As long as its a compressor type rather than Absorbtion or Peltier ....I have always thought a 12 v fridge would drain my 2 x110 batteries in no time on solar but have recently been told they are really good alternatives these days. Does anyone have any experience of views if they are now efficient enough
I found the 240V Compressors slightly more efficient than the 12V ones; but factor in the inverter overhead and net result was slightly less efficient. The difference in power use can be reversed if you open the door a couple of extra times, it is that close.From all the specs I have seen and my own (old Waeco) I would say work on a 12v fridge using 24 amps per 24 hours and a 12v fridge freezer using 48 amps per 24 hours. I have seen some specs that are worse so look for known brands. Size doesn't seem to matter although the initial power usage to get it down to temperature would probably be a bit more but I only notice continues running.
From the tests David did the 230V appliances run off an investor are along the same lines.
I used to have this kind of discussion with some VW Camper folk ... they would use their fridge for a full festival weekend on a little 80Ah battery no problemI have seen people on Facebook and other places saying their fridges use nothing, I don't believe them. I do know people who turn their fridge off at night, obviously that would mean it used less power. Mine is on 24/7/365 except when I defrost it
That is a hungry fridge! - Are you sure that is not the consumption when running rather than a daily average consumption? (the way the numbers are published can be misleading often).If you want to spend prolonged periods off grid with a 120L fridge as we do there really only is one choice, and it’s an absorption fridge.
On average a 120L fridge will use to much power. Not so much in summer when if it’s sunny, our 330W of solar and two 100ah lithium should cope, but in winter with little solar we would be struggling.
Compressor fridges are better than absorption no arguments there, but I don’t fancy leaving my fridge off at night, and having to carefully monitor how much power it’s drawing.
Rapido have since replaced our absorption fridge with a 122L compressor. According to the spec it averages 3.8ah consumption, that’s a 100ah a day. They now fit a second hab battery as standard to cope with the new compressor fridge.
I’m not sure David, but I was chatting to someone with a large compressor fridge and they quoted something similar. They decided to go the lithium route in order to cope with the supply demand. I would love a compressor fridge instead of what I have, but that’s what puts me off.That is a hungry fridge! - Are you sure that is not the consumption when running rather than a daily average consumption? (the way the numbers are published can be misleading often).
It is such a shame that the 3-ways are so poor on electricI’m not sure David, but I was chatting to someone with a large compressor fridge and they quoted something similar. They decided to go the lithium route in order to cope with the supply demand. I would love a compressor fridge instead of what I have, but that’s what puts me off.
I just checked David, and Rapido reckon on an average day their 122L compressor fridge will draw 60ah in 24 hours. That’s more than you would have available in a 100ah lead battery per day.It is such a shame that the 3-ways are so poor on electricGiven how you use your motorhome and the seasons you use it in, I think the 3-way is sadly the best current solution in your case to have an always-available fridge as the solar will be too much of an unknown outside summer.
I'll just throw up a couple of charts to compare a Compressor Fridge/Freezer (my 240V LEC Domestic one) and a 3-Way running on 240V fitted in a 2021 Malibu. These are the same time-line (the last 12 hours) and both are down to temp and so in the most energy efficient temp control.
Nearly 4 times the power use when running, and it runs more than 50% of the time compare to the Compressor that runs around 1/3rd of the time or less. This shows why the 3-way is genrally a non-starter for off-grid use unless you have a good battery bank and a known limited use-time
Compressor
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3-Way on AC
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My first fridge came with a dented door and broken salad trayBetty got a fridge today. https://www.diy.com/departments/ige...VI4hQBh1DLASgEAQYAyABEgIR6vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
It even came with free dents!, so going back again.
Mark
I want my £70 backMy first fridge came with a dented door and broken salad tray
seller said take it down the recycling centre and sent me another!
sold the dented one for £70![]()
We have 2x100w PV + 2x110 agm + truma. In the cloudy wet dead of winter if we don't move on we have to run the engine for a bit depends.I have always thought a 12 v fridge would drain my 2 x110 batteries in no time on solar but have recently been told they are really good alternatives these days. Does anyone have any experience of views if they are now efficient enough