"New" refrigerators and modified sine inverters

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706jim
706jim Solar Expert Posts: 514 ✭✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
In the works for the future is an electric fridge for my island cabin.

I use propane now, but with that fuel comes a number of issues including flame going out, carbon etc.

In the experience of posters here, will a new Samsung fridge run ok off of modified sine power or are there problems with the electronics controlling the unit?

While this might seem an odd question, a "new" electric blanket will not run from this power source due to the electronic thermostat while an older one would have no problem at all.

Just hoping to be able to keep my wonderful Trace DR1500 in service for as long as possible. (20 trouble free years so far!)
Island cottage solar system with 2500 watts of panels, 1kw facing southeast 1.3kw facing southwest 170watt ancient Arco's facing south. All panels in parallel for a 24 volt system. Trace DR1524 MSW inverter, Outback Flexmax 80 MPPT charge controller 8 Trojan L16's. Insignia 11.5 cubic foot electric fridge. My 30th year.
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: "New" refrigerators and modified sine inverters

    Jim, at 20 years you are 'skating on thin ice' I would buy a replacement now :cool: and wait for the inevitable:cry: then just swap the old faithful out... like an old dog, it's time is running out...
    Oh, go TSW solves a lot of potential issues up front.
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #3
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    Re: "New" refrigerators and modified sine inverters

    My personal guess. With electronic power supplies that are power factor corrected (have PF>0.95),they probably will work ok on msw. And a second check is measure the PF on the msw inverter. A kill a Watt meter usually works ok.

    If the PF falls on the msw inverter below 0.95pf, then I would not run on msw.

    But as above, tsw or psw is much better.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: "New" refrigerators and modified sine inverters

    I agree with BB and will add a guess that most new higher power inverter based devices (like a refrigerator) are power factor corrected. A low load like a controller for a blanket (not the entire blanket) probably wouldn't be.

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

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