Need a fridge power solution that's 100% reliable

[NJRadioGuy]

I upgraded my power station to a Bluetti AC180P a couple of months ago, and added a Charger 1. On several occasions I've come out to find the DC portion of the unit had shut down and my fridge was dead. What I think is happening is the ridiculous 12V cigarette lighter plug comes loose, the fridge powers down, and the DC circuitry on the AC180P shuts itself off. I come out to a dead fridge with all my food ruined (and worse, warm beer). I'm not 100% sure what's happening, whether it's as I described, or the fridge is failing, but the end result is no DC out (the Bluetti's DC side gets turned off).

At this point I'm at the end of my rope. I will pay whatever it costs for a 100% reliable fully-rechargeable 12V DC power station that I can let run for months at a time without worry. Ideally there'd be a way to modify the power station to allow it to feed a DC distribution block of Anderson PowerPoles, but whatever it is, I need a properly engineered solution that's intended to work without user input on- and off-road, from 0° to 120° ambient temperature. The Jeep will often sit for 4-5 days without moving when I'm at home working. Running it to the crank battery is a non-starter for obvious reasons--it will either kill the crank battery or it will shut off and spoil the contents.

I've considered LiFePO4 batteries in the back cubby space but they have their own issues with charging at freezing temps, and in the northeast where I live, that's often weeks or even months at a time. I've never ran across a power station that has a secure 12V plug, and since I only need about 1000-1400W of power, I don't need a whole-house-style power station with thousands of Watt-hours of capacity. Capacity isn't the issue, just a RELIABLE 12V connection. For those who live out of their vehicles full time, how do you keep your fridge powered up 24/7? I am NOT looking for a cheap-and-good-enough kind of solution. I want a permanent buy-once/cry-once professionally setup solution. Any suggestions?

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[Ratbert]

I know you aren't looking for a simple / cheap solution, but if the cigarette lighter-based plug is perceived to be the fundamental issue, why not just hardwire it?

 

[NJRadioGuy]

I know you aren't looking for a simple / cheap solution, but if the cigarette lighter-based plug is perceived to be the fundamental issue, why not just hardwire it?

Hardwiring it to what is the problem. I'm the furthest thing from an electrician and things like this don't come naturally to my mind. Constant, permanent 12V DC source with the ability to use solar plus by Bluetti Charger 1. I can do the solar thing later on, and IIRC the AC180P can't use both alternator and solar.

 

[Apples491]

Personally, I would just run the fridge to the main battery. Overlanding fridges generally have circuit protection to keep form killing your battery. That would be the primary danger of having the fridge shut off in this scenario. But if, you're starting the engine regularly and driving it long enough to top off, it'll never be a problem.

Just make sure you use appropriate gauge wire so you don't burn your vehicle down.

 

[Sarge21]

This worries me a little since I just purchased their Elite 100 V2 and the Charger 1 recently. I'll report back if I have the same problems. I hope you find a solution.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Personally, I would just run the fridge to the main battery. Overlanding fridges generally have circuit protection to keep form killing your battery. That would be the primary danger of having the fridge shut off in this scenario. But if, you're starting the engine regularly and driving it long enough to top off, it'll never be a problem.

Just make sure you use appropriate gauge wire so you don't burn your vehicle down.

The issue is between trips I'm often at home for 5-10 days at a time and don't go anywhere further than the nearest grocery store or post office. Then I load up and head off for days (or weeks) at a time when I can. Sure, I could just unplug the fridge when I get home, but what fun is that? I can't be the first person who's wanted a fridge running 24/7/365 in a Jeep. It seems like such a simple idea.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

This worries me a little since I just purchased their Elite 100 V2 and the Charger 1 recently. I'll report back if I have the same problems. I hope you find a solution.

I'd love to know what your experience is, and specifically what kind of fridge you're running, how it's mounted and so on.

 

[Jeep Wick]

The issue is between trips I'm often at home for 5-10 days at a time and don't go anywhere further than the nearest grocery store or post office. Then I load up and head off for days (or weeks) at a time when I can. Sure, I could just unplug the fridge when I get home, but what fun is that? I can't be the first person who's wanted a fridge running 24/7/365 in a Jeep. It seems like such a simple idea.

There are 2 ways to run your fridge 24/7... You plug in at home and use shore power like an RV, or you use solar to top up a battery bank. If you're not ready for solar, you will need enough amps to last 5-10 days which is a big ask IMO. You'll need to do the math for however many amps your fridge uses on a typical day and know how many amp hours your batteries can provide.

 

[grimmjeeper]

There are 2 ways to run your fridge 24/7... You plug in at home and use shore power like an RV, or you use solar to top up a battery bank. If you're not ready for solar, you will need enough amps to last 5-10 days which is a big ask IMO. You'll need to do the math for however many amps your fridge uses on a typical day and know how many amp hours your batteries can provide.

This.

Shore power or solar is the only way to run for extended periods.

As far as the plug coming loose, there are a ton of options for having a more secure plug. You should be able to find someone locally who can wire up what you need.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

There are 2 ways to run your fridge 24/7... You plug in at home and use shore power like an RV, or you use solar to top up a battery bank. If you're not ready for solar, you will need enough amps to last 5-10 days which is a big ask IMO. You'll need to do the math for however many amps your fridge uses on a typical day and know how many amp hours your batteries can provide.

I can get about 3 days on the Bluetti as it stands now, and in warmer months going out to plug in is not really a problem. A little more of an issue in the dead of winter (for reasons). I'd like to do solar ASAP, but I don't think the device I have can take both the Charger-1 and solar at the same time.

 

[Sarge21]

I can get about 3 days on the Bluetti as it stands now, and in warmer months going out to plug in is not really a problem. A little more of an issue in the dead of winter (for reasons). I'd like to do solar ASAP, but I don't think the device I have can take both the Charger-1 and solar at the same time.

There is a video on youtube with a guy who wired a switch to his wife's wrangler that enabled her to use either solar or the Charger 1 with only one cord going to her power station. She might have been able to use both inputs at the same time but it's been a while since I watched it so I'm not sure about that. I know it doesn't solve the loose cord issue but might help in the future.

 

[Apples491]

The ARB fridge in my offroad trailer specifically has two power connections, one for AC and one for DC. It can sense power on either and prefers AC over DC. So, it's permanently wired to the battery on the trailer but when plug in shore power it automatically switches over.

An alternative would be to not put the fridge on shore power, but the entire Jeep with a battery tender.

 

[deznut6]

from Europe....a company named "Lampa" makes a 12v plug that has external fingers that you expand with a "nut" on the plug body to make it stay securely in the socket:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/355821696998

 

[NJRadioGuy]

I think I'll order one of these and give it a try. Not fond of ordering anything off e-Bay and I can't find it on Amazon, but for about $20 that's not unreasonable.

 

[jadmt]

this my rock solid fridge set up.I have an ARB50 and 1000W jackery.... i plug my jackery into the 12V port in the back of my jeep and plug my ARB into the jackery...jackery will run the ARB for about 4 days without a charge and the jackery charges up while just driving around....just driving around keeps jackery at 100%. if I am parked for longer than that I can throw my solar panel out or just plug the the jackery into 120V to keep it full..when at home the ARB is plugged into 120V and I have been running it that way for about 12 years 24/7 without issues..

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