Battery life w/ refrigerator running


R

robcam

New member
I am looking to see what peoples experience of battery life is with the refrigerator running.

Boat is 99 280SS w/2 interstate deepcycles. What I am finding is that the cockpit refrigerator when set to 4 on the dial, runs one battery past starting voltage within about 4 hours of floating in the bay. Now this is with conjunction of a basic stereo / waste system / chart plotter on. But the battery dips below 11v within this time frame.

Is this typical? or do I need to look at new batteries?
 
It should last quite a few hours using some of the stuff on the boat. If u have no generator to fall back on then don't risk killing them and not being able to start. Bring a jump box until u figure it all out. The fridge question has too many independent variables. Outside temp, how often opened, in direct sun. Bring a smaller cooler and keep the things you always use in it and just the stuff you rarely get in the fridge. Eliminate the need to open it. If you have a good battery charger that desulfates and deep cycles them, try it before you replace them.
 
my 280 has the dual battery setup, no room for a generator, so I have the other battery to rely on. On my boat it is tucked away under the sink in the cockpit area, not in the fwd cabin, so it sees a bit of sunlight, and its not opened too frequently. I just enjoy having free space in the boat fs tripping over a cooler all day. I have never had a problem starting the boat off battery 2, after things slow down, and i just switch to ALL on the battery setup to re-charge battery 1 and continue on with battery 1 the rest of my trip.

I feel if the thing is on board to be used, and it should be setup to run off the battery for an extended period of time,+4 hours on battery. Also I do have an on board battery charger, however I dont have the option in the rack storage to keep it plugged in.
 
The battery should be @ least 100 amp hour for group 27. I m guessing the frig draws @ most 10 amps per hour. So if u have a good battery you will get 10 hours of run time before batt dies..We do a lot of battery discharge diagnostics on 12-48 volt systems...
 
Your battery capacity is down. You need to decide what is sufficient for you?
I ld replace it. I ld want @ least 6-8 hours of frig time.
 
Get some new batteries and 15-25 watt solar panel with a charge controller. I sat in a deserted harbor in Bimini for three weeks and only ran my generator 3 times. I only had 3 batteries. I would turn the fridge off at night and on when the panel was charging. I keep the panel on the boat at all times, just in case.
 
Small cockpit fridge draws around 4-5 amps running. I just had to replace cooling pack on one.


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A refrigerator draws a LOT of juice depending a number of factors, with space temperatures and coil cleanliness impacting run time the most. The OP 4 hour battery drain does not surprise me, even with a new battery. We should remember the engine alternator will bring the charge back fairly quickly. Understand how to operate the battery switch to make sure you don't get stranded with that awful starter clicking!
 
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