Solar Panels Needed To Run an Everchill Mini Refrigerator Off Solar Power

Question:

Do you know what I would need to run this fridge on solar?

asked by: Nena C

Helpful Expert Reply:

There are many variables that make it difficult to give you an exact answer but I can help you with the information you need to determine what you may need.

First the Everchill RV Mini Refrigerator w/ Freezer # 324-000110 runs at 0.8 amps of 115 volt power which is equal to 92 watts of power.

You will need to connect the refrigerator to a power inverter like the Go Power Industrial Pure Sine Wave Inverter # 34282690 since the solar power will need to be converted and stored in a 12 Volt Battery # BRW34FR.

The unknown factors are going to be how much the refrigerator runs in a 24 hour period and how much solar gain you will be able to get out of your solar panels in the same period. Do understand that on cloudy days you will still get some solar gain but not the maximum wattage that the panel is capable of as even on the sunniest days with no clouds solar panels will not always be able to produce the wattage that they are rated for. I typically suggest to expect an average of 80% capacity on average during hours that the panel is touched by sun light.

The Go Power Retreat Solar Charging System # 34272635 will include a 100 watt solar panel and a charge controller to monitor the battery level and ensure that you do not damage the battery by overcharging. They do offer a Solar Cable Entry Plate # 34273840 if you plan to mount the panels on your roof. This plate will help prevent any water from getting in with the wiring. They do offer additional 100 watt panels # 34272634 that you can add to increase the solar energy that is used to charge the battery for the refrigerator. With the charge controller you can add up to 5 panels if you decide that you want to run more than just the refrigerator.

With all the information that I gave you I hope that this helps you understand why there is not an exact answer to your question. Please let me know if there is any other information that I can help you with to understand the solar system that is required.