Solar Generator for freezer question

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  • nagantoid

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 17, 2022
    39
    8
    Newburgh
    Just a suggestion - research solar refrigeration. Around 1900 there were several places with such equipment. Most notable a large packing house in St Louis. Ammonia based same as RV type currently in use.... Why convert energy back and forth and no compressor start load....
    The ammonia units (which of course can also be powered by fire, if solar concentration is impractical) are not something I'd want to spend too much time close to. That's nasty stuff if it leaks - flammable and toxic. R-134a is essentially nonflammable and under normal circumstances negligibly toxic. No solution is going to last indefinitely without an industrial infrastructure to provide spare parts, but I will agree with you that the ammonia units will be maintainable for the longest time with minimal tools (see: The Mosquito Coast :))

    I'm super interested in this topic right now because I got tired of cycling canned gasoline through cars just to make sure my generator would always have reasonably fresh fuel. So I've decided to go with a PV setup, especially since used house panels are now widely available for around $60 each. I figure at those prices I can afford to have a few spare panels in the yard barn. This guy I'm ready for the next power outage! helped tip me over the edge on this decision. Worth watching the video to see the logic by which he chose solar, and also his specific tests re: heating and cooling a room, but the TLDR is: a genny needs maintenance and fresh fuel "just in case" of a rare event and if the fuel supply can't be replenished it's a bump on a log. It won't do a darn thing for you in a non-emergency situation so it spends most of its life doing nothing. A PV solution can give you free power every day and it requires practically no maintenance.

    I'm considering a system with either a very small battery or no battery at all, since the primary purpose is to keep my freezer frozen. Seems to me that a well enough insulated freezer with sufficient nonperishable thermal mass in the cold side ought to be able to coast through the night unpowered and start pumping heat again as the day begins and solar energy is available. Even if batteryless won't quite cut it for this scenario, a small battery might be sufficient. Your freezer compressor does not run 24/7 (if it does, you have bigger problems). A battery that's sufficient to run one or two cool cycles during the night will be a lot cheaper than one dimensioned to run the compressor constantly.
     

    Magyars

    Grandmaster
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    36   0   0
    Mar 6, 2010
    9,080
    113
    Delaware County Freehold
    I've even doing some research on this...anyone have any input?
    FFpower Portable Power Station 2000W, 2000Wh Solar Generator with 1.5hrs Fastest Fully Charging Indoor, LiFePO4 Battery UPS Power Supply for Home Emergency Backup Use with 2 PD 100W for Outdoor Camping/RV Travel https://a.co/d/99WOdyx
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,682
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    Camby area
    I started looking at the math on this again and realized the freezer doesn’t run 24/7. I didn’t take that into account. Duh
    You can get devices that will record the cumulative energy usage. I had one and it was great. (till it wandered off) I was able to calculate my savings on switching to LED xmas bulbs.


     

    ditcherman

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 18, 2018
    7,606
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    In the country, hopefully.
    The ammonia units (which of course can also be powered by fire, if solar concentration is impractical) are not something I'd want to spend too much time close to. That's nasty stuff if it leaks - flammable and toxic. R-134a is essentially nonflammable and under normal circumstances negligibly toxic. No solution is going to last indefinitely without an industrial infrastructure to provide spare parts, but I will agree with you that the ammonia units will be maintainable for the longest time with minimal tools (see: The Mosquito Coast :))

    I'm super interested in this topic right now because I got tired of cycling canned gasoline through cars just to make sure my generator would always have reasonably fresh fuel. So I've decided to go with a PV setup, especially since used house panels are now widely available for around $60 each. I figure at those prices I can afford to have a few spare panels in the yard barn. This guy I'm ready for the next power outage! helped tip me over the edge on this decision. Worth watching the video to see the logic by which he chose solar, and also his specific tests re: heating and cooling a room, but the TLDR is: a genny needs maintenance and fresh fuel "just in case" of a rare event and if the fuel supply can't be replenished it's a bump on a log. It won't do a darn thing for you in a non-emergency situation so it spends most of its life doing nothing. A PV solution can give you free power every day and it requires practically no maintenance.

    I'm considering a system with either a very small battery or no battery at all, since the primary purpose is to keep my freezer frozen. Seems to me that a well enough insulated freezer with sufficient nonperishable thermal mass in the cold side ought to be able to coast through the night unpowered and start pumping heat again as the day begins and solar energy is available. Even if batteryless won't quite cut it for this scenario, a small battery might be sufficient. Your freezer compressor does not run 24/7 (if it does, you have bigger problems). A battery that's sufficient to run one or two cool cycles during the night will be a lot cheaper than one dimensioned to run the compressor constantly.
    Without much specific knowledge, I will say that my common sense tells me you are too optimistic in thinking you can keep a freezer going with no battery and a few $60 solar panels. Optimum conditions, maybe, but the first couple of cloudy days your freezers melted.
     

    snapping turtle

    Grandmaster
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    6   0   0
    Dec 5, 2009
    6,462
    113
    Madison county
    I've even doing some research on this...anyone have any input?
    FFpower Portable Power Station 2000W, 2000Wh Solar Generator with 1.5hrs Fastest Fully Charging Indoor, LiFePO4 Battery UPS Power Supply for Home Emergency Backup Use with 2 PD 100W for Outdoor Camping/RV Travel https://a.co/d/99WOdyx
    Get two and a generator to charge them up. 2000w with a 4K surge startup and the fast charge. The sun does not shine when the dark clouds are always above my head.
     

    nagantoid

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 17, 2022
    39
    8
    Newburgh
    Without much specific knowledge, I will say that my common sense tells me you are too optimistic in thinking you can keep a freezer going with no battery and a few $60 solar panels. Optimum conditions, maybe, but the first couple of cloudy days your freezers melted.
    You're probably right, I tested this under fairly "ideal" conditions (late fall). The rule of thumb that the electric company website gives is "if you don't open the freezer, it should be OK for 8 hours with no power". That's kinda borderline in summer :)
     

    duanewade

    Sharpshooter
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    3   0   0
    Sep 12, 2019
    463
    93
    Columbia City
    You're probably right, I tested this under fairly "ideal" conditions (late fall). The rule of thumb that the electric company website gives is "if you don't open the freezer, it should be OK for 8 hours with no power". That's kinda borderline in summer :)
    We have a large solar system that powers our house and I use a timer to shut our 2 freezers off at 8pm then back on again at 8am and my battery will pretty much power our home 24 hours unless we have a very cloudy or snowy day. Before I put the timer on the freezers our battery would be dead by 2am

    Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
     

    BJHay

    Sharpshooter
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    0   0   0
    Mar 17, 2019
    525
    93
    Crawfordsville
    I worked backward on what I thought likely for my personal situation and opted for a propane generator as my primary prep. I can run it for 7 days at 50% power and longer if I conserve. Solar has advantages especially for a long term outage but I had concerns about battery life and care, complexity, cost and the uncertainty of weather. I don't understand panels and batteries as well as I understand engines and generators so there is an added complexity for me and the risk that I would inadvertently overlook something important.

    If the outage goes beyond 10 days and it's regional or local I'm not too concerned as resources will likely be available albeit with a lot of effort. If the outage is wide spread and due to a system problem like grid failure, disruption from war, political unrest etc. then solar would have been a better choice. But, we live rural for a reason and we have made preparations for life without any power.
     

    Lstuard

    Shooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 31, 2022
    11
    3
    Evansville
    We have a few of the Bluetti solar generators ( which I think the OP is interested in ? ) a self contained unit with Batteries, Inverter, charge controller, etc ........
    Our smallest of 2400W has easily ran our freezer by itself . It probably draws around 900w surge on startup but then draws around the 200 ish to maintain . A unit like that could run a similar freezer for around 10 hours .........
    With the right sun , 800w of solar can recharge the unit in about 3-4 hours .
    In an outage , I actually cycle it myself and turned it on every hour or so just to maintain the freezer temp .( and extend battery life)
    If you have time .......get on Youtube "Hobotech" channel . That guy does pretty intensive reviews of various Solar Generators and shows what they are capable of . ( He may seem a bit corny at first , but he is very knowledgeable )
    Yes, these type of units are nice...some allow pass through power from panels while charging. They are expensive and don't last as long as I'd like...BUT the technology is gaining leaps and bounds quickly!
     

    Lstuard

    Shooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 31, 2022
    11
    3
    Evansville
    Get a genny, propane tank, and a disconnect. Use a power management system like jmarriot has or something similar. Remember that most of what you are looking at is a week or less without electricity. Cover the basics and you'll be fine. Trying to plan for much longer and more widespread outages brings up a host of other problems as nearly everybody around you will have no electricity at all.

    I've got a good system that does the heavy stuff automatically and I use the extension cord shuffle to distribute power where I need it. I'm looking at solar more to charge tools, computer/communications and do odd jobs.
    I run a WEN 3800. It's quiet, powerful. and runs my TV, DVD, Laptop, Freezer, Small fridge, Propane water heater start up igniter, charges my tool batteries, my phones, and runs a stereo system and router. I literally can use a microwave or Air fryer as well. It is not that hard....the key is to load the generator slowly letting it absorb the load requirement from each item one at a time...them once the compressors and start up drains are gone the generator purrs just fine. 8 hrs on a 2 gallon tank...not bad.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
    152
    Speedway area
    Without much specific knowledge, I will say that my common sense tells me you are too optimistic in thinking you can keep a freezer going with no battery and a few $60 solar panels. Optimum conditions, maybe, but the first couple of cloudy days your freezers melted.
    You are still exchanging energy with ammonia systems.
    I have many years in the field working on them from gas fired AC units to Mega HP process plant systems. I just don’t see using a couple of solar panels to replace the gas fired burners/compressor to move the ammonia through the process. Just can’t see it.
     

    cosermann

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    14   0   0
    Aug 15, 2008
    8,371
    113
    There's a Renogy 40A MPPT solar controller on the board, just haven't tested that aspect yet. So yes, there's solar recharge capability as well. Heven't considered adding more batteries yet. The number of batteries that can be added are limited only by one's budget!

    Just following up on this from earlier this year. Turns 2 x 100w panels with my charger controller (MPPT) will top off the battery, after 24 hrs of running the freezer, in about 3 hrs. 4 x 100 w panels should do it in about 1.5 hrs. This was on a 59 deg F day in April with some patchy, high altitude clouds. So, for my freezer and this system, I'd need about 6 hrs of decent sun every 4 days worst case (i.e. leaving freezer plugged in 24hrs). Could be extended by only plugging the freezer in for a few hours a day, etc. Screen shot of charge controller stats with 2 x 100 panels during a relatively clear patch of sky:
     

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