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ADK Don
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# Posted: 4 Aug 2017 17:29
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So I am thinking an engel from portable refrigerator might make more sense then propane. Only using cabin for a few days at a time. It is portable which is good. Can transport food in it. Can start out with it cold. Might even be able to run in truck.
Anyhow a company that sells them tells me my 85 watt two golf cart battery system is too small. Anyone here running Engels off solar? How big is your system? I also have 2000 honda to top off batteries if they are to low. I also will have the ability to charge batteries when I am running genny for high draw stuff.
Propane fridge or engel and why?
Thanks! I am enjoying this forum!
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Atlincabin
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# Posted: 5 Aug 2017 00:04 - Edited by: Atlincabin
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Look on the Wander the West website - for popup truck campers. Several folks there are using small DC compressor fridges successfully on one or two batteries for at least a day or two at a time, longer if they have a solar panel on the camper or are driving (which charges the camper battery). I have a small one in my camper but have not really tried to test how long it will run on a battery without recharging. And it depends on the ambient temperature, how big the fridge is, how many times you open it, etc. I suspect if you are looking at the portable versions, you could easily run one on batteries for a weekend. If that is all you are running, I would get a 12V DC model so you don't lose any power with the conversion to AC.
I personally would not go with propane fridge, but the advantage to propane is that it is quiet, whereas the compressor ones always have some noise. The disadvantage to propane, in my experience, is that it is difficult to maintain as constant of a temperature as with compressor fridges. That may or may not be everyone's experience, and it may or may not matter a lot to your situation.
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offgridjunkie
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# Posted: 6 Aug 2017 12:13 - Edited by: offgridjunkie
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ADK Don;
I am going to first assume you meant 85 AMP Golf Car Battery and that it is at 12V.
If that is true, 20% DOD = 17 AMPS (85*.2) available x 12 volts = 204 watts.
I use a Dometic fridge like the engle and run it off of a 100 AMP 12 volt AGM battery which allows 50% DOD and I have plenty of power. I do have mine connected to a 210 watt solar panel with a MPPT charge controller, and I never run my generator to charge my battery.
But, before I had the solar, I used this same battery with an IOTA 30 AMP charger and my EU2000. I would charge my battery for 30-45 minutes each morning and never ran out of juice. So if you were to keep an eye on your battery voltage through out the day, you can do it. I bet if you toped your battery off in the morning and in the evening, you would be just fine.
Take a look at the specs of the fridge and go from their. My calculation above for your battery is what a usually flooded Lead Acid battery is good for. Good luck.
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ADK Don
Member
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# Posted: 6 Aug 2017 14:25
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I have one 85 watt solar panel and two six volt golf cart batteries. I also have a Honda 2000. Seems hard to calculate the Engels draw because it depends on outside temperature and how many times you open it. I think 3 amps and hour is a good guess? I would also be happy to add another panel. My plan was to buy a large angel 60 or 80 litters combo fridge/freezer , load it up from home already running, plug it in on the ride in truck, then plug in at camp. Thought this might be better/easier then propane. I would have to light propane , wait for it to cool, deal with the heat, would also have to hook propane up. The engel seems to make more sense just not sure how my batteries, solar set up would hold up. I think it would also be better to run engel 12 volt straight from batteries rather then 110 through inverter?
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