AC Refrigerator choice.

solorone · June 2017

I have seen comments in the past that new frigs can run on about a 1000 watts a day. So far, in a quick look, the best I have seen is 400 KWH a year. What is the most efficient frig out there? ? I have abundant power, but still want to find the best unit I can.

mvas · June 2017

400 KWH per year / 365 days = ~1,000 WH per day

https://www.energystar.gov/most-efficient/me-certified-refrigerators

petertearai · June 2017

recently got a LG 450 litre fridge freezer . Rated 299 kw per year . had it for 7 months . running well . Inverter model . there are more eficient ones out there ,, but more costly in purchase price .

solorone · June 2017

Thanks, do you recall the model #s of the combo frigs ? In age, I am past needing a freezer, no more gardens and no more hunting.

Lumisol · June 2017

> @solorone said:
> Thanks, do you recall the model #s of the combo frigs ? In age, I am past needing a freezer, no more gardens and no more hunting.

We do raise foods but do more canning than freezing. It lasts longer.

petertearai · June 2017

dont have the model number .. maybe try the Google.

westbranch · June 2017

look here for the choices.... https://www.energystar.gov/most-efficient/me-certified-refrigerators

NOTE the difference between the Frigidaire's and the Bosch's ~ # 17 to ~#21.... buy local and save 2/3 +-
or go Lieber for > $6,400

solorone · June 2017

I wonder how many off grid folks really use AC frigs ? we have been gas for 34 years. Thanks for the input here, have spent a lot f time researching. seems the $700/$1100 range of units have complaints about plastic shelves and failing compressors, also some noise comments, noise would be a big negative for us. It seems like the price range jumps up to the $2000 level from the $1100 range. The bottom freezers seem to pull tooo much power. Seems hard to find the right fit, also hate to buy sight unseen. Cheers. I need to get my email notices fixed as I am not getting any updates..

mcgivor · June 2017

My choice is an ac refrigerator with bottom freezer because living away from towns means having to store perishable foods to reduce trips to town. It is an inverter type mid size unit, uses around 1.5Kw per day, more if ambient is above 35ºC, thankfully the price was around $315, Thailand, overall no regrets, the soft start is an added bonus. Looked into LPG refrigerators here but always got the same answer, "No Have."

mike95490 · June 2017

We use a conventional, Energy Star fridge for year round. I think that after 3 or 5 years, the cost of the consumable propane exceeded the cost of extra panels & battery to run a plain fridge.

westbranch · June 2017

we used propane 11Cu ft unit with tiny freezer, now on GE,120V AC fridge, top freezer wife (Nurse) loves it as there is no worry about CO poisoning and was ~$ 800 CDN from Sears, an on the floor standard model, not as big as our 21 cu ft Amana bottom freezer model but more efficient

solarhills99 · June 2017

thread based on actual use. http://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/comment/365099#Comment_365099

simmtron · June 2017

Have been using a Samsung 14CF inverter fridge for a year now and love it. Rated 310 kwh year. Maximum draw is about 130 watts but ranges between 40 and 130 watts. Defrost uses 120 watts. Great not having to fill propane every 2 months. Daytime temps here are around 90f to 95f so the fridge was using more than rated so I thought I would attach a 12 volt 4" computer fan on the wall next to the fridge running from a small old panel I wasn't using anymore. The cooling is built into the side skin of these refrigerators and the side would get very hot. The fan made a huge difference in electrical usage.

706jim · June 2017

I've been running a Consul LPG fridge for 22 years now, the model that vents through the wall. It works well and will freeze ice cream as hard as a rock but has become susceptible to strong wind blowing out the flame (the first 15 years or so this wasn't a problem) and obviously does not self defrost. As the fridge is on an island, propane cylinders have to be lugged out there and the cost of gas works out to over $1/day to run the unit. So an electric inverter compressor fridge is in the works soon. I plan to run it from a dedicated 600 watt psw inverter.

Blayd · June 2017

I am running a year old top mount Whirlpool WRT111SFDB01 on a modified sinewave inverter with no issues. Rated 6.5 amp @ 115vac. max load. Start load is around 850 watts, running load is around 80 watts. Since its frost free, I make sure defrost cycle is during the daytime to avoid the heater element running off battery bank. Its very energy efficient even on msw inverter, and most importantly keeps food cold, and frozen like a brick no matter what.
To help it run less, I keep it full so when door is opened it looses less cold air. Since its supposed to hit 109+°F for the next few, energy ratings hardly matter in my case.

In am going to get a pure sinewave inverter, but not due to the fridge, but due to the small air conditioner I have pulling a massive amount over its rated use. Evidently its not happy with msw whatsoever. Granted at 109° none of the equipment is very happy or energy efficient.

706jim · June 2017

Your keyword here is "old fridge". My concern running from my msw inverter is longevity and compatibility of the electronic control board. Just as an example, a newer electric blanket will not run from my inverter but an old, non electronically controlled unit will.
(Not that running an electric blanket sounds like much of a plan when temp reaches 109F!)

Edit: Just noticed your fridge is one year old, not just "old". That helps with my project.

Blayd · June 2017

Its ONE year old. It has a defrost control board which has no issue with msw. I cheat when it wants to do a middle of the night defrost and unplug which resets the timer. Unplug the next day so its 24 hour cycle is on my terms. I am very satisfied with the unit. All my electronics seem to run fine on msw. The old fridge was a dorm/undercounter unit which ran fine for eight years but was useless for ice cream. Now I have ice cream like a brick.

Blayd · June 2017

As a side note: the only devices that I have found to badly mis-behave are dime store timers for lights that plug into an outlet. Old school here for winter. Thick layer of blankets for the windy mountain winters. I am full timer, not a weekender.

Lumisol · June 2017

I went with a high efficiency electric A/C refrigerator for ease of use and dependability. It was the best choice for my needs.

Blayd · June 2017

706jim said:

I've been running a Consul LPG fridge for 22 years now, the model that vents through the wall. It works well and will freeze ice cream as hard as a rock but has become susceptible to strong wind blowing out the flame (the first 15 years or so this wasn't a problem) and obviously does not self defrost. As the fridge is on an island, propane cylinders have to be lugged out there and the cost of gas works out to over $1/day to run the unit. So an electric inverter compressor fridge is in the works soon. I plan to run it from a dedicated 600 watt psw inverter.

You'll probably want to bump up the panel capacity as well. 430 watts might not be enough, unless its only weekend use and you shut the fridge down when away, even with 8 L16's.

Don't forget that start load can be up to 10 times running watts, which might trip the 600 watt inverter.

mcgivor · June 2017

Blayd said:

706jim said:

I've been running a Consul LPG fridge for 22 years now, the model that vents through the wall. It works well and will freeze ice cream as hard as a rock but has become susceptible to strong wind blowing out the flame (the first 15 years or so this wasn't a problem) and obviously does not self defrost. As the fridge is on an island, propane cylinders have to be lugged out there and the cost of gas works out to over $1/day to run the unit. So an electric inverter compressor fridge is in the works soon. I plan to run it from a dedicated 600 watt psw inverter.

You'll probably want to bump up the panel capacity as well. 430 watts might not be enough, unless its only weekend use and you shut the fridge down when away, even with 8 L16's.

Don't forget that start load can be up to 10 times running watts, which might trip the 600 watt inverter.

An inverter refrigerator has no surge to speak of, so more than likely a 600W PSW inverter would have no problem supporting it, based on experience.

706jim · June 2017

Well I ordered the small inverter only to see that I accidentally specified a 12 volt unit whereas I need 24 volts input. So that will have to be returned. At this point I'm tempted to just get the fridge (a GE non inverter style) and run it from what I have. The GE runs at 140 watts and the Trace has killer surge capacity (4400 watts) if needed. Going to add another 900 watts of panels for good measure; can't believe how cheap they are compared to 20 years ago. It takes a lot to knock down 8 L16's but also a lot to bring them back up hence the array increase.

simmtron · June 2017

> @solorone said:
> I wonder how many off grid folks really use AC frigs ? we have been gas for 34 years. Thanks for the input here, have spent a lot f time researching. seems the $700/$1100 range of units have complaints about plastic shelves and failing compressors, also some noise comments, noise would be a big negative for us. It seems like the price range jumps up to the $2000 level from the $1100 range. The bottom freezers seem to pull tooo much power. Seems hard to find the right fit, also hate to buy sight unseen. Cheers. I need to get my email notices fixed as I am not getting any updates..

Our new 14cf Samsung inverter fridge top freezer cost 5500 peso in Mexico about $300 us. Working great and has glass shelves

westbranch · June 2017

the problem is the real cheap fridge models are not sold North of Mexico from what I can find... all models are above $1100 dollars.

mcgivor · June 2017

westbranch said:

the problem is the real cheap fridge models are not sold North of Mexico from what I can find... all models are above $1100 dollars.

Pricing is dependent largely on what the market can bare, more disposable income the higher the price, market demand, or how the manufacturer perceives the demand, generally governs the model availability, some attempt to maintain prestige by not selling the cheaper models, finding a mid or apartment size inverter type in North America is generally not an option, which is sad in a way. It would seem you have to be rich in order to save energy (money) which is an oxymoron.

solorone · June 2017

706jim said:

I've been running a Consul LPG fridge for 22 years now, the model that vents through the wall. It works well and will freeze ice cream as hard as a rock but has become susceptible to strong wind blowing out the flame (the first 15 years or so this wasn't a problem) and obviously does not self defrost. As the fridge is on an island, propane cylinders have to be lugged out there and the cost of gas works out to over $1/day to run the unit. So an electric inverter compressor fridge is in the works soon. I plan to run it from a dedicated 600 watt psw inverter.

Good reading here, thanks for all the replies. I had a wind issue with my 18 CF Crystal Cold. I had it piped out top window with metal dryer duct. Put up a plywood box with various internal layers as a baffle, that stopped it.

Lumisol · June 2017

westbranch said:

the problem is the real cheap fridge models are not sold North of Mexico from what I can find... all models are above $1100 dollars.

It's as hard to get $300.00 in Mexico as it is to get $1,100.00 in the US. It's all relative. The cost is the same, just the playing tokens are different.

When I was younger, I used to work for 3 months a year in the US and then go live in Mexico for the rest of the year on what I had saved in 3 months. And I lived quite well there, better than I could in the US still working.

Blayd · June 2017

Glass shelves in mine. Less than $500.00usd out the door. I have LPG for heat and cooking, which I purchase on discount in the summer off season. I do use spare panel capacity to heat (electric resistance) in the winter to reduce propane use.

Passive water heating with propane boost.

Next tinker DIY project: Heat pump from old fridges I have on hand, rather than scrap them for junk.

Ultimate goal: 100 percent renewable energy by my retirement.

97TJ · June 2017

I have used a chest freezer conversion at my cabin for about 5 years. It's only used about 60 days a year but so far it works great. Total cost was about $200 with the freezer and thermostat. It serves its purpose for a week of hunting camp. I checked it with a Kill A Watt monitor and it uses about 400 watts of power a day.

mcgivor · July 2017

For occasional use a chest freezer is not a bad compromise, full time however, it resembles living out of a back pack.

littleharbor2 · July 2017

mcgivor said:

For occasional use a chest freezer is not a bad compromise, full time however, it resembles living out of a back pack.

That's a good analogy. Always shuffling stuff around looking for something else, but they can be really efficient.

AC Refrigerator choice.

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