batteries in Journey On. I have found them to be the answer for cruising with a refrig. In a 2005 C-25, one can use the starboard lazerette as shown below. As far as charging, they are the same as charging any large 12 V battery, and a good 20 amp charger (or better,) will keep them charged. More pictures of the battery installation are in the album: Journey On batteries
If you do something like this, have your brother check the electrical part
Boris
I installed as set of golph cart batteries in Journey On. I have found them to be the answer for cruising with a refrig. In a 2005 C-25, one can use the starboard lazerette as shown below. As far as charging, they are the same as charging any large 12 V battery, and a good 20 amp charger (or better,) will keep them charged. More pictures of the battery installation are in the album: Journey On batteries
If you do something like this, have your brother check the electrical part
Boris
Boris -- Thanks for the info. This looks like the ideal approach for us. You can be sure I will have my son check out my plans and my work -- especially after Marvin's correction.
Marvin -- Thank you. I knew it was series at one time -- even recently, I think -- but who knows if the aging brain would ever have recognized the reversal. Thanks, again.
Greg
Marvin -- Thank you. I knew it was series at one time -- even recently, I think -- but who knows if the aging brain would ever have recognized the reversal. Thanks, again.
Greg
JamesTXSD":behiq6n7 said:
Jim, I read in another post somewhere where you had to replace your Guest charger from the factory. Did you replace it with the same Guest charger ( model 2610 10 amp charger)? I bought my C dory 25 used and it had one battery for the engine and one for the house with a guest 1,2, both, off, battery selector switch. I want to add another house battery. I was wondering if it is working well with two house batteries on the same type of charger and if it would work on my set up. I find when I am out on the hook with the refrigerator running, I can get about a full day on the battery power. I would like to extend that by adding another house battery. I was hoping to buy two new house batteries and link then together and wondered if my guest model 2610 charger could still be used without having to update the charger.
Thanks for any help from Jim or anyone else who has done this before.
Hi Mark,
Yes, the charger was replaced under warranty from Guest, so it is the same 2610. IIRC, in the manual for the charger, it says that you can charge up to 3 batteries with it. We've had no problem with that... other than the fact that it recharges slowly. Your plan to like the two house batteries together with that charger is just what we are doing.
Best wishes,
Jim
Yes, the charger was replaced under warranty from Guest, so it is the same 2610. IIRC, in the manual for the charger, it says that you can charge up to 3 batteries with it. We've had no problem with that... other than the fact that it recharges slowly. Your plan to like the two house batteries together with that charger is just what we are doing.
Best wishes,
Jim
In my opinion the factory chargers provided are marginal for real cruising--OK for sitting at the dock. The problem is that they are basically a parallel 5 amp chargers (meaning that each of the two batteries which they are charging gets 5 amps--It is possible that the charger could put out 10 amps if hooked to only one battery.
What we did is to add a second battery charger--20 to 40 amps, depending on how many batteries we have. At least with a 20 amp charger, you can charge a 50% discharged group 27 battery up in about 3 hours. (there is some taper, so that you really only charge it about 85% unless you leave the charger on overnight). If you are using a Honda EU 1000/2000--it takes a long time to put 60 amps into a battery at 5 amps an hour!
Golf carts vs Group 27/34. If you have the room, and can take the weight two golf carts are better, since they are made as a deep cycle battery. The capacity of two Golf carts is about the same as two group 31's or one 8 D (the 8 D is large and very heavy--the Golf carts break the weight down into two lighter units.
We find that the bulk of our refrigation needs are still met by good ice chests. We have the factory refrigator in the CD 25 and the chest Norcold in the 255--which we put frozen food, meats etc in--and the soft drinks, beer etc are in the ice chests. Also the ambient temp is important as to how much run time is needed by the refigerations. We find that our style of cruising where we move almost every day--the alternator on the engine is adequate to keep the batteries fully charged. But at least one extra house battery is necessary.
The older Norcolds had a swing motor compressor which ran on 27 volts AC--most of the current refrigators use the Danfoss compressor which is a true 12 volt unit. Generatlly there is a circuit which is a stepdown transformer/rectifer 120 AC to 12 V DC, with a preference for the 120 AC when plugged in.
What we did is to add a second battery charger--20 to 40 amps, depending on how many batteries we have. At least with a 20 amp charger, you can charge a 50% discharged group 27 battery up in about 3 hours. (there is some taper, so that you really only charge it about 85% unless you leave the charger on overnight). If you are using a Honda EU 1000/2000--it takes a long time to put 60 amps into a battery at 5 amps an hour!
Golf carts vs Group 27/34. If you have the room, and can take the weight two golf carts are better, since they are made as a deep cycle battery. The capacity of two Golf carts is about the same as two group 31's or one 8 D (the 8 D is large and very heavy--the Golf carts break the weight down into two lighter units.
We find that the bulk of our refrigation needs are still met by good ice chests. We have the factory refrigator in the CD 25 and the chest Norcold in the 255--which we put frozen food, meats etc in--and the soft drinks, beer etc are in the ice chests. Also the ambient temp is important as to how much run time is needed by the refigerations. We find that our style of cruising where we move almost every day--the alternator on the engine is adequate to keep the batteries fully charged. But at least one extra house battery is necessary.
The older Norcolds had a swing motor compressor which ran on 27 volts AC--most of the current refrigators use the Danfoss compressor which is a true 12 volt unit. Generatlly there is a circuit which is a stepdown transformer/rectifer 120 AC to 12 V DC, with a preference for the 120 AC when plugged in.
On Discovery we have both a Norcold refrigerator and an Engle ref/freezer. We run both, 24/7 when cruising. We even run them when we are on the trailer driving cross country. They are both powered by the port battery bank. Three group 27 batteries in parallel. To keep the batteries charged we have many options. I installed 6, 15 amp solar panels on the cabin roof.
This pix shows 4 panels, but now there are 6.
I also have installed a 12 volt charging line from the truck to the boat. Like on an RV, when we drive across country the boat gets charged.
This shows the charging line and connection to the boat.
I also installed a crossover switch that parallels the port (3 group 27) and stb. (2 group 31) battery banks. So if needed I can put all five batteries together.
We carry a Honda 2000i generator. Its in a Rubbermaid container, under the berth. We rarely use it, but its there for extended periods on the hook in cloudy weather.
During normal cruising, when we are moving every day. The combination of the two, Honda 40 amp alternators, and the solar input, keeps everything topped off. When we do get a slip with electric we have a two bank 20 amp shore power charger.
None of the systems on Discovery are typical of the factory installation. This is our third C-Dory and we set it up for extended cruising. I put things together myself.
Brent
This pix shows 4 panels, but now there are 6.
I also have installed a 12 volt charging line from the truck to the boat. Like on an RV, when we drive across country the boat gets charged.
This shows the charging line and connection to the boat.
I also installed a crossover switch that parallels the port (3 group 27) and stb. (2 group 31) battery banks. So if needed I can put all five batteries together.
We carry a Honda 2000i generator. Its in a Rubbermaid container, under the berth. We rarely use it, but its there for extended periods on the hook in cloudy weather.
During normal cruising, when we are moving every day. The combination of the two, Honda 40 amp alternators, and the solar input, keeps everything topped off. When we do get a slip with electric we have a two bank 20 amp shore power charger.
None of the systems on Discovery are typical of the factory installation. This is our third C-Dory and we set it up for extended cruising. I put things together myself.
Brent