Inverter for fridge

[lustyd]

The fridge we are looking at is only around 46 L capacity and 50x50x70 outer dimensions, we will be able to add some insulation with the available space.

Make sure you check what kind of fridge unit it is. While generically domestic fridges can be better, specific ones can be significantly worse. I found that when looking at wine fridges literally none of the ones I found were "proper" fridges due to their smaller size and so the power requirements were way higher than my big fridge freezer.

 

[madabouttheboat]

I had a small domestic fridge on my first boat. It cost about £60 from memory. The idea was to run it through an inverter but in the end I just ran it when on shore power and used it as a coolbox when underway. As I mostly hopped from one marina to the next, and rarely opened it when underway, it was always cold. Never fitted the inverter in the end.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Small mains fridge freezers are low consumption and efficient; I run mine via a modified sine wave 600 watts inverter, I keep it on most of the time while sailing. The cost of a small fridge freezer is less than £100. The inverter is also used for other 240v mains electrical gadgets. Naturally, if you are to buy an inverter now, it will be wise to buy a bigger but efficient (approx 1500 watt) Pure Sine Wave inverter.

 

[chris-s]

When we were adding a fridge to a van conversion, we used a cheap £80 counter top style fridge on an inverter backed up with solar charging. Never ran out of charge. However, we did kill two fridges within three or four months each until we bought a pure sinewave Victron inverter. Think it was an 800W inverter to cover the startup load. Still running the fridge 24/7/365 four years later.