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Topic: Converting to electric home style refrigerator (Read 1273 times) previous topic - next topic

Converting to electric home style refrigerator

We have an electric refrigerator.  Propane fridges have wide flanges that screw into front of cabinet to seal and hold the fridge in place, so if the floor under the fridge is not real strong, it is ok as the flange will support the weight.  Electric fridges are only supported by the floor, so any floor weakness will show up with fridge leaning, etc.  And since the back of the fridge is still vented to the outside, the narrow spaces around sides & top and large space under electric fridge must be sealed to keep the weather out.

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #1 –
Yes and no. I am on my third MH and in each one of them I have replaced the rv refrigerate rs with a house ref. Each time a differant make. Their need for cooling was not all the same, had to adapt.
niagarachip 
1997 U320  40'

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #2 –
Niagarachip what make and model is in your present coach, I have a 99 320. thanks jc
JC
1999 U320

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #3 –
If you look in my profile and signature it's there . I have 1997 U320.
niagarachip 
1997 U320  40'

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #4 –
I am wondering if any of you, who are using a 120 volt household reefer/freezer have monitored the electrical power useage.  I would like to know, in average usage conditions, for a full timer, just what the daily power requirements are, as I am a boondocker operating off of solar.  How many watts do I need per day?
Any data?
Regards,
JON TWORK KB8RSA
Full Time RVer (10+ Years) & Dedicated Boondocker
Retired, Unemployed, Homeless Transients
1996 Foretravel U270-36 w/24' Timberwolf Trailer
I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my remaining obligations.
Welcome to WeRV2 (Under Construction)
Find Jon: Via Satellite Tracker Datastorm Users
The Second Amendment is in place in case they ignore the others.

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Jon Twork –
I am wondering if any of you, who are using a 120 volt household reefer/freezer have monitored the electrical power useage.  I would like to know, in average usage conditions, for a full timer, just what the daily power requirements are, as I am a boondocker operating off of solar.  How many watts do I need per day?
Any data?
Regards,

If anyone has a Kill A Watt meter Kill A Watt EZ Meter-P4460 at The Home Depot  and a 120 volt household refrigerator maybe they could help you calculate the data.  I have the simple type of Kill A Watt meter, but it is rather useless as it resets to zero with any power interruptions.  It does let me know if the generator is putting out the correct voltage and frequency though.  The better model has a backup battery to retain collected data.  Buy one and loan it to someone with a household refrig. I don't have the household refrig though.  Most appliances have a label that states the yearly cost; no idea about how accurate that might be compared to the real world.  Just guessing, but seems like the propane refrig is still best for boondocking.
Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Jon Twork –
I am wondering if any of you, who are using a 120 volt household reefer/freezer have monitored the electrical power useage.  I would like to know, in average usage conditions, for a full timer, just what the daily power requirements are, as I am a boondocker operating off of solar.  How many watts do I need per day?
Any data?
Regards,

Hi Jon,

I don't have any "real world" data on my Whirlpool - only what was on the tag when I bought it - estimated annual power usage - 386 KW, which works out to 1.06 KW per day. Searched diligently but could not find any energy usage specs on the propane fridge that was in there for comparison purposes. However, if solar offsets most of that energy, I'm still ahead of the game, as I'm not burning fuel.

Have read a lot of complaints this past summer about keeping things cold in the propane fridges when the temps climbed, and after learning of the caustic nature and flammability of the refrigerant used in heat absorption units, I decided the switch to all-electric was a good idea.

Steve
1991 U225 Grand Villa

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Jerry Whiteaker –
Just guessing, but seems like the propane refrig is still best for boondocking.

I think it depends a lot on where you are boondocking and how carefully you monitor/aim your solar panels. In 1982 we were off the grid on a sailboat in the Sea of Cortez with only 66-watts of solar panels, a home-built wind generator hanging in the rigging and a hand-carved prop. We had a 12-volt compressor-driven Adler-Barbour refrigeration system installed in our chest-type ice box. I had the box divided into two parts with a spill-over gap at the top so we had one side very cool and the other side somewhat less cool.

While at anchor I would keep an eye on the panels and re-aim them periodically as the wind/current shifted. I had a germanium diode in series with one lead (much lower voltage drop) and no regulator. I used my digital voltmeter. If the battery bank was 14.5vdc I disconnected the panels. If the bank got down to 12.5vdc I made sure we had charging to the batteries. At night, if we had been on the radio a lot, we put the wind generator up. However it was annoying because my hand-carved 4-foot prop made a lot of noise. Nevertheless, the 36vdc electric motor it was connected to managed to put a charge on the batteries.

We had ice enough for one gin-and-tonic for each of us as the sun went down every night. I know this isn't much but in 1982 in the Sea of Cortez it was the height of luxury. LOL

We always had enough power for lights and ham radio and ran the diesel engine only about 30 mintues a week just to keep the thing lubricated. I was very active on several HF ssb nets every day and our 100-watt transceiver always was up to the job. We even managed to save a couple of lives and boats during our trip.

I think the average Foretravel owner - even boondocking - might demand a bit more out of their coach but we were also at the beginning of the solar/wind power game and using very early panels. At the time we were the only boat anyone had ever seen with solar panels! The people who made our panels had not done a good job protecting them from ultra-violet and so, after 5 years, the epoxy that covered the cells had deteriorated. It was our own fault... we left them out in the sun too much.  :))

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #8 –
I thought that residential refrigerators do not operate well in very cold conditions...such as placing an extra fridge in the garage in cold climates.  If you plan to stay in areas the are cold, you may need to isulate the rear of the fridge yet still provede for ventilation?  Just asking...
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #9 –
Steve,

How many house batteries and what size are they do you have in your '91 U 225? Did you increase the size of your inverter?
Don Hay
'92 Grandvilla, U-280
The Hayfever Express
Build #4055
'97 GEO Tracker
Life is like licking honey off a thorn.

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #10 –
My travel plans for the next ten years are targeted for areas where the daytime temps are 65-85 degrees with lows 54-67 degrees.
JON TWORK KB8RSA
Full Time RVer (10+ Years) & Dedicated Boondocker
Retired, Unemployed, Homeless Transients
1996 Foretravel U270-36 w/24' Timberwolf Trailer
I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my remaining obligations.
Welcome to WeRV2 (Under Construction)
Find Jon: Via Satellite Tracker Datastorm Users
The Second Amendment is in place in case they ignore the others.

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #11 –
Our Lowe's electric Whirlpool 9.7 cu ft, 24" x 60" has been running 24/7 since we installed it in May of this year, on shore power, generator power or 2,000 watt true-sine wave inverter.

Our Kill-o-Watt meter does not reset when changing power sources. For the last 465 hours (19 days) fridge has used 14.75 kWh, for an average of 0.03 kWh (30 watts per hour)

30 watts per hour average is about 2.4 average battery amps per hour. Or about 57 average battery amps per 24 hours.

But my most important usage number is how much battery is used in an 8 hour night to be sure our generator will not auto-start during the night. Fridge uses about 19 average battery amps in those 8 hours.

I figure that if the compressor ran 50% to 100% more, 19 amps would increase to 30 - 40 battery amps in 8 hours.
We have not yet managed defrost cycle to keep 120-volt heater from turning on during the night. Fridge defrosts based on compressor run time.

When fridge's compressor is running on inverter with most everything else in our coach powered off, I see our inverter draining our battery at 8 amps and zero amps when fridge has cycled off.

For the cold weather question, I assume it would be smart to close off outside fridge vents if in very cold weather.

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #12 –
As a point of reference on the upper end of the scale...

I had a 21 cuft Amana household ref/freezer running off the inverter on my boat.
When the compressor was on it drew 18.5 amps. I estimated it was on about 33% of the time.
I used a figure of 6 amps continously . 

I had 8 6-volt Golf Carts and could go on anchor for about 48-56 hours before I got worried.
We did have to run the gen to cook.

HTH
Elliott & Mary Bray
ex. 1996 36' U295 - Build 4879
ex. 2018 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
 
 

Re: Converting to electric home style refrigerator

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Don Hay –
Steve,

How many house batteries and what size are they do you have in your '91 U 225? Did you increase the size of your inverter?

Hi Don,

I installed a pair of DEKA 8D gels for house batteries earlier this year (255 amp/hrs each). The Magnum 2800 watt pure since wave inverter is in the process of being installed (only had a convertor up to now). In spring I plan to add four 135 to 150 watt solar panels.

The residential fridge eliminates the need for an icemaker (at least for me), and has a lot more space inside than the original tired, old Dometic that was in there. And won't likely catch fire...

Steve
1991 U225 Grand Villa