Sun Electronics 12/24 vdc refrigerator/freezer

Re: Sun Electronics 12/24 vdc refrigerator/freezer

It looks like an 8 cuft chest freezer, rated as:

• VOLUME(L):258
• INPUT POWER(W):85
• POWER CONSUMPTION (kw.h/24h):1.35
• REFRIGERANT:R600a/75g
• TEMPERATURE(W):-18
• NET WEIGHT(KG):110LB
• SIZE(L*W*H inch):27"x50"x36"

It is rated at 1.35 kWhrs per day or 493 kWhrs per year...

To be fair--I don't know if that power usage is rated at 0F and 70F ambient or 0F and 90F ambient.

For the price--it does not appear to be a bad for a 12volt "solar" fridge/freezer.

But my old / cheap 13 cuft front door opening freezer Energy Star (manual defrost) is listed around 365 kWhrs per year on its yellow tag (and it does use less based on my kWhr measurements).

The equivalent sized Sundancer "off-grid" fridge/freezers are almost 2x as expensive. The 8 cuft refrigerator seems to use 198 WH per day (32F / 90F ambient)--which is how Energy Star Ratings seem to be defined. Or 72 kWhrs per year...

The Sundancer does look to be be more energy efficient--needing less solar panels and batteries. And you don't need an inverter (vs a normal 120 VAC fridge)... But--the cost for just the fridge/freezer could pay for a lot of solar panels, batteries, and an inverter to make up for the difference...

Make a spread sheet that costs out the various options. You might want to add a used RV propane refrigerator to that list too (especially if you are not full-time 9+ months out of the year).

-Bill