Compressor fridge off-grid? (1 Viewer)

[offagen]

Most of our motorhoming is done off-grid, only occasionally having EHU. Our present van has 200w of solar, 200Ah leisure batteries and Gaslow LPG which, together, serve our off-grid energy needs most of the year. The three-way fridge generally runs on gas.

We have now looked at a new motorhome that has ideal layout and facilities. However, it has a large compressor fridge/freezer so no gas option. As standard it has one 70Ah lithium battery and a 150w solar panel. I'm concerned that that setup will not allow us to camp off-grid for as long as we do now.

What are the thoughts and experiences of members who use compressor fridges off-grid?

 

[Tombola]

They use very little compared to 3 way, what's the model of the fridge...will the dealer let you swap the batteries anyway ? Then later you can add another panel ?

 

[WESTY66]

If you like the van that much is it not worth the extra investment to fit the biggest lithium that will fit?

 

[offagen]

Tombola and WESTY66 thanks for your replies. I didn't make a note of the make of fridge and can't find that info online. I had a peek in the under-seat battery compartment and it all looked pretty cramped. It could possibly accommodate a second 70Ah battery or possibly a single higher Ah lithium of equivalent size to a pair but it would be very tight. Maybe locate a battery elsewhere? FWIW I also noted that there was no space for an inverter.

It looked to me that the manufacturer wasn't considering off-grid camping but maybe I'm being unnecessarily concerned?

 

[treblid]

Our compressor fridge uses between 3.5A and 4A. The ambient temperature will affect the on/off duty cycle and amount of overall power consumed.

Our 230Ah lithium will typically run the fridge and a Battery Master for 10 days stationary off grid. I have yet to install a solar panel.

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[Googlebot]

There is usually a way to do it.

I wouldn’t be put off, from what I have heard they use about 20ah a day so I would want a bit more than you have to be safe. It really does depend on how much solar you get.

 

[golly]

We have a large compressor fridge in our van, prior to fitting lithium, could only manage a couple of days off grid. We now have 200Ah of Lithium and 120w solar. Just been to Wales for a couple of weeks, not known for it's sunshine hours (granted, we moved every couple of days) and battery levels never below 80%. We don't have an inverter so all appliances are 12v

 

[TrudeandDall]

We have a large compressor fridge in our van, prior to fitting lithium, could only manage a couple of days off grid. We now have 200Ah of Lithium and 120w solar. Just been to Wales for a couple of weeks, not known for it's sunshine hours (granted, we moved every couple of days) and battery levels never below 80%. We don't have an inverter so all appliances are 12v

Our 90ltr compressor fridge would run indefinitely from our 190 AGM / 280 solar, even in the winter...
I've got 280 LifePO4 now and I doubt if the fridge will even dent the battery capacity..

 

[The Coops]

240w solar and 2 x 100amp AGM batteries no problem over 4 days use in Scotland static and winter time. compressor fridge, Its the other stuff Mrs C runs off the inverter that drains the batteries!

 

[1967bowesj]

Our 90ltr compressor fridge would run indefinitely from our 190 AGM / 280 solar, even in the winter...
I've got 280 LifePO4 now and I doubt if the fridge will even dent the battery capacity..

We have a Chinese copy of a well known 90 litre compressor fridge freezer, when I first fitted it I have concerns about batteries being able to cope. Tested it for a week in north east uk, fridge empty so not best for performance, even left on all the lights and alde pump to give them a work out. Never seen the batteries below 12.5v not much sun so solar wasn’t pushing much in.

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[1967bowesj]

The Coops TrudeandDall you do realise you have both mentioned the A*M word so Lennyhb will be along shortly with his feelings on them lol.

 

[TrudeandDall]

The Coops TrudeandDall you do realise you have both mentioned the A*M word so Lennyhb will be along shortly with his feelings on them lol.

I'm not worried - the AM are now in the shed having a rest and hiding from LHB.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I've got an under counter compressor fridge, 150w solar and 80ah gel battery.

This weekend at Cadwell park, the weather has been a bit mixed with sunny spells, rain, cloud etc but the battery is well on it's way to being fully charged by 9am.
We don't have a TV though so apart from phone charging and water pump occasionally that's about the only job the battery has.

 

[TCG]

We have a large compressor fridge freezer installed a couple of months ago…. We have 2x 100ah lithium but are replacing them with 600 ah being fitted on Thursday…
Reason= not the fridge, the wife loves the coffee machine and her hair dryer, plus the TV, microwave and air con ….. the things I do for a quiet life….
2 x100ah echo tree lithiums in the classified open to offers

 

[PeterCarole29]

We have a large compressor fridge freezer installed a couple of months ago…. We have 2x 100ah lithium but are replacing them with 600 ah being fitted on Thursday…
Reason= not the fridge, the wife loves the coffee machine and her hair dryer, plus the TV, microwave and air con ….. the things I do for a quiet life….
2 x100ah echo tree lithiums in the classified open to offers

I will look at your add now as i may be interested if you still have them are you going to the norfolk show

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[offagen]

Many thanks to all of you for your very helpful replies. They have certainly helped me have a better idea of what I could expect and what might need to be upgraded if we went ahead with purchase.

I have managed to find the fridge/freezer details: It's a Thetford T2152. Capacity is 150 litres including the freezer compartment. Stated energy consumption is 0.51kWh/24h.

Our other demands on the leisure batteries are not great: LED lighting, water pump, toilet flush/extract. We rarely watch TV while away. We have an inverter that's used to charge electric bike batteries, the G-Tech vacuum battery and electric toothbrush batteries. Phones and pads are charged mostly overnight from 12v/USB.

 

[hja]

We had 120 w solar, and 90ah ordinary battery. And compressor fridge - under counter size. 2 nights, one day , no van movement, rain pretty much all the time. battery got too low. No TV. No inverter.
Now have 230ah lithium - no problems at all. We have a fiat ducatto base and the battery is under the passenger seat. This is where the original was, and the new one. Absolutely no problem fitting it - Ecotree battery. We went for 230 not 100 because having it installed rather than self install the bigger battery didnt make a huge difference to the price.

 

[1967bowesj]

We had 120 w solar, and 90ah ordinary battery. And compressor fridge - under counter size. 2 nights, one day , no van movement, rain pretty much all the time. battery got too low. No TV. No inverter.
Now have 230ah lithium - no problems at all. We have a fiat ducatto base and the battery is under the passenger seat. This is where the original was, and the new one. Absolutely no problem fitting it - Ecotree battery. We went for 230 not 100 because having it installed rather than self install the bigger battery didnt make a huge difference to the price.

But what extra chargers have you fitted to top the battery back up, presumming you are going off grid for longer than the two nights one day that flattened the lead acid, if it had 45ah.

 

[The Coops]

The Coops TrudeandDall you do realise you have both mentioned the A*M word so Lennyhb will be along shortly with his feelings on them lol.

Came with the van, I did have lithium from my old van (another story almost brand new didn't fit the new van 4 mm to large...) so until the batteries die I will live with them!

 

[Peterd82]

Sounds like you have been considering the same, or similar, as ours which has the same setup.
Bonus of the compressor fridge is no hookup needed to cool before going away, just turn on. Down side is that the “night” mode isn’t that quiet but maybe we are getting used to the noise now.
I just hope you won’t have the same problem with the magnetic latch on the bathroom door as we have - “fixed” 4 times including latch swap with another MH. Dealer admits it’s a bad design - most accurate words ever !

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[Richard n Ann]

Here's the voltage graph for Saturday so I was telling fibs when I said battery was about charged for 9am, looks more like midday when it dropped to 13.6v.

Voltage only got down to a minimum of 12.6v in the morning before sunrise. You can see the compressor fridge cutting in with the downward spikes:

 

[hja]

But what extra chargers have you fitted to top the battery back up, presumming you are going off grid for longer than the two nights one day that flattened the lead acid, if it had 45ah.

B2B was there already as was an appropriate charger. All we changed was the solar controller to a victron one which as I understand it gets more of the solar into the battery.
As far as possible we dont use a hook up. I think the longest we have done without moving the van is four nights. This is largely because we dont stop anywhere very long, although some of our journeys have been quite short. All our touring has been in the UK. We dont do winter touring.

 

[offagen]

Sounds like you have been considering the same, or similar, as ours which has the same setup.
Bonus of the compressor fridge is no hookup needed to cool before going away, just turn on. Down side is that the “night” mode isn’t that quiet but maybe we are getting used to the noise now.
I just hope you won’t have the same problem with the magnetic latch on the bathroom door as we have - “fixed” 4 times including latch swap with another MH. Dealer admits it’s a bad design - most accurate words ever !

I'll PM you Peter