Powering 12V fridge

I'm looking to get a 12v fridge. I'm thinking of running the fridge off of my '97 Tacoma, then switching it over to solar and power station once I get to the location and then running off of the truck again for the trip home. I know there's the dual battery setup. But, don't plan on running the fridge off of the truck battery for any length of time. Just wondering if this will work or will I need to upgrade to a higher output alternator?

Also, I want to build up my utility trailer for camping. I want to add a 12V battery to it. Will charging it off the stock alternator be OK?

 

I would look into an inverter
Just for fridge

$30 BESTEK 300W Power Inverter DC 12V to 110V AC Car Inverter with 4.2A Dual USB Car Adapter

https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-300W-...d98d7d1066f938f98ef121d393842fd1&gad_source=1

upgraded alternator can work as well
But is more work than just bolting on a bigger alternator

 

I just went through research on converters/inverters after buying a pop up trailer. There is a converter, which takes 120V and runs the 12v trailer, and an inverter, which steps up 12v to 120v. The trailer will run off the truck if you leave the trailer harness attached, but I won't do it, it would suck to wake up from camping to a dead battery. I have a 12v marine battery mounted on the tongue.

To invert 12v to 120VAC, you need a lot of amps, especially for a fridge. Look into how much amperage it takes to run the fridge and do some researching, you'll probably find you need two batteries but one might do it. In any case I wouldn't run it off the truck battery.

If it were my project, it would be a lot cheaper and less work to run 120VAC to the trailer and use a converter for 12v requirements. Then I'd use a gas powered inverter when off the grid (I have a H.F. Predator 3500 for this.) In your case, solar would work but you need big panels and a good solar controller.

Be sure to use an inverter ground when using a gas powered inverter, all trailer grounds go to the frame.

 

Look at a jackery. We use them to power the fridge when the truck is off and when the truck is running using a cigarette lighter to charge the jackery back up. The stock alternator is plenty to keep up with the fridge/ charging the jackery.

 

The easier solution would be to run the fridge off a li-on battery like an Ecoflow and then charge the ecoflow with solar or the cig lighter.

I can get a little over 4 days on a dometic CFX75DZ which is a big cooler on a Ecoflow Delta 2 at 70-75f ambient with the cooler prechilled.

 

The fridge will run fine off the alternator, 12v fridges only pull a handful of amps when the compressor is running, which it's only doing occasionally.

Obviously keep an eye on the starter battery charge levels when the truck isn't running and the fridge is plugged into it, but most fridges have a configureable safety cut-off built in that will turn the fridge off if the battery voltage drops too low.

 

I have a portable fridge in my 1996. I use 12V power via the cigarette lighter when traveling, a Jackery 500 when camping, and recharging the Jackery with the 12V while driving or a solar panel if I camp long enough. I never plan on powering the fridge with the car battery unless the engine is running.

A Jackery or equivalent is WAY more flexible solution than an additional car battery IMHO.