TF seems to have changed the design a bit and new units come thru as/dc. I would just forget about using the AC part as 200 w of solar will run it fine unless you plan to connect up to shore power a lot. Personally I usually don’t even bother to connect up to shore power even if it’s included with the campsite as it’s a PITA to get the cord out.

 

Having the AC option on my Dometic was problematic due to my wiring setup, and the Truck Fridge may be the same way. The issue I had was that when I turned on my Inverter the fridge sensed the AC power and then ran on off that instead of 12v. This was a huge waste of power and drained my battery quickly if I for some reason forgot to turn the inverter off. Now I just have the AC option unplugged and have a built in AC to DC charger on the batteries. That way when I plug in all my on board AC systems can run on shorepower and the fridge can run on DC without draining anything.

 

Engel instructed not to run the fridge's AC through an inverter, so MrNomer set up an outlet that only runs off shore power.

 

Good choice of fridge. Yes what MsNomer said. Or just don't plug the AC cord in.

 

Why add something else to break. The AC has to be converted to DC for the fridge, just feed it DC. When plug in let the charger keep the batteries up. The TF130 has a Danfoss 35 compressor. It is the clone of the Isotherm, same parent company, but half the price. Go look at the 130 Isotherm and compare, it's the same fridge. TF runs deals every now and then. The TF has to work in the VA heat. Make certain you have enough ventilation, double what you think is enough.

 

We have a not-so-nice reason to use the AC plug for the fridge: Our AC charger is woefully inadequate—sized for the one battery before we had two. Plus, it simply feels good to know that when the van is in the driveway, the fridge is being powered directly with less chance of something going wrong. I never turn it off.

 

Low budget contrarian here. I have a cheap dorm fridge/freezer I got from BJ's a couple years back at a back to school sale for $76. Energy star rated. Even if the van gets to 100 inside when parked, it'll keep ice cream frozen up top. I run it off a 500 watt PS inverter and have a couple of AGM golf cart batteries charged by 400 watts solar on the roof. I left it running for the past week after a trip. In the mornings the batteries are still above 12 volts as the solar starts to recharge. By 11 am, the cells are peaked at 14.2 volts. It's like a perpetual motion machine with a small load like that.
Anyone else here NOT into state of the art and perfectly happy with it? I've always envied you wealthy Boomers who could afford all the best toys. ;-) I only shut the fridge off today and took my soda's inside the house so the cells would peak out and stay there in prep for the tropical storm that is coming. In case we do lose power, I run a cord from the inverter in the van into our our house and let it carry our home fridge. Just like the little van fridge. It'll run the home fridge all night and start recharging AND run the home fridge soon as the sun rises over the trees. That is the only home load we need to power. Have plenty of cheap rechargeable LED lights in the house. I don't even own a gas genset anymore as the solar on the van is so handy and quiet when we need it!