mkzero
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Post by mkzero on Jan 22, 2017 20:47:45 GMT -8
So I've got a working Marvel 110v fridge/ ice box in my trailer. It seems to work really well, but not surprisingly it's horribly inefficient. I hooked a kill a watt up to it for several days and it uses about 1.0 kWh per day. When the compressor is running it draws about 200 W. This is all fine and dandy if running off shore power, but I would like to add some batteries and an inverter and be able to run off them for a couple days. The math doesn't look good with the fridge drawing that much. Running that fridge all day and some lights for a few hours puts me at 1.4 kWh per day, which is 117 Ah at 12v. So with a couple golf cart batteries I would drain them to about 50% in a day. I would need about 3 100w solar panels to add that much back every day. Anyway, so I'm wondering if anyone has put more efficient "guts" in a vintage fridge? I know some people have taken dorm room fridges and made them look vintage, but I'm more interested in using the original with upgraded "innards." More cool factor (no pun intended) and it could still function as an icebox. I see on Vintage Trailer Supply they have this conversion kit that would work, but i cant see paying 800 bux for that when i could buy a mini fridge for 150 or so. www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Ice-Box-to-12VDC-110VAC-Conversion-Kit-p/vts-2057.htm Any thoughts, or anyone try taking the guts out of a mini fridge and putting them in a vintage fridge? According to my calculations this setup would only use about 400 Wh per day, which would give me like 2 days just off the batteries. Thanks |
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edbrown
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Post by edbrown on Jan 23, 2017 9:58:21 GMT -8
I think it's unlikely that's going to be a good approach unless you are spectacularly lucky. The coolant system in a modern high-efficiency refrigerator is sealed. That means you would have to cut out the whole back and motor, and keep that all rigid. So if the box you're going into is just slightly larger than the host refrigerator from which you are transplating it might work. You're likely to have to do some creative work to match the old (mostly steel) box with the new host (mostly plastic) box. And the old insulation is probably not as good, which will make the refrigerator work harder. I went with this: www.costco.com/Daewoo-Retro-2.8-CuFt-Compact-Refrigerator.product.100300690.htmlwhich is a pretty pastel and uses about 80 watts when running. |
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mkzero
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Post by mkzero on Jan 23, 2017 15:19:29 GMT -8
That makes sense, I was wondering how integrated the heat exchangers would be on the new ones.
I like that setup that vintage trailer supply has, that would work and should be way more efficient than what I have now, but I don't like the price, lol.
Out of curiosity, what's that one from Costco cost, I don't see the price and I'm not a member, if you don't mine me asking.
Do you happen to now the energy use on an average day (in kWh)? Thanks!
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Post by danrhodes on Jan 24, 2017 7:09:54 GMT -8
That makes sense, I was wondering how integrated the heat exchangers would be on the new ones. I like that setup that vintage trailer supply has, that would work and should be way more efficient than what I have now, but I don't like the price, lol. Out of curiosity, what's that one from Costco cost, I don't see the price and I'm not a member, if you don't mine me asking. Do you happen to now the energy use on an average day (in kWh)? Thanks!  |
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edbrown
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Post by edbrown on Jan 24, 2017 11:33:46 GMT -8
The price is at the bottom of the screenshot- $229.99. It also comes in pastel green (which I got) and very red. I haven't used for real, but I have been running with meters. Running for a day with a kill-a-watt meter says it takes about 800 watt hours. When the compressor starts it takes about 800 watts for a fraction of a second, then runs at about 80 watts. I'm still completing the installation, which will be sealed from the interior and vented to the outdoors, and the enclosure is well insulated. I would have preferred a smaller inverter, but I got this AIMS 600 watt. smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B007KDDSXQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1The standby drain on that is about .6 amps, which means in a day about 14 amp-hours. I'm considering switching the inverter off at night, but based on what I have now I expect it to use 80 amp-hours if I turn off at night, and 100 amp-hours if I leave it on. |
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ladywendolyn
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Post by ladywendolyn on Jan 24, 2017 15:20:04 GMT -8
I have seen it done where a vintage door was bolted onto a new fridge. It looked great...
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mkzero
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Post by mkzero on Jan 24, 2017 22:54:50 GMT -8
Thanks guys and gals for the info.
Maybe my fridge isn't as bad as I thought, I believe it uses about 1000 to 1100 Wh per day, or about 83 to 92 Ah at 12v.
What I was hoping to do was run a fridge for two days off batteries, maybe that's just a pipe dream.... 240 Ah batteries would give me about 720 Wh per day for two days. If I run 4 6w led lights for say 6 hrs, that leaves me with 576 Wh per day to run a fridge. Sounds like that Daewoo uses quite a bit more than that. Oh well... Maybe it's back to the idea of just using it as an icebox, it's made to use as either a 110v fridge or an icebox.
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mel
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Post by mel on Jan 25, 2017 5:17:52 GMT -8
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jan 29, 2017 21:04:14 GMT -8
I've been away and missed this. Well done.  |
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edbrown
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Post by edbrown on Feb 13, 2017 17:20:30 GMT -8
I promised to report when I had some data. I've got the fridge built in. The box around the fridge is well insulated, and the back of the fridge vents to the outdoors. I've sealed so the outside air won't cool the inside.  Daytime temperature was about sixty, low around forty. So this is about the best environment it will ever get. Starting from ambient temperature of around fifty, yesterday I turned it on at 4:24 P.M. and the meter said this:  And today it s  So it used 2292 - 1470 = 822 watt hours to cool down and operate under those conditions. If I put in some warm stuff it would use more. Once it has run for a day or so it should use somewhat less. But this is at least one solid data point. |
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Post by vikx on Feb 13, 2017 22:20:02 GMT -8
I think it would help to cool the fridge BEFORE the trip and also add frozen water jugs to keep the cool on the road... I would think a store close to the campground might even allow you to re-freeze the jugs... Ya never know.
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mkzero
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Post by mkzero on Feb 14, 2017 7:58:58 GMT -8
thanks edbrown for posting your findings! I wonder what the steady state use would be for a day under normal use conditions. Like opening it briefly every hour or so. I'm with Vikx on the cooling it down before running off the batteries and leaving for a trip. When I tested mine, I let it cool off overnight, then started taking readings with the Kill a Watt. If I were going to use it on a trip, I would do the same thing: cool it off overnight plugged into my house 110, then switch to batteries when the traveling began. Of course, mine draws way too much power for that, and I don't even have a battery/inverter setup yet, so for me it's kind of a moot point right now  |
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gary350
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Post by gary350 on Feb 22, 2017 4:56:24 GMT -8
I removed the old refrigerator, all the propane including pipes, stove, furnace. I bought a 120 volt refrigerator from Walmart $120 it works great it is 34" tall and 18" wide, it slides right under the kitchen counter top. We have an electric griddle, 2 burner electric hot plate, electric coffee maker, electric toaster oven, microwave oven, crock pot, 1500 watt electric space heater. Camp grounds all have free electric that comes with space rental we take advantage of it.
We have 2 Coleman stoves both are 2 burner, LED lights, coffee pot, ice chest, for places with no electric.
We NEVER cook inside the camper the whole purpose of camping is to enjoy the wilderness we always cook outside on the picnic table.
We also have 14 quilts and blankets we camp in 20 degree weather with no heat and stay warm as toast.
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ladywendolyn
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Post by ladywendolyn on Feb 22, 2017 8:06:13 GMT -8
That Davido fridge looks gorgeous in the green!
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