electrical converters

[MtnCamper]

But the 12V outlets are good enough to keep the food respectably cool during a trip or while waiting in the parking lot while I'm at work (yes, I have taken my loaded camper to work with me).

Larry, How long do you leave these run in the parking lot? Your batteries handle them ok?

[mike4947]

I don't know about Larry and the two coolers, but from my experieince a lot depends on:
1) the condition of the TV's battery
2) the size of the TV battery
3) How long "lunch" lasts.
 
THe second time the Koolatron left us with a click when you turned the key, I rigged it though a key operated circuit. Very embarrasing walking around a parking lot with jumper cables begging for a "jump".
I figured if the cooler couldn't hold temp for a few hours without power it wasn't worth having it along.
The fridges in all my trailers are setup the same. Run on 12 volt while the key is on, only. The fridge is are on a seperate circuit from the rest of the trailer's 12 volts just so it can't draw down the trailer battery.

[brainpause]

Larry, How long do you leave these run in the parking lot? Your batteries handle them ok?

I have only camped with one of them. We got the second one for Christmas.

Last year, I drove our camper to work, and from the time I got to work until the time I had it hooked up at the campground was 11-12 hours, IIRC. And the food was still cold. Worked well for what we wanted.

Now, to answer the question you are thinking before you even ask it: One of the coolers will have drinks ONLY in it (non-spoilers). It may be the one that doesn't get hooked up in transit, so the other one can have all the juice. I am running extensive controlled-conditions tests in our camper now: location, 12V, 120V, battery power, shore power, Coleman power, etc.

What I am happy to learn, really, is that it doesn't matter what the cooler is hooked to (12V or 120V) when it is placed where the old built in chest was. I have discovered there is not enough air circulation in there to let the cooler do its work. The cooler cools 15-18 degrees lower on 120 volt OUTSIDE the "hole".

Conclusion: Use 120V when you can, and I think I'll install a vent for the Powerchill.

Larry

[brainpause]

I don't know about Larry and the two coolers, but from my experieince a lot depends on:
1) the condition of the TV's battery
2) the size of the TV battery
3) How long "lunch" lasts.
 

Our camper isn't hooked to the TV. It has a Group 27 battery on the tongue. Remember, we have an old '86 jobbie that has a four-flat plug. None of those fancy Bargmann plugs with the nice charge circuit!!

Larry

[wynot]

Well Larry,

Get your multimeter, a Bargman plug and go to work...  Your truck should be putting out close to 14 V when running, why not take advantage of the extra voltage over a standing 12.6 V from a battery?

[brainpause]

Well Larry,

Get your multimeter, a Bargman plug and go to work...  Your truck should be putting out close to 14 V when running, why not take advantage of the extra voltage over a standing 12.6 V from a battery?

Great idea, Ker$hner, but I ju$t can't $eem to find the time to add a charge line to my Ni$$an, especially if I want to do it right and put a battery i$olator on it. But even if I don't put the i$olator on it, time i$ ju$t the bigge$t factor in not putting a Bargman on the truck.

Seriously, I have thought about adding a Bargman, because I really want to add brakes to our ATV trailer, which is MUCH heavier than our camper, when loaded. But my truck doesn't have a nice plug 'n' play for a brake controller, so I'll just live with it.

Larry