Mains Fridge via, Inverters?

[smileypete]

Hi Pete,

Not quite understanding the connection here - surely the method you describe is to enable the inverter to cope better with the surge, not reduce the quiescent ( what it takes when delivering no output) current. My point is that if the mains inverter is drawing say 1 Amp quiescent ( even when the fridge is between cycles, i.e. it draws this 24/7) the power drawn by the inverter just being switched on is 24 Ah/day which is likely around 50% of what the fridge itself would take in 24 hrs ? That may not be a problem if the inverter has to be on anyway, although it can't help, but it is tantamount to "designing in" a problem, in my view...

 

The idea is to turn the fridge to lowest temperature then let the refrigeration controller control the temperature.

 

When it's time to cool the fridge down, the controller will turn the inverter on, then the fridge itself on. The delay relay is just so the inverter doesn't need to start into a high load, if the inverter can cope with this it'd save a relay.

 

Having this means the inverter only needs to be on when the fridge needs cooling, and there is no quiescent inverter load at other times.

 

I just mentioned the inverter surge capability as someone mentioned having trouble with an 1800W inverter. The startup surge could be reduced somewhat with a £2 inrush limiter, but most people would find it easier to get a bigger inverter.

 

cheers,

Pete.

[Nickhlx]

The idea is to turn the fridge to lowest temperature then let the refrigeration controller control the temperature.

 

When it's time to cool the fridge down, the controller will turn the inverter on, then the fridge itself on. The delay relay is just so the inverter doesn't need to start into a high load, if the inverter can cope with this it'd save a relay.

 

Having this means the inverter only needs to be on when the fridge needs cooling, and there is no quiescent inverter load at other times.

 

I just mentioned the inverter surge capability as someone mentioned having trouble with an 1800W inverter. The startup surge could be reduced somewhat with a £2 inrush limiter, but most people would find it easier to get a bigger inverter.

 

cheers,

Pete.

 

Thanks - understood - and an ingenious idea...

 

Nick

[gralyn]

I have an 80 watt domestic fridge on board which is powered by a 660 watt modified sine wave inverter. The inverter is connected to the battery via the cables supplied with it which means that the inverter has to be close to the batteries. The cable run from the inverter to the fridge uses normal " mains lead" one size larger then that on the fridge. So far after 4 seasons of use (we cruise for about 8 weeks continuous in the summer) we have been happy with the installation.

[MtB]

Oops, post deleted, posted in the wrong thread.

Edited February 28, 2012 by Mike the Boilerman