Hi All!

[Pesquado]

Hi All,

I am currently in the process of purchasing a 2009 Jayco Swan Outback, I pick it up on Wednesday after my car gets the electronic brake controller installed (Redarc). I have a 2009 Isuzu D-Max LS-U 4x4 that will be my tug and I am also getting an anderson plug installed to the rear of my vehicle with a Redarc isolator between it and my vehicles battery as I do not have a dual battery system.

The swan I am soon to pick-up comes with all the standard features plus a few options as well. The options that the previous owner has are as follows;
Dometic roof mounted air conditioning / heater.
Bed end flys
Awning, without walls (I will purchase a set of walls for this in the near future)
External gas bayonet fitting
Extra tap fitted to the drawbar
Al-Ko drop jacks
Swing away jockey wheel
Pole carrier

While looking at the swan the current owner stated that he has a hotwire installed on the 7 pin round plug. I am not sure whether it is charging the battery and the fridge or runs the fridge alone. He said that the fridge does not run very well when on 12v, but performs best on gas. I am wondering if an anderson plug to top up the battery while driving and running the fridge off this battery would be a more efficient way to run the fridge then the small hotwire that has already been setup in the trailer? Or should i get the anderson plug to power only the fridge while driving? This would then leave the battery to be charged by the 240v system only, which would run the lights and other assorted 12v items only, never the fridge. Which way should i go?

Where is a good place to source the walls from for the annex as well? This swan was purchased in Victoria and i am in QLD so the manufacturer of this awning is a fair way away. Is there a place to go to in Brisbane preferably north-side that could make them or have some in stock that will fit this awning?

Cheers,

Pesquado

[KingBilly]

G'day mate and welcome to myswag.  Congrats on the Jayco purchase.  Also great choice of vehicle 

Happy camping
KB

[Black Diamond]

Welcome to the forum mate great to have your company.
That fridge will chew the life out of your battery in no time and yes it's not very efficient on 12v that's why it's only good for maintaining the temperature when travelling using power from the Hotwire from the car.
They also run well on 240v so very important to cool the fridge down for at least 24hrs before taking off from home.
If you want to run 12v all the time you can buy a Waeco 12v only upright fridge which is an option from factory with the Jayco's

[Pesquado]

I understand that it would chew through the battery if it was not being topped up, that is why it will be for only while driving that it would be used on 12v.

What I am more interested to know is if it will be better to run an anderson plug direct to the fridge so it can run directly that way? Or have the anderson plug hooked up to the battery in the camper so it charges and then have the fridge connected to the battery and have it run that way while driving?

Just to make it clear, the fridge will only be used on 12v while driving, never while stationary! I will use 240v or gas while stationary.....

Cheers,

Jon

[Black Diamond]

I understand that it would chew through the battery if it was not being topped up, that is why it will be for only while driving that it would be used on 12v.

What I am more interested to know is if it will be better to run an anderson plug direct to the fridge so it can run directly that way? Or have the anderson plug hooked up to the battery in the camper so it charges and then have the fridge connected to the battery and have it run that way while driving?

Just to make it clear, the fridge will only be used on 12v while driving, never while stationary! I will use 240v or gas while stationary.....

Cheers,

Jon

Dont think there is much to gain in doing so from what I've read, apart from being thirsty they don't work that well on 12v anyway