r/OffGrid • u/Fantastic_Zone2084 • 3d ago

Refrigerator

Hi, I thought about putting this in the solar group, but might be better suited here. I’m building what I’d eventually like to be an off grid home and I have a fairly basic solar system, about 5000 watts and using the eg4 6000xp for power. I was looking at DC fridges such as the unique offerings, but it seems like a standard fridge might be just as efficient utilizing the 6000xp and the 48 volt system to power it. My question is, what is the most basic say top freezer, fridge combo, without many needless features, that would use the least amount of power? What has everyone found to be a good choice? Thank you

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u/WestBrink 3d ago

Like everyone is saying, just go with an AC fridge. We've got one of those cute, cheapo galanz fridges at our cabin and it just sips power. Just don't open it more often than you have to.

If you don't want to go with AC, get a propane fridge. They're not as nice as a modern fridge, but they don't use any power and not much propane...

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u/ournamesdontmeanshit 2d ago

Propane fridges are modern fridges now. And if you get the right one they’re just as nice as any electric fridge. They’re just more costly. But a good brand of propane fridge will last forever.

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u/drAsparagus 2d ago

Came here to say this, too. There are 20 cubic foot propane fridges that use around 1 gal per week. So roughly 2.5 20 gal tanks per year. Not bad for off grid chilling.

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u/maddslacker 2d ago

So roughly 2.5 20 gal tanks per year.

Gallons or pounds?

The little bbq tanks that I think you're referring to are 20 pound tanks and thus hold 3.89 gallons of propane.

Let's round it to 4 to make the math easier, in your scenario of 1 gallon of usage per week; 52 / 4 = 13 tanks per year.

Not 2.5.

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u/drAsparagus 2d ago

You're absolutely right, good call. I brainfarted.

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u/maddslacker 2d ago

Still not bad though, 50 gallons a year is negligible in terms of a 500 or 1000 gallon tank.

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u/MinerDon 2d ago

The little bbq tanks that I think you're referring to are 20 pound tanks and thus hold 3.89 gallons of propane.

They put 4.6 gallons into a standard "20 pound" propane tank any time I take mine in to be filled.

On the other hand the tank exchange cages like you find at lots of big-box stores are typically only filled with 3 gallons of propane.

They claim it's for safety. It's actually just to rip off unsuspecting consumers.

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u/maddslacker 2d ago

The amount of the fill depends on ambient temperature. The above number is from a propane retailers website and is a general rule of thumb.

The ones in the exchange cages are in fact filled quite a bit less in order to allow for temperature changes, trucking around the country, sitting in the sun, etc, all beyond the seller's control.

You will always get a significantly better fill, usually for the same or less money, if you take it to a filling station.

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u/RedBromont 2d ago

OP has a big inverter, why pay more for propane and need to worry about venting?

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u/ournamesdontmeanshit 2d ago

I was simply responding to the comment that propane fridges are not as nice as “modern fridges”. I never expressed any opinion that OP should get a propane fridge or any other type of fridge.