Jaboni 300 watt system

[Second Chance]

Thanks. So as you travel do you find that your solar system allows you to travel all day & stay overnight without a hookup without discharging your batteries too much?

We've never stayed overnight without at least electric. Long travel days and power outages in the parks have been no issue, though. With the LiFePO4 batteries, our power situation is different, though.

Rob

[Reddog303]

Just returned from 6 night Boon Docking adventure and the 300 w. GD solar worked great.The batteries were at full charge when I arrived in our mountain retreat and the solar panel kept everything up to 80-100% during the day and in the morning batteries were at 70%.Careful power management was used as well using night mode on fridge,inverter on only when needed moving happy jack bunks in the daytime etc.Was pleased that this marked a stark contrast to my disillusionment from my first experience .Did not start my genny once and even on 2 cloudy low sun days solar was pumping out respectable wattage and current.Leaving for a 10 day sojurn next week without apprehension on my electrical needs RD.

[USA in a Chevrolet]

Just returned from 6 night Boon Docking adventure and the 300 w. GD solar worked great.The batteries were at full charge when I arrived in our mountain retreat and the solar panel kept everything up to 80-100% during the day and in the morning batteries were at 70%.Careful power management was used as well using night mode on fridge,inverter on only when needed moving happy jack bunks in the daytime etc.Was pleased that this marked a stark contrast to my disillusionment from my first experience .Did not start my genny once and even on 2 cloudy low sun days solar was pumping out respectable wattage and current.Leaving for a 10 day sojurn next week without apprehension on my electrical needs RD.

Thanks. That is very encouraging.

[huntindog]

Thanks. That is very encouraging.

With a residential fridge, the inverter needs to be on for it to work. The inverter and associated loads with my propane fridge = about 10 amps according to my monitor. turning off the inverter drops the draw to 1.5-3 amps.

The residential fridge draws about 25 amp from the batteries thru the inverter, and that doesn'r factor on the efficiency loss converting 12V to 120V..... The fridge doesn't always run constantly. You fill in the blanks on the rest of the math.

I woul ant at least 200 amp usable battery capacity.

[USA in a Chevrolet]

With a residential fridge, the inverter needs to be on for it to work. The inverter and associated loads with my propane fridge = about 10 amps according to my monitor. turning off the inverter drops the draw to 1.5-3 amps.

The residential fridge draws about 25 amp from the batteries thru the inverter, and that doesn'r factor on the efficiency loss converting 12V to 120V..... The fridge doesn't always run constantly. You fill in the blanks on the rest of the math.

I woul ant at least 200 amp usable battery capacity.

Thanks. I’m surprised the refrigerator would draw 25 amps. Even an old style compressor refrigerator is plugged into a 20 amp receptacle. I know there is some power lost in converting from 12 Vic to 120 ac but I’ve read that inverter refigerators typically draw 80 watts.

[Reddog303]

My inverter was off all the time unless I needed it.Would the factory Norcold have a by pass ? I could see putting in a home fridge that would require the inverter curious how that works.The battery draw overnight with night switch was on is supposed to be minimal.I have 2 x 100 amp hour batteries and they were as I said 70% in the morning.

[huntindog]

My inverter was off all the time unless I needed it.Would the factory Norcold have a by pass ? I could see putting in a home fridge that would require the inverter curious how that works.The battery draw overnight with night switch was on is supposed to be minimal.I have 2 x 100 amp hour batteries and they were as I said 70% in the morning.

Do you have a residential fridge? Or is it capable of running on propane?

[huntindog]

Thanks. I’m surprised the refrigerator would draw 25 amps. Even an old style compressor refrigerator is plugged into a 20 amp receptacle. I know there is some power lost in converting from 12 Vic to 120 ac but I’ve read that inverter refigerators typically draw 80 watts.

12 volts vs. 120 volts amperage equals a different amount of watts.
12 volts at 25 amps equals 300 watts. (which is what second chance said his fridge uses)
20 amps at 120 volts equals 2400 watts. which is quite bit more than a normal compressor fridge uses.

I think what you are missing is that watts is a constant when it comes to figuring electricity consumption. Volts and amps are not.

So 300 watts @12V equals 25 amps.
300 watts @120V equals 2.5 amps.

Your inverter takes 12V in and produces 120V out....With some consumption in doing so. But the battery is 12 volts. So the amperage hit on the battery is measured at 12V. not 120V


Not sure what an inverter fridge is.
To my knowledge there are 2 kinds
The propane /elec. which does not use a compressor or
The residential fridge which does use a compressor, and only runs on elec.

[Reddog303]

Have the 8 cubic ft. Norcold Polar N8DC fridge runs on 12v only.The manual states wattage in day mode 5.7amp.hrs and in night mode 3.7.

[huntindog]

Thanks. That is very encouraging.

Reddog303 has a 12 volt, 8 cubic foot fridge.
You have a residential, 120V 18 cubic foot fridge. This is like apples and oranges. You fridge is going to use a LOT more power as it is more than twice the size... and IIRC, he has lithium batteries, and you have AGMs. So he as better batteries.