Solar quote lol

[VanTalk00]

Way too much.

Best to get two of the very efficient 12V compressor type units, that run as a fridge or freezer can then change each as needed.

Wondering the advantages/disadvantages of buying two fridges instead of one dual-zone fridge ....

Thoughts?

Jim

 

[Kozi_Kidy]

Please excuse me for being slow. I had a brain injury at work a few years ago and I just haven't been the same since. Ok so I need to find an energy star fridge of about 3-4 c.f. and hopefully find one with a compressor no its condenser on the back. Otherwise don't insulate it. I know to leave to back not insulated. It also sounds like I will need a second inverter if I want to run A/C appliance off it. And the other inverter dedicated to just the fridge. I'm so confused because people were saying it can't be done unless I have that 1000 watt system and now John says I can do it with 100 watts. I'm sorry I'm not able to comprehend some of what y'all are saying. Its insider lingo I just don't know. Can someone tell me if I can do the relay talked about above with 300 watts and get by? You can talk to me like I'm a child I don't mind. Thank you
PS I will probably hire someone to do the relay and get help installing my PV system. I'll probably order a Renogy system from Amazon.
I'll have a little money from an inheritance but I'm not going to spend $3-5 thousand on a PV system. I will have to do without the freezer for that kind of money. I can also buy D/C lights and I'm sure I could get a laptop the that charges on D/C. I have a few things I'd like to be able to charge like a dremel and a screw gun but those are not absolutely necessary. I can always add more later for those.

 

[Moxadox]

900W of solar. When Moxie does something, she really does it, doesn't she!

I can't stand having all that real estate going to waste on my roof!

The Dire Wolfess

 

[Moxadox]

Please excuse me for being slow. I had a brain injury at work a few years ago and I just haven't been the same since. Ok so I need to find an energy star fridge of about 3-4 c.f. and hopefully find one with a compressor no its condenser on the back. Otherwise don't insulate it. I know to leave to back not insulated. It also sounds like I will need a second inverter if I want to run A/C appliance off it. And the other inverter dedicated to just the fridge. I'm so confused because people were saying it can't be done unless I have that 1000 watt system and now John says I can do it with 100 watts. I'm sorry I'm not able to comprehend some of what y'all are saying. Its insider lingo I just don't know. Can someone tell me if I can do the relay talked about above with 300 watts and get by? You can talk to me like I'm a child I don't mind. Thank you
PS I will probably hire someone to do the relay and get help installing my PV system. I'll probably order a Renogy system from Amazon.
I'll have a little money from an inheritance but I'm not going to spend $3-5 thousand on a PV system. I will have to do without the freezer for that kind of money. I can also buy D/C lights and I'm sure I could get a laptop the that charges on D/C. I have a few things I'd like to be able to charge like a dremel and a screw gun but those are not absolutely necessary. I can always add more later for those.

You might benefit from consulting a solar design professional like jimindenver.com. He can help you figure out what you really need. It's super worth the consultation and will save you $$$$ in the long run. He just helped me build a really solid system that does everything I need and more, in a very simple way.

The Dire Wolfess

 

[Kozi_Kidy]

Thanks. Moxadox that is what I need to do! This conversation has given me a headache for 2 days now lol. Damn brain!

 

[B and C]

You are making short term false savings turn into long term pain by trying to use household appliances. You will need a larger battery bank and more panels to run it.

Using appliances made to work on 12V DC natively is the smart long term choice. Residential type fridges are made with a lot of parts that won't stand up the the shake, rattle and roll of mobile life.

 

[Kozi_Kidy]

Well I guess ill just have to get a whynter or dometic. Damn it. I just want some ice cold beers. Lol ah but life goes on. Thanks everyone for putting up with a bull headed old lady.

 

[Anhedonic]

I've not had a lot to contribute here because I'm not really an expert in this area, but you should know that you're not the only one that's banging their head against the wall over their electrical system.

Stay strong.

 

[mpruet]

Wondering the advantages/disadvantages of buying two fridges instead of one dual-zone fridge ....

Thoughts?

Jim

I think that the key point was about the efficiency of a lot of the 12-volt compressor fridges/freezers.  I have a dometic 18-CF which barely sips power.  I was able to use it while car camping and ran it off of a 35 Amp hour battery for several days.  It was only using about 1/2 to 1 amp per hour so had a very limited drain on the battery.  The only bad thing about it is that it would either act as a fridge or a freezer. 

There are several dual zone 12-volt fridges, but they tend to have rather small freezers.  However if I were full time and wanted a freezer, then getting another dometic 18-CF would make a lot of sense as I'd be looking at roughly 2 amps/hour drain.  Also there would be an advantage of a top opening vrs a front opening as top opening tends to no lose as much cold air when you open them.

 

[QinReno]

I can't stand having all that real estate going to waste on my roof!

Hmmm, I wonder, is 900W enough to run an AC all summer long in someplace like southern AZ?

 

[mpruet]

Hmmm, I wonder, is 900W enough to run an AC all summer long in someplace like southern AZ?

I'd consider using an evaporation cooler system in southern AZ.

 

[QinReno]

I'd consider using an evaporation cooler system in southern AZ.

In the RV/van? Do they make them for RVs?

 

[mpruet]

In the RV/van? Do they make them for RVs?

I’ve seen them in Amazon.

 

[John61CT]

1200-1800W solar will run a small aircon direct in strong sun.

But not charge the bank much at the same time.

You might as well use the genny for aircon

 

[John61CT]

1/2 to 1 amp per hour
…
2 amps/hour drain

Units are AH per hour, best also to quote per 24hrs

And those are low if ambient get hot, maybe 30AH per day for a fridge in moderate warm weather.

As a freezer can easily triple that.

 

[mpruet]

Units are AH per hour, best also to quote per 24hrs

And those are low if ambient get hot, maybe 30AH per day for a fridge in moderate warm weather.

As a freezer can easily triple that.

I should have mentioned that these numbers were taken from Big Bend and Tombstone AZ in the summer months...  It was pretty hot...   ;-)

 

[abnorm]

I'm late to the discussion ………….and I've never posted my operating setup on the forum......I've been on the road for a year now

At first I only had my Honda 2000 generator......later I added 2x300 watt solar panels (flat-mounted) & Victron MPPT...…...I seldom need the generator anymore...…That's JUST enough to power what I need ……..BUT a full day with clouds and I'll be in trouble the next morning

Inside I've got almost 500 ah of FLA...…(4x6 Deka)…..the "Dreaded" always "ON" Thousand watt inverter.....powering my 9.2 cubic feet apt. refrigerator...………..It's seen 40,000 miles this past year......highway...….desert...….mountain...…….I never park level

From real-world experience……..That baby has rock and rolled across America...…….....We've had this campfire discussion before....
""How much RockNrolling did that box already have on the way to me from BFE China""...…………..They're tougher than you think 

For  Me...….A man's gotta have his priorities ……..I have a case of icy cold drinks...……..all the staples and condiments I want...….my jarS of homemade pickled peppers(curing)..... Vegies...…….meats and cheese...…prepared salads..…dozens of Eggs...…. butter jelly...…..I do buy that plastic shelf milk....UHT......and after opening need to refrigerate

The freezer holds gallons of ice cream and pounds of frozen proteins along with every thig else…...I've fed Blanch and Tex before

I make ICE out in the desert or on the road to mix drinks or to cool Heron's broken refrig


I use the inverter for EVERYTHING...…..LED lights & a large tower fan...…...charge the computer/phone/DVD ……….


TOOLS dremels/grinder/sander/sabre saws...…HF multitool….it won't run the skillsaw……runs the little craftsman shop vac...….soldering iron.....

Charges all the cordless tool batteries.....Ryobi and DeWalt !

My Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine

….As a starting point I think I designed the system to provide enough power to light a 100 watt light bulb continuously …...2.4 KWH a day...…..




I could always use more solar...…..I bought these in Miami Florida as "blemished" for $.50 a watt...….hard to get close to that price out here...


doug

 

[jimindenver]

1200-1800W solar will run a small aircon direct in strong sun.

But not charge the bank much at the same time.

You might as well use the genny for aircon

750 watts runs a small A/C in peak sunlight. 1200 watts will run one AND charge the batteries OR run two while holding the voltage of the batteries.

 

[bigskybob]

You can never have too much electric power.