34 replies to this topic

[Roger]

I think your numbers are a bit off in my mind, considering your trip lengths I wouldn't say solar is a requirement. If you've got the battery capacity to run your furnace in the winter for those 4-5 day trips you've got your fridge covered. I ran my ARB in "test" mode (ie I wasn't going in/out of it during the test and after 6 days my dual batteries were still sitting up at 12.3something volts.

So starting from scratch a new 3way fridge would likely run ~$500 where as I got my ARB for $700. So it was a $200 premium and in my rig I've got no worries about going for 4-5days. $200 to be able to freeze stuff, not worry about being level, having a portable fridge, ETC. was worth while to me.

That said everyone use what you want, I just don't think your assumptions about a compressor fridge is all that accurate.

FYI: For $200 you could get a 80watt panel and a Morningstar 6A sunsaver charge controller.

I was talking about the cost of replacing my 3 way with a compressor, and I did note above all of the pro's of the compressor, almost, the same as yours. Maybe that was not clear in my 2 posts. I hadn't even figured in the cost of a second battery...

Anyway, where do you have a line on $200 panels and charge controllers? I've searched all over and the price range I see is between $400 and $1000 for an 80 watt kit. The cheapest 80 watt solar panels I've found are about $179 each, used, on craigslist. Am I looking in the wrong place?

Thanks!

Roger

[pods8]

I was talking about the cost of replacing my 3 way with a compressor

Well that is a different discussion, it'd take more rational to replace a working 3way with a compressor fridge but the thread is 3way verse compressor so when starting from scratch it's a small premium to go to a higher end compressor fridge or no premium to go with something like the edgestar.

I hadn't even figured in the cost of a second battery...

Second battery isn't required (but them I'd think solar needs would come up quicker) however 2 batteries make running a fridge for a good chunk much easier. I've got my battery bank sized to make sure I have plenty of juice for running the heat in the winter, it's just so happens that in the warmer months it'll cover the fridge nicely.

Anyway, where do you have a line on $200 panels and charge controllers? I've searched all over and the price range I see is between $400 and $1000 for an 80 watt kit. The cheapest 80 watt solar panels I've found are about $179 each, used, on craigslist. Am I looking in the wrong place?

Someone on here posted to www.solarblvd.com before, they've got some good pricing on certain components. The sky is the limit on component choices and quality but for reasonable entry level stuff I'd think this $159 80 watt panel and $38 charge controller would be reasonable entry level stuff (most likely far nicer than the costco/harbor freight type systems on the low end people seem to flock to).

[UglyScout]

Someone on here posted to www.solarblvd.com before, they've got some good pricing on certain components. The sky is the limit on component choices and quality but for reasonable entry level stuff I'd think this $159 80 watt panel and $38 charge controller would be reasonable entry level stuff (most likely far nicer than the costco/harbor freight type systems on the low end people seem to flock to).

That is a really good pirce.... Hmmmm.....

[pods8]

That is a really good pirce.... Hmmmm.....

Or step it up a notch with $287 for 155watt and a $143 prostar controller with display or you can go with MPPT over PWM, etc. It snow balls. But long story short solarblvd has constantly tempted me with pricing...

[UglyScout]

Or step it up a notch with $287 for 155watt and a $143 prostar controller with display or you can go with MPPT over PWM, etc. It snow balls. But long story short solarblvd has constantly tempted me with pricing...

That would double the cost of my camper!

[Ramblinman]

This is great stuff. Thanks to everyone for posting!

[camper357]

I looking at an older (10+ years)dometic portable 3 way fridge/freezer that has supposedly seen little use. I understand the pros/cons of compressor vs the 3 way fridge. Can anyone tell me what sort of longevity/reliability that I can expect out of an older dometic ?

[Desert Rancher]

I have a Dometic RM2200 in my '86 Grandby. Still works, although I just took it out and cleaned the burner and chimney. I don't think that had EVER been done, so it should work better now.

[orion]

Thanks everyone for the informative thread. I've used a Norcold 323 3-way in the past in a tent trailer, but now I am having a FWC Hawk built, and went with the same Norcold 323 in my initial build request. I just called FWC camper and they're right at the point where they will put the fridge in and they're letting my go with a Waeco CR-1080 instead. Looks like the draw is only ~2 ah when the compressor is running, and my battery bank will be about 160 ah. I'm glad I made this switch now, rather than having to deal with unloading the 3-way for a compressor fridge.

[orion]

For you guys running compressor fridges, about how often does the fridge compressor come on for how long? I know this is an impossible question to answer accurately because of ambient temps and whatever you have in the fridge, but just trying to get a general idea of how many amp hours per day I might be looking at-- say for a 75-80 degree ambient temp .