Purchased: August 2023 - still works GREAT!I ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxxsUnXhGsSJLim_XnMHyQK0u3XVaW-CGn live in a studio and during the summer it gets scorching hot - really old building with no ac units. I can’t express how EASY it was to install. This unit has been a life savior during the summer and some days during other seasons where it can still be a bit warm at night. In this small place is my friend, a husky, poodle mix and myself. We need AC - lolI don’t use the dehumidifier option - I’m not sure if it will leak in my house, since I did not install the small draining hose that came with it. May look into it late but I don’t worry about much humidity in the apartment. I don’t understand why the negative reviews since all things mentioned, I personally did not find issues with. Definitely worth it!
The best I can recall...the energy saver button decides whether or not the fridge is set to mitigate condensation on the doors of the unit. Since I've never seen a refrigerator sweat I'd always keep it pressed. Y'alls coach is so attractive and livable. Thanks for allowing us to hitchhike on all your experiences, Jason and Nikki.
I installed a compact residential undercounter fridge. Battery consumption is about 5 Ah per hour (or 50 Ah instead of 200 Ah in your test) for just the fridge alone. Because you have a much larger fridge (probably 3x larger), and it's a freezer on the bottom model (inefficient) rather than just having the freezer as an inside part of the fridge it's not a surprise your numbers are so high. Our RV came with a single 75 Ah battery, so factory it would have given us about 7 hours before we required a charge. I added 200 Ah of battery, giving us 27 hours until we need a recharge. We dry camp for a few days every year but it's at a race track so running your generator for a few hours once a day while the cars are racing by is not an issue. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. No need to worry about being level, fast and efficient cooling, and no need for propane (our camper has none). Plus, when the fridge died, we drove to home depot, spend $99 and within 30 minutes had a brand new fridge in place. When we are on a road trip, the tow vehicle's aux power is plenty to run the fridge and trickle charge the batteries. I have only ever needed to run the generator once during even several days of road trip--that was when we forgot to tape the fridge closed and it popped open, running the compressor flat out for several hours before we noticed (incidentally, that is why the fridge needed replacing...). You can get the necessary power to run a smaller fridge from solar with 400 watts of solar panels, no problem.
I am preparing to become a nomad and I bought a 4.3 cu ft compact fridge that people are now telling me it will draw too much power from my battery bank. Since you are now experienced with it, will you please help me out? It's 96w (120v x .8amps). So from the info I'm getting from others, it will use 192 ah's in a 24 hour period (if I keep it plugged in at night). However, the EnergyGuide says it uses 228 KWh's per year, which translates into 52.06 ah's per 24 hour period (228*1000) divided by 365 divided by 12v). I am not understanding why fridge in an RV takes so much more energy to use than when it's in a house. With your experience, will you please tell me how to calculate the most accurate ah's for this fridge? Thank you.
I had a customer tell me about your channel just the other day... I love it. I'm now living vicariously through y'all. My life goal is to live aboard and sail the world. My wife keeps saying no because of our kids / we get motion sickness, and other excuses. But thanks for letting us see in on your adventures.
My Norcold 1200 was working just fine until they did the recalls and the last one blew the coils. So I put in the Amish coils at a cost of just over a $1,000.00. Had some heating tubes go bad but they were replaced with a heavier wire model and everything worked fine. Then, just as I was getting ready for an extended trip, the Norcold decided to turn into a warming oven. I ran every test I could find. Nothing worked. So I pulled the insulation off the exhaust tube and it was yellow. The Amish coils had sprung a leak. I had installed 2 pancake fans for additional cooling on this unit. I was FED UP! It never would freeze ice cream anyway. So I bought a GE 17.3 cu ft residential, modified the fridge opening, plugged the propane and wrapped the 12 volt, took the doors off the GE, pulled a window our of the motorhome, (Southwind) and slid the residential fridge in the opening. Trimmed around it and use aluminum angle to fasten the fridge in the opening. I used a piece of treated lumber to seal the roof vent and a piece of sheet metal to cover the access panel. I turned the GE on and within an hour I had frozen ice cubes. Cost me under $700.00
Pretty sure based on my experience that smaller fridge would use proportionally less power. Then again, surprises me that many full timers can seem to do w/less in many areas, except the refrigerator. Regardless of your size of fridge, the darned things seem to fill themselves. Terrific video!
A really option for a refer is a DC compressor type , these are mainly used in sailboats . These use the least amount of electricity of all electric refrigerators . Novacool is one brand . Running on DC power a 9.0 cu. Ft refrigerator will draw 5 amps per hour when running. Most will run 50% of the time, but depending how often you open it and tempeture your cycle time will vary. So example 12 hrs @ 5 amps = 60 amps per 24 hrs of refer run time.
Oh the e saver button - turns off the heating element in the door seals. having this disabled (off) may introduce condensation and mold buildup in the seals. Easily cleaned off every now and then but that's what it does. It would also use a fair amount of electricity.
My 16 years old refrigerator uses 150w DC wattage at 48v and when it goes through the defrost cycle it uses like 400w DC. Actually those was the type of information I was looking for as I just ordered a 4 star rated refrigerator and trying to investigate the power consumption.
The fridge in my RV is similar to yours. I wouldn't trade it for a "normal" RV type unit for anything. It makes the RV more like Home so I love it!! Disclaimer: I'm parked full time so it is always hooked up unless we lose power for some reason. Great Video
we don't like our 18CF residential fridge we purchased with our new 5ver last fall, it's an energy HOG, and NOT suited at all for boondocking. We have dual batteries about 180AH, and the fridge will have our batteries depleted to 50-60% in 8-9 hrs. We're in the process of installing the good ole LP/AC/DC fridge we've used for over 15 years, with great success. Residential fridges are meant to stay at RV parks with electricity, OR spend a ton of money on batteries and solar. There's a reason they're called residential refrigerators:)
Now I know why I love my absorption fridge in my 5th wheel. Interesting fact, Consolidated Edison company in NYC used to supply natural gas to many homes in the city and everyone had large absorption home refrigerators. Everyone loved them, super cheap to run and the ran forever. The only downside was the burner would leave some minor scorch marks behind the fridge after 20 yrs of running. Ron W.
Here are some other numbers that you might want to crunch. We bought our 02 Windsor M.H. in 2010 AFTER it had been totaled by the insurance company for a Norcold fire in 2009. Because of the Motorhomes history I was VERY carful about how we used the new 2010 Norcold and how we leveled etc. not wanting another fire. Well this last October 2017 (7 years!!) the new Norcold caught fire. Thankfully I was standing right there and got the fire out (wasn't that easy} So now we have the same Samsung rf-17 that you have and are enjoying the peace of mind that comes with it. we have @ 230 Watts of Old 2001 solar and a new Blue Sky 300i Mppt Controller and could not be happier. Yes we need to run the Gen Set some while out on Ogilby rd.... but hey I have a 7.5 KW diesel that eats very little. More solar to follow. Highly recommend ya get a residential refer.. Rich O
Wow, it's been a while since the last comment...but, we just bought our first 'new to us' pre-owned motorhome, and it has a residential fridge, thus the reason for finding this site Jason, so thanks for doing this 'test'! I'm currently using 4 six volt batteries (flood acid?) and we are thinking of upgrading them when needed (they're apparently 3 years old) but prior to that, adding a solar array, to help shorten the generator usage. I have no idea how many are needed, or the best 'system' to get (controller etc.) although I do have a Xantrex 2000 inverter. Lots to learn, but your fridge numbers should help 'many' of us, as we have the water/ice maker as well, have yet to watch our televisions, and much of our coach has been switched to LED lighting, so it would mainly just be the fridge using the largest portion of power. As it is now, we're doing the 2 hours/morning & 2 hours/evening formula...which we'd like to cut down on. Safe travels...or I guess it's safe sailing at the moment! Thanks from another Canadian fan of you two!
I have somewhat the same setup! 700 watts solar, MPPT solar controller, one inverter for Refer, one for coach). 2K gen morning & night. No issues boondocking! I use micro/Toaster oven/TV's,/coffee. No noise, solar is great!
There seems to be something wrong with the test or the refrigerator itself. I have almost the exact same set up as you guys. 740 amp hours of lithium batteries, a 4,000 watt split-phase (120/240) pure sign inverter that stays running 24/7, 1,750 watts of solar and the exact same fridge. Mine only uses about 1.2 KW in a day. The only difference is I don't use the ice maker, but I can't imagine the ice maker uses a kilowatt by itself.
Energy saver on most refrigerators turns off the door warmers so they dont stick. It changes from model. Average refrigerator pulls 10 to 12 amps from my 20+ years in the business. Ice makes pull huge amounts of power to warming the ice trays. 1kw P=(88 watts)+(4.55X10 5 Watts*s/kg)R 4.55 X10 5 Watt*s/kg=4.55X10 5 J/kg C=m(4.55 X 10 5 J/kg)(2.78X10 -8 USD/J) C=m(1.26x10-2 USD/kg) 1 Kilogram of ice at a cost of 1.26 per 100lbs in short. 4.55e+5R or 430watts of power used.. I know I threw lots of numbers up there... 12h=200w used... yep in 24hrs thats 400 or so.. so ya I was close...
One thing I forgot to mention, I never see people in sailboats doing something about the one thing sailboats usually have the advantage over residential or RV fridges. That's the ability to super insulate the fridge itself. Many sailboat fridges are built into counters on board ship, often with good access to the surrounding cabinet, where if one wanted to one could add a large amount of insulation of one type or another. Obviously if your fridge does not have to work as hard or as often you are going to use much less energy to power it.
Really like the video, these numbers will really become important once the two of you are on that boat days away for shore power. Look forward to future videos!!!
When you first turn on any electricsl device, including a single light bulb, the amps and watts are pulling at a maximum... That is the start up rate... After approx a minute for most residential products, the amps and watts will drop to s run rate... Think of it like a motor boat... You throttle it Up to begin movement but you throttle it Back for cruising... Start Up vs Run rates...
For LED light bulbs it is hard to measure the difference between startup and run. If you are running on batteries you should be using exclusively LED lights.
Hello Mike & Michelle ... we're Michele & Mike (smile) ... weekend warriors, for now, until retirement ... we're closer to the "finish line" than you two, and dreaming of the day we're free to roam ... looking forward to more vids of your new life ... Cheers!
When you do a boat, you need a more efficient refrig system with a minimum of 4 inches of insulation all around and a really efficient system. Being on a boat is SO much more work and trouble that it will be interesting how you like it after a year or so.South FL just passed laws prohibiting anchoring in many places on the ICW. less fun to DRY Boat in FL than before.
Sun Frost refrigerators are extremely expensive but are super-insulated and super-energy-efficient. They can be run on 120, 24, or 12 volts. The 16.1 cubic foot RF19 model uses 372 kWh per year, with an estimated yearly operating cost of $40 (EnergyGuide ratings). That works out to only a little more than 1 kWh per 24-hour period, or 11 cents worth of energy per 24-hour period.
The top part of your fridge is the same size as two of my Norcolds. I don't need bigger and I love my fridge. Triple power(AC/solar/propane) automatic transfer and if I rub it with a rag a genie will pop out and grant me my wish.
I have a 35 ft Georgetown with the same fridge. Great video to help inform me of the power consumption of the fridge. I love your videos and they have greatly helped my wife and I prepare for our soon to be full time rving experience. On a side note, where did you get your stainless steel canisters behind your stove from. Love the look but cannot find them anywhere. Keep posting wonderful videos for us to follow. As usual, great job!!
I am moving firmly into the category of hate the residential fridge. I have a Whirlpool in my 2015 Fleetwood Excursion. Last summer the fan that blows from the fridge to the freezer went out so It wouldn't work. Nobody wants to fix a fridge in an RV. Right now I am getting a fault with my inverter and it will not power the fridge from the batteries. We are leaving for Spring Break In three days so I will be driving 2 hours each way to get the inverter fixed. It sure would be nice to switch over to propane and fix it later.
So, be honest with us... Is your fridge always that organized or did you quickly organize it before filming???? BTW, great video! I was just trying to figure out this exact question because of a storm that came through and knocked power out to several neighborhoods. I was going to lend a little 900watt generator to my in-laws and didn't know if it would run both their fridge and chest freezer. Appears it will. Thanks!
+Gone with the Wynns Wait till you get on your cat. I stare at my link 20 all the time as my freezer and my fridge on my 40 foot Cat each suck back 4 amps per hour through the day and night. so thats 192 Amps per day. now I have a small fridge just bigger then a Dorm fridge with small freezer but i have a huge freezer that you can put 6 flats of beer in and 10 bottles of wine to get cold fast (it was a good night). or a lot of meat and other food. you will still have the love hate thing with your refrigeration. now i am actually a refrigeration tech so here are some tips. the more you keep in your fridge the less it has to work when it gets to normal operating temp. the items inside especially the freezer act like a thermal Mass and reduce fluctuations and reduce the need for the compressor to cycle. Also the fridge is nothing more then a heat transfer device.if it is hot or if the fridge cant get rid of the heat then it has to work harder to get to its operating temp. so where is the heat exchanger for the fridge? you elude to this with the shade and the daily temp. on a boat you can water cool your heat exchange to save power. but this all costs amps. And although they are a pain in the ass top load fridges and freezers are more efficient because the cold literally does not pour out of them. Cold air is heavy so it pours out of a side load and the refrigeration plant will have to make up those lost BTU's if you open the door. so warm beer or big battery banks? i like my beer cold. see you on the water.
We have the standard 5 foot tall Norcold RV fridge runs on AC DC Propane, been fine for us, the one in your RV is much bigger than necessary to us. but to each their own.
I am going Sunrader much smaller but this video was awesome!!!! This made my answer!!!! I love to cook and want a bigger fridge!!! Solar panels are a must IMO and Batteries as well.... Thanks for the vid...and ya really in the "Keys" and complaining pfft...
I'm surprised to see a residential fridge in your RV, With your boondocking lifestyle I would have expected a small RV fridge or a small bar fridge, just like the old college days. My wife and I survive just fine with a small 5 cubic bar fridge. We shop almost every day while away always looking for local produce. Great video's be safe. Take care
There is no question. The residential fridge is the only way to go. RV fridges are too unworthy and then there is the whole fire issue. I have had them both and there is no question. As for boon docking, we never do that ourselves but if you must, then add more battery power. Beats getting food poisoning when your RV fridge fights to keep food at 45 degrees.
When boondocking if you limit opening and closing like me and my wife do we have close to the same set up as you with ice maker we fill a small cooler in the morning with ice and put are drinks for the day in it so our door gets open maybe 4 or 5 times in a 24 hour period and we can run 3 to 4 days with out using are generator just solar along with all the light computers and TV and can go longer in summer when we have limited cloud cover. I like to run the generator about every 4 to 5 days still to give everything a good topping off charge.
Hey thanks for doing the video on the residential fridge. Just as i figured it is a massive energy hog. Even with your setup of 1KW of solar panels you still lose 200AH of battery capacity overnight 7pm-7am with no sunlight to charge during that time. IF its cloudy the next day then you are pretty much forced into running your generator as your battery bank would be depleted after 36hrs. Even with your excellent solar system and battery capacity you would still run into problems dry camping when its not sunny. I guess you could always add even more battery capacity even though you already have a ridiculous amount, but that is what it would take to get through multiple days of no sunshine.
+amped79 We go into more detail on our site about our solar and battery, this test I turned off the solar and I'm referencing the stock battery bank which is 200ah of usable power
Don't confuse apples and oranges. If I understand from the description and the pictures, the fridge is running on 120V, so be careful when you compare the watts and Ah from 12V to 120V. Running a 120V household fridge from a 12V power source is extremely energy hungry. Remember that features such as 'self defrosting' and icemakers actually use heating elements to function. Any time you make heat with 12V, especially if it is 120V energy drawn from a 12V source, it is an energy pig. Just watch the ammeter spike when the icemaker cycles and you will agree. You will find that the current lines of efficient 12V refrigerators using the danfoss compressors draw about 8amps/12VDC when running. The thermal efficiency of the box then comes into play. A good box should have it that the compressor runs no more than 50% of the time, averaging 4Ah per hour, or about 96+/- amps in 24 hours. I had exactly that situation in my last trawler and had an 800Ah battery for the inverter to keep the old Westinghouse running. Dumping it for an 8cu ft 12V Novakool had my two 75 Watt panels charging even when the compressor was running. I just had to make my own ice and defrost it myself. While leaving the doors open as long as you did surely dumped all the cold air out and filled the fridge with 80 degree air, it was probably realistic. If you ever get to a boat, you will find top loading fridges are more efficient, if less convenient.
Good test thanks, I wonder how much less energy say a 10 cubic foot residential fridge would use compared to that beast you have? I guess its' a good option for people that don't boondock much.
If you're a real stickler for details and you noticed the Kwh doesn't match up with the AH then click over to our website for the explanation: www.gonewiththewynns.com/rv-residential-refrigerator-power If you're considering installing, upgrading, or adding a residential fridge to your RV, tiny house, sailboat, etc I hope this helps give a little insight to the massive power hogs these refrigerators are.
Interesting, this subject just came up IRL for us. We just purchased a small apartment size refrigerator for home use. And I thought it would be a good size for midsize RV. It's bigger than an average RV fridge, but smaller than a full size home fridge. BUT right in the paperwork it says. DO NOT USE for an RV. DO NOT USE with an inverter . So you can't just go out and buy a residential fridge and expect it to work, just because you have enough power. Always have to read the fine print.
+Kathryn Blodgett Residential fridges have compressors. Compressors don't run well on cheap modified sine waves that you get from cheap inverters. The compressor will run hot which will shorten its life. Also the plated wattage is what the fridge draws after the compressor has gotten moving. From a standstill most compressors will draw 3 - 5x the plated wattage, which will damage/blow a fuse on an underrated inverter, or worse, the inverter will output too low a voltage and damage the compressor (over time). Connected to an adequately sized (5x plated wattage) pure sine wave inverter it would work without issue. Option two to reduce the current required to start the compressor is to install a hard start capacitor, however, those also tend to damage the compressor over time, so better to just size the inverter properly if you like the fridge and/or it's an expensive fridge. As for not using it in an RV, RVs tend to bump around a lot. Residential fridges don't enjoy being moved while they're running and it will shorten the life a bit doing so. Not to mention since there's no locking mechanism for the door, if you don't bother to add one (duct tape works in a pinch) the door is likely to pop open, and if it's left running like that, it'll overheat. So, basically, you can buy any residential fridge you want, you just have to make sure you provide the right quality of power and understand that it will probably not last as long. However, they still last plenty long enough for the price. :)
+shepd3 Thanks. That all makes since, given what was said in the paperwork. "An inverter will damage the refrigerator and shorten it's life". So at $300, if I can get a whole camping season out of it..IF..is the word though. Don't RV fridges run around $2-$4K? But of course a working fridge affects resale value. Thanks
Kathryn Blodgett Yup, you'll get more than one season, too. I'm on my second and from what I've read, I have many more years to go. Brand new RV fridges do start at about $1500 for tiny ones, and $2500 for larger ones. Considering the difference in price, I'd go for the residential every time, I'd just make sure to provide it with the proper inverter. It's nice knowing I can buy a replacement fridge at walmart any time, any day, any city and that it won't break the bank.
When you turn the ice maker on is the little light that looks like a couple of ice supposed to be showing or not showing somebody says when it's showing that means it's off is that correct
What do you think of the recent "FR-5877-P-01 Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations; Revision of Exemption for Recreational Vehicles" HUD wants to pass.
+Vintage Airstream Guy Yes, it came from the factory and a lot of coaches are now coming standard with residential fridges...which is why we wanted to do the test. So many sales guys will tell you it comes with extra batteries that will run the fridge for days...which is obviously not true.
so if you could program a socket to power of and on you could leave it on for 3 hours then turn it off for five ect this would be good at night when you aren't opening the fridge.
Do use or know about midnight controller, breaker box and whiz bang Jr shunt? We are deciding if 4(170 Watt panels) is worth 3700.00 dollars and we do have newer residential fridge. or can we survive with 3 panels? love your advice and many of our friends watch this channel! Thanks and gonna miss you on "The Road"
I know your goal was the real world testing. I have to assume that the ice maker draws quite a bit of power? it would be interesting to know how much difference that would make.
+familyadventurevan I see this ice maker comment bantered about a fair amount when it come to residential fridges. I tend to call BS. You have one small stepper motor to remove the cubes and a water solenoid to refill the tray. And this happens every what 5-6 hours... Not a significant draw IMHO. Nor does it take that much more energy to freeze a small tray of water.
If a refrigerator says it uses 478kwh per year, what is that a day? 1,309watts ? Is that correct? When I tested it with my meter it said at that moment it was using 2w and when I first plugged it in it jumped to 172w temporarily as it started back up, its a 2020 model, what are your thoughts please? And thanks for this video
great video! We're noobs getting ready to go full time in a couple weeks and hoping you can answer the following question for us which is somewhat related to your video: The RV we just bought last week is a 50A system with 2 AC's but the COE's in my area with 50A sites are all booked up over the weekends for the next few weeks before we plan to leave the area, fortunately there are plenty of 30A sites we can reserve. I've heard mixed claims that both AC's can run on 30A and you just have to switch off 1 AC to run other big items, however our coach has a residential fridge which complicates things. I guess we won't really find out for sure until we make our first trip to the campsite. Is it possible to install some sort of system which can let the 30A shore power charge the battery bank and then run the entire system (with both AC's) off an inverter, then be smart enough to turn on the generator when the batteries are low to get them back to full charge and automatically shut off the generator allowing the 30A shore to supplement and minimize fuel/time that the generator is ran? The factory installed inverter is only 2KW and isn't wired to power the AC's currently. I know I need to buy new electronics, but just not sure what is the best route to go. Any tips you can offer would be greatly appreciated. TIA
Interesting test... Honestly I don't think that most people who can afford this type of coach will be doing alot of dry camping to begin with, but it's good to know what to expect if unforeseen circumstances dictate having to run that size and type of fridge off your battery bank if you absolutely needed to. Next test, running the a/c off the battery bank?
+Tommy TwoGun We already did the A/C test a few weeks back. As for most RVers not dry camping, many of our friends who have RVs way more expensive than ours dry camp.
+Gone with the Wynns. this text could not come soon enough. ...we have solar being installed before country thunder here in AZ (we do a lot of dry camping)...and I've ALWAYS struggled with our newer coach and this "res" refrigerator. YOU are exactly right. ..2 hours before we go to bed at 10am and then again next morning at 9. we have even tried to turn fridge way down right before bed and back up when Gen is on. great video. ..I feel better now that others are seeing the same thing.
Sooo, RV's with residential fridges are a huge power draw... but not so much as to deter people from using them unless boondocking all the time. I wonder if adding a wind generator might not help in that respect. Residential fridge power loss will be a moot point when you are out on your sailboat though! ; )
+Gone with the Wynns I've watched a LOT of different sailboat cruisers, hundreds of cruising vids. Most don't seem to have much trouble with their fridge draw, though a few have added extra solar panels. S/V Delos being the one that comes to mind. Also, doubling up on wind generators might help too, but as well tuned as you have your RV energy needs sorted out I'm sure you'll have that figured out before long. Those catamaran roofs have a lot of acreage! I seem to recall that S/V Morning Glory (a cat) changed their gel house batteries over to lithium and not only improved their energy capacity but dropped 2000 lbs over the lead acid!
Ur right were not feeling sorry fir ya ur in florida where it is warm and sunny... Lol😂😂😂 I personally would stay with residential had to many issues on propane and keeping level so food went bad. I finally just said enough bought extra freezer/frig i kept in my bay below and when issues arrived the portable solar panel took care of amps. Living in alaska jason i really wish u would share the sun send it up to me plz😂😂😂🐻
+Jon Kilberg I would call GoPower and ask for a reputable location near you or on your traveling route. Tell them we told you to call, they know how picky we are :)
Having a hard time finding a used 5th wheel with a larger or even residental refrigerator. We just don't want to spend more than $40K and it seems like everything has RV or 8cu ft refrigerators. Aggravating. Any tips?
I don't think I will even turn my propane fridge in my bus on. Im happy with ice and a cooler, and proper mangment of my diet,alot of dry goods and farmers markets, salad dressings can be made, bbq sauces ect...I love to cook so finding my local bulk barn. A house fridge is over the top for most people, and 900 watts of solar.
Does that mean that the amount of ah's drawn from your battery bank included the enormous draw of your inverter, too? Or was ONLY your appliance measured in this video? How many ah's does your inverter use each day?
I wish I didn’t have a residential refrigerator in my RV. It uses way too much power for off grid use. If you are going off grid more than full hookups my advice is to stick with a large high quality gas frig.
I don't mean to be picky but you said it was just the reefer drawing power, what about all the lighting that was bouncing off every surface, were they plugged in externally, I know you didn't have them on while you weren't in the trailer but we all know how power sapping lighting is.
It's a 2016. To see why they chose it check out this post: www.gonewiththewynns.com/resurrecting-dinosaurs-wynn-custom-rv and the rest of the "resurrecting dinosaurs" series. Curious Minion
To show the exact and more accurate figures you should have run the test over a full 24hour period instead of 11hours. Mid day to mid day is the best test with the same items used over that 24 hour period. Almost certain that the figures you have will be different than the calculated ones from the 11 hour test.
+Evl ear We did in the post, the issue is the Florida air is too humid and warm to sleep inside the RV without a fan or A/C, that is why we couldn't do a 24 hr test in the video. Either way we would have been forced to run the generator for two hours to compensate for the power loss.
Hello. Just watched your video. I want to put in a residential refrigerator. We're buying lithium batteries. How many do I need to cover the usage of my refrigerator? Any experience appreciated greatly....
Well you could find the usage stats for the refrigerator you want and try to figure out what it would use, but you also need to estimate what else you're using. If you're already in an RV, then you know that your inverter uses power (will you need a bigger inverter to run a residential fridge?), along with all the other things you need on a regular basis. There are some *estimates* that the Wynns did for their setup in the blog post which I'll link to. But if you're not comfortable calculating your usage yourself, you may want to go to a solar installer for an energy audit to see what you're currently using and then you can figure out how much capacity you'll need to add. www.gonewiththewynns.com/rv-residential-refrigerator-power Curious Minion
Residential fridges are the boss for people who plug-camp anyway because they want to run the A/C all the time. If you have shore power, why not? But if you want to cut the cord stick with a propane fridge. Yes I know they aren't very efficient, and they are more expensive, but there is a lot of energy in a 30 lb bottle of propane. It will run the fridge for weeks. Whereas a residential fridge, using your own numbers, drawing 200 AH in 12 hours, is too much for almost any solar/battery system. 400 AH a day? Forget about it. Residential fridges assume you have shore power. And don't get me wrong, that is the way many people RV. But for those who want to cut the cord, stick with propane. You can run it on AC when you are plugged in.
+Gone with the Wynns, Have you considered widening your boat search to include Trawler styles? They're roomy and safe, but perhaps the best part is that they sip fuel -very economical. Being able to go in a straight line vs. tacking and jibing is a nice plus too :o) I'd recommend a Kadey Krogen 42', Selene, or Defever considering your price range. Stuck on Cats, then Fountaine Pajot or Lagoon should be at the top of your list. Easy for us to armchair quarterback -good luck!
+S Newland A Trawler is great but it has limits. I like them but they are for when im old and my knees hurt and i cant sail. they need a world cruiser. and to cross oceans on a trawler it will get pricey and you need to get to about 50 feet to have the legs to cross an ocean. these two are young and they want the clean energy of sail. yes you still motor places but i think the trawler is still many years away. but myself i like the Nordhaven and the Nordic Tug trawlers. now they can go anywhere. but i dont want that fuel bill.
This would be your opinion. they have stated that they intend to take the proper trg. And you earn exp. if they dont try they wont earn it. A Trawler will not take them where they want to go. they are contemplating a world Tour. they are doing it right and researching. as well they are looking at boats that will keep them safe. also this is not new ground. many many people have done exactly the same thing with no exp. they will be fine. and yes they will make mistakes and things will go wrong. but better to have the back up of the sailboat then need to depend only on a single engine. remember its not our plan its theirs and although you think a Trawler is safer and I dont it is what they think. then there is the cost. they will come out ahead with a sailboat. not needing to pay Dockwise or some one else to get them across the Pacific or the Atlantic is a big savings. it was $35000 last time i looked to ship a boat across the Atlantic for a 40 foot boat. alot cheaper to sail. and they need only budy up to some one for a Bahamas cruise to get the fundamentals then do the windward and leeward islands for a year and they will be fine. no worries.
interesting statments. Sorry to hear about your friends and i am curious what chain of events would lead to that? but this is a video on Fridges so this may not be the place. if you think Dumb luck is keeping people safe then again that is your opinion. it is yours and that opinion leads you to take a road that you think is safe. i for one like the road less travelled and some like you would say is less safe. when i crossed an ocean or first sailed at night i had never done that before. how else would i get the experience? i didn't fall out of my mother with it. I was trained to the best ability and i studied and prepared and ensured my vessel was the best i could manage for the task. I just did not know that Dumb luck was what got me there. funny. i thought it was me and my skills. as for the Whynns. well they will just have to learn some new skills and asses the dangers for themselves. the world is a big place. if we are scared of it we are doomed to sit in front of our computers for the rest of our lives.
My statistics education is telling me you should take a 4 day test then divide usage by 4 to get a more accurate assessment. (door openings, cycling, etc)
I'm curious about your refrigerator's temperature settings. You show that the main compartment is set to 38°F but the freezer compartment is set to -2°. Is that -2°F? Or is it simply "two degrees below freezing" (a.k.a. 30°F?) If it's -2°F then your compressor is probably working 24/7 to bring it down to a temperature it can never achieve, and you're using a lot more electricity than you need to use.
As a refrigeration technician I will tell you 20 is way too warm for the freezer section. 32 degrees is only the freezing temperatures of water. Products like meats will need a colder temperature to freeze and especially ice cream will need to be below 0 to freeze.
Purchased: August 2023 - still works GREAT!I ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxxsUnXhGsSJLim_XnMHyQK0u3XVaW-CGn live in a studio and during the summer it gets scorching hot - really old building with no ac units. I can’t express how EASY it was to install. This unit has been a life savior during the summer and some days during other seasons where it can still be a bit warm at night. In this small place is my friend, a husky, poodle mix and myself. We need AC - lolI don’t use the dehumidifier option - I’m not sure if it will leak in my house, since I did not install the small draining hose that came with it. May look into it late but I don’t worry about much humidity in the apartment. I don’t understand why the negative reviews since all things mentioned, I personally did not find issues with. Definitely worth it!
The best I can recall...the energy saver button decides whether or not the fridge is set to mitigate condensation on the doors of the unit. Since I've never seen a refrigerator sweat I'd always keep it pressed. Y'alls coach is so attractive and livable. Thanks for allowing us to hitchhike on all your experiences, Jason and Nikki.
I installed a compact residential undercounter fridge. Battery consumption is about 5 Ah per hour (or 50 Ah instead of 200 Ah in your test) for just the fridge alone. Because you have a much larger fridge (probably 3x larger), and it's a freezer on the bottom model (inefficient) rather than just having the freezer as an inside part of the fridge it's not a surprise your numbers are so high.
Our RV came with a single 75 Ah battery, so factory it would have given us about 7 hours before we required a charge. I added 200 Ah of battery, giving us 27 hours until we need a recharge. We dry camp for a few days every year but it's at a race track so running your generator for a few hours once a day while the cars are racing by is not an issue.
I'd do it again in a heartbeat. No need to worry about being level, fast and efficient cooling, and no need for propane (our camper has none). Plus, when the fridge died, we drove to home depot, spend $99 and within 30 minutes had a brand new fridge in place.
When we are on a road trip, the tow vehicle's aux power is plenty to run the fridge and trickle charge the batteries. I have only ever needed to run the generator once during even several days of road trip--that was when we forgot to tape the fridge closed and it popped open, running the compressor flat out for several hours before we noticed (incidentally, that is why the fridge needed replacing...).
You can get the necessary power to run a smaller fridge from solar with 400 watts of solar panels, no problem.
I am preparing to become a nomad and I bought a 4.3 cu ft compact fridge that people are now telling me it will draw too much power from my battery bank. Since you are now experienced with it, will you please help me out?
It's 96w (120v x .8amps). So from the info I'm getting from others, it will use 192 ah's in a 24 hour period (if I keep it plugged in at night).
However, the EnergyGuide says it uses 228 KWh's per year, which translates into 52.06 ah's per 24 hour period (228*1000) divided by 365 divided by 12v).
I am not understanding why fridge in an RV takes so much more energy to use than when it's in a house.
With your experience, will you please tell me how to calculate the most accurate ah's for this fridge? Thank you.
I had a customer tell me about your channel just the other day... I love it. I'm now living vicariously through y'all. My life goal is to live aboard and sail the world. My wife keeps saying no because of our kids / we get motion sickness, and other excuses. But thanks for letting us see in on your adventures.
My Norcold 1200 was working just fine until they did the recalls and the last one blew the coils. So I put in the Amish coils at a cost of just over a $1,000.00. Had some heating tubes go bad but they were replaced with a heavier wire model and everything worked fine. Then, just as I was getting ready for an extended trip, the Norcold decided to turn into a warming oven. I ran every test I could find. Nothing worked. So I pulled the insulation off the exhaust tube and it was yellow. The Amish coils had sprung a leak. I had installed 2 pancake fans for additional cooling on this unit. I was FED UP! It never would freeze ice cream anyway.
So I bought a GE 17.3 cu ft residential, modified the fridge opening, plugged the propane and wrapped the 12 volt, took the doors off the GE, pulled a window our of the motorhome, (Southwind) and slid the residential fridge in the opening. Trimmed around it and use aluminum angle to fasten the fridge in the opening. I used a piece of treated lumber to seal the roof vent and a piece of sheet metal to cover the access panel.
I turned the GE on and within an hour I had frozen ice cubes.
Cost me under $700.00
Pretty sure based on my experience that smaller fridge would use proportionally less power. Then again, surprises me that many full timers can seem to do w/less in many areas, except the refrigerator. Regardless of your size of fridge, the darned things seem to fill themselves. Terrific video!
A really option for a refer is a DC compressor type , these are mainly used in sailboats . These use the least amount of electricity of all electric refrigerators . Novacool is one brand . Running on DC power a 9.0 cu. Ft refrigerator will draw 5 amps per hour when running. Most will run 50% of the time, but depending how often you open it and tempeture your cycle time will vary. So example 12 hrs @ 5 amps = 60 amps per 24 hrs of refer run time.
Oh the e saver button - turns off the heating element in the door seals. having this disabled (off) may introduce condensation and mold buildup in the seals. Easily cleaned off every now and then but that's what it does. It would also use a fair amount of electricity.
This is very helpful! I didn't realize there was an auto generator start if the batts get to low. Thanks.
My 16 years old refrigerator uses 150w DC wattage at 48v and when it goes through the defrost cycle it uses like 400w DC. Actually those was the type of information I was looking for as I just ordered a 4 star rated refrigerator and trying to investigate the power consumption.
The fridge in my RV is similar to yours. I wouldn't trade it for a "normal" RV type unit for anything. It makes the RV more like Home so I love it!! Disclaimer: I'm parked full time so it is always hooked up unless we lose power for some reason. Great Video
Great video, thanks for showing how much power these things really use and how inadequate most RVs are from the dealer for off grid use.
we don't like our 18CF residential fridge we purchased with our new 5ver last fall, it's an energy HOG, and NOT suited at all for boondocking. We have dual batteries about 180AH, and the fridge will have our batteries depleted to 50-60% in 8-9 hrs. We're in the process of installing the good ole LP/AC/DC fridge we've used for over 15 years, with great success. Residential fridges are meant to stay at RV parks with electricity, OR spend a ton of money on batteries and solar. There's a reason they're called residential refrigerators:)
@@davidsanford2711 investigate 12v danfoss compressor fridge.
Now I know why I love my absorption fridge in my 5th wheel.
Interesting fact, Consolidated Edison company in NYC used to supply natural gas to many homes in the city and everyone had large absorption home refrigerators. Everyone loved them, super cheap to run and the ran forever. The only downside was the burner would leave some minor scorch marks behind the fridge after 20 yrs of running.
Ron W.
Here are some other numbers that you might want to crunch.
We bought our 02 Windsor M.H. in 2010 AFTER it had been totaled by the insurance company for a Norcold fire in 2009. Because of the Motorhomes history I was VERY carful about how we used the new 2010 Norcold and how we leveled etc. not wanting another fire. Well this last October 2017 (7 years!!) the new Norcold caught fire. Thankfully I was standing right there and got the fire out (wasn't that easy}
So now we have the same Samsung rf-17 that you have and are enjoying the peace of mind that comes with it. we have @ 230 Watts of Old 2001 solar and a new Blue Sky 300i Mppt Controller and could not be happier. Yes we need to run the Gen Set some while out on Ogilby rd.... but hey I have a 7.5 KW diesel that eats very little. More solar to follow.
Highly recommend ya get a residential refer..
Rich O
If you're keeping track, I'm very happy to see you posting often.
Wow, it's been a while since the last comment...but, we just bought our first 'new to us' pre-owned motorhome, and it has a residential fridge, thus the reason for finding this site Jason, so thanks for doing this 'test'! I'm currently using 4 six volt batteries (flood acid?) and we are thinking of upgrading them when needed (they're apparently 3 years old) but prior to that, adding a solar array, to help shorten the generator usage. I have no idea how many are needed, or the best 'system' to get (controller etc.) although I do have a Xantrex 2000 inverter. Lots to learn, but your fridge numbers should help 'many' of us, as we have the water/ice maker as well, have yet to watch our televisions, and much of our coach has been switched to LED lighting, so it would mainly just be the fridge using the largest portion of power. As it is now, we're doing the 2 hours/morning & 2 hours/evening formula...which we'd like to cut down on. Safe travels...or I guess it's safe sailing at the moment! Thanks from another Canadian fan of you two!
I have somewhat the same setup! 700 watts solar, MPPT solar controller, one inverter for Refer, one for coach). 2K gen morning & night. No issues boondocking! I use micro/Toaster oven/TV's,/coffee. No noise, solar is great!
Easy fix... get a second class A just for Boondocking with a regular RV fridg !!! :-) nice video
It will all get easier over time; just enjoy your journey (and thanks for allowing us to enjoy it with you).
There seems to be something wrong with the test or the refrigerator itself. I have almost the exact same set up as you guys. 740 amp hours of lithium batteries, a 4,000 watt split-phase (120/240) pure sign inverter that stays running 24/7, 1,750 watts of solar and the exact same fridge. Mine only uses about 1.2 KW in a day. The only difference is I don't use the ice maker, but I can't imagine the ice maker uses a kilowatt by itself.
Energy saver on most refrigerators turns off the door warmers so they dont stick. It changes from model. Average refrigerator pulls 10 to 12 amps from my 20+ years in the business. Ice makes pull huge amounts of power to warming the ice trays. 1kw
P=(88 watts)+(4.55X10 5 Watts*s/kg)R
4.55 X10 5 Watt*s/kg=4.55X10 5 J/kg
C=m(4.55 X 10 5 J/kg)(2.78X10 -8 USD/J)
C=m(1.26x10-2 USD/kg)
1 Kilogram of ice at a cost of 1.26 per 100lbs in short.
4.55e+5R or 430watts of power used..
I know I threw lots of numbers up there...
12h=200w used... yep in 24hrs thats 400 or so.. so ya I was close...
+Lankster Price Thanks for sharing!
One thing I forgot to mention, I never see people in sailboats doing something about the one thing sailboats usually have the advantage over residential or RV fridges. That's the ability to super insulate the fridge itself. Many sailboat fridges are built into counters on board ship, often with good access to the surrounding cabinet, where if one wanted to one could add a large amount of insulation of one type or another. Obviously if your fridge does not have to work as hard or as often you are going to use much less energy to power it.
Really like the video, these numbers will really become important once the two of you are on that boat days away for shore power. Look forward to future videos!!!
When you first turn on any electricsl device, including a single light bulb, the amps and watts are pulling at a maximum... That is the start up rate... After approx a minute for most residential products, the amps and watts will drop to s run rate...
Think of it like a motor boat... You throttle it Up to begin movement but you throttle it Back for cruising... Start Up vs Run rates...
For LED light bulbs it is hard to measure the difference between startup and run. If you are running on batteries you should be using exclusively LED lights.
Energy saver on fridge doesn't use electric defrost for the coil. It just lets it thaw no power.
As Arte Johnson of Laugh-In would say......................very interesting.
What a great test never seen this done. Its good to know this wow. Keep up the great work. Thanks for sharing.
Hello Mike & Michelle ... we're Michele & Mike (smile) ... weekend warriors, for now, until retirement ... we're closer to the "finish line" than you two, and dreaming of the day we're free to roam ... looking forward to more vids of your new life ... Cheers!
Well done... great research !!! have fun in the keys !
When you do a boat, you need a more efficient refrig system with a minimum of 4 inches of insulation all around and a really efficient system. Being on a boat is SO much more work and trouble that it will be interesting how you like it after a year or so.South FL just passed laws prohibiting anchoring in many places on the ICW. less fun to DRY Boat in FL than before.
Just make sure you have a big enough fridge for that 4 pack of Old Rasputin...one of my favorites!!
Unless you can afford the big battery bank & mammoth solar set-up, boon-docking with a residential frig is only for the well off.
Sun Frost refrigerators are extremely expensive but are super-insulated and super-energy-efficient. They can be run on 120, 24, or 12 volts. The 16.1 cubic foot RF19 model uses 372 kWh per year, with an estimated yearly operating cost of $40 (EnergyGuide ratings). That works out to only a little more than 1 kWh per 24-hour period, or 11 cents worth of energy per 24-hour period.
Hey Check out the Liebherr cnef 4315 it is a 5 star fridge uses 202kw per annum on 1.6 amps 240 volts... so the marketing says
My Norcold 1200 fridge needs another cooling unit, last one cost $1600 to fix, this time Im swapping it for a residential fridge.
I've heard many have caught on fire as well...so for safety, it might be the best option indeed!
Great choice! Solar and a small generator, & inverter. End of those archaic Gas Refers!
The top part of your fridge is the same size as two of my Norcolds. I don't need bigger and I love my fridge. Triple power(AC/solar/propane) automatic transfer and if I rub it with a rag a genie will pop out and grant me my wish.
Old Rasputin!! Is a favorite.
I have a 35 ft Georgetown with the same fridge. Great video to help inform me of the power consumption of the fridge. I love your videos and they have greatly helped my wife and I prepare for our soon to be full time rving experience. On a side note, where did you get your stainless steel canisters behind your stove from. Love the look but cannot find them anywhere. Keep posting wonderful videos for us to follow. As usual, great job!!
+Alan B We got them from Ikea a few years back.
I am moving firmly into the category of hate the residential fridge. I have a Whirlpool in my 2015 Fleetwood Excursion. Last summer the fan that blows from the fridge to the freezer went out so It wouldn't work. Nobody wants to fix a fridge in an RV. Right now I am getting a fault with my inverter and it will not power the fridge from the batteries. We are leaving for Spring Break In three days so I will be driving 2 hours each way to get the inverter fixed. It sure would be nice to switch over to propane and fix it later.
So, be honest with us... Is your fridge always that organized or did you quickly organize it before filming???? BTW, great video! I was just trying to figure out this exact question because of a storm that came through and knocked power out to several neighborhoods. I was going to lend a little 900watt generator to my in-laws and didn't know if it would run both their fridge and chest freezer. Appears it will. Thanks!
+CorpusChristiGuy Haha, we're preparing for the sailboat so we're trying to downsize everything in the fridge.
+Gone with the Wynns Wait till you get on your cat. I stare at my link 20 all the time as my freezer and my fridge on my 40 foot Cat each suck back 4 amps per hour through the day and night. so thats 192 Amps per day. now I have a small fridge just bigger then a Dorm fridge with small freezer but i have a huge freezer that you can put 6 flats of beer in and 10 bottles of wine to get cold fast (it was a good night). or a lot of meat and other food.
you will still have the love hate thing with your refrigeration. now i am actually a refrigeration tech so here are some tips. the more you keep in your fridge the less it has to work when it gets to normal operating temp. the items inside especially the freezer act like a thermal Mass and reduce fluctuations and reduce the need for the compressor to cycle. Also the fridge is nothing more then a heat transfer device.if it is hot or if the fridge cant get rid of the heat then it has to work harder to get to its operating temp. so where is the heat exchanger for the fridge? you elude to this with the shade and the daily temp. on a boat you can water cool your heat exchange to save power. but this all costs amps. And although they are a pain in the ass top load fridges and freezers are more efficient because the cold literally does not pour out of them. Cold air is heavy so it pours out of a side load and the refrigeration plant will have to make up those lost BTU's if you open the door. so warm beer or big battery banks? i like my beer cold.
see you on the water.
Happy Easter and I always enjoy your channel. That's quite the hair style! Take care.
+terry3193 Haha, that's called I've been paddling, swimming and other fun FL Keys stuff while filming this video :)
You guys are the best. We’re newbies and it’s really helped us out a ton!! Thanks!!
Thank you for sharing. That was very education. Just love watching you videos. Be safe out there.
Ah, the Keys..... (dream cloud develops over my head)
The newer 12vDC 10.7 cu ft RV fridges look interesting.
We have the standard 5 foot tall Norcold RV fridge runs on AC DC Propane, been fine for us, the one in your RV is much bigger than necessary to us. but to each their own.
morning Wynns> at a barmy 5 in morning! With good daylight your solar panels cover the power requirement and some? Cheers.
+derrick ? oh yea, when we have sun we don't have to worry :)
I am going Sunrader much smaller but this video was awesome!!!! This made my answer!!!! I love to cook and want a bigger fridge!!! Solar panels are a must IMO and Batteries as well.... Thanks for the vid...and ya really in the "Keys" and complaining pfft...
I'm surprised to see a residential fridge in your RV, With your boondocking lifestyle I would have expected a small RV fridge or a small bar fridge, just like the old college days. My wife and I survive just fine with a small 5 cubic bar fridge. We shop almost every day while away always looking for local produce. Great video's be safe. Take care
There is no question. The residential fridge is the only way to go. RV fridges are too unworthy and then there is the whole fire issue. I have had them both and there is no question. As for boon docking, we never do that ourselves but if you must, then add more battery power. Beats getting food poisoning when your RV fridge fights to keep food at 45 degrees.
Great video
hey guys congrats on 60k subs on your awesome channel thanks for the great content
When boondocking if you limit opening and closing like me and my wife do we have close to the same set up as you with ice maker we fill a small cooler in the morning with ice and put are drinks for the day in it so our door gets open maybe 4 or 5 times in a 24 hour period and we can run 3 to 4 days with out using are generator just solar along with all the light computers and TV and can go longer in summer when we have limited cloud cover. I like to run the generator about every 4 to 5 days still to give everything a good topping off charge.
Hey thanks for doing the video on the residential fridge. Just as i figured it is a massive energy hog. Even with your setup of 1KW of solar panels you still lose 200AH of battery capacity overnight 7pm-7am with no sunlight to charge during that time. IF its cloudy the next day then you are pretty much forced into running your generator as your battery bank would be depleted after 36hrs. Even with your excellent solar system and battery capacity you would still run into problems dry camping when its not sunny. I guess you could always add even more battery capacity even though you already have a ridiculous amount, but that is what it would take to get through multiple days of no sunshine.
+amped79 We go into more detail on our site about our solar and battery, this test I turned off the solar and I'm referencing the stock battery bank which is 200ah of usable power
Don't confuse apples and oranges. If I understand from the description and the pictures, the fridge is running on 120V, so be careful when you compare the watts and Ah from 12V to 120V. Running a 120V household fridge from a 12V power source is extremely energy hungry.
Remember that features such as 'self defrosting' and icemakers actually use heating elements to function. Any time you make heat with 12V, especially if it is 120V energy drawn from a 12V source, it is an energy pig. Just watch the ammeter spike when the icemaker cycles and you will agree.
You will find that the current lines of efficient 12V refrigerators using the danfoss compressors draw about 8amps/12VDC when running. The thermal efficiency of the box then comes into play. A good box should have it that the compressor runs no more than 50% of the time, averaging 4Ah per hour, or about 96+/- amps in 24 hours.
I had exactly that situation in my last trawler and had an 800Ah battery for the inverter to keep the old Westinghouse running. Dumping it for an 8cu ft 12V Novakool had my two 75 Watt panels charging even when the compressor was running. I just had to make my own ice and defrost it myself.
While leaving the doors open as long as you did surely dumped all the cold air out and filled the fridge with 80 degree air, it was probably realistic. If you ever get to a boat, you will find top loading fridges are more efficient, if less convenient.
Great channel guys! Have really been enjoying all your videos!
Good test thanks, I wonder how much less energy say a 10 cubic foot residential fridge would use compared to that beast you have? I guess its' a good option for people that don't boondock much.
A 12v compressor fridge is the way to go. We ordered one last week and it's now on a courier truck heading here finally
If you're a real stickler for details and you noticed the Kwh doesn't match up with the AH then click over to our website for the explanation: www.gonewiththewynns.com/rv-residential-refrigerator-power
If you're considering installing, upgrading, or adding a residential fridge to your RV, tiny house, sailboat, etc I hope this helps give a little insight to the massive power hogs these refrigerators are.
+Gone with the Wynns dont for get to take away 11 amp hrs for the inverter .. most inverter well take away 1 amp hr every hr there on just to stay on
Interesting, this subject just came up IRL for us. We just purchased a small apartment size refrigerator for home use. And I thought it would be a good size for midsize RV. It's bigger than an average RV fridge, but smaller than a full size home fridge.
BUT right in the paperwork it says. DO NOT USE for an RV. DO NOT USE with an inverter .
So you can't just go out and buy a residential fridge and expect it to work, just because you have enough power. Always have to read the fine print.
+Kathryn Blodgett Do not use with an inverter. The wiring is not for 12V and will overheat and might catch on fire.
+Kathryn Blodgett Residential fridges have compressors. Compressors don't run well on cheap modified sine waves that you get from cheap inverters. The compressor will run hot which will shorten its life. Also the plated wattage is what the fridge draws after the compressor has gotten moving. From a standstill most compressors will draw 3 - 5x the plated wattage, which will damage/blow a fuse on an underrated inverter, or worse, the inverter will output too low a voltage and damage the compressor (over time).
Connected to an adequately sized (5x plated wattage) pure sine wave inverter it would work without issue. Option two to reduce the current required to start the compressor is to install a hard start capacitor, however, those also tend to damage the compressor over time, so better to just size the inverter properly if you like the fridge and/or it's an expensive fridge.
As for not using it in an RV, RVs tend to bump around a lot. Residential fridges don't enjoy being moved while they're running and it will shorten the life a bit doing so. Not to mention since there's no locking mechanism for the door, if you don't bother to add one (duct tape works in a pinch) the door is likely to pop open, and if it's left running like that, it'll overheat.
So, basically, you can buy any residential fridge you want, you just have to make sure you provide the right quality of power and understand that it will probably not last as long. However, they still last plenty long enough for the price. :)
+shepd3 Thanks. That all makes since, given what was said in the paperwork. "An inverter will damage the refrigerator and shorten it's life".
So at $300, if I can get a whole camping season out of it..IF..is the word though. Don't RV fridges run around $2-$4K? But of course a working fridge affects resale value.
Thanks
Kathryn Blodgett
Yup, you'll get more than one season, too. I'm on my second and from what I've read, I have many more years to go.
Brand new RV fridges do start at about $1500 for tiny ones, and $2500 for larger ones.
Considering the difference in price, I'd go for the residential every time, I'd just make sure to provide it with the proper inverter. It's nice knowing I can buy a replacement fridge at walmart any time, any day, any city and that it won't break the bank.
Did you look into a true RV 12 Vdc compressor refrigerator, that the route we took.
I'm waiting for the "learning to sail" video.
+Mike A Me too! It's going to be an adventure.
When you turn the ice maker on is the little light that looks like a couple of ice supposed to be showing or not showing somebody says when it's showing that means it's off is that correct
What do you think of the recent "FR-5877-P-01 Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations; Revision of Exemption for Recreational Vehicles" HUD wants to pass.
It doesn't seem like a fridge that big would fit through the door. Was it factory installed?
+Vintage Airstream Guy Yes, it came from the factory and a lot of coaches are now coming standard with residential fridges...which is why we wanted to do the test. So many sales guys will tell you it comes with extra batteries that will run the fridge for days...which is obviously not true.
so if you could program a socket to power of and on you could leave it on for 3 hours then turn it off for five ect this would be good at night when you aren't opening the fridge.
Do use or know about midnight controller, breaker box and whiz bang Jr shunt? We are deciding if 4(170 Watt panels) is worth 3700.00 dollars and we do have newer residential fridge. or can we survive with 3 panels? love your advice and many of our friends watch this channel! Thanks and gonna miss you on "The Road"
I know your goal was the real world testing. I have to assume that the ice maker draws quite a bit of power? it would be interesting to know how much difference that would make.
+familyadventurevan Yes, and that is why i had to mention we already had half of a basket of ice in the freezer :)
+familyadventurevan
I see this ice maker comment bantered about a fair amount when it come to residential fridges. I tend to call BS. You have one small stepper motor to remove the cubes and a water solenoid to refill the tray. And this happens every what 5-6 hours... Not a significant draw IMHO. Nor does it take that much more energy to freeze a small tray of water.
This is interesting!
Interesting stuff
If a refrigerator says it uses 478kwh per year, what is that a day? 1,309watts ? Is that correct? When I tested it with my meter it said at that moment it was using 2w and when I first plugged it in it jumped to 172w temporarily as it started back up, its a 2020 model, what are your thoughts please? And thanks for this video
Asked about how to use ice maker not power consumption
can you do a vid on your smartcar and a tour on the rv
great video!
We're noobs getting ready to go full time in a couple weeks and hoping you can answer the following question for us which is somewhat related to your video:
The RV we just bought last week is a 50A system with 2 AC's but the COE's in my area with 50A sites are all booked up over the weekends for the next few weeks before we plan to leave the area, fortunately there are plenty of 30A sites we can reserve. I've heard mixed claims that both AC's can run on 30A and you just have to switch off 1 AC to run other big items, however our coach has a residential fridge which complicates things. I guess we won't really find out for sure until we make our first trip to the campsite.
Is it possible to install some sort of system which can let the 30A shore power charge the battery bank and then run the entire system (with both AC's) off an inverter, then be smart enough to turn on the generator when the batteries are low to get them back to full charge and automatically shut off the generator allowing the 30A shore to supplement and minimize fuel/time that the generator is ran?
The factory installed inverter is only 2KW and isn't wired to power the AC's currently. I know I need to buy new electronics, but just not sure what is the best route to go. Any tips you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
TIA
You need AC soft starts Installed, that would help immensely on 30A hookups
@@NigelM18
We have since found that Victron offers a solution for our needs, more info here:
ua-cam.com/video/g2g8dDxAumE/v-deo.html
Interesting test... Honestly I don't think that most people who can afford this type of coach will be doing alot of dry camping to begin with, but it's good to know what to expect if unforeseen circumstances dictate having to run that size and type of fridge off your battery bank if you absolutely needed to. Next test, running the a/c off the battery bank?
+Tommy TwoGun We already did the A/C test a few weeks back. As for most RVers not dry camping, many of our friends who have RVs way more expensive than ours dry camp.
Gone with the Wynns
But that was running off the solar panels, not the battery banks alone, correct?
+Gone with the Wynns.
this text could not come soon enough. ...we have solar being installed before country thunder here in AZ (we do a lot of dry camping)...and I've ALWAYS struggled with our newer coach and this "res" refrigerator. YOU are exactly right. ..2 hours before we go to bed at 10am and then again next morning at 9. we have even tried to turn fridge way down right before bed and back up when Gen is on. great video. ..I feel better now that others are seeing the same thing.
With solar it is a no brainer for boon docking.
Well said!
? How much battery drain would you have lost if you did not disconnect the solar?
Very useful info thanks
doesn't refrigerator also run on 12 vdc? wouldn't that be more efficient then using power to run the inverter and refrigerator?
Sooo, RV's with residential fridges are a huge power draw... but not so much as to deter people from using them unless boondocking all the time. I wonder if adding a wind generator might not help in that respect. Residential fridge power loss will be a moot point when you are out on your sailboat though! ; )
+MISTERComaToes but fridge draw will be a concern :)
+Gone with the Wynns I've watched a LOT of different sailboat cruisers, hundreds of cruising vids. Most don't seem to have much trouble with their fridge draw, though a few have added extra solar panels. S/V Delos being the one that comes to mind. Also, doubling up on wind generators might help too, but as well tuned as you have your RV energy needs sorted out I'm sure you'll have that figured out before long. Those catamaran roofs have a lot of acreage! I seem to recall that S/V Morning Glory (a cat) changed their gel house batteries over to lithium and not only improved their energy capacity but dropped 2000 lbs over the lead acid!
Jason, did you factor in the interior coach lights? You had many of them on, or was that only for the recording of the video....?
i want to see your RV tour
Ur right were not feeling sorry fir ya ur in florida where it is warm and sunny... Lol😂😂😂
I personally would stay with residential had to many issues on propane and keeping level so food went bad. I finally just said enough bought extra freezer/frig i kept in my bay below and when issues arrived the portable solar panel took care of amps. Living in alaska jason i really wish u would share the sun send it up to me plz😂😂😂🐻
This is a bit off topic, but what is the material you guys drape on the front seats? I think my wife would love something like that. Thanks.
+rbylsma756 It's just a blanket from Ikea to protect the chairs from the cats :)
Where would you suggest going for a solar and lithium battery install in a diesel pusher ? Have got a 14 Entegra.
+Jon Kilberg I would call GoPower and ask for a reputable location near you or on your traveling route. Tell them we told you to call, they know how picky we are :)
Having a hard time finding a used 5th wheel with a larger or even residental refrigerator. We just don't want to spend more than $40K and it seems like everything has RV or 8cu ft refrigerators. Aggravating. Any tips?
Nikki , Jason why your not posing everyday veds??
I don't think I will even turn my propane fridge in my bus on. Im happy with ice and a cooler, and proper mangment of my diet,alot of dry goods and farmers markets, salad dressings can be made, bbq sauces ect...I love to cook so finding my local bulk barn. A house fridge is over the top for most people, and 900 watts of solar.
How does your battery set-up compare to a Tesla Powerwall?
Please could you say the size of the inverter and type. Love the rv it looks sharp
+Howard Escoffery It's a Magnum 3000 watt. There's a link to it in the blog post: www.gonewiththewynns.com/rv-residential-refrigerator-power
Does that mean that the amount of ah's drawn from your battery bank included the enormous draw of your inverter, too? Or was ONLY your appliance measured in this video?
How many ah's does your inverter use each day?
I wish I didn’t have a residential refrigerator in my RV. It uses way too much power for off grid use. If you are going off grid more than full hookups my advice is to stick with a large high quality gas frig.
I don't mean to be picky but you said it was just the reefer drawing power, what about all the lighting that was bouncing off every surface, were they plugged in externally, I know you didn't have them on while you weren't in the trailer but we all know how power sapping lighting is.
+David Johnson They're only LED lights so they only draw a couple amps total.
+Gone with the Wynns ah, ok, got it, thanks for the quick reply.
I'm watching some old videos learing aobut RV's. What year Bounder is this and did you like it?
It's a 2016. To see why they chose it check out this post: www.gonewiththewynns.com/resurrecting-dinosaurs-wynn-custom-rv and the rest of the "resurrecting dinosaurs" series.
Curious Minion
It's not the frig that's using the power, it's the beer and beverages.
To show the exact and more accurate figures you should have run the test over a full 24hour period instead of 11hours. Mid day to mid day is the best test with the same items used over that 24 hour period. Almost certain that the figures you have will be different than the calculated ones from the 11 hour test.
+Evl ear We did in the post, the issue is the Florida air is too humid and warm to sleep inside the RV without a fan or A/C, that is why we couldn't do a 24 hr test in the video. Either way we would have been forced to run the generator for two hours to compensate for the power loss.
Hello. Just watched your video. I want to put in a residential refrigerator. We're buying lithium batteries. How many do I need to cover the usage of my refrigerator? Any experience appreciated greatly....
Well you could find the usage stats for the refrigerator you want and try to figure out what it would use, but you also need to estimate what else you're using. If you're already in an RV, then you know that your inverter uses power (will you need a bigger inverter to run a residential fridge?), along with all the other things you need on a regular basis. There are some *estimates* that the Wynns did for their setup in the blog post which I'll link to. But if you're not comfortable calculating your usage yourself, you may want to go to a solar installer for an energy audit to see what you're currently using and then you can figure out how much capacity you'll need to add. www.gonewiththewynns.com/rv-residential-refrigerator-power
Curious Minion
I would get 400 amp hours of Lithium, or 720 amp hours of FLA (4 6volt Trojans, much cheaper). 3 K gen, and solar.
Residential fridges are the boss for people who plug-camp anyway because they want to run the A/C all the time. If you have shore power, why not? But if you want to cut the cord stick with a propane fridge. Yes I know they aren't very efficient, and they are more expensive, but there is a lot of energy in a 30 lb bottle of propane. It will run the fridge for weeks. Whereas a residential fridge, using your own numbers, drawing 200 AH in 12 hours, is too much for almost any solar/battery system. 400 AH a day? Forget about it. Residential fridges assume you have shore power. And don't get me wrong, that is the way many people RV. But for those who want to cut the cord, stick with propane. You can run it on AC when you are plugged in.
That large refrigerator uses approximately 40% more power than say a 10 cu ft model, that would be a big decrease in power usage.
How is the boat shopping going?
+Tim McCrea going slowly :(
+Gone with the Wynns, Have you considered widening your boat search to include Trawler styles? They're roomy and safe, but perhaps the best part is that they sip fuel -very economical. Being able to go in a straight line vs. tacking and jibing is a nice plus too :o) I'd recommend a Kadey Krogen 42', Selene, or Defever considering your price range. Stuck on Cats, then Fountaine Pajot or Lagoon should be at the top of your list. Easy for us to armchair quarterback -good luck!
+S Newland A Trawler is great but it has limits. I like them but they are for when im old and my knees hurt and i cant sail. they need a world cruiser. and to cross oceans on a trawler it will get pricey and you need to get to about 50 feet to have the legs to cross an ocean. these two are young and they want the clean energy of sail. yes you still motor places but i think the trawler is still many years away.
but myself i like the Nordhaven and the Nordic Tug trawlers. now they can go anywhere. but i dont want that fuel bill.
This would be your opinion. they have stated that they intend to take the proper trg. And you earn exp. if they dont try they wont earn it. A Trawler will not take them where they want to go. they are contemplating a world Tour. they are doing it right and researching. as well they are looking at boats that will keep them safe. also this is not new ground. many many people have done exactly the same thing with no exp. they will be fine. and yes they will make mistakes and things will go wrong. but better to have the back up of the sailboat then need to depend only on a single engine. remember its not our plan its theirs and although you think a Trawler is safer and I dont it is what they think. then there is the cost. they will come out ahead with a sailboat. not needing to pay Dockwise or some one else to get them across the Pacific or the Atlantic is a big savings. it was $35000 last time i looked to ship a boat across the Atlantic for a 40 foot boat. alot cheaper to sail. and they need only budy up to some one for a Bahamas cruise to get the fundamentals then do the windward and leeward islands for a year and they will be fine. no worries.
interesting statments. Sorry to hear about your friends and i am curious what chain of events would lead to that? but this is a video on Fridges so this may not be the place. if you think Dumb luck is keeping people safe then again that is your opinion. it is yours and that opinion leads you to take a road that you think is safe. i for one like the road less travelled and some like you would say is less safe. when i crossed an ocean or first sailed at night i had never done that before. how else would i get the experience? i didn't fall out of my mother with it. I was trained to the best ability and i studied and prepared and ensured my vessel was the best i could manage for the task. I just did not know that Dumb luck was what got me there. funny. i thought it was me and my skills. as for the Whynns. well they will just have to learn some new skills and asses the dangers for themselves. the world is a big place. if we are scared of it we are doomed to sit in front of our computers for the rest of our lives.
My statistics education is telling me you should take a 4 day test then divide usage by 4 to get a more accurate assessment. (door openings, cycling, etc)
+Mitch and Cassie Shepherd Not in the brutal FL humid heat :)
I'm curious about your refrigerator's temperature settings. You show that the main compartment is set to 38°F but the freezer compartment is set to -2°.
Is that -2°F? Or is it simply "two degrees below freezing" (a.k.a. 30°F?)
If it's -2°F then your compressor is probably working 24/7 to bring it down to a temperature it can never achieve, and you're using a lot more electricity than you need to use.
+Gabe Humphreys I just set it to the recommended settings that are printed inside the door which is in Fahrenheit.
I agree. -2F seems very low, indeed. You could probably get by just as well with it set at 20-25F.
As a refrigeration technician I will tell you 20 is way too warm for the freezer section. 32 degrees is only the freezing temperatures of water. Products like meats will need a colder temperature to freeze and especially ice cream will need to be below 0 to freeze.
It's going to use much more when you aren't testing it and your wife is in and out of it preparing food and putting warm groceries in there.