You are absolutely right. The cost is difficult to measure but it is
there. Especially when you consider the engine is only ~22% efficient
and then the alternator can be down to almost 50%. Unless you are in an
area that has cheap electricity, it is probably also cheaper to run the
fridge on propane then electric power. I get a kick out of the larger
RVs that have in addition to a furnace or two, electric heat, heat
pumps, or worse, the electric element in the propane water heater. No
wonder campground owners have to charge so much. A lot of electricity to
save a little propane.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Larry Alofs
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 10:23 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Was 12V fridge necessary? now rant (LVC)

> My trips tend to be a fair amount of driving and I do have an aux
battery
> setup, so I usually run off 12V and only switch over to propane when
> camped.
>  Why use propane when the battery power is free.

You don't get free energy from your battery.  It comes from your
gasoline because your engine has to work harder turning the alternator
because the battery needs more recharging.
  Here in Illinois we now have a law that your headlights must be on
whenever your wipers are in use.  When the law was first enacted, one of
the legislators was quoted as saying that it doesn't cost anything to
have your lights on....Oh well.  Perhaps better science education would
help.  Unfortunately they recently changed the science teaching
certification categories here so that biology teachers are now
considered well qualified to teach physics and vice versa.  This helps
meet the Federal requirements for NCLB.

Larry A.
got fed up and retired from teaching