Running refrigerator and battery drainage

Stever00

On  a Rinker 240 with small fridge. Just curious how long before refrigerator runs battery down. Boat has two batteries and small fridge.  Has anyone rigged up solar panel to help keep batteries charged in the day without engine running?

PickleRick

What kind of fridge? There are old school inefficient ones and new ones that will run some 12 hrs on a bank of 4 group (27?) Batteties.

With 2 group 27 batteries with 100% charging via 50 watt solar panel (approx 18 x24)  i kill the batteries in 3 days of 2 small 12 inch fans, radio, depth, led cabin and nav lights plus phone charging in 3 days.   This is summer time in the south with long sunny usually rain free weeks.   Shorter days or hours of afternoon/evening showers kills charge time. 

J3ff

I've got the fridge that came with the boat in 2004, it's a 270.. and a bank of two group 31 batteries that had 210 minutes of reserve each... I have forgotten to turn off the fridge MULTIPLE times and the batteries still started it after 5 days... 

[Deleted User]

I have a Renogy 100w panel charging my house battery. The FV250 is too small for a genny. I haven't used shore power in years except to use my power tools or shop vac. Everything 120v/ac on the boat (TV etc.) runs off an inverter. I use my fridge on 12v sparingly, so I don't know much about battery draw for more than a couple of hours, which a fully charged battery can easily handle. If I put three beers in the freezer they are good and cold in less than an hour. Otherwise the fridge is off and I use the cooler with a $1 bag of ice from Dollar Tree for overnight trips.

Andy

Stever00

This boat is a 1997 model. I'm pretty sure that fridge came in boat. Not sure the cubic size but it's small and probably not as efficient as newer ones. Not used this boat so I ask. If the boat has to run to keep fridge from killing battery day in 8 -12 hour period its would not be much use to me. Probably won't be docking at marinas at night when I use it overnight.

aero3113

You can always bring a portable generator with you on longer stays.

reneechris14

I think you make about 30 hours on a group 27 battery with the frig running. 

MarkB

Google the model and get the amperage under 12V ... it's a calculation then. You're batteries will give the amp-hours ... and I wouldn't go with more than 70% of this if it's deep cycles. If they are cranks ... 30% of this, is my opinion.

PickleRick

Cranks drained down to 30% usually result in no cranks no more.    How many batteries and how much space do you have for batteries?  

In my sailboat i have house bank batteries 100% for cabin and radio then i have a dedicated motor start battery.   

Stever00

This 24 foot boat. Space is limited. It has dual batteries. Would 
 be good to have extra one.  I do have a compact Lithium ion jump start I plan on keeping in boat. Bought for motorcycle that I had bad habit of turning off with kickstand.
 I bought this boat just at end of boating season so I haven't had time to figure all this out.