Experience With AC to 12 Volt Converter?

[Rick D]

I run my frig and freezer 24/7. It puts a parasitic draw on the house bank which can't be good, so I purchased a Group 24 deep cycle to run as a sacrificial battery to save the house bank.

Now it's time to change out the batteries, so I was thinking of replacing the small group 24 battery with an AC to DC converter like this example: http://www.magnalight.com/showproduct.aspx?productid=1374

I think I need about 15 amps to accommodate the refrigeration plus whatever other DC needs there may be. So, has anyone done something similar? What was your experience? Any thoughts / cautions / suggestions? I'm not quite sure how I'd wire it in and for sure I have to have something that will handle the bilge pump too.

 

[Stu Jackson]

DC to fridge directly

My 1986 Adler Barbour manual says the compressor requires "juice" off a battery and not directly from a converter. Issue as I recall is possible low voltage. The newer compressors are better "protected" electrically in that regard.

A friend did a small PWC battery for his 24/7 fridge, being plugged in all the time, too, but added a relay so that when his 1-2-B switch was off when he left the boat the fridge would run off the small battery. Then when he turns on the 1-2-B switch the relay kicks it over to the house bank. Pretty nifty.

If it was my boat, I'd do that.

 

[Maine Sail]

Rick

Rick the Iota chargers will work as a DC power supply and also charge batteries. You'd only need a small one.. Just a thought..

 

[seadaddler]

What I Did

My new 2007 Hunter Ref was always running off the house bank and the charger charging them while at the shore power.
I contacted the builder of my Ref and purchased the converter made for the ref that automaticly switches back and forth from 12 to 110,$150.00.
It works great and don't need to keep charging the house bank to run the ref 24/7.
The nice thing about mine setup is it all fit nicely all wired up and works automaticlly.
Nick

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Rick
Mindful of the fact that not all power supplies are equal in quality, I'd suggest you look mat the Astron link attached. These robust good design supplies are among the most popular with those of us ham radio types used to discriminating among the various designs to power much of our electronics. Not much more expensive than the generic types, they last a lifetime and provide a well-regulated voltage source which is what refer mfgs are after when they suggest direct battery connection.
As Stu suggested, a trip-off relay is a simple accessory when you go off the grid.


http://www.astroncorp.com/

 

[Snotter]

I too have been thinking of doing this. I did a search for regulated 12 V supplies on eBay. They can be had in the 50$ to 100$ range for a 15 amp supply.

 

[Blitz]

My new 2007 Hunter Ref was always running off the house bank and the charger charging them while at the shore power.
I contacted the builder of my Ref and purchased the converter made for the ref that automaticly switches back and forth from 12 to 110,$150.00.
It works great and don't need to keep charging the house bank to run the ref 24/7.
The nice thing about mine setup is it all fit nicely all wired up and works automaticlly.
Nick

What brand was it?

 

[RonRelyea]

This is pretty much Greek to me but .... I have a Tripp Lite 40 amp "Precision Regulated DC Power Supply" (output = 13.8 volts) that someone gave me for a Ham radio that I don't use. Is this the type of power supply that you guys are talking about? Would it be advantageous for me to wire this up to run my refrigerator when I am on shore power? Thanks!

 

[druid]

You can use a battery-charger with two caveats:
1. You MUST have a battery there. Don't just hook the fridge to the charger.
2. It really should be a "smart" charger: if it's a dumb charger, the draw from the fridge will ensure the battery never gets fully charged, and a partially-charged battery doesn't have a long life. Don't ask how I know this...

BTW: That's a BIG draw. Check out the Waeco fridges (Now bought out by somebody...) They use the Danforth compressors that just SIP power: I can run mine off a 50W solar panel.

druid