"Solar" RV Fridge?

[Eddie & Aileen Moderator Oshoto,Wyoming USA]

Howdy Campers! Did we say the words “Solar” and “Fridge” in the same breath? I guess I did. Several weeks back I installed a MotoMaster Eliminator 1500 watt MS wave power inverter. I ran a 120 volt power run to the back panel area of the RV fridge so we could later make a power run up to our microwave oven. This we would do when we pull out the fridge to get up to the area for a run to our microwave. I started to crunch some of the numbers and found out we were topping off a full charge before 11:00 am, and after that the solar system was in a late PWM mode or in full float. So now our solar system, ( 720 watts on the roof ) has 42 amps just waiting to be used. I hooked up the RV fridge to our 1500 watt inverter and gave it a try. Well after a two week trial I have found in free sun ( Good Sun ) when our solar controller has the battery bank up to 100% and in a float ( around 11:00 am until 4:30 or 5:00 pm ) I can run our 2.7 amp @ 120 volt/ 325 Watt AC RV fridge element. This is overburden power that was going to waste, so we put it to good use. This only uses 27 amps off our solar array, leaving us 15 extra amps to use if needed. This power comes strait out of our “Sun Catchers” and dose not pull anything from the battery bank, so it’s being “Green” and using the free power of the sun.

I sure most of you out there would not have a use for this set-up but when your out there in “Deep Boondocking” for the max 14 days you could cut down on the propane usage by at least (5) hrs a ( good )day. That’s (70) hours of fridge not running on propane wile at your favorite 14 day boondocking spot. One of the things we have run out of wile out deep boondocking was propane. And finding propane can be a little trying in some areas, like Bluff, UT. I plan to run a #6 AWG wire ( + & – ) from our truck to a connector and then to our battery bank in the 5th wheel so we can keep our battery bank up on bad weather days wile traveling down the road. This set-up will also help to run the “Solar Fridge” and save the propane for our next boondocking spot.

Just wanted to share what you can do ( If you want to ) with the power of the sun. It’s not for all but maybe for some of you out there.

Happy Trails Campers!!!

P.S.– You can find photos of this in the original post in Forums “Mods and Upgrades” under the topic “Solar” RV Fridge?

• This topic was modified 2 weeks ago by  Eddie & Aileen.

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Attachments:

• Test Power for solar RV fridge

• Wire run for fridge

• 1500 watt MS wave inverter

• Shore Power for Fridge

• Solar Inverter power for fridge

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