RV water heater - Propane Problem solved

[LS Tractor Owner]

wow thats flat out shitty. refers use a ton of power.

There is a setting on the thermostat for "off grid" when using just the battery. I have tested the refer in this mode, kept the frozen stuff frozen for 3 days running off the battery. Nothing else was turned on, so probably an inaccurate measure.

I was impressed however with how cold it worked.... it was freezing stuff in the refer space set on "6" out of "10". Turned it down to 5. The off grid setting is from 3-5. This is on an 8 CF size.

The new unit has a 50w solar panel on the roof to charge the batteries. Supposed to be able to keep the battery fully charged and run the refer when off grid. I have yet to do a long term test to confirm if this is true. The specs say it draws 4.1 amps when cooling, so if it runs 50% of the time, thats only around 50 amp/hours.

All sounds good on paper.....

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

on demand seem to be pretty negatively viewed for rv's. glad its working out for you.

We used it this past winter in sub freezing nights.... worked great! But, I have a heated / insulated underbelly. I think that has a big influence on how it would work. I have read a lot of those negative reviews. I think some of the cheaper units have problems.

 

[LittleBill21]

There is a setting on the thermostat for "off grid" when using just the battery. I have tested the refer in this mode, kept the frozen stuff frozen for 3 days running off the battery. Nothing else was turned on, so probably an inaccurate measure.

I was impressed however with how cold it worked.... it was freezing stuff in the refer space set on "6" out of "10". Turned it down to 5. The off grid setting is from 3-5. This is on an 8 CF size.

The new unit has a 50w solar panel on the roof to charge the batteries. Supposed to be able to keep the battery fully charged and run the refer when off grid. I have yet to do a long term test to confirm if this is true. The specs say it draws 4.1 amps when cooling, so if it runs 50% of the time, thats only around 50 amp/hours.

All sounds good on paper.....

Thats interesting. I have a dc cooler that uses a high end compressor, and it pulls roughly the same. I guess its not an amonia based system anymore,as they use about 800 watts on electric to heat it.

50 watts won't even cover light usage. unless everything is led. they do like their papers... Glad it is working for you though. Sorry for the negative tones. I don't like being forced into grid power.

 

[Root Cause]

I was surprised to learn that the manufacturers are doing away with most of the 2 and 3 way refrigerators...... only using 12v refers now. Apparently too many fires caused when using them in propane mode. Both of our new trailers (2020 and 2022) have 12v refers.

I took an electrical class for RVs in 2020. There are many iffy things that go on with RV manufacturers and they are not regulated like automobiles.

Until recently. they promoted running a frig on propane while you traveled. That was a great selling tool for sales and marketing. It sounded great to have a frig while you rolled down the highway. The issue was that the flame blew out for some and fumes caused deaths, not a fire.
The solution was a metal bracket that shielded the flame from the wind flowing across the exterior vent. I don't know if there was an actual recall but technicians were trained to look for the bracket and install one if it didn't exist on used RVs.
But that also failed. By the time I was taking the class, we were strongly cautioned not to ever run the frig on propane while driving.

Related to that, the LP sensor has an expiration date of 7 years. Unfortunately, most labels are on the back and go unnoticed. Dust particles and a grimy film eventually coat the sensor. Using PAM in the kitchen is a big contributor.

I don't know for sure why they do what they do but I know that 12v is preferred to 120v because 120v takes a lot bigger wire. Cost is obvious but weight is always a concern. I am guessing but that would be an obvious benefit to reducing the cost of the RV and the frig. itself.

I like the tankless idea. Probably a good choice. I just could not find a place for it in mine. I have an Atwood water heater (aluminum) that doesn't require an anode rod so this kit worked best for me.

 

[Root Cause]

Probably.... I could never figure out that the manufacturer will go way beyond upgrades on some nonessential things, then put the cheapest essential component that is really needed.....

I think it is part of "planned obsolescence", or to make us buy upgrades.

I agree. I think marketing plays too big of a role in deciding what sells.

My motorhome is an entry-level model. But it has automatic, hydraulic jacks and other useful things that made me buy this model. They all use the same appliances but it is how they cobble them together and what they use that determines the cost.

I had problems with my frig and they replaced it twice without success. It is what drove me to take a class in Texas to learn all about RVs. Turned out that the manufacturer ignored the box configuration necessary for airflow behind the frig. Hot air was being trapped. I put in a small 12v fan and turn it on once it gets over 85°. (It needs some heat for it to flow up and out). Also, the condensation hose was just hanging down. That was a gap of hot air heating the frig. The hose is supposed to have a kink or "J" hook at the bottom to collect a little water. That separates the outside heat from the frig and still allows the water to drain. Simple solutions that others just didn't know of.