how to use fridge with no apu or idle

My sucks like LL! 900WATTS although I can fit a Umpalumpa in the Fridge and a midget in my freezer so.....ya




American Trucker

 

I run a WAECO coolmatic in my day cab. I got the biggest 1 that fits between the seats. I love it had now for about 6 years. It runs 24/7. The only time I turn it off is if I know I am going to leave the truck off for 4 or more days. Never has it killed the batteries or has it ever failed to keep stuff cold.
Another thing its tough as nails. It was with us a 3 years ago when we were involved in a car crash. I was in my Expedtion with my family on vacation when we were rear ended in by a tractor trailer. The WAECO was in the back full of food in Glad plastic containers. The inside of it looked like a bomb went off all the cantainers expolded in to plastic shards. There is on mark on the outside of the fridge and there was a cut in the power cord. Its still in my truck today keeping everything cold no repairs except to the power cord!

 

turn the key backwards my pro star fridge is off when the key is in the off pos, so i just turn the key backwards when i shut the truck off, stays at a cool 38degf

 

Which model do you have? Sounds like a good unit.

 

I had the larger Coleman cooler, and it would get cold enough to start to freeze stuff. Not great for keeping salads, but didn't manage to get too cold for pretty much anything else. I'd keep a layer of sodas, V8, juice and energy drinks in the bottom, and they'd do a real good job of retaining the cold. I could easily leave it unplugged all night, so I could use that plug to charge my laptop, and it would still be plenty cold in the morning. Never had worries about my food going bad. Think that one would suit your needs well, if you keep a thermometer in it to monitor what's going on.

Only problem I ever had was the amount of power it would pull. If I left it plugged in over the weekend while the truck wasn't running, it would run down the batteries enough to shut off power to the sleeper. Eventually it melted the plug, and I didn't trust it enough not to be a fire hazard if I replaced the plug, so I tossed it out.

New one is the smaller Coleman model. It only cools down to 50-60 degrees and does not retain the cold nearly as well. Great for sodas and keeping Snickers bars from melting, but I'm scared to use it for most foods.

 

cf-18, I think, Its the biggest on that will fit between the seats of a W9. Its not cheap in the way its made or the price. I think I paid $350 for it.

 

Werner allows a 150watt inverter, that's about it. Even optimized idle kills your fridge. Why they even make sleeper trucks without an inverter big enough to run a fridge or a microwave I don't understand. No otr driver should have to be without a way to keep or prepare food

 

He's not asking how to keep things cold in a powered down fridge. He's wanting suggestions to make it always be powered.