Fridge advice and guidance.

[eXodus]

The frost-free operation of a compressor fridge makes it worth it just for that.

if you are not full time - frost-free is not a concern. It defrosts when you don't use it

Even when running for months - my propane fridge only has some slight buildup in the freezer compartment. Nothing in the fridge compartment.
If your fridge has ice - something is wrong. Temp sensor in the wrong position usually.

 

[justinm001]

if you are not full time - frost-free is not a concern. It defrosts when you don't use it

Even when running for months - my propane fridge only has some slight buildup in the freezer compartment. Nothing in the fridge compartment.
If your fridge has ice - something is wrong. Temp sensor in the wrong position usually.

I never understood why anyone would want to turn their fridge off/on when not using it. Doesn't everyone have condiments and such that are refrigerate after opening? Plus snacks and such that need to be refrigerated?

 

[Checkthisout]

if you are not full time - frost-free is not a concern. It defrosts when you don't use it

Mine have always begun to freeze 3 days into any trip. The heat exchanger fins in the back ice up.

Even when running for months - my propane fridge only has some slight buildup in the freezer compartment. Nothing in the fridge compartment.

Weird. I wonder why normal refrigerators have extensive de-icing systems.

If your fridge has ice - something is wrong. Temp sensor in the wrong position usually.

It has to do with the amount of humidity in the ambient air. If you're somewhere arid and or somewhere it's Winter and rh is low, then icing is much less of an issue.

Going to guess you just live somewhere/sometime like that. Not that the rest of us have broken equipment or are "doing it wrong".

 

[eXodus]

I never understood why anyone would want to turn their fridge off/on when not using it.

energy costs money. Must work for money.

It has to do with the amount of humidity in the ambient air. If you're somewhere arid and or somewhere it's Winter and rh is low, then icing is much less of an issue.

I'm living the most humid place imaginable - Florida. 90% of the year is above 90% humidity.

The fins in my propane fridge are constantly wet and sweating. Water drops down and leaves the fridge at the rear.

Not that the rest of us have broken equipment or are "doing it wrong".

do you use a fridge thermometer? When I am setting my fridge too cold - it will ice up. I got mine set a 36F.

 

[justinm001]

energy costs money. Must work for money.


I'm living the most humid place imaginable - Florida. 90% of the year is above 90% humidity.

The fins in my propane fridge are constantly wet and sweating. Water drops down and leaves the fridge at the rear.


do you use a fridge thermometer? When I am setting my fridge too cold - it will ice up. I got mine set a 36F.

My fridge is only 200w per day or 8w per hour on average, same as a led light bulb. $.60 a month if paying .10 per kwh or $7.20 a year... free if using solar But that's like the price of 1 condiment. I'd suspect most of that is paid anyways from having to cool it back down everytime.

If the fridge is 36F then the fins have to be under 30F as they're bringing down the temp. If they were 34deg and fridge 36f it would take forever to cool after being open for a second. Maybe I'm wrong, its still crazy to think how absorption fridges suck heat out of the fridge by heating the outside.

 

[Checkthisout]

I'm living the most humid place imaginable - Florida. 90% of the year is above 90% humidity.

Yeah.

The fins in my propane fridge are constantly wet and sweating. Water drops down and leaves the fridge at the rear.

This is too high of a setting for our family of four. Nothing would cool down.

do you use a fridge thermometer? When I am setting my fridge too cold - it will ice up. I got mine set a 36F.

This would mean only a 4 degree difference between heat exchanger and desired temp. This is ok if you're a single guy who hardly opens the fridge and everything you put in it is already cold.

The compressor fridge is sooooooo much better and more energy efficient at cooling.

Not that I don't drive with the evaporator fridge on but they are way better in that regard too.

 

[eXodus]

My fridge is only 200w per day or 8w per hour on average, same as a led light bulb. $.60 a month if paying .10 per kwh or $7.20 a year... free if using solar But that's like the price of 1 condiment. I'd suspect most of that is paid anyways from having to cool it back down everytime.

If the fridge is 36F then the fins have to be under 30F as they're bringing down the temp. If they were 34deg and fridge 36f it would take forever to cool after being open for a second. Maybe I'm wrong, its still crazy to think how absorption fridges suck heat out of the fridge by heating the outside.you

You are talking watt hours 200wh?

What is that miracle machine? The best compressor fridge I found used about 0.8- 1kwh /day and that's without opening it like a normal person

 

[eXodus]

The compressor fridge is sooooooo much better and more energy efficient at cooling

I whole agree with you.

Like I said, it is for a very small niche application. Long time off-grid with little sun.

 

[justinm001]

You are talking watt hours 200wh?

What is that miracle machine? The best compressor fridge I found used about 0.8- 1kwh /day and that's without opening it like a normal person

Maybe it's extremely low because it's winter? But I keep inside warm all the time. I believe my energy guide said 230kw per year but that's on average with a family opening/closing all the time in a house.

 

[eXodus]

230kw per year but that's on average with a family opening/closing all the time in a house.

that sounds more like a typical use. I can believe that number. 200wh = 0.2kwh per day *365 = 73kwh/ year.

That would be an amazing refrigerator. I take 4

 

[Checkthisout]

that sounds more like a typical use. I can believe that number. 200wh = 0.2kwh per day *365 = 73kwh/ year.

That would be an amazing refrigerator. I take 4

*they* say their are fridges that .5kwh per day.

My clunky old 12cf sucks down about 2 when switched on then chews up about 1.2-1.4 per day.

Larger fridges are about the same

 

[justinm001]

that sounds more like a typical use. I can believe that number. 200wh = 0.2kwh per day *365 = 73kwh/ year.

That would be an amazing refrigerator. I take 4

Now I have energy monitoring I'm interested in seeing what the consumption is during the summer, maybe that's why so low. But I haven't noticed any change in my idle consumption of my rv it's always 65-100w with 40 of that being wifi and router alone. I also leave most of my tvs on (I have 8) along with hdmi matrix and chromecast. Stereo uses like 200w idle so that's off but hdmi passthru so must use a bit.

 

[MattiFin]

that sounds more like a typical use. I can believe that number. 200wh = 0.2kwh per day *365 = 73kwh/ year.

That would be an amazing refrigerator. I take 4

66kWh/year https://www.amazon.de/-/en/H3R-330WNA-Fridge-Energy-Efficient-Class/dp/B0968PVDPF?th=1

 

[eXodus]

66kWh/year https://www.amazon.de/-/en/H3R-330WNA-Fridge-Energy-Efficient-Class/dp/B0968PVDPF?th=1

thanks, i know the Europeans always get the good things first. Efficient cars, Heatpumps, Inverter driven motors, now all the great EVs.
Until they make a version which runs in North America it (120V) it will be another 10 years.


There is little emphasize on energy efficiency in parts of North America. Power is cheap here, so people have little reason to care. It only changed the last 2-3 years where inflation hit.

 

[rustythorn]

thanks, i know the Europeans always get the good things first. Efficient cars, Heatpumps, Inverter driven motors, now all the great EVs.
Until they make a version which runs in North America it (120V) it will be another 10 years.


There is little emphasize on energy efficiency in parts of North America. Power is cheap here, so people have little reason to care. It only changed the last 2-3 years where inflation hit.

that is about what my 10 CF [283 liters] chest freezer gets when running as a frig. generally running a chest freezer at 40F will use 1/3 the rated kwh/y it would have as a freezer

 

[atelierminceur]

66kWh/year https://www.amazon.de/-/en/H3R-330WNA-Fridge-Energy-Efficient-Class/dp/B0968PVDPF?th=1

Looks nice sadly they don't make smaller fridge. I can't seem to find a really efficient/silent around 100l fridge for my build. They all are around E-F rated.
And we don't have that many nice 12v fridge around in europe compared to the US with the nice danfoss compressors. Not that i'm aware of at least. The dometics one seems soso

 

[MattiFin]

Looks nice sadly they don't make smaller fridge. I can't seem to find a really efficient/silent around 100l fridge for my build. They all are around E-F rated.
And we don't have that many nice 12v fridge around in europe compared to the US with the nice danfoss compressors. Not that i'm aware of at least. The dometics one seems soso

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[atelierminceur]

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Nice thanks !
I was looking but couldnt find most likely because it wasnt in my price bracket.

Does anyone tried to convert a 120v/230v fridge to 12v ?
It's most likely not that complicated to just replace one with another 12v compressor like the danfoss ones. Strangely tho the danfoss has its own inverter so not sure whats the idle ?

there are a few videos showing this and doesnt seem too bad.

 

[RoadTurtle]

I've made a decision, going to have the JC Refrigeration upgrade kit installed on my existing absorption fridge. While shutting it off everyday has generally been working good, I've developed another issue where relighting hasn't always worked.

The choices are
- replacement absorption unit

Cost is moderate, but I'm done with the propane absorption fridge. There are way too many problems with the current designs and early failures​

- RV specific 12v fridge

very expensive, and there a lot of negative reviews with infant mortality​

- residential fridge

Cheapest solution, but will require detail fitting work, runs on 120v, and the decor will no longer match​

- compressor upgrade to my existing fridge

Moderate cost, can get 12v system. Cooling not quite as good as RV specific or residential, but much improved over the absorption cooling. Get to keep the decor.​

12v will run off my battery bank. I shouldn't have any major issues, but I won't be getting over 5 days off my battery bank with little to no solar collection

 

[atelierminceur]

there are some really decent 230v fridge around with a good noise/consumption ratio

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