Whirlpool, 110V, 6.5 amp refridgerator

zilchll
zilchll Registered Users Posts: 2
What would I need to run this fridge alone, no other items attached?
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,039 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The numbers you provide are likely the peak numbers. 110 vac. x 6.5 amps = 715 watts. My 14 cu ft. fridge after monitoring with a kill a watt meter draws .75 amps while running. I never have tried to find the peak wattage being that our inverter is much larger than needed to kick start the fridge.
     Looks like a 1000 watt PSW inverter will handle the start up load. 

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2018 #3
    Without any information on what is actually powering the refrigerator, be it an inverter powered  by a battery or whatever , it would be irreponsible to answer such an open ended question, without knowing the details, location ambient temperatures etcetra, these are factors which will determine sizing of array. . Only my opinion,  FWIW 
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    For a standard, modern, energy star refrigerator, generally a 1.2 to 1.5 kWatt (1,200 to 1,500 Watt) AC inverter is recommended... It will generally also run a few lights, radio, cell phone charger, etc...

    What you do need is to measure the amount of energy per day (Watt*Hours) using a Kill-a-Watt or similar meter:

    https://www.solar-electric.com/kiacpomome.html

    Nominally, for an off grid energy efficient home, I would suggest around 3.3 kWH per day (3,300 Watt*Hour) system. If you really only want to run a refrigerator, lets assume that it draws around 548 kWH per year or (547kWH/365 days per year=) ~ 1.5 kWH per day. A full time off-grid "reliable" system may look like (loss of guesses here about your specifics). First sizing the battery bank:
    • 1,500 WH per day * 1/0.85 AC inverter eff * 1/24 volt battery bank * 2 days storage * 1/0.50 max battery discharge (for long life) = 294 AH @ 24 volt battery bank
    Say you start with 6 volt @ 200 AH "golf cart" flooded cell batteries. That would be 4x in series for (4x6volt=) 24 volts, and 2x strings in parallel for (2x 200 AH=) 400 AH.

    Note: A 400 AH @ 24 volt battery bank will support a suggested maximum ~2,000 Watt AC inverter and ~2,000 Watt solar array. Larger AC inverters typically waste power and will empty the battery bank very quickly if heavy loads are used.

    We suggest 5% to 13% rate of charge, with 5% good for weekend/emergency usage in sunny weather, to 10%+ for full time off grid:
    • 400 AH * 29.0 volts charging * 1/0.77 panel+controller deratings * 0.10 rate of charge = 1,506 Watt array "nominal"
    Then there is sizing the array for your loads and amount of sun... Say you are near Tuscon with a fixed array:
    http://www.solarelectricityhandbook.com/solar-irradiance.html

    Tucson
    Average Solar Insolation figures

    Measured in kWh/m2/day onto a solar panel set at a 58° angle from vertical:
    (For best year-round performance)
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
    4.95
     
    5.63
     
    6.61
     
    7.07
     
    6.91
     
    6.56
     
    Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    5.77
     
    5.66
     
    6.09
     
    5.84
     
    5.30
     
    4.76
     
    Based on hours of sun, seasons, and 1,500 WH per day, and a derating of 0.75 (you do not want to use 100% of your predicted power per day--Unless you have a backup AC genset for some days of less than clear weather):
    • 1,500 WH per day * 1/0.52 off grid system AC eff * 1/0.75 "no genset" fudge factor * 1/4.76 December average hours of sun = 808 Watt array minimum for "nominal" December usage
    So, somewhere between an 808 Watt and 1,506 Watt array would work. (solar panels are historically cheap, and battery prices are rising--Tending towards the 1,506 Watt array would be "very nice"--Especially if you do not want a genset).

    The above is a quick back of the envelope calculation for a "reliable" off grid system to run a standard Energy Star Refrigerator. Hot weather, using the ice maker, etc. can cause a fridge to use significantly more energy.

    You can, of course, go with a smaller system (like just one string of golf cart batteries and an ~808 Watt array)--But that does mean you will have to monitor the system more closely during hot or cloudy weather. Also note that I am using "accurate" numbers like "808" so you can follow me where the numbers come from... For solar power, +/- 10% (i.e., and array that is 800 Watts +/- 80 Watts in size) are pretty much "the same". Solar power numbers are "estimates"--Not etched in stone.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • zilchll
    zilchll Registered Users Posts: 2
    mcgivor said:
    Without any information on what is actually powering the refrigerator, be it an inverter powered  by a battery or whatever , it would be irreponsible to answer such an open ended question, without knowing the details, location ambient temperatures etcetra, these are factors which will determine sizing of array. . Only my opinion,  FWIW 

    Right now, the fridge is unplugged and not used. It is about 7 or 8 years old. I said it is 110 but I do not know the difference between 110, 115 or that stuff. It is a Whirlpool 10.7 cu. ft. When I looked it up online it said it was 6.5 amps. It is in a tight spot so the plate is hard to get to. We want to use solar to run it full time, if possible. I guess we need a panel and inverter, at least a 1000 watt?
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2018 #6
    Do you currently have grid power and are attempting to power the refrigerator with solar in an attempt  to save on the costs versus  of running on grid, or are you in a location without grid and are in need of refrigeration? These are very important questions that need to be answered, because solar energy is not cheap, in fact it will cost way more than grid, anywhere any time, based on global grid energy prices.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • 706jim
    706jim Solar Expert Posts: 514 ✭✭✭✭
    I'm running a somewhat smaller fridge (rated 311Kwh/year) off the system listed in my signature. So far it seems to be working fine.
    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.