Refrigerator
 

Hi Folks , Iam going to be looking for a fridge when I get out of school , Our trucks have generators and I think they will let me put a inverter in it . So what kind of fridge am I looking for ? where am I looking for it at and how much should I expect to pay . Thanks inadvance Andy

If you go with an actual fridge you will need at fairly large power inverter to run it. Yes, the actual amount of power it uses is low, but the startup surge is high, so you will need at least a 600 watt inverter if not more.

You can purchase a dorm fridge for under $100, and then you are looking at another $100-$300 for the inverter. This is assuming too that not only will the company allow the installlation of a hard wired inverter but that you also have the room.

There are 12v options as well. For around $80 you can get a 12v thermo-electric cooler. The also make 12v cooler sized fridges and freezers that plug into a 12v outlet. These typically run a few hundred to several hundred dollars.

Then you have actual 12v fridges that are hardwired into the truck batteries that will run $300-$1000 or more depending on brand and size.

Thanks for the info , The company Iam going to work for Have Volvo and frieghtliners Iam not even sure what size Iam looking for . Do most all otr trucks have ac/dc or are they all dc .

A 600 watt inverter is small.

If you pay $100-$300 for a 600 watt inverter, you got hosed.

Re: Refrigerator
 

if the truck has a generator (as in apu) then you will have ac power to use if not will thay let you have an inverter...? if so you will need a 1000-1500 watt invertor, why so big will the fridge will need around 400 watts to run BUT it will need around 900 at startup plus tv, laptop, dvd player, micro.

you can get a roadpro 1500 watt invertor at pilot for $119 or so, it will do just fine ours ran everything for two years before the cooling fans died (my 1100 watt micro may have had something to do with that) it did still run the fridge until i could get a better invertor.

this is the fridge we have had for three years and it works just fine http://tinyurl.com/yfcyat

now with that said if you are going to driver a frieghtliner unless you are going to take apart the inside of the truck all you can use is a 12v cooler (we have used them and thay do a good job of keeping things COOL)
if you are going to be driving a volvo it will depend on what volvo you get 880,780,670 will all work for a fridge w/o mods all the rest will also need to have thing taken apart...! the one i posted a link to is 1/2" smaller than the dorm fridge's that most store sell and it will fit inside a volvo cabinet all you need to do is pop off the doors.

now after all that WAIT until you have been on the road for a few months with a 12v cooler and see IF 1st you like the job and 2nd if you NEED a fridge. after all you will be spending $350- $450 to have a fridge in the truck.

side note if you want to see a funny look on someone's face try sitting on I-10 in AZ sometime in July stuck waiting for three hours for them to clean up a rollover and when the family in the minvan next to you looks over and thay see you eating ICE CREAM.

Which means nothing when you are running down the road unless you plan on leaving the APU run 24/7. You will still need an inverter to run a 110v fridge while the truck is running.

All I can say about that is you get what you pay for.

Agree 100%

very true

also true but we are hard on invertors, the only reason the roadpro went out when it did was because i didn't unplug the fridge when using the micor "remember my micro is 1100 watt" and the roadpro still works but with the cooling fans out it will not run anything over 1000 watts.

we are hard on invertors because we cook in the truck fridge, micor, formam grill, Xpress 101 grill, slow cooker, sat tv w/dvr, lcd hd tv, dvd/vcr, playstation2

yes i could pay more ($300 plus) and get a better one but at this point a better one would have to run for 8 plus years just to break even.

Hey thanks for the info , some very good advice about waiting and trying a 12 volt cooler . and as far as an iverter I will see how that all comes about. And cross that bridge later . Thanks again Andy

In my 14 years of driving company equipment, I have collected and have working(in various stages of functionality) these inverters:

power-to-go 300watt cont/500watt peak pc300xt
Whistler 1000watt cont/1500 watt peak
Whistler 1500watt cont/3000 watt peak
Whistler 1200watt cont/ PI-1200W
Xantrex 1750watt cont
Xantrex 400 watt
Cobra 450 watt

and have managed( in 14years) to sell a total of 2 others( perfectly well working) to other truck drivers--- can't ever seem to find a truck driver willing to turn loose any dough- they all want you to give your stuff away.
Either that or they never have any money.

If you're only running a laptop- you could go with the Cobra 450- and use the 8guage wires to wire to the hot post at the fuse box or other place.
If you're running a Microwave- You must have at least 1000watt inverter( knowing that You might not get the full 1000watts out of it depending on the length and guage of wire you use to connect it.

If you buy a 600watt microwave(example) that's the OUTPUT/cooking Power of the microwave--- look on the back of the appliance for the INPUT
wattage or power. No electronic device runs 100% efficient or creates energy.

Also remember if you buy a Dorm Fridge(at wal-mart) and you remove a section of cabinet to put it in- if you tip the fridge on it's side --getting it crammed up over the passager seat to get it IN- you have to let it set 24hours before turning it on- otherwise You'll burn it out- pronto.
(been there-done that)

I have been eyeing those thermo-electric coolers at Pilot. I have a lug up that i got from walmart that just slightly cools. I was wondering if the ones at Pilot work any better? Any help or info. would be greatly appreciated...