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crowsnest2002
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2023 13:45
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Help me understand what the peak watts are for this model refrigerator. I was able to get so info from the manufacturer.
Refrigerator model
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Manufacturer email
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2023 13:59
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That one is fairly similar to mine.
I run 24V Battery/Solar with active monitoring.
When the Fridge starts, it pulls 11-12A surge that drops to about 1.5A running as seen on my smart shunt. Sorry, it doesn't do watts as such.
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crowsnest2002
Member
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2023 17:10
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Could you go into detail on your system sir? I am drinking from the fire hydrant on this.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2023 18:22
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I am not sure what you are asking here...
Are you considering building/installing a solar system ?
If yes, then I will redirect you to where I and numerous others have been helping folks to do just that.
https://diysolarforum.com/
When asking questions, do indicate where you are so that the help reflects answers suitable to your location. Its a global site covering folks from Australia to Zambia.
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travellerw
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2023 19:18
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Quoting: crowsnest2002 Help me understand what the peak watts are for this model refrigerator. I was able to get so info from the manufacturer.
If you take the Max starting amps quoted in the picture, 11.9A TIMES 120V = 1428W.. Doubtful as that is insane.
So if you take the times 3 they quoted 3.9A TIMES 120V = 468W.. Probably more realistic for a starting draw (for like 1 second)
Fridges run about %50 of the time so you are looking at 70W (I'm trusting their numbers) TIMES 12H = 840Wh/day. If a solar system is big enough to power the fridge during the day and you start the evening with a full battery than you will need a battery bank of about 420Wh to carry that fridge over the night.
These are SUPER rough numbers as I'm making a ton of assumptions. Like a 12h dark period, not taking into account the defrost ect ect.
Fridges are pigs.. Especially big box store cheapies. If you are off grid, you also want to try to get a fridge without auto defrost as that alone draws 180W when operating.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2023 20:26
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Quoting: travellerw 420Wh to carry that fridge over the night.
I find that hard to believe. My fridge isnt this big but my 6 GC2 battery should be 8300 WH. I cant really go more than 2-3 days with out sun. Charging my phone and running a few watts of led lights along with a 12v fan overnight cant take the other 7800wh can it?
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travellerw
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2023 22:36
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Quoting: Brettny I find that hard to believe. My fridge isnt this big but my 6 GC2 battery should be 8300 WH. I cant really go more than 2-3 days with out sun. Charging my phone and running a few watts of led lights along with a 12v fan overnight cant take the other 7800wh can it?
Remember without sun you are producing nothing so that 420Wh changes to 840Wh/day as you would be powering the fridge off batteries during the day too.
Not sure about your 12V fan, but many are not great and draw like 3A@12V so 36W. If you leave that on all day its 864Wh (as much as that fridge).
Your cell phone should be negligible as it probably has a 10Wh battery. However, the lights can be significant depending on the number you run and how long they are on. Lets just say 300Wh/Day to be generous. That would be 2000Wh/Day. So 3 days you would be 6000Wh. Not the 7800Wh in your bank, but there is also losses of about %10 putting us around 6600Wh. Still 1200Wh shy of your batteries, but your fridge might not be as efficient, and you batteries might be a little tired. LOL and the maker of the fridge about may have lied (they never do that)!
This is where it pays to shop carefully and read the Energy Guide stickers. There are some fridges that are terrible and then there are some that are excellent (look for the A+++). You would be looking at 550-600Wh/Day on those models.
Its all super variable too. The fridge will run way longer if its loaded with warm food/drinks. Hell, even the fridge being in direct sunlight during the day will impact its usage.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 26 Oct 2023 22:46
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Brett, what depth of discharge are you tending to go down to with those GC2's to get those 8300 potential watts?
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909
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2023 21:10
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I run a stand up freezer that's rated for 53 watts.
During surge it can easily pull 300W
I'd expect yours to be around double or a bit less
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crowsnest2002
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2023 22:27
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Thanks for the comments all. This is really putting this into perspective. I'm really starting to think since the site I'm at, it would be best to buy the best cooler and go from there since stays will be long weekends. The site is also in a small valley that gets very little light. Maybe at most I would get a small kit to power some led lights. I just don't really have the resources for massive power draws like a refrigerator.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2023 22:56
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YES!
Energy conservation is smart 
LED lights, usb chargers and I suggest a small fan all run off one of the current crop of 'all in one' power modules (often misnamed a 'solar generator', which they are Not unless you plug solar panels into it) would be a plug&play user friendly set up.
We happily use a kinda of Yeti clone chest cooler (lifetime brand, waayyy cheaper and very effective; bought at Walmart)
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travellerw
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2023 00:30
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Quoting: 909 I run a stand up freezer that's rated for 53 watts. During surge it can easily pull 300W I'd expect yours to be around double or a bit less
Just an FYI, there are devices you can buy on Amazon. You wire them between the wall and motor (so basically cut the cord and put them there). They reduce the startup surge to about 1/5th. Although 300 is not bad, my converted stand-up freezer was drawing like 900 on startup. Causing my generator to go crazy.
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909
Member
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# Posted: 28 Oct 2023 05:56
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Do you have a link
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2023 19:59
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My 1.7 cubic foot compact fridge would constantly kick my little 650 watt inverter and sure enough on startup it would pull 750 watts then settle down to 45 watts so I got another fridge with a soft start....no change then one day I hooked up my other 650 watt inverter with Pure Sine Wave tech and no more issues, both fridges pull 125 watts on startup and 45 while running....who'd a thunk it!
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2023 21:28 - Edited by: ICC
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Quoting: groingo 650 watt inverter with Pure Sine Wave tech and no more issues
Not unexpected as PSW is more efficient with motors than MSW is. MSW makes motors run hotter than PSW, which means some power is being wasted and there is not as much to start the motor or keep it running. PSW is better for almost everything except basic things like a toaster or incandescent bulb.
-izzy
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 10 Nov 2023 10:10 - Edited by: gcrank1
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Yep, I found out middle of last summer I could run our 650w 2-slice toaster off our cheapie 750w msw inverter (that has been sitting in a box since getting the 300w psw). I keep it unhooked but by the battery until needed; its nice to be able to make toast quick & easy.
The other old 180w msw inv. is in the toolshed on an old small LA battery with a 9W? 'battery maintainer' size solar panel in a window. The incandescent bulb there doesnt get used very much and the 'system' has worked out great. Not bad for what had basically become discard stuff from my beginner experiments.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 11 Nov 2023 06:40
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Quoting: groingo My 1.7 cubic foot compact fridge would constantly kick my little 650 watt inverter and sure enough on startup it would pull 750 watts then settle down to 45 watts so I got another fridge with a soft start....no change then one day I hooked up my other 650 watt inverter with Pure Sine Wave tech and no more issues, both fridges pull 125 watts on startup and 45 while running....who'd a thunk it!
I have a 4.5cuft fridge freezer and use a xantrax 1200w inverter. I cant even tell the fridge has kicked on unless I hear it. No light flicker or anything odd. I run everything through this inverter, it's big enough for a 700w microwave and I dont have to mess around with bigger or smaller inverters.
One thing I didnt think I would ever use was the transfer switch side of it. This allows me to run everything off the generator with no plug swapping. I also have a 30A charger that the generator powers. Coupled with a remote start generator it's a very hands off system.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 11 Nov 2023 15:15
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Im looking forward to when I hook up my new psw Cooper/Bussman 1000W c/w the internal transfer switch (that can be any outside 120vac power source), it will simplify the 'me as transfer cord switcher').
Envy your remote start gen!
I was hoping for a 1200-1500W psw inv when this CB 1000W turned up on a sudden online sale; too good to pass up. Since we have been doing well on far less it should be quite an upgrade.
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redwolfguild
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2023 19:51
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crowsnest2002
Look at some of these: https://www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoor/coolers/electric-coolers
I use the CXF55 as I do not want a fridge all the time in my cabin. I turn it on at home, load it the morning before I go. The food cools down and then I put it in the truck and plug it into the 12 plug. When I get to the cabin, pull it out and plug it into my 120v outlets. Runs all weekend on 200 AMP Lithium Ion battery. I also run Starlink 24/7, a few LED Lights, phone and speaker USB chargers. It costs a little more than a standard fridge, but for me it is the best setup.
System Setup:
1- Weize 12v 200ah LiFePo4 battery
2- 24 volt 210w solar panels connected in series for 48 volt
1- Victron Smart Solar MPPT Tr 150V/45AMP Charge controller
1- Victron Phoenix 12 Volt 800w inverter
1 -Iota 45amp Converter and Charger - EU2000I runs this but haven't used it in two years.
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crowsnest2002
Member
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2023 21:40
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Nice find. I'll keep that one on hand. We take the camper out on extended stays at the beach and these would be great for that.
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Fanman
Member
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# Posted: 4 Dec 2023 17:38
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Quoting: travellerw If you take the Max starting amps quoted in the picture, 11.9A TIMES 120V = 1428W.. Doubtful as that is insane.
Not insane at all. Our (older) fridge would kick our 600W generator offline when starting 4 times out of 5, but if it did get started it would easily keep it running.
Electric motor compressors are tricky. You have the inrush current, but the required torque, and thus current draw, depends on the pressure balance in the system, so it might start one time and not another. Kind of like trying to start a car with a nearly dead battery, if you can just get it over the first compression stroke it will probably start, but it might take several tries.
The new 2000W generator handles it with no problem.
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