How to Dometic

[Dwillhodges]

I just got a Dometic CFX-75DZW and i am trying to figure out how to run it in the cab of my 2015 F-150. I have a AC110 outlet in my truck with a 400W max. Can I use that to power my fridge? Is that going to kill my battery? I typically go on 2-3 days trips max. Do I need to do some kind of wiring configuration, or buy a different battery for my truck? Just trying to get some information. I don't want to get stuck on a trail deep in the woods with a dead battery.

- Thanks

 

[M Rose]

According to the specs, it’s dual voltage, 110 VAC or 12VDC. since your truck is 12VDC, the easiest solution is to run a dedicated 15 amp circuit to the fridge, and add an Auxiliary Battery so that the starting battery doesn't get drained when the rig isn’t started periodically.
Using a Inverter is going going to be less efficient than just using the truck’s normal 12 volt system. There are other reasons to use an inverter, but this fridge isn’t one of them.

edit: didn’t see where your truck already had an inverter. That changes things a little, just add a second battery for a piece of mind, or get a jumper pack.

 

[1derer]

Dometic CFX-75DZW is rated at 1.3 amps and does have a battery protection feature if connected to 12v but you will not have this feature if plugged into your inverter. Will your inverter work if the truck is turned off? If so do you know if it has a low battery feature built in?

Decent write up here Gear Review Ih8mud stating 14.6 amps consumption over 24hrs. Provided you have a decent truck battery and accounting for loss of the inverter you 'should' be ok but I'd wire a second battery or at least have a battery box jump start just in case. Suggest using 110v to get the fridge cold before leaving.

 

[Brian Glendenning]

I have a 2017 F150 and a Dometic CFX 65W. Both the DC "cigarette adapter" and 120V AC outlets have plenty of power to run your fridge, the issue is that at least with my F150 both the DC and AC outlets will power off after a fairly short while (15m?) when the ignition isn't running. While I intend to build up a better system, at the moment I just keep the fridge on the back seat of the truck plugged into a camping battery (Goal Zero 400 W-h, which isn't ideal for this situation), and the battery in turn is plugged into the truck DC power port so it charges while driving, and I connect a solar panel when I'm camped. In sunny New Mexico this works indefinitely, but in places where it rains I'd want a bigger capacity battery (I could always run the truck of course). (LiFePO4 or lead-acid chemistry would also be better, but that's a different conversation).

 

[Road]

.

Even though you have an inverter in place, the best and most efficient method to power the Dometic and to give you most piece of mind (particularly in warm environments) about not killing your cranking battery is to add another battery, a deep cycle one, and run the fridge via 12v from that.

Nowhere near as efficient in the long run to convert the 12v battery power to 110 for the inverter.

You can get a very inexpensive battery isolator that will allow you to charge the extra battery while driving but isolate it from discharging the cranking battery while stopped.

There's a short vid on amazon that recommends hooking it to 110 in your house just to get it down to temp. Then run it from 12v in your vehicle.

The advantage of having a second, deep cycle, battery is that you can then run a fuse panel from it, and use that to run other 12v and USB outlets, etc. so you're not continually deep discharging your cranking battery. It's not meant to do that and will die prematurely.

Good luck; it's all pretty simple and makes good sense, really, once you get into it.

.

Roaddude - On the Road In North America - ROADDUDE

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[1Louder]

Buy this (ARB Wiring Harness) and install it. About as easy as it gets other than finding the right route to run the wiring through you firewall to the battery. If you don't have a Deep Cycle batter you need one. If you only have a traditional starter battery you will kill it in short order. They are not meant for that. Lots of threads on this topic. Do a search and you can learn more. Most vehicle harnesses don't use a high enough gauge wire. You can power a fridge of them but the fridge will not run as efficiently as it can. No reason to run off of 110. Any inverter will also work your battery harder than 12 volt.