DC Refrigerator Conversion

[Kiwi3]

Okay, another option to the residential refrigerator. JC Refrigerator has a DIY kit or they will install a compressor kit on our existing refrigerator. According to the video the DC unit draws 60 AMPs but I had a hard time finding all the specs.

They also make an AC version.

It pulls less than 1 Amp and will run off a 1000W inverter (does not require pure sign wave).

DIY Video: Converting our RV fridge to a High Efficiency DC compressor- 8x more efficient! and better cooling!
They report using between 500wHrs - 1.5kwHrs per day depending on outside air temp.

At that time of this video the costs for the unit for a fridge like ours was$ 595.00 for AC and $800.00 for the DC unit. The larger units probably are a bit more expensive but I am not sure. They can install it for $150 or ship them to you. Their upgraded absorption unit was $650.

JC Refrigeration Product Page

HVAC Refer Install Video by JC Refrigerator

[badandy]

So let me get this straight - they removed their fridge to do the retrofit, but replacing the fridge with a residential is too much work? If they got an inverter-type residential fridge they could buy a really small, inexpensive inverter to just run the fridge. It would have been more efficient overall, too.

[Mike Hohnstein]

Many times it's easier, aesthetically to stay with oem cabinet. I can see why this a good option.

[rshrimp]

I wonder what voltage the inverter fridge's run at?? They run on DC but probably not 12v but ...
Inquiring minds want to know???????

The mini Split AC units use the same technology. Also wonder what voltage????
If it happened to be 48v it would be another reason to switch to 48v house system..

[badandy]

I actually looked this up a while back and I seem to recall that the power supply puts out 5v and 15v to run everything in the fridge including the compressor. That was an RF15 or something like that? I can't find it anymore.

[Harold,Cat&Sam]

There are a few 12 volt options out there that pull 5 amps @ 12 volts. We will probably switch to one later .

If you google "solar refrigerator" you'll find lot's of info.

[badandy]

A Samsung RF18, which is a full sized fridge/freezer, maxes at 1.1 amps @ 120vac. Most of the time it's going to draw 1/4 amp. Coupled with the use of a small inverter to run it all the time that's nothing. You could run that fridge all day on two GC2's without any trouble unless you leave the doors open all day. Even then it would still run 12 hours non-stop.

[Kiwi3]

Originally Posted by rshrimp

I wonder what voltage the inverter fridge's run at?? They run on DC but probably not 12v but ...
Inquiring minds want to know???????

The mini Split AC units use the same technology. Also wonder what voltage????
If it happened to be 48v it would be another reason to switch to 48v house system..

According to the video, the DC version can run on 12v or 24v DC.

[Kiwi3]

To me the reason to do this vs replacing with a residential unit would be to not have to modify the cabinet and to have the doors stay flush. I do like that you can run it without an inverter but that is just a nice to have.

[rshrimp]

My thing is to not do excess conversions. All conversions waste energy.
Why take 12v, run Inverter to make 110v just to convert it back to some DC voltage?
That's whay I am asking about the Samsung Fridge. WHat voltage does it really run on? Why not just supply that?

I use a CPAP It runs on 12v and draws about 3 amps. It has a converter that plugs into 110v The converter draws 2.3 amps at 110v!!!!! and it draws it all the time! even when the machine is off! I now run it on 12v and it only uses power when it's on.
My point is anytime you convert something be it power, or even a direction change in mechanical energy, something is lost. So we need to do as few conversions as possible.

I would love to run my Samsung fridge on DC