How long can a 12v 100ah LifePO4 Battery run a 20 year old Full Size Refrigerator? Let's find out!

My dad asked me if I had anything that could run a full size refrigerator overnight. I said "Sure!", but in all honesty I really had never tested it!
Here is the answer!
Items used in this video:
Redodo 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery, Rechargeable Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery, Built-in 100A BMS, 4000 Cycles Battery for RV, Camping, Solar Home etc
Redodo Website: www.redodopowe...
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ALFFAA 1500W Solar Power Inverter 12V to 110V with Built-in 5V/2.1A USB Port
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WindyNation ANL Fuse Holder + ANL Fuse (2pcs 150A Fuse)
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DC Multifunction Battery Monitor Meter,0-200V,0-300A (Widely Applied to 12V/24V/48V RV/Car Battery) LCD Display Digital Current Voltage Solar Power Meter Multimeter Ammeter Voltmeter
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[@kennethwilson8633]

Real world test are the best … Thanks for doing them… Have fun stay safe.

[@OffGridBasement]

Glad you like them! Thanks for the comment!

[@frankmaze1972]

Put it on a timer and only power it for 30 minutes every 4 hours. As long as you're not holding the door open it'll work.

[@OffGridBasement]

That's a good idea. I'll try it out to see the difference. Thanks for the comment!

[@ivyleague6160]

Finally someone else who does this! I have had people act like I was insane because I put my deep freeze on a timer. Its not necessary for some things to be powered continuously. Plus in extreme off grid you can make insulation tarps to prevent cold loss.

[@HrhFish]

I have been researching for an off grid system. There is a lot of bollocks talked about this on line. I was reading an article today that a 12v 100ah lifepo4 battery would run a fridge freezer for 30 mins which means you would need a ridiculous amout of batteries to last 24 hours. This is the real deal so its answered a lot of qusetions for me. A lot of these fridges built before 2010 run between 600 - 700 watts or so. This was a really useful practical video. If I get into any debates with people who think they are experts I will direct them to this. I always say if you want to know anything look it up on youtube 😎😎

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks! I honestly didn't know so that's why I did the test. I also have a brand new fridge and a dorm room half size fridge that I'm going to do the same experiment with. Thanks for the comment!

[@HrhFish]

@@OffGridBasement How long does it take to charge the battery from a mains supply? Just curious cos in the UK the winter is lousy for sun. I am looking at backing up solar with a petrol generator to recharge the batteries.

[@OffGridBasement]

@@HrhFish it depends on the charger. A 20amp charger will do the job in about 5 hours. A 10amp charger will take 10 hours. This is based on a 100ah battery.

[@HrhFish]

@@OffGridBasement What are the chargers like efficiency wise? Do they eat a lot of electricity? I've been looking at a 40amp charger.

[@brynduffy]

Extremely helpful! I'm working with 12 volt chins batteries which I've hooked up S2P2 for a 24 volt system... Looks like I should be able to run my refrigerator for a good 42 or 44 hours when the blackouts are unleashed!

[@OffGridBasement]

Nice! Gotta love those Chins batteries!

[@budmartin3344]

My fridge is 1996 Whirlpool 25cu.ft. with same 6.5A full load current, mine consume about 2.4kWh/day with freezer setting to "A', and fridge side to '2'. You have to factor in the inverter efficiency, 85% is typical, so if the load on AC side of the inverter is 1000W, that means the battery has to supply 1000W/0.85 = 1176W of power, that is the number you will use to determine the battery run time, I.E. if you run 1000W AC load for 1 hour, that will be 1kWh, that mean you will consume 1.176kWh from battery, if the battery is rated at 1kWh, then you will be able to run the fridge for 1 hour. Great video and looking forward to your next video,

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the info! Inverter efficiency is something that always needs to be taken into account.

[@miguelsalami]

I noticed with the fridge compressor running it was drawing 360 watts on your meter & only 26 at idle. Those ALFFAA Inverters are built very well.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the comment.

[@googacct]

I have a similar setup. The power usage depends on the temperature. During the summer, I have generally found that my fridge and chest freezer uses around 100Wh every hour for each one. In the winter I have seen energy used drop down to around 60Wh.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the info and the comment!

[@hunterslaptop7024]

Exactly. 6.5 amps X 115 volts is 750 watts, but intermittently. So the room temp, how often you open the door and the condition of the door seal itself are widely variable. A better test would be to test a light bulb with the Kill A Watt tester, then run that eg. 100 watt bulb continuous until the battery is exhausted.

[@philipgrobler7253]

A year later and your test is still so helpful - So I have worked it out that my new-ish 220v fridge will easily run overnight on a 48v 4x 100 Ah battery solar combo, and the solar will charge them back up in time before they are discharged too far to sustain any damage. However, I might be mistaken, so please correct me if I am wrong.

[@OffGridBasement]

You're correct. That battery bank should sustain that power for over 35 hours easy.

[@philipgrobler7253]

@@OffGridBasement Thank you so much for your reply. I am still planning my system, is 5 x 600W solar panels plus one 650W solar panel in series an overkill for the 6.5 KW hybrid inverter? Maybe a redundant question because the solar panels are for the charging side of the 4 x 12v batteries in series to give a total of 48 volts?

[@douglaning1735]

Thank you for the test Jim. I'm going to go back in my blog to see if I have the info on my RV fridge.

[@OffGridBasement]

You're welcome. I'll help you out on getting the runtime if you need!

[@stanleybest8833]

A 12 volt compressor chest freezer is what your dad needs. They are now very affordable and common and will shut off before the battery runs too low.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the info and the comment.

[@johnmal5975]

A lot of this depends on how often people go in that fridge. During blackouts make sure no one is starring endlessly at the open fridge! My fridge goes to 700-800 watts when compressor kicks in thankfully its only for a very short time. It runs around 400 watts when defrosting and 104watts if its being opened up. If left alone it will stay at zero for very long periods. I have a Pecron EB2000 which stores 1980 watts lifepo4. It will run it for approximately 17 hours.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the information and the comment.

[@jakeliujakeliu]

Congratulations on 1k subscribers!

[@OffGridBasement]

Thank you so much 😀

[@retiredguyadventures6211]

Interesting video. I just bought my first LiFepo4 battery. It is a LiTime 12v 100ah battery, and I was going to buy a 12v refrigerator until I realized my 120v dorm fridge consumes about the same wattage as the 12v fridge at considerable less amps. I only need a descent inverter.

[@OffGridBasement]

Sounds like you have a good start. 1500w inverter is a good starting point for wattage. Thanks for the comment.

[@miguelaguilera4907]

How long to charge the battery to 100%

[@phillipcoetzer8186]

@@miguelaguilera4907 depends on how many amps the charger is so if you use life Po you get 80 amps on average as its recommended you charge to 80% to extend battery life which is 80 amps at 12Volts so average car battery charger is 4 amps that means it will take 80/4 =20hrs solar has 6 hrs effective charge time so 80/6 = 13.3 so 13 to 14 amp solar panel for daily charging. if the solar panel exceeds that then a charge regulator will be needed to prevent overcharging the battery. car/truck battery recommended drain is only 10% so not suitable at all.

[@LongTran-eg5mb]

Thank you very much for your practical test on lithium batteries which has helped me gain more confidence in calculating and choosing this type of battery to equip my van .

[@OffGridBasement]

You're welcome! Thanks for the comment.

[@winstonblom8729]

Thanks very much for this insightful video, with the energy crisis in South Africa this came in quite handy!

[@OffGridBasement]

Glad it was helpful to you and thanks for the comment!

[@darkshadowsx5949]

thanks, i was considering putting my fridge on its own solar system so its powered 24/7 even if the main power was cut off for a couple days. i would need several batteries but that's okay. its worth it knowing my food wont spoil in a long blackout.

[@OffGridBasement]

It might be better to get one 300ah battery. That should last well over 24 hours on a single charge. Thanks for the comment.

[@kojoamin3846]

I appreciate this test ,this gave me the idea what kind of power I need to run my Freezer and refrigerator.Thank you.

[@OffGridBasement]

You are welcome! Glad I could help. Thanks for the comment.

[@PeterSedesse]

If you are doing this for a real world problem, you can also increase the temperature setting of your frig a few degrees which saves a lot of power use.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the info and the comment.

[@priestesslucy3299]

Yeah I'm pretty sure the wider the temperature differential the more rapidly heat moves through a membrane. Reducing that gap as much as is safe should definitely save some juice

[@sshutupurface8345]

Great video , you would need enough for it to run for 24 hrs , so it has time to fully charge on solar panels again over a 6hr sun period so 12v 200ah would be ideal I would think for same fridge in an RV for continuos use, not just overnight, also lifepo4 requires you don't use the last 20% for longetivity of cycles

[@OffGridBasement]

Very true. 200ah would be best for this fridge. Fridges made for RV's are usually a lot more efficient. Thanks for the info and the comment!

[@user-hh6ex9md4w]

User's Comment: "This is a great video! I love the concept of having a backup power source, especially when camping outdoors. It's important to have reliable and durable equipment. Can you recommend a specific brand or model of portable power station? Thanks!"Response: Absolutely! If you're looking for a reliable and versatile portable power station, I highly recommend the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. With its massive capacity, waterproof technology, and super fast recharging, it's perfect for outdoor camping and ensuring uninterrupted power supply. Check it out, it's definitely worth considering for your outdoor adventures!

[@chrissewell1608]

Good info to know! Especially the fact it really worked! Even for several hours. So... This tells me I need a Bank of 100 Amp batteries, and a field of solar panels (putting out 100 amps an hour)

[@OffGridBasement]

I think getting a fridge that's more efficient would really help as well! Thanks for the comment.

[@vaq137]

100 amps n hour?!

[@jimh4167]

6.5 amps at 120 volt is one of the energy stars

[@debralittle6354]

Thank you I plan to use a industrial sewing machine outside using one of those lithium battery's the sewing motor has 90wts now becuase of you I no i can really don't I love you thanks

[@OffGridBasement]

You're very welcome! Thanks for the comment.

[@johnperry5960]

Great video. It just popped up in my feed, and I am definitely subscribed.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thank you so much for the sub and the comment!

[@markjackson6829]

I have 2 fridges, one 2015 18cu ft uses 6.0 amp and a 2019 26cu ft larger side by side uses 3.3 amp, both use 134a refrigerant. I need to run test each on a meter, as "run times" can really make a difference as to actual usage. If after that and I do verify that their is new tech that is making the new one much more efficient I'll change out the older one. When I can find one on black Friday special or such. I did not include the defrost numbers. Both are Frigidair, by Electrolux.

[@OffGridBasement]

You're right. You can't just go by the numbers. One fridge might have a tighter seal or better insulation. That would make a huge difference! Thanks for the comment.

[@JMSobie]

The quick and dirty way to a more efficient fridge is find a chest freezer and use an Inkbird temp controller (big with the homebrew community) to run at fridge temps. A great deal of waste comes from having a vertical door fridge that dumps all its cold air the instant it's opened. Also better insulated. Pro level is get a SunStar refrigerator from Living Energy Lights. Amish made, 12v SECOP compressor, 4.5" of insulation, runs directly off a 200w panel with NO battery and NO inverter. It's insulated enough to hold temp overnight. Now true they're $1200 for only 8 cu ft, but you're not buying a 100ah battery or inverter either. These fridges are being used to great effect in Puerto Rico where the grid is hot garbage and people regularly have to throw out food due to spoilage. 200w panel, SunStar, MC4 cable, done.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know something like that existed. Expensive but worth it.

[@JMSobie]

@@OffGridBasement It is but they do lots of interesting low budget off grid stuff too. Pity they don't uodate more often. Thanks!

[@phillipcoetzer8186]

the sticker in fridge says 6.5A and 115V so 6.5 x 115 = 747.5W if refrigerator is cold it will run at 1 hr for every 4 hrs on average =186w so 200w over a daily consumption is a good reference to go by ... if you open the fridge often that can go up and if you don't it can go down also season or room temperatures will affect refrigerator run time so will turning on first time in a while so it has to run till it's cold for the thermostat to disconnect it as apposed to it has been running already and is cold ... so for an RV best to run it on mains overnight turning thermostat to max before you leave and to min at destination running on battery.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the information and the comment.

[@SetchiPaunda]

Wow, you could hook up a couple 100 watt solar panels on a small charge controller and keep that fridge good for days.

[@OffGridBasement]

You sure could. If you live somewhere with good sunshine, it could be a permanent solution. Thanks for the comment.

[@ShipsoftheOceans]

@@OffGridBasement It would be even better to have a hybrid controller to include a wind turbine.

[@kamalelidrissi2629]

This refregerator is a r134a compressor use mor energie if you got a r600a comresso you got 50% more run time the r600a compressor known as efficent energie consumption

[@CherokezPittman]

User Comment: Wow, this backup power station looks amazing! It seems like it has a lot of great features and a high capacity. I definitely think this could be a game-changer fordoor enthusiasts like me. Thanks for sharing this video!Reply: I completely agree! Having a reliable backup power station like the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series is a must for outdoor enthusiasts. With its massive capacity, waterproof design, and fast recharging capabilities, it's perfect for powering your devices and appliances during camping trips. Thanks for bringing attention to this fantastic product!

[@svenniefpv]

It’s like your fridge Never turned off. My 80 watt fridge runs max 10h at 24h. To stay around 4C°. Thats 800w a day

[@OffGridBasement]

This fridge is almost 20 years old and I did find it on the side of the road so I'm guessing it's probably not the most efficient! Thanks for the comment!

[@Tore_Lund]

If someone seriously considers running their fridge on battery power, then hacking the fridge for lower consumption is the way to go: Thick insulation on all sides (door looks like a vault door) and the condenser in the back exposed to outside air. Earth ship types of guys have done this and use 1/5 to 1/10 the energy depending on season.

[@OffGridBasement]

Very good idea. If you could make your fridge run for a week from a battery from hacking, it would be well worth the time and effort. Thanks for the comment!

[@Roll2Videos]

Great test! Good idea 👍

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks!

[@barkingspider2007]

I'd be curious to see what would happen if you disabled the defroster.

[@OffGridBasement]

I honestly don't know if it works. It freezes up all the time!

[@atpro4115]

Should get more run time if the frig. was in a cooler area. Wouldn't have to work as hard/often.

[@OffGridBasement]

That is true. The garage was probably about 85⁰F. Thanks for the comment!

[@barakhalla5338]

All of you Lifepo4 fans: Do yourself a favor and cutoff load at 12V it would make your cells much happier and it only "costs" you 10% of total capacity..

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks. I know that using the Lifepo4 batteries between 10% and 90% is optimal, but these are tests for what the full capacity of a 100ah lifepo4 battery can do. Again, thanks for the information.

[@Luke-san]

With all the energy stuff here in the EU I am measuring my 22 year old Liebherr refrigurator at the moment. It's less tall , 1m 40cm (4 feet 7⅛ inches Google says). I average at 1.3KWh a day. A bit weird KWh(our) since we measure over 24 hours time. On home assistant I can also see what happens on a graph. It's at 115 Watt for sometimes 30 minutes or sometimes less and then it starts drawing around 80 Watt for like 2 hours and a bit. Then after that it draws like 0 Watt for 2 hours. If I check some of the new ones, bigger like 6 feet tall, they seem to draw far less. I have seen figures like 0.7KWh a day. So your father might also better invest in a new one. Also you have some draw and loss of that inverter.

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes, the inverter loss is very real. I tried to use an inverter just big enough to handle to initial draw. a 3000w inverter would be overkill for just a fridge. Your fridge doesn't seem too bad for how old it is! Thanks for the comment!

[@EclecticBuddha]

Try doing basic stuff like cleaning dust off of the condenser coil, make sure it gets good airflow, and check the door seal. Those two factors tend to kill the efficiency of most older fridges. Spending a bit for a thermal camera could find energy hogs too. It'll find drafts in your house, leaks around refrigerators or freezer doors, even electronics that consume a lot of standby power. It's interesting when you see a computer or gaming system that is "off" but still drawing power and putting off heat. Similarly, you can go eat a Kill A Watt, which you can plug appliances into to see how much power they use.

[@brianwilburn]

In a pinch you can really get by with running your freezer an hour a day

[@OffGridBasement]

Maybe a chest freezer, but not this old thing! I really need to get new gaskets for the doors. Thanks for the comment.

[@dwmcever]

My 4 Marine Lead acid Batteries will run my entire 120v electrical system in my house for two cloudy days as my solar panels will produce 150-200 watts per hour on rainy-overcast days. ; Frig, microwave, coffee maker, toaster oven, fans computers, internet routers, lights, tv's , hair dryer, etc. House has a background draw of 75-100watts at night , Frig 75 watts when running 35 watts per hour average when not opened, 200 watt/hrs for the frost free cycle. Batteries are 12v/120 amp hour, or 1440 watt/hours each, cost about $100 each. This is assuming we don't turn everything on at once like we do when we are on the grid. Propane/12v/120v RV Refrigerators are a huge power draw.

[@wherami]

Great test

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks!

[@muhammadaksan5501]

Just amazing Thanks for this informative video Greetings from Pakistan 🇵🇰

[@OffGridBasement]

You're welcome! Thanks for the comment.

[@c0d4041292]

What was the temperature around the fridge? Just wondering how hot it was as that would affect the runtime of the fridge.

[@OffGridBasement]

My guess would be around 85⁰ - 90⁰F. It was 75⁰ outside and the garage was closed all day. Thanks for the comment!

[@DavisMwanamakondo]

Wooooooh this is nice am going to buy one tomorrow

[@OffGridBasement]

That's great! Thanks for the comment.

[@eddieabellana567]

Very helpful thanks for sharing

[@OffGridBasement]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the comment.

[@Rj-nh1df]

Sweet informative.. nice work 👍👍

[@OffGridBasement]

You're welcome. Thanks for the comment!

[@jaspersnow4928]

Try chopping the battery if you need to 2 and then try to 50 amp batteries it will fix more of a voltage regulator

[@OffGridBasement]

I don't feel there is a problem with the voltage.

[@3D_Printing]

Useful information, remember that a Refrigerator will switch on and off

[@OffGridBasement]

If it didn't switch off and on, it probably only run for about 3 hours. Thanks for the comment.

[@3D_Printing]

​@@OffGridBasement THANK YOU 2000%. I Liked and added to my Energy Reduction Playlist. This is a GREAT video

[@contmuzica1615]

115v x 6.5 amps at full load. See on the label.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the comment and info.

[@stevefuchs5868]

6.5 amp to start motor only than its likely about 1.5 1.6 amp to run minus it turns off some

[@OffGridBasement]

That is true. Also, the gaskets aren't the best. I could make it more efficient if I replaced them. Thanks for the comment.

[@EclecticBuddha]

I wonder if you just cleaned off the condenser coil how much better it would do.

[@OffGridBasement]

I clean the coil every spring so it should be fine. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@artgarcia3531]

Thanks great job

[@OffGridBasement]

Thank you and thanks for the comment.

[@SolarResurrection]

Keep on keeping on.. I think some 150 Billion energy bailout is coming in UK so goverment will help us survive... i do not really understand it all but apparently especially Business people have quoted been insane prices..Example Pub owner said if I increased my PINTS in line with electric increases I will have to charge 20 pounds a pint...25 dollars a pint exactly insane.

[@OffGridBasement]

That is bonkers! I hope things start going a different direction soon. Thanks for the comment!

[@SolarResurrection]

@@OffGridBasement Yeah, we do not get much gas from russia but Putin turned off all the Gas to germany and france belgium. Gas is used to make electric. Putin next he will be saying he wants to reach Green Net zero Targets ASAP.

[@SolarResurrection]

@@OffGridBasement Crunch point is all oiland gas companies will not sell direct to UK they put in at wholesale international price..Think its like only highest bidder gets Gas or something.

[@OffGridBasement]

@@SolarResurrection That sucks. He's using energy as a weapon.

[@OffGridBasement]

@@SolarResurrection this war is really messing things up for everyone, especially Ukraine.

[@petuniaromania6294]

Helpful video demonstration. I have 2, 12.8v batteries and a 3,000w power inverter; can I attach both batteries to my inverter?

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes, absolutely! If the inverter is rated for 12v then you would want to connect them in parallel. That means connect the positives together and the negatives together. Then connect the positive of one battery to the inverter and the negative of the other battery to the inverter.

[@jimh4167]

Depending on the size of your dad's motorhome. If he has lead acid house batteries. Up grade to lithium.. In my pusher I've got 4 golf cart 6 volt batteries..for house power.. I will upgrade them to 4 12 volt 100 amp lithium

[@OffGridBasement]

They are lead acid and I think they are going bad. I believe he has a 6 100ah SLA battery bank.

[@VictorKBush]

Whirlpool double door fridge is 300w

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the info and the comment. Do you know the model number?

[@shelley131]

Love your videos, have been watching all of them. Would you happen to know if a 1500W inverter would be enough to run a 26 cu.ft refrigerator? Would like to match inverter to battery as much as possible.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks! I believe a 1500w inverter would work, but personally I would go with a 2000w to give it some breathing room. You can go with a 100ah lifepo4 battery, but then you can only power up to 1000w safely. Buy a 200ah with a 200A BMS in order to get the full power from the inverter if needed. Hope this helps!

[@briansmythe3000]

Cool the electronic Shop gave me a 100 amp hour battery some one returned It works fine it over heated for some reason All I need now is a solar panel and a Inverter Exactly for running my fridge in a black out I wonder with a solar panel or 2 it would go 24/7 I don't know much about solar What do you think ?

[@OffGridBasement]

With a 100w panel on a perfect sunny day you will usually get 500wh. A 100ah battery equals 1280wh. Realistically you would need at least 400 - 600w of solar panels to pull this off. Thanks for the comment!

[@sonnic2071]

Good job on the video. I was wondering how did you attached the converter to your battery?

[@OffGridBasement]

I have a video on how I put that together. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKS4fp-bf9yehZI Hope this helps!

[@wherami]

This is exactly what i have too. Lol ill probably not waste my battery on that when grid is down

[@OffGridBasement]

True! There are much more important things than a beer fridge!

[@Alpha-ms9nj]

Looked like the fridge tag said 6.5 amps? Just like my old heap of a fridge. At 110V that's 715 Watts. Thanks for sharing this info as I also have the same battery, but only a 1000W - 2000W surge capacity inverter which may be a little too small for the surge load if I times the 715x3 = 2145 surge watts?

[@OffGridBasement]

I never caught a surge that large, but my 1500w didn't have an issue. You would probably be cutting it very close to max! Thanks for the comment.

[@cleversolarpower]

Hey Jim, great video. 6.5A*115=750Watts 13V*100Ah=1300Wh. 1300Wh/750W=1.73 hours. 672min (total runtime)/102min (calculated runtime)=6.58. 60min/6.5=9.2min of compressor runtime per hour. This seems about right?

[@OffGridBasement]

That looks right to me! I know every fridge is going to be slightly different b/c of power and when freezer thawing and ambient room temp. Thanks for the info!

[@mikejones-vd3fg]

I calculated 45 mins at 1500w, based off one youtubers capacity test on a 200ah battery, it took him 16 hours to drain it with a 150w load. So it can run a 150w appliance ror 16 hours straight, or a 100ah battery could do that in 8 hours, not that much but rarely are you running at full load as this test shown. My 65w laptop, 70w monitor and 60w subwoofer shouldnt be able to run a 80w panel but it did on a sunny day the other day without draining my battery, the monitor was in power saving mode so probably was only using 20, the laptop in power savings mode as well and was still able to charge trickle charge my phone, although this seemed to be the limit, all while watching youtube videos. But In reality with a power sensitive system like solar you'd probably be wise using more power efficient appliances and could do more with a lot less.

[@budmartin3344]

You have to factor in the inverter efficiency, 85% is typical, so if the load on AC side of the inverter is 1000W, that means the battery has to supply 1000W/0.85 = 1176W of power, that is the number you will use to determine the battery run time, I.E. if you run 1000W AC load for 1 hour, that will be 1kWh, that mean you will consume 1.176kWh from battery, if the battery is rated at 1kWh, then you will be able to run the fridge for 1 hour.

[@cleversolarpower]

@@budmartin3344 Yes, good thoughts. But I think this inverter will just take 1000watts in and put 850watts out. The components are made to transform 1000Watts of energy, not 1176watts. Then we have also the issue of VA or Watts output. The fridge is not a resistive load but inductive.

[@budmartin3344]

@@cleversolarpower We are talking about input power and output power, to get 1000W of power output on the AC outlet of the inverter, the power input will be about 1176W of power that the battery has to supply, this is due to 85% inverter efficiency. It is easy enough to use KIll-a-Watt meter to look at the Wattage the fridge is using, VA will be higher due to power factor.

[@rohawaha]

Great Test , I would like to know the Cubic Feet capacity of your refrigerator , there is usually a separate sticker for this spec . It may be on the door or on the back. It would be helpful in buying the correct batteries .

[@OffGridBasement]

Sorry it took so long to get back! The fridge is a total of 20.9 cu ft. Fridge is 14.49. freezer is 6.38. Hope this helps!

[@rohawaha]

@@OffGridBasement Thank you for your reply .

[@mannyfragoza9652]

The most important part of the test i think you missed, and that is when the compressor kicks on esp with an old refrig. what was the draw? Evidently the Inverter did not trip off but id be curious what the Wattage/amp was when the compressor kicked on..

[@OffGridBasement]

I didn't actually find the initial draw from the compressor when it kicks on, but knowing the fridge uses 750w when running I figured I should use an inverter that can handle 3x that. A 1500w inverter that can handle a max of 3kw initial draw is rightly suited for this test IMO. Thanks for the comment!

[@mannyfragoza9652]

@@OffGridBasement esp with the old Rfrig. i bet is coming very close to that 3kw.But its good to know i have a 160 Amp system and with a 3000 watt inverter but it doesnt do startup compressors well. It cant even power up my 6000btu A/C When my Harbor Freight 2000Watt inverter does doughnuts around it.

[@JFabric500]

Assuming you cleaned the bottom coil of the fridge to improve heat exchange?

[@OffGridBasement]

I do it every spring.

[@sshutupurface8345]

Ideal for a small rv fridge

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes. I did another video of running a small fridge. You should check it out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eovclJaNjaaShLc

[@chuck4abuck1]

So would I be right by saying that 747.5 watts ? 6.5 amps ×115 volts =

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes. That's correct. Thanks for the comment and question.

[@lordstevewilson1331]

If you had a more efficient fridge/freezer it would be a lot longer.

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes. I bet there are some refrigerators out there at will run multiple nights before a battery recharge. Thanks for the comment!

[@garyhodenius4209]

Hi, thanks for creating this video, I have been experimenting with this is exact refrigerator running off of a life Po 4 battery with a bestek inverter. I lasted about 5 hours before the 50-ah battery was depleted. I was wondering if you would be able to tell me what meter you are using to tract battery consumption and monitor voltages?

[@OffGridBasement]

It's a very simple battery monitor. Here is an Amazon link: amzn.to/3X3UjF2 Thanks for the comment.

[@tembe2638]

My fridge is 13 years old so if i hook that battery to a 300 watt panel I'd be good since i like southern Africa and i get a lot of sun

[@OffGridBasement]

Judging by this test I would say you have a great chance of being able to run the fridge without a problem.

[@william38022]

Now will that hurt these lithium batteries running them down like that? I’ve looked at the kind you have there and also the power queen I’ve heard lots of folks say you can pretty much use almost all the power from these lithium batteries not all of it but very close is this correct? I know with flooded lead acid we can only go down to 50% or so safely I’m really looking at these new lithium batteries it’s just so cool that you can take that little tiny battery and run that refrigerator so long like that👍 what you couldn’t do with three or 400 Amp hours of power wow👍 i’m thinking somewhere between 700 W /900 W of solar panels and maybe 300 or 400 amp hours of these batteries and you could probably run your refrigerator for a good long time.

[@OffGridBasement]

With a setup like that you might be able to run indefinitely depending on your climate. You're right about the Lifepo4 batteries. You can run between 10% and 90% for over 3000 cycles without any problems. Thanks for the comment.

[@Mikey196601]

I’m new to solar, If I had 2 batteries like the one you have will this double the hours of use

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes it would.

[@denbeech6647]

Really great videos, thanks for sharing. Do you have a short video on connecting that battery monitor please? I may have overlooked it as still catching up all your videos. TIA

[@OffGridBasement]

No I don't, but I'll plan to put something together. Thanks!

[@priusdwelling504]

Engle freezer runs @ .85 Amps not 6.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the info and the comment.

[@Sunnyjr576]

On a 65 watt laptop could u tell me how long it will last for? 🙏

[@OffGridBasement]

The battery is 1280wh. 1280wh \ 65w is 19.7 hours. Take away 10% for the inverter losses and you get around 17.7 hours of runtime. Hope this helps!

[@jacobhn2]

I am thinking of getting more out of the battery by installing a relay that turns off your inverter and when the refrigerator wants power it activates it again

[@OffGridBasement]

If you have an inverter that has a lot of standby consumption, that would be a good idea. Thanks for the comment!

[@miguelaguilera4907]

How long to charge the battery from 0 to 100%.

[@OffGridBasement]

Depends on the charger. 20A chargers will take around 5 hours. 50A charger takes 2 hours.

[@jaspersnow4928]

I know why the idiom ion phosphate battery did you know that it already fixed some double capacity that a battery has only some

[@OffGridBasement]

You could definitely connect another battery in parallel to get double the capacity.

[@CoquiAudio]

Example if you have two of those batteries in parallel and connected with at least 4 100W solar in series with a nice MPPT controller will that last even longer? sorry, I'm new here 😊

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes! Putting two batteries in parallel would double the run time. Adding a solar charge controller and 400w of solar would probably doulbe that run time again! On a nice sunny day, 400w of solar panels could get you another 1600 - 2000w! If you live in an area where it is mostly sunny all the time, this could run indefinitely.

[@sksman71]

That’s amazing

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the comment!

[@captmulch1]

How do you keep that mower so clean?

[@OffGridBasement]

I wish I could tell you because I sure don't clean it! 🤣

[@edithcintron4043]

Will like to know how you call that amp hour led thing on top the bacteria

[@OffGridBasement]

It's called a shunt. Look up "battery shunt monitor" to find one. Thanks for the comment.

[@luxuriousvisuals3877]

Pls i jeed help in understanding Solar Batteries and inverters i have a lead acid battery of 100Ah once it hits 11V the inverter shuts off automatically so my question ❓ is if i buy a lifepo4 or lithium battery will the 12v inverter still shut down once the battery is at 11v or will the battery 🔋 keep powing my inverter even when it's below 12v which is the recommended voltage for 12v inverter to work ? Or will it keep powing my inverter till the battery completely dies off like low to zero just like how mobile phone batteries operate ?

[@OffGridBasement]

11v is pretty high for an inverter to start complaining. You will get a lot more capacity from a lifepo4 battery. It will stay above 11v for over 90% of capacity of battery.

[@luxuriousvisuals3877]

@@OffGridBasement wow amazing thanks so much

[@davefroman4700]

As long as the fridge is not being opened? It will not need to run that often. Overnight is a non issue.

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the comment.

[@slidewaze]

Great video. Enjoying the dual camera views as you move about. :^)

[@OffGridBasement]

Glad you enjoy it! I don't use that camera much anymore, but I should!

[@ruicastro8230]

Great attention to detail 2 dumbs up…Question: if I only open the freezer once a day is it possible to leave it plugged off throughout the evening and early morning ( 9 pm - 9 am) I hear it remains frozen for up to 24 hours once plugged off ?

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes. Just test first so you don't thaw and refreeze. That can lead to food poisoning.

[@stnln2180]

What slow changer would you recommend? I was thinking to keep it plugged in for an electric outage....

[@OffGridBasement]

You would want to get a battery maintainer. NOCO makes really good maintainers. If you're not trying to quickly charge the battery then 1amp or 2 amp would be fine. If you want to charge it quickly then you're looking at a 10 or 20amp charger. Hope this helps!

[@stnln2180]

@@OffGridBasement Thanks

[@garretthoefer3989]

Do you have a video regarding that battery carrier deal you have / made ? That looks like something I would really want to have also if I were to buy a lifepo4 battery for supplemental power.

[@OffGridBasement]

Here is a link to the video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKS4fp-bf9yehZI Thanks for the comment.

[@charlesmirandajr2396]

My ref is 220v is 100ah will last 11hrs too or not sir

[@OffGridBasement]

Yes because it will use half of the amps. It should be the same wattage overall.

[@rickm5853]

Great great vid. Newbee here. Do you know long would it take to recharge that same battery in full sun with the average 100 watt solar panel?

[@OffGridBasement]

This answer can vary, but the battery is 1280wh. A 100w solar panel can realistically get about 400-500wh per day. My guess would be it would take 3 full days of great sun to fill it back up.

[@rickm5853]

@@OffGridBasement Thanks a bunch

[@user333r]

can it run an ac or inverter 1 ton 12,000 btu

[@OffGridBasement]

I think it could do it, but it wouldn't last very long. Probably about an hour or so.

[@jamesemboltorio582]

If you have 200ah of this baterry it can run 24/7 with solar panels.

[@OffGridBasement]

If you have enough solar then you could definitely run this fridge 24 / 7. I'm thinking about doing a test that will try to find that out. Thanks for the comment!

[@adamallworth8915]

The answer is 11 hours. Should put that in description.

[@OffGridBasement]

Then there would be no reason to watch the video! 😁

[@adamallworth8915]

@@OffGridBasement good video but I get bored with details. I just wish people would get to the point.

[@fightswithspirits915]

My 100AH runs out overnight when hardly a load on it. When I load it up on a DJ system during the day (Panels turned off) it seems there little difference in life. I read somewhere that inverter can drain, but not convinced that's the issue since the DJ system uses the same inverter\. Can BMS' get into some power balancing mode that run the batteries down when the system is light duty?

[@OffGridBasement]

That's a bummer. Usually the BMS will only balance when charging. Is the overall battery capacity diminished? Do you have a way of testing that? What is the load? 50w? 100w?

[@fightswithspirits915]

@@OffGridBasement I do have a AC monitor to install. Want to see from that perspective. I do not have a battery monitor,. yet. and renogy inverter very limited. on/off switch lol

[@garyjohn316]

What kind of fuse is that??

[@OffGridBasement]

It has a 150A in line fuse. Here is an Amazon link. amzn.to/3Pxkttm

[@Camperman1951]

I realize this video is almost a year old, but I was wondering if your dad's RV has an absorption refrigerator like most rvs have. I have one in my motorhome and I am wondering if it would last as long as yours did. I also have a REDODO 100 AH and a 1200 watt inverter.

[@OffGridBasement]

I honestly don't know and the kicker is it broke down in AZ so I can't go check! I wish I could help.

[@randybird9979]

can you try a lead acid battery

[@OffGridBasement]

I don't have any SLA batteries for testing. I want this channel to be dedicated to lifepo4 chemistry and beyond. Sorry I can't help.

[@randybird9979]

@@OffGridBasement T D and D recomend

[@petrusbouillon]

Replace the compressor with 12v compressor .it will run longer on a 100ah 🔋.it can run for 48 h

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the info and the comment.

[@philc.9280]

Hi, new viewer here. Your voltage meter is exactly what I need for my project and don't want to spend so much on a Victron. What model is it please ???

[@OffGridBasement]

Hi! Here is the info and an Amazon link to the item. I hope this helps. Thanks for the comment! DC Multifunction Battery Monitor Meter,0-200V,0-300A (Widely Applied to 12V/24V/48V RV/Car Battery) LCD Display Digital Current Voltage Solar Power Meter Multimeter Ammeter Voltmeter amzn.to/3REGVCs

[@lyleb1946]

I know it is an older video but I just ran across it today. I see you are also doing some stuff with 24v. I was curious if you did run or could run the same test with 24v 100Ah battery? It would be interesting to see and compare the results. I am researching to build a solar system and leaning more to 24v over 12v.

[@OffGridBasement]

I believe that would be a good test, but I think it would be the same results as if you were to do a 12v 200Ah battery test. You might be able to squeak out a tiny bit more time due to the fact that 24v is more efficient, but I personally don't think it would be anything worth making a decision over. Thanks for the comment!

[@ShipsoftheOceans]

Thats something I want to do aswell, I would go for a 24v and set in parallel to get more Ah on battery, or try find some 24v 200ah more the better. The power cables dont have to be as thick on a 24v system.

[@jongalindo6091]

Disconnect the defrost ckt

[@OffGridBasement]

Thanks for the advice and the comment.