Domestic fridge

[yotter]

My marine fridge is top loading, which means that the cold air stays put when I open it (warm air rises while cold falls). My domestic fridges at home are front loading, meaning that the cold air falls out every time we open it, to be replaced by warmer air from the room which means that it has to work harder for a while to cool the air again. The take away is that top loading fridges presumably use less power?

 

[PaulRainbow]

You need an inverter of at very least 1000w preferably 1500w to reliably start a 240v domestic fridge.
Think about using the thermostat to switch the inverter on only when required to eliminate the quiescent inverter current.
I reckon on 50Ah/day. The Danfoss compressor is not simply 12v, the electronics sequentially switch windings, its a AC motor not a DC brush motor.

You really think it will need 100a - 150a at 12v to start a fridge ?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

My marine fridge is top loading, which means that the cold air stays put when I open it (warm air rises while cold falls). My domestic fridges at home are front loading, meaning that the cold air falls out every time we open it, to be replaced by warmer air from the room which means that it has to work harder for a while to cool the air again. The take away is that top loading fridges presumably use less power?

In theory. In practice the heat capacity of air is tiny compared to that of the contents and the fridge walls and shelves themselves.

 

[vyv_cox]

In theory. In practice the heat capacity of air is tiny compared to that of the contents and the fridge walls and shelves themselves.

Exactly. The loss of heat from air falling out is considerably less than that lost by putting a can of beer at room temperature into the fridge.

 

[yotter]

In theory. In practice the heat capacity of air is tiny compared to that of the contents and the fridge walls and shelves themselves.

I suppose that you are quite correct

 

[PhillM]

No lock on ours and it's never come open in some pretty heavy seas but probably worth fitting some kind of lock, better than finding the galley awash with milk?

A child lock might do the necessary

 

[Timeless 2]

I’ve got a similar setup although on a motorboat. I have 260ah domestic capacity. I have 3 fridges on 230volt. 1 is the original 25 year old dual voltage but only the 230v side works. The fridge is a standard boat under counter 500mm wide. Won’t be very efficient and is getting replaced this winter. The others are a new 450 wide under counter and a small table fridge in the cockpit. Anyway it all operates off a 1600watt Victron Inverter. Overnighting with tv and lights on and electric toilets etc the batteries are at 50% in the morning.I turn on the inverter as soon as I disconnect from shore power and leave it on constantly. I wouldn’t dream of buying marine equipment when the domestic market is so competitive. I think my replacement kitchen fridge which has an integrated door will be £200

 

[samfieldhouse]

Another perspective...

I converted a 240v mini fridge to run on 12v. The fridge was free and I fitted an Isotherm GE80 compressor. Works a treat and is run solely from my 2x 100w solar panels.

It's power draw is around 3a when it's running, which is for about 90 seconds every 15 minutes.