How do you keep your battery from going dead with refrigerator running?

There are inverter equipped, large capacity lithium battery power stations. They're not cheap but having one is a good backup for home power outages and camp power. Calculate the power used by your fridge and try not to cry when you pay for a unit large enough to handle it for a weekend. I have 2 Goal Zero Sherpa 100s in my rig to power electronics when I'm parked so I don't draw down my batteries. GZ claims their Yeti 3000 will power a fridge (without saying what size) for 50+ hours. That would set you back a couple grand. My guess is your fridge is smaller than their example and you could get by with a smaller unit. Hope that helps.

 

Mine ran my batteries down twice before I cured that problem, out the door it went, no more problem.

 

While your driving, a couple of hours before you get home turn your fridge up cold as it goes. Then when you park for weekend, quickly open up and turn fridge way down on low. This will create less demand on the compressor to start (heavy pull on batteries) and cycle. Depending on how far away you park. Sometime over the weekend, drive down to truck. Start it up, figure out something yo do for half hour or so. I do it in morning and bring my coffee, surf the web.

 

Best answer, don’t be lazy, I empty my fridge every time I’m home. It’s just another part of the job or maybe you could hire a lumper to do it for you.

 

A bag of ice is cheaper!

 

Well that's one way to look at it. Guess it depends on how you stock it up. I have a large fridge, so lets see freezer 5 frozen dinners, 2 steaks, a package of sausages, 2lbs of Hamburg. Fridge 12 vitamin waters, ketchup,mustard,relish, mayo, left over casserole, strawberries, milk, hot dogs and buns. That's it fridge is almost empty. Time to head to grocery sstored spend $50-60.
No way I'm gonna empty and 5hen restock every time I go home. Yaaa I'm gonna be lazy

 

Do you have frig made for low power usage ? They have them for camping they are no cheap but the have special compessor. Google Dan Foss compessor frig. Dometic CFX 95DZW 12v Electric Powered Portable Cooler, Fridge Freezer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07215RMJG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WWQ4CbZFYSKH5

They don't use Dan Foss compessor anymore same ideal I guess

You get cheap generator but they don't run more then 11 or 15 hours it seems
Search Results For "generator"

 

If you're draining the batteries dead, you are dramatically shortening the life of them for the sake of keeping the fridge cold when there is no reason to. Empty it out on weekends and shut it down.

I've also never had the batteries go completely dead because something is left on in the truck. Doesn't your truck have a low voltage trip that kicks off breakers when there is low voltage? I've only driven Cascadias and KW T680's. Both models would trip the interior breaker before draining the batteries.

 

Why not plan your return home, and arrive home with a empty or nearly empty fridge?

That's the easiest way to do it. If you arrive home with almost nothing in the fridge, you can empty the fridge and let it defrost and/or clean it between trips.

That is how I manage my fridge over hometime. When I park the truck the fridge is empty. I restock when I return to the truck.

 

That sounds too sensible. lol I was thinking the same thing, why would the fridge be full when you take your home time?