Wesbato Isotherm CR42
- Thread starter Coly
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Coly
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After running for a day or so the current consumption is around 3.3 amps
.
Running it in a room at at 23C on setting 1 it runs for 4 minutes and switches off for 20 minutes. This is great as average current consumption is 0.7 amps.
One issue I have come across is the fridge gets itself in a mess when the voltage is low. When the voltage is not low enough to shut down it tries to operate but the initial high current and high internal resistance of the battery reduces the voltage below the minimum. This forces a shut down but then the voltage recovers and the fridge repeats the cycle. Still playing with the set up but would appreciate other peoples experience.
.Running it in a room at at 23C on setting 1 it runs for 4 minutes and switches off for 20 minutes. This is great as average current consumption is 0.7 amps.
One issue I have come across is the fridge gets itself in a mess when the voltage is low. When the voltage is not low enough to shut down it tries to operate but the initial high current and high internal resistance of the battery reduces the voltage below the minimum. This forces a shut down but then the voltage recovers and the fridge repeats the cycle. Still playing with the set up but would appreciate other peoples experience.
I'm considering one of these are the compressor can be remote mounted reducing the depth to avoid the sticky-out-fridge that we hate. Any other experiences?After running for a day or so the current consumption is around 3.3 amps
Running it in a room at at 23C on setting 1 it runs for 4 minutes and switches off for 20 minutes. This is great as average current consumption is 0.7 amps.
One issue I have come across is the fridge gets itself in a mess when the voltage is low. When the voltage is not low enough to shut down it tries to operate but the initial high current and high internal resistance of the battery reduces the voltage below the minimum. This forces a shut down but then the voltage recovers and the fridge repeats the cycle. Still playing with the set up but would appreciate other peoples experience.
Coly
Member
Overall we are very pleased with it.
On a normal day on setting 1 it uses 130wh but on a hot day it can double. To keep cornettos it needs a setting of at least 5 and power consumption doubles. It is also running 50% of the time. The fridge is also difficult to secure with only 2 screw mounts. One last thing there is a lack of shelves and salad box.
On a normal day on setting 1 it uses 130wh but on a hot day it can double. To keep cornettos it needs a setting of at least 5 and power consumption doubles. It is also running 50% of the time. The fridge is also difficult to secure with only 2 screw mounts. One last thing there is a lack of shelves and salad box.
There's a setting in the manual where you can disconnect a bridge and the voltage cut-off is higher, which might avoid this cycling, but at the expense of shutting off soonerAfter running for a day or so the current consumption is around 3.3 amps
Running it in a room at at 23C on setting 1 it runs for 4 minutes and switches off for 20 minutes. This is great as average current consumption is 0.7 amps.
One issue I have come across is the fridge gets itself in a mess when the voltage is low. When the voltage is not low enough to shut down it tries to operate but the initial high current and high internal resistance of the battery reduces the voltage below the minimum. This forces a shut down but then the voltage recovers and the fridge repeats the cycle. Still playing with the set up but would appreciate other peoples experience.
Have now started testing with this fridge (Post in thread 'Fridge install and compressor location' Fridge install and compressor location ).
Initial startup on setting 1 it was pulling 37W, peaking at 44W (3.66A @ 12V) within a couple of minutes, back to 38W and then shut off to 0W after about 10 minutes (from startup).
Turning it up to setting 5 and after it settled down, it cycles 33W then 0W. Always 33W (2.75A @ 12V).
Overnight on setting 6, it looks like about 20Ah of used battery or 240W, which at 12 hours makes it about 20W continuous when undisturbed.
So I reckon you need 20Ah overnight, probably double during the day, so 60Ah per day. Which is 120Ah standard battery or 60Ah lithium.
For reference I'm running a 29.4Ah lithium with 100W solar, so I'll report back!!
Edit: it seems to maintain a temperature at the top of the fridge (remember I'm using it as a top loader) of 9.9 deg C. At the bottom, it's -1.5 deg C. That will be because the back of the freezer compartment is open to the rest of trunk, so we've made it a combined freezer-fridge, rather than a true top loader where the freezer compartment is higher than the fridge bit and more separate.
Initial startup on setting 1 it was pulling 37W, peaking at 44W (3.66A @ 12V) within a couple of minutes, back to 38W and then shut off to 0W after about 10 minutes (from startup).
Turning it up to setting 5 and after it settled down, it cycles 33W then 0W. Always 33W (2.75A @ 12V).
Overnight on setting 6, it looks like about 20Ah of used battery or 240W, which at 12 hours makes it about 20W continuous when undisturbed.
So I reckon you need 20Ah overnight, probably double during the day, so 60Ah per day. Which is 120Ah standard battery or 60Ah lithium.
For reference I'm running a 29.4Ah lithium with 100W solar, so I'll report back!!
Edit: it seems to maintain a temperature at the top of the fridge (remember I'm using it as a top loader) of 9.9 deg C. At the bottom, it's -1.5 deg C. That will be because the back of the freezer compartment is open to the rest of trunk, so we've made it a combined freezer-fridge, rather than a true top loader where the freezer compartment is higher than the fridge bit and more separate.
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Coly
Member
I tried the link for the higher voltage cut off with the same cycling result. I now use the voltage cut off on the solar charger.
The problem with a higher fridge setting is the compressor runs more and hence overall life will be reduced.
I am using 150Ah solar panel supplying a 100Ah lithium. I am disappointed that the maximum solar power has been only 330Wh per day this summer.
This summer the fridge has been set on 1 (130Wh). A third of the days the solar charger is in totally bulk charge, a third bulk/absorb and a third bulk/absorb/float.
In the winter it will be a lot less and the usage with lights / heater will be insufficient so a mains top up will probably be necessary.
The problem with a higher fridge setting is the compressor runs more and hence overall life will be reduced.
I am using 150Ah solar panel supplying a 100Ah lithium. I am disappointed that the maximum solar power has been only 330Wh per day this summer.
This summer the fridge has been set on 1 (130Wh). A third of the days the solar charger is in totally bulk charge, a third bulk/absorb and a third bulk/absorb/float.
In the winter it will be a lot less and the usage with lights / heater will be insufficient so a mains top up will probably be necessary.
My measurements are a little inexact and yet this fridge worked well for us this weekend. The first night it performed as above, at setting 5 it burned about 18Ah. The first full day was overcast so the 100W solar struggled to put charge on with the fridge's load on it, only topping up 12Ah (solar giving about 60W and the fridge drawing about 20W). The second night saw us lose another 18Ah to the fridge, then disaster, the second full day was full sun and someone unplugged the solar when we went out for the day. The two hours we managed of charging as the sun set was good (70W+ dropping to 50W) and meant the battery supported the last night by dropping to setting 1, and gave up at 11am.
This is using a Renogy briefcase panel.
Edit: so it does appear like this fridge with a small battery and large solar panel can work. My experience is in contrast to @Coly which does make me wonder if their fridge is somehow different?
Which variant is yours? Mine's the cr42 elegance
This is using a Renogy briefcase panel.
Edit: so it does appear like this fridge with a small battery and large solar panel can work. My experience is in contrast to @Coly which does make me wonder if their fridge is somehow different?
Which variant is yours? Mine's the cr42 elegance
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