Charging Leisure Batteries via EV points.

[merl]

To fit a 12 volt compressor fridge ?
Decisions, decisions!
I admit, I’d like the convenience of an electric fridge. No running back turning the igniter off before starting the engine.
Remembering to turn it back on again I’ve stopped. Dunno. This decision has got me flummoxed.

Think of all that fun you'll miss unblocking your fridge jet too.

 

[Trotter]

The

Think of all that fun you'll miss unblocking your fridge jet too.

They are a bit archaic, aren’t they?

 

[merl]

The

They are a bit archaic, aren’t they?

They are certainly not the only option any more for sure. We've still got one but if mine failed tomorrow I'd replace it with a 230v standard domestic one and squeeze some extra lithium in to accommodate it. Having said that we're fair weather tourers and this time of the year we'll only go away for a day or two, if I were over wintering I'm not sure what I'd do TBF, probably stick with a 3way until battery prices make it more obvious maybe?

 

[GeoffL]

If I thought I was going to be in places where I would use it then Yes, I would buy one of the cables.

For me, the biggest issue isn't whether it's morally OK to use a Juicy Brucie but whether my van would fit anywhere I could actually use one. First, the actual charging bays are generally restricted to EVs only and so you need to find a regular parking bay close enough so a 10m cable can reach the charging point and 'standard' parking bays are only 5m long. Then there's the issue of how long would it take for me to top up 220Ah of lead/acid as my mains (EHU) charger doesn't push out a lot of juice (20A perhaps? -- dunno for sure as I've never put an ammeter on it but it takes several hours to top up my LB bank from ~50%). Most car parks with charge points have a two to three hour limit and so I'd probably never be able to stay long enough to fully charge...

My Fridge/Freezer takes around 50Ah/day.

??? that's probably more than double what my entire van uses! I have 200W of solar on the roof of my van and that tops up my batteries each day during Summer. I can't remember ever seeing more than 280Wh for a single day via the Victron app -- and then at least some of that was float. It looks like I need to budget for a lot more LB capacity, more solar and possibly a B2B charger in addition to a new fridge should my current 3-way ever go tits-up!

 

[Exwindsurfer]

Since I built the van coming up 13 years ago its had a compressor fridge from day one and I've never looked back .

 

[wildebus]

For me, the biggest issue isn't whether it's morally OK to use a Juicy Brucie but whether my van would fit anywhere I could actually use one. First, the actual charging bays are generally restricted to EVs only and so you need to find a regular parking bay close enough so a 10m cable can reach the charging point and 'standard' parking bays are only 5m long. Then there's the issue of how long would it take for me to top up 220Ah of lead/acid as my mains (EHU) charger doesn't push out a lot of juice (20A perhaps? -- dunno for sure as I've never put an ammeter on it but it takes several hours to top up my LB bank from ~50%). Most car parks with charge points have a two to three hour limit and so I'd probably never be able to stay long enough to fully charge...

As I mentioned, a setup with a small charger and lead acid is absolutely not the best one for the Juicy Brucie cable.
As far as parking abilities ... depends on the locations obviously. that goes without saying.

??? that's probably more than double what my entire van uses! I have 200W of solar on the roof of my van and that tops up my batteries each day during Summer. I can't remember ever seeing more than 280Wh for a single day via the Victron app -- and then at least some of that was float. It looks like I need to budget for a lot more LB capacity, more solar and possibly a B2B charger in addition to a new fridge should my current 3-way ever go tits-up!

If you have 200W of solar on the roof and your system is working correctly, you can be harvesting a hell of a lot more than 280Wh in a day. The reason you haven't - and confirmed by the 'float' observation - is that your batteries are never discharged enough to have ever needed more.
so NO, if you went for a compressor fridge, you would NOT need more battery, you would NOT need more solar, you would just actually be getting more use from what you already have.

When I used to go to VW Shows as a trader in my VW self-build, I had 200Ah of Lead Battery and 200W of Solar. I would arrive Thursday Evening and leave Sunday Afternoon. My Battery would usually be fully charged at the time I was going, and that included having a compressor fridge (Waeco CRX50 was the last one) and using an induction hob instead of the gas burner to boil kettles for tea to avoid wasting solar harvest potential.

 

[marchie]

Since I built the van coming up 13 years ago its had a compressor fridge from day one and I've never looked back .

I failed my driving test because I reversed on my mirrors only. Since I discovered my mistake, I've never looked back ...

Steve

 

[merl]

I can't remember ever seeing more than 280Wh for a single day via the Victron app -- and then at least some of that was float. It looks like I need to budget for a lot more LB capacity, more solar and possibly a B2B charger in addition to a new fridge should my current 3-way ever go tits-up!

I think the reason why you've only seen 280Wh max from your system isn't lack of sun, panels or batteries, it's because your batteries can't accept any further charge because they get 'filled' pretty quickly, and this is because you're barely emptying them. More use by a compressor fridge would simply result in more gain from your panels. I've got 240W of solar and in the summer I regularly run my 3way fridge via an inverter for several hours a day. Highly ineficient I know but I've essentially got solar energy to spare so I use it rather than burning gas.
A couple of hundred watt setup would be ok I think for a compressor fridge set up through the summer, the winter would be a different ball game though

 

[2cv]

I have limited space for batteries and like the ability to be off grid for several days in winter, so a compressor fridge would be unsuitable for my needs.

 

[merl]

I have limited space for batteries and like the ability to be off grid for several days in winter, so a compressor fridge would be unsuitable for my needs.

Precisely, unless you have an alternative means of getting power back into the batteries like a high current B2B (but you'd have to drive), a generator (but you'd have to carry it and not upset anyone while running it) or a Brucie charge lead but you'd have to find the available charge points and not upset EV users, there's no perfect solution just pros and cons and Horses for courses as always.

 

[nabsim]

As much as 50ah? Didn’t realise it would be that much

To fit a 12 volt compressor fridge ?
Decisions, decisions!
I admit, I’d like the convenience of an electric fridge. No running back turning the igniter off before starting the engine.
Remembering to turn it back on again I’ve stopped. Dunno. This decision has got me flummoxed.

My 110Ltr Waeco takes approx 48Ah from my battery bank in 24 hours Del. When David was doing his testing on the 230V fridge it came in very close to my 12V, of course it could be a bit more still if you didn't have as efficient an inverter as David uses.

I have looked at a few 12V compressor fridges/freezers and fridge freezers. Some of the advertising is misleading to say the least, you have to ignore what it (and others) tell you and look at the specs. I think you are fairly safe if you work on an efficient 12V fridge uses 24Ah per 24 hours and an efficient fridge freezer uses 48Ah per 24 hours.

I run my fridge 24/7 but I only cook with electric on good harvesting days

 

[GeoffL]

I think the reason why you've only seen 280Wh max from your system isn't lack of sun, panels or batteries, it's because your batteries can't accept any further charge because they get 'filled' pretty quickly, and this is because you're barely emptying them. More use by a compressor fridge would simply result in more gain from your panels. I've got 240W of solar and in the summer I regularly run my 3way fridge via an inverter for several hours a day. Highly ineficient I know but I've essentially got solar energy to spare so I use it rather than burning gas.
A couple of hundred watt setup would be ok I think for a compressor fridge set up through the summer, the winter would be a different ball game though

FWIW, that's the point I was trying to make. My setup is good off-grid from about mid-April to mid-October in that, provided the sun shines for a few hours or there's only light cloud, the solar puts back what I use each day. On cloud-free days, that extends to mid-March at the beginning and early November at the end. My current endurance in Winter is about three days before the system voltage drops below 12V. However, adding a 50Ah/day fridge to the mix would bring my average daily consumption up to 70 to 75Ah and limit the times of year when I'd be self-sufficient. I suspect I'd need to be on EHU or take a drive every few days except for the height of Summer and almost every day in Winter.

 

[wildebus]

My 110Ltr Waeco takes approx 48Ah from my battery bank in 24 hours Del. When David was doing his testing on the 230V fridge it came in very close to my 12V, of course it could be a bit more still if you didn't have as efficient an inverter as David uses.

Now I am talking about A+/A++ energy class fridges, just to make that clear (on the old rating system, note) ... I found that the 240V Compressor fridge was actually slightly more efficient device-wise than the 12V compressor fridge, but the need and use of the inverter for that type in a motorhome flips the advantage over to the 12V versions. Only slightly, mind, but it does.
So if they cost the same to buy, I'd have gone for a 12V model, but the 12V Thetford model I wanted was literally 4 x the price of the 240V LEC fridge/freezer I ended up buying with near enough the same capacity. And I did, as you say, have an efficient inverter already that only comes on when needed and when off uses only a few amps in standby.

I have looked at a few 12V compressor fridges/freezers and fridge freezers. Some of the advertising is misleading to say the least, you have to ignore what it (and others) tell you and look at the specs. I think you are fairly safe if you work on an efficient 12V fridge uses 24Ah per 24 hours and an efficient fridge freezer uses 48Ah per 24 hours.

I run my fridge 24/7 but I only cook with electric on good harvesting days

I think ones that use 1Ah/Day are few are far between. I seem to recall an average draw figure of 1.92A (so 1.92Ah/Hour or 46Ah/Day) quoted for one of the most popular Waeco Fridges, which ties up with what you are getting.

 

[nabsim]

FWIW, that's the point I was trying to make. My setup is good off-grid from about mid-April to mid-October in that, provided the sun shines for a few hours or there's only light cloud, the solar puts back what I use each day. On cloud-free days, that extends to mid-March at the beginning and early November at the end. My current endurance in Winter is about three days before the system voltage drops below 12V. However, adding a 50Ah/day fridge to the mix would bring my average daily consumption up to 70 to 75Ah and limit the times of year when I'd be self-sufficient. I suspect I'd need to be on EHU or take a drive every few days except for the height of Summer and almost every day in Winter.

I have 300W flat on the roof Geoff and with my compressor fridge and total daily usage of around 60/65Ah I am good from approx Mid March to November with solar alone. I do have 200Ah of Lifepo4 battery though. In Summer I can stand indefinitely, have easily done 4 weeks without moving parked on a byway.

I love my compressor fridge, it just works, always, doesn't matter about wind direction, slope I park on or anything else. If my van had come with a working 3-way fridge though there is no way I would change it while it worked

 

[Trotter]

Hayhiker has the same fridge as I have. The difference being, he has fitted his . Mine is sitting snuggly in its box. When he has used it his for a while, we’ll know what sort of power it’s using. Once we know what that is, then I’ll know if a JB lead is needed or not. Really I suppose how often I travel during the winter.
The plan now, funny how they change, is to leave it until after the proposed Portugeuse trip. So May, possibly during the Hereford meeting.

 

[nabsim]

Have said how much they use Del lol. You will get some that give worse figures than I posted but doubt you will get any better. If you do I would query how they are getting the data

 

[mistericeman]

I have 300W flat on the roof Geoff and with my compressor fridge and total daily usage of around 60/65Ah I am good from approx Mid March to November with solar alone. I do have 200Ah of Lifepo4 battery though. In Summer I can stand indefinitely, have easily done 4 weeks without moving parked on a byway.

I love my compressor fridge, it just works, always, doesn't matter about wind direction, slope I park on or anything else. If my van had come with a working 3-way fridge though there is no way I would change it while it worked

Couldn't agree more ...compressor fridge is just so pfaff free .
And works very well for most of the year ...and in truth the months when solar harvest is lower ...
The fridge is usually working less hard due to lower ambient temps.

 

[Exwindsurfer]

Just been checking what my inverter uses in stand by I was quite surprised it was only uses 1.11 amps it's a renogy 2000watt.

 

[Trotter]

Have said how much they use Del lol. You will get some that give worse figures than I posted but doubt you will get any better. If you do I would query how they are getting the data

Yes I know. No need to nag. The point I was making, or trying to, is…….

Rob and I have the same Adventurer fridge. The difference being, he has fitted his. And it’s working well for him, I understand.
Mine is naked of boxes, they have been dropped off at the Tidy Tip. So I’m obviously keeping it, no more prevarication then And is sitting on my bench waiting to be fitted into the van. As the lpg fridge works perfectly well in the winter, it will go into the van when it warms up a bit. May time, sounds good.
I do hope this explains the situation for you Neil, I have tried to keep it simple for you.
Mainly because I don’t understand difficult.
Enjoy your day, before someone spoils it.

 

[Trotter]

Have said how much they use Del lol. You will get some that give worse figures than I posted but doubt you will get any better. If you do I would query how they are getting the data

I wanted to leave a like for you. But there isn’t a to select