12V Fridge Or 3 Way Fridge For Off Grid Use
When choosing the appropriate refrigerator for your off-grid solar installation the most important consideration is energy efficiency. While there are several different options available, the best choice for many will be a dedicated 12v fridge.
If your sole power source at your location is going to 12V DC from a solar or wind turbine installation, then the benefits of purchasing a refrigerator built for use with 12V – rather than a more traditionally flexible 3 way camping fridge – are very clear.
Good quality 12v fridges from firms such as Engel or ARB can use as little as 1 amp – or in some models even less – per hour while operating. A solar power supply is limited by either its generating capacity or its battery storage size. Having a refrigerator – normally a major power user – that is so efficient can greatly decrease the need for extra solar panels and batteries, which are not cheap.
Some people will argue for the use of a 3 way camping fridge over a 12v fridge for use in an off-grid cabin or home. These units do have some arguments in favor of them. If you have access to a cheap and always available of propane, you can almost completely remove your refrigeration from the 12V system altogether. While a fridge may need a trickle of current while burning propane, it is not a significant amount.
However, many of us who are interested in solar power are also interested in going completely off-grid. A good 12V fridge – while costlier than a 3 way refrigerator – gets you one stop closer.
With 3 way fridges you will always have that propane bill, and you will always be ‘dependent’ on others to provide that LPG. Not many of us have a gas well in our yard! While a 3 way fridge can be switched to run from a 12V source, if you do this for very long you will quickly find that it drains your systems batteries at an alarming rate.
While it is not an iron-cast rule, for those seeking true independence from the grid thru solar or wind power a good 12V fridge is usually preferable to a 3 way refrigerator.