WOW! Absorption fridge vs compressor fridge

[babybober]

also you can run a standard fridge on 400 watts panel and 100 amp hour lifepo... so under $500. so maybe 1.5 years to pay back....

Well I guess I just don’t have the same connections you do. A cheap 100ah battery will run you $500. Buy a name brand and it will be more like $800+. Solar panels run $1/watt +/- . An mppt controller $100. An inverter $150-$200. Now add a whole bunch of copper wire, fuses, circuit breakers, mounting brackets for the panels. You are at $1500 before any labor. Oh did I forget the cost of the new Fridge? I think my payback will be way out there....

Seriously though. I camp 2-3 months a year in the camper. Often in wooded areas in the northeast US so panels only help so much. I am putting in 600w of panels, 600ah of 12v lifepo4 batteries, and a 3000w inverter. My goal is to last a week plus (about the max I can go without dealing with dumping water) wihtout wanting to worry about power or a generator. Will not run the AC’s will not use fireplace or electric heaters but will run the fridge and hot water tank on propane. Use the microwave, coffee maker, etc....

 

[JeepDaddy]

I do. Who wants to spend thousands of dollars on oversizing solar panels and huge costly LIO battery banks in an RV when a propane tank works great. I want to be efficient not be purely solar friendly and $ foolish.... There is NO such thing as a free lunch. (or free solar system for that matter either).

It's definitely an individual decision, but I'm with you, propane is a good cost/benefit solution for a lot of people, including me. I paid $1.89/gallon for propane the last time I filled up. The payback for refrigeration on solar is just not there for me (3 months boondocking/year).

 

[hardtop]

For me, the Engel refer alone will take 4.8 years to break even. That is calculated by previously spending $4 per week for ice which I don't need to buy anymore and the refer was $1,000. I need to calculate the power costs for it, but it is super cheap. I'd be guessing about $1 a week in gas from the generator. When the generator isn't on, a Miady $60 16ah LIFEPO4 powers it.

 

[GSXR1000]

Well I guess I just don’t have the same connections you do. A cheap 100ah battery will run you $500. Buy a name brand and it will be more like $800+. Solar panels run $1/watt +/- . An mppt controller $100. An inverter $150-$200. Now add a whole bunch of copper wire, fuses, circuit breakers, mounting brackets for the panels. You are at $1500 before any labor. Oh did I forget the cost of the new Fridge? I think my payback will be way out there....

Seriously though. I camp 2-3 months a year in the camper. Often in wooded areas in the northeast US so panels only help so much. I am putting in 600w of panels, 600ah of 12v lifepo4 batteries, and a 3000w inverter. My goal is to last a week plus (about the max I can go without dealing with dumping water) wihtout wanting to worry about power or a generator. Will not run the AC’s will not use fireplace or electric heaters but will run the fridge and hot water tank on propane. Use the microwave, coffee maker, etc....

$200 in shipping ...

 

[GSXR1000]

It's definitely an individual decision, but I'm with you, propane is a good cost/benefit solution for a lot of people, including me. I paid $1.89/gallon for propane the last time I filled up. The payback for refrigeration on solar is just not there for me (3 months boondocking/year).

I am not saying anything wrong with propane... and will not replace it till it breaks... but I also have a compressor fridge..... my issues it someone posting that it doesn't make sense to go non propane..

I did not go solar for fridge at all... I did 710w solar and 560ah battery for boondocking so I can watch TV, run furnace, lights without running generator... for air conditioning I will run my onan

 

[babybober]

..... my issues it someone posting that it doesn't make sense to go non propane..

I apologize if my statement may have implied that to you. Purely on electric usage from a battery (AC with inverter or DC) an absorption fridge running on gas where the 12v is for circuit control only will utilize the lowest amount of electrical usage of most any fridge out there. Does it use more total energy ( including gas) yep! Is it the most efficient ? Hardly.... My original post in the thread started off asking several posters who bashed absorption fridges and commended compressor fridges as being more electrically energy efficient if they were running the absorption fridge in gas mode? Not a single post states the mode they were testing in. My experience, is the only way those numbers make sense is comparing fridges in pure electric mode which is the most inefficient way to run an absorption fridge. I personally am looking at Useable length of battery life per camping trip. To me it seems that is an absorption fridge running propane as did 12v control. If I am incorrect I would like to understand my error and be educated on a better way.

 

[GSXR1000]

I apologize if my statement may have implied that to you. Purely on electric usage from a battery (AC with inverter or DC) an absorption fridge running on gas where the 12v is for circuit control only will utilize the lowest amount of electrical usage of most any fridge out there. Does it use more total energy ( including gas) yep! Is it the most efficient ? Hardly.... My original post in the thread started off asking several posters who bashed absorption fridges and commended compressor fridges as being more electrically energy efficient if they were running the absorption fridge in gas mode? Not a single post states the mode they were testing in. My experience, is the only way those numbers make sense is comparing fridges in pure electric mode which is the most inefficient way to run an absorption fridge. I personally am looking at Useable length of battery life per camping trip. To me it seems that is an absorption fridge running propane as did 12v control. If I am incorrect I would like to understand my error and be educated on a better way.

you are 100% right... most of the people that are changing out a perfectly good one are full timmers. my TV and stereo uses more then my compressor fridge. lol.

also you gain colder more constant temperatures and a ice maker..

it is also the hobby aspect of this...

 

[Cheap 4-life]

New fridge called a magnetic fridge, uses magnetic field to cool.

 

[babybober]

also you gain colder more constant temperatures and a ice maker..

I will certainly agree a typical household compression fridge is a more consistent and easy to use beast any day of the week.

 

[sunshine]

New fridge called a magnetic fridge, uses magnetic field to cool.

You may be referring to thermoelectric peltier cooling.
These are less efficient than propane and, like propane, wont work on hot days.

Still, I like the concept and have been looking at peltier elements attached somehow to my standard household fridge using excess power and maybe use the heat from the opposite side for water heating.

 

[MattiFin]

You may be referring to thermoelectric peltier cooling.
These are less efficient than propane and, like propane, wont work on hot days.

Still, I like the concept and have been looking at peltier elements attached somehow to my standard household fridge using excess power and maybe use the heat from the opposite side for water heating.

There is also magnetic cooling https://newatlas.com/cooltech-commercial-magnetic-cooling/43874/

Curious tech...If anyone knows domestic units let us know the models and makes.

 

[AlanH]

Price in AUD

130L Caravan Fridge & Freezer (12/24V) - Bushman DC85-X

Top-selling fridge for caravans, RV's, and off-grid living. 3 Year warranty, internal 6L freezer and reversible door. Buy online, ships Australia-wide.

bushman.com.au

 

[AlanH]

Look up Bushman DC130-X.

In Australia, this is what we are replacing the absorption fridges with. 130L against what are the Dometic 90L? Virtually same dimensions.

 

[sunshine]

Look up Bushman DC130-X.

List price $1549au

Now google 130L fridge and come up with the 240v kogan bar fridge at $169au
Similar dimensions. The 1.5kg weight saving could go towards a energy absorbing mat for it to sit on and some door latches.

A problem with running a mains fridge off a inverter is the need for some constant load to stop the inverter going into standby mode as I cant see the compressor startup current doing much good to the compressor motor or to the inverter when in standby mode.

 

[Screwball]

Just stumbled over a utube video about an rv manufacturer that switched from lp/absorbtion to all 12v fridges in the complete lineup ... reasons stated was less outside openings (potential leaks) and legal in all states to be running while driving ?

 

[GSXR1000]

Just stumbled over a utube video about an rv manufacturer that switched from lp/absorbtion to all 12v fridges in the complete lineup ... reasons stated was less outside openings (potential leaks) and legal in all states to be running while driving ?

many single door refrigerator style rv .. are going to 12v... I bet they save a ton of money (rv manufacturers)

 

[Lt.Dan]

I would have been happier with a strictly 12v fridge rather than propane. Granted my 381M only came with 1x 12v battery and it was dead overnight just sitting in my driveway... they would have to come with more batteries or LifePo4...

 

[babybober]

I would have been happier with a strictly 12v fridge rather than propane. Granted my 381M only came with 1x 12v battery and it was dead overnight just sitting in my driveway... they would have to come with more batteries or LifePo4...

Blame your dealer not GD. Batteries get added at the dealer as part of prep not at the factory. I have a 303rls (Absorption fridge) and GD specifies a minimum of 1 group 27 for reflections . I believe any units with residential (compressor) fridges they specify a min of 2. On the purchase order I specified I wanted 2 batteries. Dealer tried to put a single group 24 in. Obviously that was the start of a very long walkthrough/signoff PDI before I would accept delivery.

 

[Screwball]

I could slap myself for cutting the absorbtion fridge openings into my toyhauler project ? ... that was stupid, but I guess I just patch them before paint
Don't see me ever going back to lp ... should have gone 12v compressor from the start ?

 

[Screwball]

Btw
This GE sounds interesting ?
13.5A max ... would be good to know average daily consumption