Fridge woes.

barryd · Sunday at 9:52 PM

Pudsey Bear said:
We're such low users though, we charge during the day when driving, so we usually are around 13.8 when we stop for the day & around 12.7v at lights out. I do have all the data, but it's near enough for us

Exactly and you are usually off somewhere else the next day. You just don't need it.

I'll go that route eventually but until I go compressor fridge I don't need it either.

Robmac · 2026-02-16T10:04:58+0000

Geek said:
Anyone who tells you they can run their compressor fridge from solar power through a winter is having you on. Or, more likely, having themselves on.

Once you have spent £600 on solar panels, £900 on batteries and it still doesn't work in bad weather in winter, it's not easy to admit you made a mistake.

I don't feel that I have to admit that I made a mistake, I'm delighted with my system! I ran my fridge up until the end of December and then turned it off for no other reason than I couldn't really see any point in leaving it on but the solar had the batteries back up to 100% every day.

By the way, my nearly 900W of Solar cost me about £120 (new), my 2x300AH Lithium batteries were considerably more (about £1200) but that was my choice I could have gone for far cheaper options in Lithium.

mark61 · 2026-02-16T10:33:45+0000

Robmac said:
I don't feel that I have to admit that I made a mistake, I'm delighted with my system! I ran my fridge up until the end of December and then turned it off for no other reason than I couldn't really see any point in leaving it on but the solar had the batteries back up to 100% every day.

By the way, my nearly 900W of Solar cost me about £120 (new), my 2x300AH Lithium batteries were considerably more (about £1200) but that was my choice I could have gone for far cheaper options in Lithium.

You didn't make a mistake, and neither did I

If people insist on driving to the darkest place on the planet and parking up for months on end, well a compressor fridge probably aint the best choice.

For many, if not most people who use their MH's for touring holidays, and actually do what the name suggests, tour, they may well park up for a day or two, that's easily dealt with with even a modest set up, week and longer stops need a bit of investment but none of this is rocket surgery.

edina · 2026-02-16T16:15:14+0000

Geek said:
Anyone who tells you they can run their compressor fridge from solar power through a winter is having you on. Or, more likely, having themselves on.

Once you have spent £600 on solar panels, £900 on batteries and it still doesn't work in bad weather in winter, it's not easy to admit you made a mistake.

Got to luv these 'experts'

I have a compressor fridge and it never gets turned off. The solar panels are it's only power when stationary and I'm in the UK.

Tezza33 · 2026-02-16T20:56:54+0000

edina said:
Got to luv these 'experts'
I have a compressor fridge and it never gets turned off. The solar panels are it's only power when stationary and I'm in the UK.

But, don't you live in cream tea land Chris

edina · 2026-02-16T21:05:16+0000

Tezza33 said:
But, don't you live in cream tea land Chris

Sure do Terry, where it's rained for over 40 days, and still the batteries are fully charged

Pudsey Bear · 2026-02-16T21:06:41+0000

I suppose, it might all be down to location, which panels, cable sizes of the install, batteries installed & the actual fridges, maybe 230/12 too, there isn't a level playing field.

Tezza33 · 2026-02-16T22:49:21+0000

edina said:
Sure do Terry, where it's rained for over 40 days, and still the batteries are fully charged

Wet cell batteries then, or flooded as they are also known

Geek · 2026-02-17T10:27:03+0000

edina said:
Got to luv these 'experts'
I have a compressor fridge and it never gets turned off. The solar panels are it's only power when stationary and I'm in the UK.

You carry on, then. Apostrophe errors and all.
When parked up in winter, with no heating on, the fridge will use no power.
Heat the van (how?) and it's a very different story.

Geek · 2026-02-17T10:29:08+0000

Robmac said:
By the way, my nearly 900W of Solar cost me about £120 (new),

Fitting and controller included?

Robmac · 2026-02-17T10:44:25+0000

Geek said:
Fitting and controller included?

The fitting will cost me a dinner and a couple of beers for Merl and Kim at the Hereford meet. The controller was cheaper than the one I had on my old system.

Take away the cost of LPG for cooking and hot water for as long as I have the van as well plus I will never need EHU again.

mark61 · 2026-02-17T11:03:06+0000

Robmac said:
The fitting will cost me a dinner and a couple of beers for Merl and Kim at the Hereford meet. The controller was cheaper than the one I had on my old system.

Take away the cost of LPG for cooking and hot water for as long as I have the van as well plus I will never need EHU again.

Plus the smug chuckle when reading fridge woes threads, priceless.

barryd · 2026-02-17T11:12:24+0000

Robmac said:
The fitting will cost me a dinner and a couple of beers for Merl and Kim at the Hereford meet. The controller was cheaper than the one I had on my old system.

Take away the cost of LPG for cooking and hot water for as long as I have the van as well plus I will never need EHU again.

You got ripped off! I just paid in tramp cider which I ended up drinking myself.

Pudsey Bear · 2026-02-17T11:21:22+0000

We got them some bottles of wine from France that they requested, a Gooloo Boster and some other stuff, see coz we ain't tight feckers like wot you lot am, and he still nicked me best screwdriver.

Robmac · 2026-02-17T11:52:34+0000

Pudsey Bear said:
We got them some bottles of wine from France that they requested, a Gooloo Boster and some other stuff, see coz we ain't tight feckers like wot you lot am, and he still nicked me best screwdriver.

Kim fed us all the time I was there as well Kev so I feel the least I can do is treat them to a meal.

I've heard they like Fish and Chips.

Pudsey Bear · 2026-02-17T11:58:01+0000

Yes, they have both fed me. Merlin is a fair cook; she trained him well.

Just the best people to be fair, sadly, they're too old to adopt me

Robmac · 2026-02-17T12:00:31+0000

Pudsey Bear said:
Yes, they have both fed me. Merlin is a fair cook; she trained him well.

Just the best people to be fair, sadly, they're too old to adopt me

Kim makes the best Bread as well!

Merl had to be quick when that came out!

Pudsey Bear · 2026-02-17T12:06:26+0000

Aye, she's always got a bun in the oven, I'm not allowed Bread really, but I made the sacrifice and had some, I think homemade jam. Shame she's married, maybe Merlin would consider a part exchange

mistericeman · 2026-02-17T12:23:29+0000

mark61 said:
You didn't make a mistake, and neither did I

If people insist on driving to the darkest place on the planet and parking up for months on end, well a compressor fridge probably aint the best choice.

For many, if not most people who use their MH's for touring holidays, and actually do what the name suggests, tour, they may well park up for a day or two, that's easily dealt with with even a modest set up, week and longer stops need a bit of investment but none of this is rocket surgery.

I couldn't agree more with that.... Exactly what we found...
And in truth we just move on every couple of days in winter and the B2B does the work....

IF I wanted to be in one spot for weeks I would have bought a static lol

Robmac · 2026-02-17T12:26:46+0000

mistericeman said:
I couldn't agree more with that.... Exactly what we found...
And in truth we just move on every couple of days in winter and the B2B does the work....

IF I wanted to be in one spot for weeks I would have bought a static lol

I must say, even if we do stay in one spot for more than a few days (which is rare), we still go out in the van most days around the local area.

Fridge woes.

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