Why consider 12v fridge for boondocking?
So I want to offer up this question out about 12v compressor refrigerators. I'm going to post this on other forums too, so your "forum tramps"(like me)may see this spread around some other pages. Not...
Forum Discussion
Everyone’s situation is unique. Not everyone has space to install mega-solar panels. Not everyone has space or need for a mega-battery bank. If you already have those things, with a resultant surplus of energy, a compressor fridge might make sense. I have 370 watts of solar and four GC2s for a capacity of 440 Ah and an absorption refrigerator.
I divide my power usage into two categories, much like a financial budget. There are essential items and there are discretionary or nonessential items. I consider lighting, hot water, refrigerator, water pump and furnace essential items. I also power two CPAPs that I consider essential. Discretionary items include entertainment system (a 2-hour movie costs 20 Ah with my system), microwave use, electric toaster, coffee maker, hair dryer and electronic device charging.
Quite often we camp where overnight furnace use is required (or at least very nice) and of course CPAP use. Those three items set a threshold of about 50 Ah per night. Generally, our daily use is 80 to 120 Ah. In Colorado with its many sunny days and high altitude I can get away with lots of discretionary use and am still able to recover fully the next day. On the occasion of extended cloudy, rainy days I can limit my discretionary use and still rarely use a generator to supplement.
Adding the daily load of 25 Ah or more to power a refrigerator raises the threshold of required power that would generally curtail use of discretionary items. If I could add more solar I would, but this would require ground, portable units which I am loath to do. If I go to places with fewer clear, sunny days, the 12-volt refer would push me over the edge where I would have to use a generator more frequently which dashes the whole idea of being solar power independent.
A trip to Alaska several years ago is a case in point. At that time there was only one CPAP to power and there was little furnace use. There were many overcast, rainy days. Except for a few places where we made extended stays of a few days, most of the time we were moving every day or every other day, so there was a “decent” amount of TV charging. We had to run the generator probably eight times in the 80 days we were out. A 12-volt refer would have required much more gen usage.
A lot of words to say this: If you have the capability to power all your essential items including 12-volt fridge and the reserve power to get you through the times when solar is minimal, go for it. For me, an absorption fridge just removes an unnecessary burden on the power system.
I divide my power usage into two categories, much like a financial budget. There are essential items and there are discretionary or nonessential items. I consider lighting, hot water, refrigerator, water pump and furnace essential items. I also power two CPAPs that I consider essential. Discretionary items include entertainment system (a 2-hour movie costs 20 Ah with my system), microwave use, electric toaster, coffee maker, hair dryer and electronic device charging.
Quite often we camp where overnight furnace use is required (or at least very nice) and of course CPAP use. Those three items set a threshold of about 50 Ah per night. Generally, our daily use is 80 to 120 Ah. In Colorado with its many sunny days and high altitude I can get away with lots of discretionary use and am still able to recover fully the next day. On the occasion of extended cloudy, rainy days I can limit my discretionary use and still rarely use a generator to supplement.
Adding the daily load of 25 Ah or more to power a refrigerator raises the threshold of required power that would generally curtail use of discretionary items. If I could add more solar I would, but this would require ground, portable units which I am loath to do. If I go to places with fewer clear, sunny days, the 12-volt refer would push me over the edge where I would have to use a generator more frequently which dashes the whole idea of being solar power independent.
A trip to Alaska several years ago is a case in point. At that time there was only one CPAP to power and there was little furnace use. There were many overcast, rainy days. Except for a few places where we made extended stays of a few days, most of the time we were moving every day or every other day, so there was a “decent” amount of TV charging. We had to run the generator probably eight times in the 80 days we were out. A 12-volt refer would have required much more gen usage.
A lot of words to say this: If you have the capability to power all your essential items including 12-volt fridge and the reserve power to get you through the times when solar is minimal, go for it. For me, an absorption fridge just removes an unnecessary burden on the power system.
