just the info I was looking for! scratching my head over DC type EXPENSIVE RV fridges, etc. -- I've often wondered about the use of a chest type freezer AS a fridge -- but for residential purposes rather than RV'ing though now that I have an RV (trailer) I'm definitely now leaning in the direction of this off-the-shelf freezer->fridge option. my motto has always been -- "whatever works -- use it!" this solution of yours works. I think I'll use it!
I totally agree with Jim. I've been watching several of these freezer to frig conversion videos and this was the most direct and useful one I've found. Thanks so much for taking the time to share it!
I like the fact this method does not require any re-wiring... like those who wire in a digital controller. FYI, Midea makes these freezers under many other labels... arctic king, koolatron, to name but two... I just picked up the 3.5 model for $200 can. at wally world, and the 5.0 model, scratch and dent, for $115 can.. There is also a solar store in Mississauga, Ont., selling 24v poly panels for under $0.70 / watt...solarshoppingmall... Picked up a pair of 295w for $390. Thanks for the vid!
I'd like to share my results on a similar project. So there are a number of variables here that I'm aware of so technical guy out there just sit back and relax. I bought a brand new Magic Chef 3.5 C. Ft. chest freezer (June 2019). I bought a digital temperature controller and set the fridge/freezer compressor to turn on at 40F and turn off at 37F. Once off, I recorded the temp continuing to drop as low as 30F before it would start the slow temperature climb back up. I found it interesting that the temperature dropped another 7 degrees after turning off. Also note that I had the unit completely empty, unit already at the desired temp and it was placed inside my house at a constant 78F when I started this test. After 48 hours, here were the results of my freezer to fridge conversion: My kill-a-watt recorded that it only consumed .238 KWH (which if I calculated correctly, is only 5 watts an hour on average). Of the 48 hours, it ran 7 hours and 40 minutes. I noted that when the compressor turned on, there was a momentary spike of 700-800W but leveled off very quickly to around 60W. I forgot to log the time it would run before turning off but I would guess under 2 minutes. Also, the temperature controller was measured at idle fluctuating between 1.2 and .2 watts but I noticed it typically sat at .7 watts most of the time. Understand that if you wanted to run this setup, you would also have to account for the draw/consumption of an inverter. Although I own one, I was not able to test the usage on the inverter as I don't have a tool (yet) to measure the DC 12 volt side. Regardless of the exact accuracy on my basic test, it's pretty clear that it is extremely efficient. I'm convinced now that it's the way to go for off-grid refrigeration for at least short term. I've heard there is an issue with water collection in chest freezers once they are converted so in a long term situation, that would have to be addressed. If you are attempting to get even more efficient you can shell out a lot more money on a 12volt refrigerator or freezer but for just my camping needs, that would be too expensive. I spent $110 on the chest freezer, $40 on the digital temp control and $225 on the inverter. You could easily spend less on an inverter but I had other items I wanted to run off my system so I got one that was rated for much more than what the chest freezer required. I hope this helps someone out there curious to semi real world numbers on this kind of set up. I'm surprised there isn't more data/info on this subject on youtube. The lack of it is what caused me to go do this on my own so I could see for myself. I forgot to add that I never opened the door either (except maybe once) which could also help account for my extremely low consumption. In a real world situation, this would be getting opened much more frequently. Regardless, this is still a very efficient option. And thank you for sharing your informative video.
Thank you! Very interesting. All these data built on personal experience is so hard to find. The inverter you are using, was it the pure sine wave type?
@@erikbjork3715 Remember, I mentioned that during my test I didn't do this using an inverter because I didn't have a way to measure a 12volt current draw. I had the chest freezer plugged into the temperature controller and the temp control into the kill-a-watt meter and then the meter into a 120v outlet in my house. However, I do own a 2000w pure sine wave inverter and I was able to use my set-up a few weeks ago. I had 2 100 watt renogy solar panels connected to two 100amp hour deep cycle lead acid batteries in which I connected the inverter, Temp control and chest freezer to. The first day worked great as there was sun all day even though I was in a pretty heavily forested area. The next 6 days it was mostly cloudy and I had to keep moving the panels to get any chance at direct sun. I was limited by the amount of tree shade and the clouds unfortunately. Consequently, I had to run my generator each afternoon for about an hour to just top off the batteries and make sure the chest freezer worked throughout the night. I think had I not been in such a wooded area, I would not have had to run the generator at all, even with it being cloudy. So there really is no conclusion, this will be an on going and ever learning excersise. There are always so many variables to every situation and within that same situation the variables can change again. I already have plans for next time to tweak the system and hopefully get better results. Hope this helps👍
I use a 5 cubic foot freezer for a refrigerator. I use it off grid through my inverter. I don't use an external temperature control. I simply keep the entire bottom filled with one gallon or half gallon frozen jugs of ice. That allows me to run the freezer just about 4 hours a day keeping the food on top nice and cold. I simply manually monitor this a couple of times a day. No problems.
@@Lst2ltdwn If you don't shut down the freezer it will freeze everything in it. That's why you run it for just a few hours a day. You simply keep an eye on it a few times each day. Getting too warm on top? Run the freezer for an hour or two.
@@72timhall I really do not know how much information you need. Simply turn it on during the day and shut it off at night. It is absolutely that simple. A brain-dead old hillbilly undereducated fart could do it. The bottom half stays frozen; the top half stays refrigerated. Monitor and adjust the timing of on and off cycles as your environment requires. It is that simple. it is not difficult. It ain't freaking rocket science.
I've operated three 8cf freezers as refrigerators with these Johnson controllers in my BBQ food truck. Work well but there is a fairly significant temperature on/off variation because the inside air stagnates on the bottom. I haven't got around to it yet but a definite improvement would be to place a small ac muffin fan on the top of a PVC pipe or a eave through section to circulate the air top to bottom. This would be powered from the compressor plug and mounted in the corner of the fridge. It would keep the temp far more uniform and improve overall performance.
This is incredible, a conventional refrigerator costs $100-200 every year just from electricity costs and these can cut your energy costs down to about $20 per year.
Good review and a lot of great advice here about the way you park and all the details you mention to conserve energy, very frugal and efficient indeed. You made a lot of good points here, one of ur issues could be overcome by making or getting a nice fitting foam box/container sleeve to fit in the top half or so of ur fridge/freezer setup, cut some elongated slots in side for grasping handles to remove when u want to get a frozen product out from below deck, and use the top half as a fridge, u would need to turn down the thermo of course, but I have done this and it works pretty good. Another small tip is to wire the thermostat to a contactor to activate the inverter when the thermostat calls it up, this can use significantly less power through discarding the inverter idle drain between cycles. Cheers
Thank you for the great info & links. I am planning to build an off grid solar TH in NW AZ for the winter months. I knew going in that refrigeration was going to be my biggest problem/draw. I think you have saved me a lot of experimentation & expense.
I was off-grid in an RV/camper setup in southern Colorado for a couple of years. If it has to run the propane furnace a lot it will end up taking a lot of the electricity for the blower fan as well. Refrigeration isn't too bad by comparison. If you've super insulated something then it will help
Interesting hack using off the shelf parts. Cold air will leak between the leads and door seals. Drill a hole through the fridge wall and seal with expanding foam insulation. (Pick a spot free from the internal gas cooling piping). I've seen another tutorial on improving efficiency by adding insulation, spacing the radiator coils from the fridge and installing a heat shield between the compressor and fridge body.
I would recommend opening the freezer and disconnect the automatic defrost heating element! That will greatly save you power from your batteries, and you really do not need the defrost option , and it will make it even more efficient , and small 12v computer fan sucking heat from back of the freezer outside of your camper every time it turns on :) and then you have the best solar and cheapest RV fridge
Young man, thank you for the video, perfectly done. This is to let you know the link to the thermostat is no longer viable, therefore not giving you the affiliate reimbursement response that should be applicable in this case. I did not check all of the links above. I find Amazon does this to quite a many of you. The product is there, the affiliate is not, as I had to keep digging to find it. The freezer link worked. Blessings on your travels.
Great to see you back on your channel. I really enjoyed watching your older videos and getting ideas about where to boondock here in Arizona and the Southwest. Great tip on the freezer conversion and I also enjoy eyes your plastic weld video. I hope it holds up for you. Thanks again!
You may be tied with space, but get a 7cf one if you can. It is pretty hard to find stuff. I run a chest fridge off a micro and it only runs during the day on solar. It never lets the battery drop below 90% of full charge. The temp runs very close to 32F and there is lots of cold stored in liquids that is used to keep it thru the night. Some fridges are terrible at stratification of temperature. I run an internal computer fan to keep the air circulating. Otherwise the lower part will freeze where the coils are located. You will condense lots of moisture so make it easy to drain the bottom. I run with only a single car battery doing this.
Yeah,... A freezer is more important to me than a fridge so I'm leaving mine as a freezer & using frozen milk or juice jugs in a good cooler for my refrigerated items :)
Hi, I only just discovered your channel a short time ago. I must say that after I read and watched it all. I was hooked, LOL! I love your ideas and your work.. What you're doing to unselfishly help others is much like what I like to do myself. Your idea of using the freezer is great. I admit that I had thought about testing a unit the same way myself. You've saved me from testing it and shown me that it really work well. THANK YOU! I think I'll plan to use it in my cargo trailer conversion that I'm building out now. You deserved to be praised for your goals. Naturally I subscribed and clicked the bell to learn all I can from you. Keep up your good work! I'll be following you! Very respectfully. JOHN
Thanks John! The conversion works so well I thought it was about time to spread the word. And it's just so easy! No need to keep the camper perfectly level either, like with a typical RV fridge. Wish you the best on your trailer conversion, and your freezer to fridge conversion! - Will
Very nice. What happens when you have overcast for a few days. Won't your freezer run your batteries all the way down? Doing this five or six times would ruin my batteries I believe.
3:21 did the power strip just cut off? Anyway I did a similar project, some chest freezers have a fridge mode too. Still love the video, nice and clear explanation.
this seems simple enough. is this setup still working for you? i asuume you can just use 110 as well without solar but thats a nice feature. my fridge at home recently died so im thinking of this setup until i figure what to do about it. i already have a sm freezer that that that im going to keep as a freezer but looking for another to turn into a fridge. Does it affect the life of the freezer and can you go back to a freezer setup by just removing the controller. also do you keep the freezers orig thermo off position?
Extra efficiency can be found by wiring the external thermostat to turn the inverter on and off. Then just wire the inverter directly to the freezer. Does need some electronics knowledge though.
What about keeping it a freezer and making an exact fit foam tray that could slide up or down and turn the top Ford into refrigerator cuz most of the cold would be towards the bottom where the freezer is
Question about plugging it in - you plugged the fridge into the temp control and then into the power bar, but do you need to change it from DC to AC or how does that work?
Great video! I'm thinking of a van build out in the near future and had the same idea. Instead of spending upwards of $600 for a 12v freezer. Have you done any research as to the efficiency difference between the two? 12v/120v. Also, what do you think about setting it to freezing temp and then adding a small plastic igloo type cooler for your fridge items in the freezer. Do you think the igloo would still freeze the items inside or would it lean towards a warmer temp since igloo walls would insulate from the freezer temp? If that made sense?
Thanks John! I have not looked into 12v freezers, but imagine they would be even more efficient, and no power would be wasted by using an inverter. Placing a small igloo cooler inside the freezer may keep that food from freezing for a little while, but I think eventually the cold air would penetrate the cooler walls and freeze anything inside the cooler. Have fun with the van conversion project!
This model draws between 5-8 amps when the compressor kicks on, which will only be a couple seconds, then about 2 amps when the compressor is running. I get away with using an 800 watt inverter, however I would recommend a 1000 watt or higher.
Cool idea (no pun intended)! Thanks, for the video! But, you really shouldn't keep your bananas in the refrigerator. They will keep longer at room temperature!
@@RVBoondocking After Bandanas are ripe, I put them in Fridge for week or more after the outside skin absorbs and turns REALLY black, but the inside stays nice. Keep en in the fridge.
Can anyone tell me what size lithium battery will run a freezer to fridge conversion of 3.5 c ft. I now have 120 watt solar panels but will be adding more. Need around 300watt Ive been told.
Lithium batteries are like motorcycles. You always want more power. 100 amp hours should get you started. Some are down around $400 now. Its your inverter that might be the hangup. Mine is a Renogy 1000 watt pure sine unit and it has been very reliable. An inverter that's too small will trip out on overload and not start the fridge.
Maybe I missed it, but what size batteries did you use? And are they serial or parallel? Do you notice it needs a lot more juice to start up the compressor then drops back down to a lower rate or does it stay low all the time? Thanks for any help! About to try to build one of these with zero experience lol
Thank you! No, the battery bank actually powers everything on the RV, including lights, appliances, and my laptop. The freezer to fridge conversion draws the most power. During the day with the sun shining I can pretty much use as much power as I wish and the solar panels will provide it.
On second thought, after feeling the front of the freezer and noticing that it can get quite warm, this is probably not a good idea. The heat dissipates from the exterior, and covering it up with insulation might hurt the performance, and cause overheating.
The problem with fridges and freezer today is the coil is mounted to the metal outer shell so adding insulation means that it can't get rid of the heat one with a coil can be you can also redirect the coil heat to the outside adding heat inside your home in summer makes the AC have to get rid of it
Thank you for sharing!! What if the solar panels don’t receive enough sun as you do? I’m in Ca. and the fog rolls in often. How many hours of direct sunlight do you need to make this work??
A lot of these setups seem to run 40-80 watts with the inverter losses included. They don't run constantly though. Standby power when it's not running might be 5-20 watts depending on the models. I think I've seen around 600 watt hours for the day. It depends how hot the air around it is also. If it's hotter it takes more than when it's cold so good ventilation helps a lot. I have thought about building one with another 2-4 inches of foam board all around just to see what it's like. Then have a vent door into the freezer vent from outside with a thermostat controlled flap that vents heat inside or outside depending on weather and preference. Even with the setup as is in the video the 200 watts of solar is pretty solid if the panels face the sun as well as possible. I would say at this point. Lithium batteries bury lead acid already. A diy kinda person can watch a short video on RUclips assembling a battery out of 4 280ah lithium cells for less than $500. That makes approximately 3600watt hours. About three times a lead acid. But it's as good as 5 or 6 lead acid and will last 5 times longer as well.
Apparently some are saying that some modern freezers dissipate the heat through the outer shell... You would want one with a very important vent on the side to dump heat
Thank you, good question. I haven't measured it. A reviewer on Amazon mentioned between 5-8 amps when the compressor kicks on, which will only be a couple seconds, ~2 amps when the compressor is running. smile.amazon.com/midea-WHS-129C1-Single-Chest-Freezer/dp/B00MVVITWC
@@roynorw Cool project! Keep me updated. I think it would be feasible to do an all electric RV, if not now, in the near future. I sure would like to be totally self-sufficient and not have to rely on propane for heating and cooking, or fuel to run the truck.
I considered building full solar, but real estate is always an issue, and besides , the most efficient way to heat is in-floor hydronic heat. A 12v pump, some copper tubing and a small hwh is all that is required. Not sure, but a propane hwh may be more efficient?
Excellent video! I have purchased my freezer and temp controller but I have one question. What do I need to set my freezer temp controller on? It’s 0-7. I have it on 4 now. Thank you for any help!
I'm not sure the freezer control matters much as even at it's lowest(highest?) setting it should run till it is below 32F but your temp controller should shut off the power before that as your looking to keep it around 38-42F. to make sure its working properly you'll want to have a way to check the temp, either with a indoor/outdoor device like the one used in this video or something smaller that you just keep inside the freezer.
Thank you! I'm using this one here, but would recommend going with something a little larger, such as a 1,000 watt or higher. Cobra CPI 880 800 Watt 12 Volt DC to 120 Volt AC Power Inverter: amzn.to/2CxAn6n
We’re thinking of doing this but we’ve heard that appliances not made for vehicles may not hold up well to the vibrations and jolts on the road. How’s yours holding up?
You didn't cover condensation/water build up on the bottom... I heard that can be a problem. Is there any way to run/make a drain for the bottom of the fridge, or would you recommend against that? Thanks for the video!
Has anyone compared power usage with this vs a Dometic. I know there's variables (size) and I know some consider cost, but take cost out of it and just focus on power usage which is the winner?
I'm thinking that with the amount of sun in AZ you could power a rocketship on solar energy! Still, I envy you. Wish I could really do it or find someone who knew how and why. Awesome presentation. I marvel; truly. But tell me dude, why are you talking to a bunny but? I mean, come on! Free the bunnies!
1. Wait a minute! It's THAT simple? Other videos showed rewiring processes, and who knows what! Wow. 2. So its been almost 3 years. How's it going? Do you have any updates? 3. And how do I avoid burning out the compressor on my freezer to fridge conversion?
In my experience it will significantly reduce the life of the freezer if it cycles on/off as often as a refrigerator. To reduce cycling the temperature set point needs to have a wide band of several degrees.
Do you ever clean your home fridge? Its very easy to clean one of these. I have two Dometic fridge freezers and they still don't have mold, so quickly is pretty far off. If he is a full time off gridder, he can just preplan , have a spare cooler to put some food in, or be on his way back to get more food and leave it out in the sun for an hour. Jeez, its totally not hard at all.
no need for a refer if you have a freezer....just cycle frozen food / water / etc. into a cooler to defrost and cool ....then only one compressor to run....
@@fishhuntadventure my refer uses 4 A.@ 12v...50 watts , WHEN IT'S RUNNING...maybe 2-3 hrs. a day ,easily handled with solar or ? as a freezer it might run 2X that(?)...i also built a foam box to enclose it for better efficiency.. these little compressor types are so much more efficient than any alt. i've found , but it assumes you want COLD storage for a week or so...it changed my life for the better this is an old acct. i'm visiting ; funny how much things have changed in a year ! OH...just looked @ the vid , and it's true , a 110 thru an inverter would use more (?)....i am using a 12 v.danfoss type
just the info I was looking for! scratching my head over DC type EXPENSIVE RV fridges, etc. -- I've often wondered about the use of a chest type freezer AS a fridge -- but for residential purposes rather than RV'ing though now that I have an RV (trailer) I'm definitely now leaning in the direction of this off-the-shelf freezer->fridge option.
my motto has always been -- "whatever works -- use it!"
this solution of yours works. I think I'll use it!
The hisense hrcf146 is deep Feeezer that had it's own fridge function
I loved your video because your sentences were short. They were like bullet point and I learned a great deal. Thank you.
Straight to the point with great and useful information, Thank You!
I totally agree with Jim. I've been watching several of these freezer to frig conversion videos and this was the most direct and useful one I've found. Thanks so much for taking the time to share it!
I like the fact this method does not require any re-wiring... like those who wire in a digital controller.
FYI, Midea makes these freezers under many other labels... arctic king, koolatron, to name but two... I just picked up the 3.5 model for $200 can. at wally world, and the 5.0 model, scratch and dent, for $115 can..
There is also a solar store in Mississauga, Ont., selling 24v poly panels for under $0.70 / watt...solarshoppingmall... Picked up a pair of 295w for $390.
Thanks for the vid!
Thanks for the tips!
I'd like to share my results on a similar project. So there are a number of variables here that I'm aware of so technical guy out there just sit back and relax. I bought a brand new Magic Chef 3.5 C. Ft. chest freezer (June 2019). I bought a digital temperature controller and set the fridge/freezer compressor to turn on at 40F and turn off at 37F. Once off, I recorded the temp continuing to drop as low as 30F before it would start the slow temperature climb back up. I found it interesting that the temperature dropped another 7 degrees after turning off. Also note that I had the unit completely empty, unit already at the desired temp and it was placed inside my house at a constant 78F when I started this test. After 48 hours, here were the results of my freezer to fridge conversion: My kill-a-watt recorded that it only consumed .238 KWH (which if I calculated correctly, is only 5 watts an hour on average). Of the 48 hours, it ran 7 hours and 40 minutes. I noted that when the compressor turned on, there was a momentary spike of 700-800W but leveled off very quickly to around 60W. I forgot to log the time it would run before turning off but I would guess under 2 minutes. Also, the temperature controller was measured at idle fluctuating between 1.2 and .2 watts but I noticed it typically sat at .7 watts most of the time. Understand that if you wanted to run this setup, you would also have to account for the draw/consumption of an inverter. Although I own one, I was not able to test the usage on the inverter as I don't have a tool (yet) to measure the DC 12 volt side.
Regardless of the exact accuracy on my basic test, it's pretty clear that it is extremely efficient. I'm convinced now that it's the way to go for off-grid refrigeration for at least short term. I've heard there is an issue with water collection in chest freezers once they are converted so in a long term situation, that would have to be addressed.
If you are attempting to get even more efficient you can shell out a lot more money on a 12volt refrigerator or freezer but for just my camping needs, that would be too expensive. I spent $110 on the chest freezer, $40 on the digital temp control and $225 on the inverter. You could easily spend less on an inverter but I had other items I wanted to run off my system so I got one that was rated for much more than what the chest freezer required.
I hope this helps someone out there curious to semi real world numbers on this kind of set up. I'm surprised there isn't more data/info on this subject on youtube. The lack of it is what caused me to go do this on my own so I could see for myself.
I forgot to add that I never opened the door either (except maybe once) which could also help account for my extremely low consumption. In a real world situation, this would be getting opened much more frequently. Regardless, this is still a very efficient option. And thank you for sharing your informative video.
🤔🧐🤭😁
WOW! Thank you! That should answer many questions about efficiency :)
Thank you! Very interesting. All these data built on personal experience is so hard to find. The inverter you are using, was it the pure sine wave type?
@@erikbjork3715 Remember, I mentioned that during my test I didn't do this using an inverter because I didn't have a way to measure a 12volt current draw. I had the chest freezer plugged into the temperature controller and the temp control into the kill-a-watt meter and then the meter into a 120v outlet in my house. However, I do own a 2000w pure sine wave inverter and I was able to use my set-up a few weeks ago. I had 2 100 watt renogy solar panels connected to two 100amp hour deep cycle lead acid batteries in which I connected the inverter, Temp control and chest freezer to. The first day worked great as there was sun all day even though I was in a pretty heavily forested area. The next 6 days it was mostly cloudy and I had to keep moving the panels to get any chance at direct sun. I was limited by the amount of tree shade and the clouds unfortunately. Consequently, I had to run my generator each afternoon for about an hour to just top off the batteries and make sure the chest freezer worked throughout the night. I think had I not been in such a wooded area, I would not have had to run the generator at all, even with it being cloudy. So there really is no conclusion, this will be an on going and ever learning excersise. There are always so many variables to every situation and within that same situation the variables can change again. I already have plans for next time to tweak the system and hopefully get better results. Hope this helps👍
Many thanks for the comprehensive info! Much appreciated.👍
I use a 5 cubic foot freezer for a refrigerator. I use it off grid through my inverter. I don't use an external temperature control. I simply keep the entire bottom filled with one gallon or half gallon frozen jugs of ice. That allows me to run the freezer just about 4 hours a day keeping the food on top nice and cold. I simply manually monitor this a couple of times a day. No problems.
When it is freezing the jugs, isn’t it freezing your food on top also?
@@Lst2ltdwn If you don't shut down the freezer it will freeze everything in it. That's why you run it for just a few hours a day. You simply keep an eye on it a few times each day. Getting too warm on top? Run the freezer for an hour or two.
@@MrBwalendy Could you partition off the bottom half with a piece of styrofoam to create a fridge/freezer?
@@72timhall I really do not know how much information you need. Simply turn it on during the day and shut it off at night. It is absolutely that simple. A brain-dead old hillbilly undereducated fart could do it. The bottom half stays frozen; the top half stays refrigerated. Monitor and adjust the timing of on and off cycles as your environment requires. It is that simple. it is not difficult. It ain't freaking rocket science.
Great video! Thank you for sharing your expertise on converting chest freezers to refrigerators.
I've operated three 8cf freezers as refrigerators with these Johnson controllers in my BBQ food truck. Work well but there is a fairly significant temperature on/off variation because the inside air stagnates on the bottom.
I haven't got around to it yet but a definite improvement would be to place a small ac muffin fan on the top of a PVC pipe or a eave through section to circulate the air top to bottom. This would be powered from the compressor plug and mounted in the corner of the fridge. It would keep the temp far more uniform and improve overall performance.
Great idea.
This is incredible, a conventional refrigerator costs $100-200 every year just from electricity costs and these can cut your energy costs down to about $20 per year.
Good review and a lot of great advice here about the way you park and all the details you mention to conserve energy, very frugal and efficient indeed. You made a lot of good points here, one of ur issues could be overcome by making or getting a nice fitting foam box/container sleeve to fit in the top half or so of ur fridge/freezer setup, cut some elongated slots in side for grasping handles to remove when u want to get a frozen product out from below deck, and use the top half as a fridge, u would need to turn down the thermo of course, but I have done this and it works pretty good. Another small tip is to wire the thermostat to a contactor to activate the inverter when the thermostat calls it up, this can use significantly less power through discarding the inverter idle drain between cycles. Cheers
Thank you for the great info & links. I am planning to build an off grid solar TH in NW AZ for the winter months. I knew going in that refrigeration was going to be my biggest problem/draw. I think you have saved me a lot of experimentation & expense.
Thank you, good luck with your off grid project
I was off-grid in an RV/camper setup in southern Colorado for a couple of years. If it has to run the propane furnace a lot it will end up taking a lot of the electricity for the blower fan as well. Refrigeration isn't too bad by comparison. If you've super insulated something then it will help
Interesting hack using off the shelf parts.
Cold air will leak between the leads and door seals. Drill a hole through the fridge wall and seal with expanding foam insulation. (Pick a spot free from the internal gas cooling piping).
I've seen another tutorial on improving efficiency by adding insulation, spacing the radiator coils from the fridge and installing a heat shield between the compressor and fridge body.
Great ideas, thanks for sharing!
went through the drain with mine
@alysdexia The lead is a hollow tube filled with gas, if wouldn't work anymore if you did that.
I would recommend opening the freezer and disconnect the automatic defrost heating element! That will greatly save you power from your batteries, and you really do not need the defrost option , and it will make it even more efficient , and small 12v computer fan sucking heat from back of the freezer outside of your camper every time it turns on :) and then you have the best solar and cheapest RV fridge
Young man, thank you for the video, perfectly done. This is to let you know the link to the thermostat is no longer viable, therefore not giving you the affiliate reimbursement response that should be applicable in this case. I did not check all of the links above. I find Amazon does this to quite a many of you. The product is there, the affiliate is not, as I had to keep digging to find it. The freezer link worked. Blessings on your travels.
thanks for the video. this is just what I've been looking for! thanks again!!!
Fantasticly useful video,will be getting a freezer instead of a fridge when I start my boat life 👌
Great to see you back on your channel. I really enjoyed watching your older videos and getting ideas about where to boondock here in Arizona and the Southwest. Great tip on the freezer conversion and I also enjoy eyes your plastic weld video. I hope it holds up for you. Thanks again!
Thanks Mike! Enjoy camping in the beautiful southwest!
never thought about these hacks! im not even using it for an RV but for my room. lol
THANKS ALOT!!!
You may be tied with space, but get a 7cf one if you can. It is pretty hard to find stuff. I run a chest fridge off a micro and it only runs during the day on solar. It never lets the battery drop below 90% of full charge. The temp runs very close to 32F and there is lots of cold stored in liquids that is used to keep it thru the night. Some fridges are terrible at stratification of temperature. I run an internal computer fan to keep the air circulating. Otherwise the lower part will freeze where the coils are located. You will condense lots of moisture so make it easy to drain the bottom. I run with only a single car battery doing this.
Great ideas, especially using a fan for circulation!
Thank you for making this! I had no idea these products existed!
Hi from Danmark
The model of your rv looks special 😊
I replaced my freezer thermostat with a refrigerator thermostat. $16 on Amazon, and it looks original.
Maybe you should also do a video then. Was their rewiring involved?
@@kandimegahan7844 Just some screws and spade connectors.
Do you have a link to the item on amazon?
I don't. It was a few years ago, and depends on the make and model of your appliance.
Yeah,... A freezer is more important to me than a fridge so I'm leaving mine as a freezer & using frozen milk or juice jugs in a good cooler for my refrigerated items :)
That’s what I’m planning to do too. How has it been working out for you?
@@ThePalFishCoach
Great
@@davidlomm4424 glad to hear it. How often do you need to change out your frozen items? Do you ever use ice packs?
Hi, I only just discovered your channel a short time ago. I must say that after I read and watched it all. I was hooked, LOL! I love your ideas and your work.. What you're doing to unselfishly help others is much like what I like to do myself. Your idea of using the freezer is great. I admit that I had thought about testing a unit the same way myself. You've saved me from testing it and shown me that it really work well. THANK YOU! I think I'll plan to use it in my cargo trailer conversion that I'm building out now. You deserved to be praised for your goals. Naturally I subscribed and clicked the bell to learn all I can from you. Keep up your good work! I'll be following you! Very respectfully. JOHN
Thanks John! The conversion works so well I thought it was about time to spread the word. And it's just so easy! No need to keep the camper perfectly level either, like with a typical RV fridge. Wish you the best on your trailer conversion, and your freezer to fridge conversion! - Will
Checked out your channel....Where are the build vids? ;-)
Thank you very much for that.
Thank you. Still very useful
Rock on man, I appreciate the info and will be doing this (eventually)
Big thumbs up and thanx!!!
Thank you for this video! Great explanations! God Bless!
Nicely done - best luck for your channel.
Thank you!
Very nice. What happens when you have overcast for a few days. Won't your freezer run your batteries all the way down? Doing this five or six times would ruin my batteries I believe.
3:21 did the power strip just cut off? Anyway I did a similar project, some chest freezers have a fridge mode too. Still love the video, nice and clear explanation.
Thank you!! I'm gonna try this.
this seems simple enough. is this setup still working for you? i asuume you can just use 110 as well without solar but thats a nice feature. my fridge at home recently died so im thinking of this setup until i figure what to do about it. i already have a sm freezer that that that im going to keep as a freezer but looking for another to turn into a fridge. Does it affect the life of the freezer and can you go back to a freezer setup by just removing the controller. also do you keep the freezers orig thermo off position?
Extra efficiency can be found by wiring the external thermostat to turn the inverter on and off. Then just wire the inverter directly to the freezer. Does need some electronics knowledge though.
Well thought out. Nice.
What about keeping it a freezer and making an exact fit foam tray that could slide up or down and turn the top Ford into refrigerator cuz most of the cold would be towards the bottom where the freezer is
I so subscribed! Thanks for all the info 👍! U are legendary 🙌 🙏!
How much energy does the chest freezer take per day in mah?
Question about plugging it in - you plugged the fridge into the temp control and then into the power bar, but do you need to change it from DC to AC or how does that work?
Great video! I'm thinking of a van build out in the near future and had the same idea. Instead of spending upwards of $600 for a 12v freezer. Have you done any research as to the efficiency difference between the two? 12v/120v. Also, what do you think about setting it to freezing temp and then adding a small plastic igloo type cooler for your fridge items in the freezer. Do you think the igloo would still freeze the items inside or would it lean towards a warmer temp since igloo walls would insulate from the freezer temp? If that made sense?
Thanks John! I have not looked into 12v freezers, but imagine they would be even more efficient, and no power would be wasted by using an inverter. Placing a small igloo cooler inside the freezer may keep that food from freezing for a little while, but I think eventually the cold air would penetrate the cooler walls and freeze anything inside the cooler. Have fun with the van conversion project!
I think eventually everything would reach equilibrium, and everything in the cooler would freeze anyway.
is your freezer conversion still working good?
Great idea. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome!
What is your average watt-hour usage on your setup?
What is the amp draw on the fridge? How big of an inverter would you need to power it?
This model draws between 5-8 amps when the compressor kicks on, which will only be a couple seconds, then about 2 amps when the compressor is running. I get away with using an 800 watt inverter, however I would recommend a 1000 watt or higher.
Cool idea (no pun intended)! Thanks, for the video!
But, you really shouldn't keep your bananas in the refrigerator. They will keep longer at room temperature!
Thank you! Yes, I found bananas do ripen much faster in the fridge - good to know if you plan to bake with them.
@@RVBoondocking
After Bandanas are ripe, I put them in Fridge for week or more after the outside skin absorbs and turns REALLY black, but the inside stays nice.
Keep en in the fridge.
@@brichusi Thanks, I'll have to try that
Can anyone tell me what size lithium battery will run a freezer to fridge conversion of 3.5 c ft. I now have 120 watt solar panels but will be adding more. Need around 300watt Ive been told.
Lithium batteries are like motorcycles. You always want more power. 100 amp hours should get you started. Some are down around $400 now. Its your inverter that might be the hangup. Mine is a Renogy 1000 watt pure sine unit and it has been very reliable. An inverter that's too small will trip out on overload and not start the fridge.
Maybe I missed it, but what size batteries did you use? And are they serial or parallel? Do you notice it needs a lot more juice to start up the compressor then drops back down to a lower rate or does it stay low all the time? Thanks for any help! About to try to build one of these with zero experience lol
Just wondering what is the wattage you used or solar panels on the top of your roof.
Shalom ackh. He’s using 2 100 watt solar panels.
@@bashaozayu6707 thawadah ach.
Great video! Is the battery bank designated to the fridge?
Thank you! No, the battery bank actually powers everything on the RV, including lights, appliances, and my laptop. The freezer to fridge conversion draws the most power. During the day with the sun shining I can pretty much use as much power as I wish and the solar panels will provide it.
could you further insulate it to make it even more efficient? Great video btw :)
Thank you! Sure, you could add a layer of polyurethane foam to the outside which would make it even more efficient.
On second thought, after feeling the front of the freezer and noticing that it can get quite warm, this is probably not a good idea. The heat dissipates from the exterior, and covering it up with insulation might hurt the performance, and cause overheating.
The problem with fridges and freezer today is the coil is mounted to the metal outer shell so adding insulation means that it can't get rid of the heat one with a coil can be you can also redirect the coil heat to the outside adding heat inside your home in summer makes the AC have to get rid of it
Thank you for sharing!! What if the solar panels don’t receive enough sun as you do? I’m in Ca. and the fog rolls in often.
How many hours of direct sunlight do you need to make this work??
A lot of these setups seem to run 40-80 watts with the inverter losses included. They don't run constantly though. Standby power when it's not running might be 5-20 watts depending on the models. I think I've seen around 600 watt hours for the day. It depends how hot the air around it is also. If it's hotter it takes more than when it's cold so good ventilation helps a lot.
I have thought about building one with another 2-4 inches of foam board all around just to see what it's like. Then have a vent door into the freezer vent from outside with a thermostat controlled flap that vents heat inside or outside depending on weather and preference.
Even with the setup as is in the video the 200 watts of solar is pretty solid if the panels face the sun as well as possible.
I would say at this point. Lithium batteries bury lead acid already. A diy kinda person can watch a short video on RUclips assembling a battery out of 4 280ah lithium cells for less than $500. That makes approximately 3600watt hours. About three times a lead acid. But it's as good as 5 or 6 lead acid and will last 5 times longer as well.
Apparently some are saying that some modern freezers dissipate the heat through the outer shell... You would want one with a very important vent on the side to dump heat
do you know how many watts it draw while running great video
Thank you, good question. I haven't measured it. A reviewer on Amazon mentioned between 5-8 amps when the compressor kicks on, which will only be a couple seconds, ~2 amps when the compressor is running. smile.amazon.com/midea-WHS-129C1-Single-Chest-Freezer/dp/B00MVVITWC
Going to build a electric solar powered rv from the ground up I’ll sub so you can follow the build but this will be the fridge setup for it
@@roynorw Cool project! Keep me updated. I think it would be feasible to do an all electric RV, if not now, in the near future. I sure would like to be totally self-sufficient and not have to rely on propane for heating and cooking, or fuel to run the truck.
I considered building full solar, but real estate is always an issue, and besides , the most efficient way to heat is in-floor hydronic heat. A 12v pump, some copper tubing and a small hwh is all that is required. Not sure, but a propane hwh may be more efficient?
@@roynorw I've wanted to do this. I Checked your channel.
Excellent video! I have purchased my freezer and temp controller but I have one question. What do I need to set my freezer temp controller on? It’s 0-7. I have it on 4 now.
Thank you for any help!
I'm not sure the freezer control matters much as even at it's lowest(highest?) setting it should run till it is below 32F but your temp controller should shut off the power before that as your looking to keep it around 38-42F. to make sure its working properly you'll want to have a way to check the temp, either with a indoor/outdoor device like the one used in this video or something smaller that you just keep inside the freezer.
Daniel Avenson thank you. I have a thermometer I have been using. It’s working great.
I’d set the freezer at its max and let the auxiliary ‘stat run the thing free reign.
Great info. What inverter are you using? Glad to find this. Thanks
Thanks for adding that on your list!
Thank you! I'm using this one here, but would recommend going with something a little larger, such as a 1,000 watt or higher. Cobra CPI 880 800 Watt 12 Volt DC to 120 Volt AC Power Inverter: amzn.to/2CxAn6n
We’re thinking of doing this but we’ve heard that appliances not made for vehicles may not hold up well to the vibrations and jolts on the road. How’s yours holding up?
Great info. And well explained. Have you ever thought about carefully un-screwing the compressor (heat)away from the chest to save more energy?
Thank you! Have not considered it, but that sounds logical, and might be doable. I will take a look.
Please explain. Sounds intriguing
I get it!
But! Why not slip radiator reflector behind the compressor ?
I found the Ink Bird device works better, and is half the cost, and 1/3 the size.
how do you do that?
Still deciding if this is brilliant or Madness
A little of both I guess!
You didn't cover condensation/water build up on the bottom... I heard that can be a problem. Is there any way to run/make a drain for the bottom of the fridge, or would you recommend against that? Thanks for the video!
every chest freezer i've seen has a built-in drain from the factory.
Has anyone compared power usage with this vs a Dometic. I know there's variables (size) and I know some consider cost, but take cost out of it and just focus on power usage which is the winner?
This draws about 60w and on half of the time.
I'm thinking that with the amount of sun in AZ you could power a rocketship on solar energy! Still, I envy you. Wish I could really do it or find someone who knew how and why.
Awesome presentation. I marvel; truly.
But tell me dude, why are you talking to a bunny but? I mean, come on! Free the bunnies!
1. Wait a minute! It's THAT simple? Other videos showed rewiring processes, and who knows what! Wow.
2. So its been almost 3 years. How's it going? Do you have any updates?
3. And how do I avoid burning out the compressor on my freezer to fridge conversion?
Does anyone know if doing this reduces the life of the freezer? Since it shuts off the power on or off in a way that isn't normal to the freezer.
In my experience it will significantly reduce the life of the freezer if it cycles on/off as often as a refrigerator. To reduce cycling the temperature set point needs to have a wide band of several degrees.
The links aren't working
Sound like an economic professor lecture
There is no moisture management in the deep freeze, these quickly fill with mold
Do you ever clean your home fridge? Its very easy to clean one of these. I have two Dometic fridge freezers and they still don't have mold, so quickly is pretty far off. If he is a full time off gridder, he can just preplan , have a spare cooler to put some food in, or be on his way back to get more food and leave it out in the sun for an hour. Jeez, its totally not hard at all.
Better put a solar fan on the back or yer gonna burn that unit up. The unit needs to exhaust hot air & intake cold
Wow!...talk about inflation...that freezer is now $320 on amazon.
no need for a refer if you have a freezer....just cycle frozen food / water / etc. into a cooler to defrost and cool ....then only one compressor to run....
And how many watts/btu are used up freezing things? That seems counter productive imho
@@fishhuntadventure my refer uses 4 A.@ 12v...50 watts , WHEN IT'S RUNNING...maybe 2-3 hrs. a day ,easily handled with solar or ?
as a freezer it might run 2X that(?)...i also built a foam box to enclose it for better efficiency..
these little compressor types are so much more efficient than any alt. i've found , but it assumes you want COLD storage for a week or so...it changed my life for the better
this is an old acct. i'm visiting ; funny how much things have changed in a year !
OH...just looked @ the vid , and it's true , a 110 thru an inverter would use more (?)....i am using a 12 v.danfoss type
would this work with a mini freezer instead of a chest freezer?
Was that cotton candy?
November 2022 its over $350. Inflation got this too. Thanks Biden
Gotta love all this hyperinflation from unregulated money printing. Freezer is $318 right now.
7-footer for $160 at Costco
It-sounds-like-you-are-reading-off-a -bad-script-Please-Stop-Thank-You.
You don't put bananas in the fridge, ya weirdo
Ya do if you want cold smoothies and ya don't have ice
@@RVBoondocking fair enough. LoL