wayne49 said:
SOMEbody needs to make a kill-a-watt device for 12 volt systems...
Kickstarter anyone?
:huh:
Apartment fridge install
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SOMEbody needs to make a kill-a-watt device for 12 volt systems...
Kickstarter anyone?
:huh:
Sabatical
Well-known member
A check of specific gravity after a week running showed 1.275 or 100% soc +/-. The kill-a-watt read 4kwh after 179 hours. Or 500 wh per day average. This is roughly 20% of the total capcity of my two battery system.
I have shut everything off and won't update again until we travel at which point i'll let you know about durability of this model.
I have shut everything off and won't update again until we travel at which point i'll let you know about durability of this model.
Sabatical said:
Sab can you do a very quick list of all involved bits of hardware?
I know the info is scattered all thru this thread, but a single point of information would be handy.
BTW thanks for all the hard and empirical evidence and data.
Sabatical
Well-known member
Yeah sure.
520w from 2 panels charging 2 trojan t105s via a midnite solar kid cc. I keep track of the 225ah of battery with the "whiz bang jr" wired up to the kid via a negative side shunt. The AC side of the camper power center is powered by a 1000w msw bestek inverter.
The fridge is a 4.3cf insignia brand uoright unit from best buy purchased for $179.
Hope that answers all the questions. Taking a break for a bit to focus on some other projects.
520w from 2 panels charging 2 trojan t105s via a midnite solar kid cc. I keep track of the 225ah of battery with the "whiz bang jr" wired up to the kid via a negative side shunt. The AC side of the camper power center is powered by a 1000w msw bestek inverter.
The fridge is a 4.3cf insignia brand uoright unit from best buy purchased for $179.
Hope that answers all the questions. Taking a break for a bit to focus on some other projects.
Sabatical
Well-known member
The same compressor in a very efficient system will service a tiny box or a big one, just need more / bigger evaporators.
The overall energy usage has a lot more to do with insulation/ventilation and temp differentials than box capacity.
The overall energy usage has a lot more to do with insulation/ventilation and temp differentials than box capacity.
I find this very topic interesting, after searching about this subject and reading, this just seems more doable! Let's look at the facts, a dorm fridge has much more interior area to cool and can do it depending on it's size, burns what? Maybe 5-10 more amp a day? I bet anybody dollars to donuts that this is a money makin deal no matter how you look at it compared to the cost of a 12V fridge. This dude did a neat test about how to improve the efficiency of a dorm fridge by what he says is 40% and the interior dropped 2* without messing with the setting, real interesting stuff! It's 2 parts. I'm sold, I'm going with a dorm fridge!!!!
Yes, if you have the power to spare you save on the cost of the fridge.
If you don't, the expensive 12V fridge investment is necessary. Sometimes 10A per 24 hrs is the grand total consumed.
For example, a minivan that rarely sees shore, power is better suited to a 12V portable.
And some just aren't going to bother mucking about with electrics DIY, and/or don't mind saving up $4-600 to get a unit OTS.
If you don't, the expensive 12V fridge investment is necessary. Sometimes 10A per 24 hrs is the grand total consumed.
For example, a minivan that rarely sees shore, power is better suited to a 12V portable.
And some just aren't going to bother mucking about with electrics DIY, and/or don't mind saving up $4-600 to get a unit OTS.
highdesertranger
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keep in mind he ran those tests in a 60 degree basement. in a vehicle in the summer your temps are going to be significantly higher. then he rounded the first set of numbers up, which would make it seem like he was saving more power then he actually was. then he didn't even finish the second test, he just guessed, real scientific. I have seen this guy before and I don't trust his numbers. highdesertranger
highdesertranger said:
AND he has WAAY too much time on his hands.
Sabatical
Well-known member
The fridge made the journey cross country and down several miles of washboard road in Ehrenberg without any troubles.
We are quite happy with the extra space and ice cream.
Our overall power usage is higher than anticipated. AM voltage is 12.2-12.4. I will plug in the kill a watt to see how much of that is the fridge.
With our panels flat on the roof we need lots of sun to get to float. I will not be able to equalize until I can rig up supports to tilt the panels to take better advantage of the low winter sun.
Bottom line is we are quite happy. We'll get the adjustments made and be living well within the means of our 225 ah bank.
I'll post an update again in March after 3 months of continuous use.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
We are quite happy with the extra space and ice cream.
Our overall power usage is higher than anticipated. AM voltage is 12.2-12.4. I will plug in the kill a watt to see how much of that is the fridge.
With our panels flat on the roof we need lots of sun to get to float. I will not be able to equalize until I can rig up supports to tilt the panels to take better advantage of the low winter sun.
Bottom line is we are quite happy. We'll get the adjustments made and be living well within the means of our 225 ah bank.
I'll post an update again in March after 3 months of continuous use.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Sabatical
Well-known member
Got brackets installed and the panels tilted today.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Sabatical
Well-known member
Over the last 24 hours I measured fridge power consumption.
Here in Why it is 75 degrees and bright sunshine. It's a couple degrees more in the camper. Last night the low was in the mid 40s. When I got up this morning the inside temp was 58. I tell you all this so you can gauge ah usage in relation to temperature and draw your own conclusions.
The Kill-A-Watt says the fridge used 0.75 kwh over the measured period which was 3:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
Using everydaycalculation.com to compute the ah conversion it came up with 63ah.
I think I am going to try using a pancake fan pointed at the compressor to cool it and see if I can realize a net reduction in power usage.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Here in Why it is 75 degrees and bright sunshine. It's a couple degrees more in the camper. Last night the low was in the mid 40s. When I got up this morning the inside temp was 58. I tell you all this so you can gauge ah usage in relation to temperature and draw your own conclusions.
The Kill-A-Watt says the fridge used 0.75 kwh over the measured period which was 3:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
Using everydaycalculation.com to compute the ah conversion it came up with 63ah.
I think I am going to try using a pancake fan pointed at the compressor to cool it and see if I can realize a net reduction in power usage.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Sabatical
Well-known member
Yesterday I was able to equalize after two weeks of only getting to 80-90% soc. This morning I woke up to 12.6 on the voltage meter. The fridge kicked on shortly after and dropped to 12.4.
What a difference full batteries make.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
What a difference full batteries make.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Sabatical
Well-known member
I found out the hard way that this fridge experiment will work with 200 watts of solar (and good sun).
We had two 260w panels on the roof of our camper. Not anymore. The front panel flew off smacking the rear one on the way. The rear one shattered. I believe it was my fault. Based on the hardware that was left, either I missed a bolt when I untilted the panels or one fell out along the way. Either way the outcome is the same and 520 watts of solar is gone.
Thankfully we had two 100 watt Renogy panels. We hooked them up in series to our mppt controller and after a day of catch up, we got to float every day for a week after that.
We've since added a third panel in series for 300 watts. The third panel is a windy nation. I wish I had got another Renogy because the Windy Nation is a lesser quality panel, although it does make it's rated power.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
We had two 260w panels on the roof of our camper. Not anymore. The front panel flew off smacking the rear one on the way. The rear one shattered. I believe it was my fault. Based on the hardware that was left, either I missed a bolt when I untilted the panels or one fell out along the way. Either way the outcome is the same and 520 watts of solar is gone.
Thankfully we had two 100 watt Renogy panels. We hooked them up in series to our mppt controller and after a day of catch up, we got to float every day for a week after that.
We've since added a third panel in series for 300 watts. The third panel is a windy nation. I wish I had got another Renogy because the Windy Nation is a lesser quality panel, although it does make it's rated power.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Wow!
Were you able to retrieve the airborne panel? How bad is it? Ruined I guess.
Were you able to retrieve the airborne panel? How bad is it? Ruined I guess.
Sabatical
Well-known member
We were travelling from Why to Yuma when it happened. Friends reported seeing a large mangled panel in the median near Gila Bend. If we can retrieve it safely when we go back that direction, we'll find a dumpster for the bits and pieces.
We removed the panel with shattered glass and gave it to a couple who are just starting out and having a challenging time of it. My wife found a few ways to stabilize it so that it's usable so maybe it'll live on for a while.
It was an unfortunate accident and I was kicking myself pretty hard but poop happens I guess. Can't go back in time so may as well carry on.
Anyways I share here so that folks can see that even if you don't have 520w of solar, it's a doable project.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
We removed the panel with shattered glass and gave it to a couple who are just starting out and having a challenging time of it. My wife found a few ways to stabilize it so that it's usable so maybe it'll live on for a while.
It was an unfortunate accident and I was kicking myself pretty hard but poop happens I guess. Can't go back in time so may as well carry on.
Anyways I share here so that folks can see that even if you don't have 520w of solar, it's a doable project.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
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