Small Residential Frig Current Drain Question
We currently have a small, 3.5 cf frig that may consider replacing with a residential unit at some point. The 3.5 cf residential units I've looked at draw about 1.2 - 1.7 amps at 120vac (~6 amps at...
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Our 120v only 3.2 cu ft "Igloo" fridge in the truck camper (replaced the 1981 Dometic three-way) draws 5 amps via inverter when the fridge is "on", which is about 2/3 to 3/4 of the time in 24 hrs.
So that is about 90AH in 24 hrs. In a recent five day off grid time, the 230w of solar was able to keep up with the fridge draw, but it was a nail-biter to get enough sun each day. Got to have a way to recharge the batteries on a cloudy day.
The solar has to put that 90AH in during the day but the fridge keeps working at night, so the solar has to be able to do way over that 5 amps, even with no clouds at all during the day.
Meanwhile the rest of the rig's 12v stuff is also drawing down the batteries, so you are falling behind slowly every day till your bank is at 50%, then you need to do a generator or shore power recharge to catch up and start over.
I posted something about the 3.2 fridge draw tests I did a couple months ago if you can find that thread.
So that is about 90AH in 24 hrs. In a recent five day off grid time, the 230w of solar was able to keep up with the fridge draw, but it was a nail-biter to get enough sun each day. Got to have a way to recharge the batteries on a cloudy day.
The solar has to put that 90AH in during the day but the fridge keeps working at night, so the solar has to be able to do way over that 5 amps, even with no clouds at all during the day.
Meanwhile the rest of the rig's 12v stuff is also drawing down the batteries, so you are falling behind slowly every day till your bank is at 50%, then you need to do a generator or shore power recharge to catch up and start over.
I posted something about the 3.2 fridge draw tests I did a couple months ago if you can find that thread.
