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Power Bank for fridge

roaniecowpony

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I'm thinking of getting a power bank to run a fridge on road trips and such. I really have in mind to use it in my wife's new car where there is no power socket that is live with the ignition off. But similar use for my JLUR too.

So, I've never owned a power bank... Can I plug in the fridge to the power bank and run it while the power bank is charging off the vehicle 12v system, then just let the power bank battery run the fridge when the socket power shuts off?
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Aonarch

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Yup!

I use a Bluetti AC70 and an Iceco 50L fridge. The battery on its own powers the fridge for 2 days in the summer without being plugged in to charge.

Best thing is to look at the batteries rated kwh and do some math on how much you need.

My fridge max pulls 40W, but generally idles down pretty low.
 

jadmt

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that is how I do my ARB 50 and my Jackery 1000..I can get several days without a charge on the jackery and it charges fast just driving around.
 

Reinen

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It really depends on the power bank but most major brands support simultaneous charging and use. Check the specifications and confirm the power bank supports this.
 

Left Field

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Can I plug in the fridge to the power bank and run it while the power bank is charging off the vehicle 12v system, then just let the power bank battery run the fridge when the socket power shuts off?
For the several brands of power banks I've used, pass-through power works fine, albeit with some limitations. Your use case is something to consider also.

If you are planning some extended backcountry camping, 12V charging of the power bank is unlikely to keep up. The 12V charging of the power bank is usually pretty slow, typically 50-100W is common. Because the fridge uses a fair amount of that, the net battery charging can be slow. If the fridge runs off the power bank overnight (camping) it can take many hours of driving to regain full charge.

If you are only using the fridge / battery setup for a few days this is no problem as vehicle charging or 120V AC charging at home or a hotel will be fine. AC charging in the vehicle doesn't work for several major brands I've worked with (Goal Zero, Jackery, Anker) due to the 150W limit of our inverter.

If you do need to charge quickly using 12V power in the vehicle, I recently helped a friend install a Bluetti Charger 1. This charger connects directly to your car battery and can charge a power bank up to 560W using the power bank solar input, getting a 1000Whr power bank fully charged with 2-3 hours of driving. It is designed to charge only when your vehicle is running to avoid running down its battery.

LF
 
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UTME

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I have an EcoFlow delta 2 power bank with rugged country 45L frig. Works great.

EcoFlow also makes a fast charger that connects directly to your battery and solar panels.
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