Hi all. We are about to look for a new 2 way fridge for our Windsor Little Shuttle. Any hints on what to buy? Or what not to buy? Its a small fridge, not the full size one.\
Can't give Suzanne and Kevin meaningful advice without finding out a few details first. I'd be very surprised if a 200 watt panel would keep a compressor fridge going in all conditions. Is there room for enough batteries. Room for enough panels. Fridge power consumption?
are they not 12/24 volt with the option of a 240 volt power supply?
my 60 liter in tug runs off 12 volt (or if shore power is available off that) 100 amp battery with180 watts of solar 4/5 days little or no sun (fridge only)before needing external top up by starting tug or plugging into shore power
My little fridge use 15ah per 24 hours, I have added insulation. In 2019 with the cool weather it was down to 9.6ah per 24 hours. Because my tiny fridge is so small it has an extremely high outside surface area to volume ratio. So using a larger fridge with an efficient compressor will not use much more energy.
Compressor fridges are really efficient, add some insulation if the condenser is an the back, replace the condenser fan with a very efficient one.
I thought that when connected to 240v the 240v charged the batteries and the fridge still ran off the 12v batteries.
I do know I never have to change power sources.
BTW my 90ltr Vitrifigo compressor fridge is 10yrs old and has never given me a moments grief. Even in tropical or scorching outback temps. The only cause for alarm has been when there has been no sun for the solar. (started out with an 80w system)
Over the years I have upgraded to 350w solar, powering 2x75w Lithium batteries (all the space I have) and that supplies enough power to power most things I use except heating and cooling and the microwave. Everything else is 12v or gas. I expect it will last probably about a week without sun. Haven't need to test it. It still charges a little when the there is no sun but there is daylight.
-- Edited by msg on Tuesday 2nd of March 2021 09:58:04 AM
I have two sections of 200 watt panels . 200 Xs 2 .At times the 220L 12v fridge - freezer operates on one set of panels . My fridge is 12v . The 3 way was very slow to get to cold temps , out west LPG is around $60 for refill . Every 3 weeks . Spent a few $100!. Fitted extra solar . At night the fridge is hardly working . Not much battery draw . Starting engine or generator for 10 - 20 min in sever weather instances to charge batteries . Dont have to do it very often ? Maybe twice in six years ? But its nice to have some type of charging if required . A 3 way is NOT a compressor fridge ! It relies on heat to circulate the fluid . Why it runs on LPG . High load on 12v . Up to 20 amps . Not efficient!!
We have a 190 lt compressor fridge, I think from memory it uses 5 amps/hour, we have 2 x 120 amh batteries and 300W fixed solar plus 160W portable solar.
If it was running continually for 24 hours it would use 120 amps, equivalent to 1 battery without being charged. So being charged the batteries are 95% full at dusk.
As Aus Kiwi says, they don't run much at night and very efficient in hot weather, so plenty of battery charge left in the morning.
They do not run on 240 V, instead an inverter converts it to 12 V, so basically always 12 V.
are not 2 way fridges all compressor fridges ?
Not in my world. There are compressor fridges and 2way (mains or propane) or 3way (mains, 12 volt or propane absorption fridges
But as I said, the more information, the better the advice
Hi all. We are about to look for a new 2 way fridge for our Windsor Little Shuttle. Any hints on what to buy? Or what not to buy? Its a small fridge, not the full size one.\
Cheers
Suzanne and Kevin
I assume that you mean a 12 volt, 240 volt fridge
I originally had a (under the counter) 3 way fridge of 12 volt, gas, and 240 volt
I picked a Evakool 12 volt fridge, as it was the only one which had a "T" (Tropical) plus rating (they come in different sizes small to large) You can purchase a 240 volt to 12 volt converter, if you wish to run this fridge on 240 volt
To the best of my knowledge, this fridge is made in Australia, and is supposed to be good for up to 52ēC
I have had it a few years now, and it has not let me down yet.
Prior to getting this 12 volt fridge, I had 300 watts of solar on my roof, and found that it used about 5.5 amps per hour, for half the day = about 60 odd amp hours per day
My 300 watt roof was enough solar, while my rig was positioned to catch the sun When not positioning my rig to catch the sun, I found that I needed more solar
I now have 300 watts of solar on the roof, and 160 watts of (lightweight) portable solar, for when extra solar is required
