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MandG-Fun · 07-18-2014, 06:03 AM

Yup... yet another thread about residential fridges. I spent over a year trying to make my Norcold perform for the way we use our RV but Richard (Dr4Film) is right, there is only so much performance you will get from an absorption fridge, if that works for you, great, for me I have done everything possible and its time to upgrade.

My question is this... my coach being a short wheelbase unit has the Norcold N841 (24" x 60") so the Samsung is too large. Looking at the options in this size range the only thing I see about power consumption is the consumer label that tells you kWh consumption on an annualized basis. I am not an electrical guru so I did a little research and the best that I can determine is that you can't convert annual kWh to current draw. Is there a way to estimate amperage demand on a fridge that advertises 379 kWh annual electrical consumption (Whirlpool WRT111)?

I see that this is about 25% less than the annual power consumption of the Samsung RF197, so perhaps the best I can do is estimate from the current draw of the Samsung.

racersedge · 07-18-2014, 06:57 AM

maybe 4 amps on start up and runs on 3 pretty small fridge

Selah · 07-18-2014, 08:29 AM

You really don't care what it's instantaneous draw is but rather average over time.
So 379kW/yr = 1.04KW/day = 86 amp@12 volt./day on inverter. If the fridge ran for a total of six hours per day (which seems high), your talking about 21.6 amps over a 24 hour period.
Hope this helps.

Ernie Ekberg · 07-18-2014, 05:41 PM

Dump the non cold and get the whirlpool. don't look back. whirlpool is quite frugal. I have installed quite a few of them and even in my previous coach.

glennwest · 07-18-2014, 07:10 PM

The Norcold on electric consumes way more electricity than a residential fridge. The Energy Star units are frugal.

TQ60 · 07-18-2014, 07:58 PM

Just look at the back.

Everything that plugs in is required to have a dataplate indicating power.

If watts divide by 120 for inverter amps if not rated in watts capacity and by 12 for battery load from inverter.

If listed as amps multiply by 120 for watts if inverter rated in watts.

Next multiply battery amps by 1.2 for general overhead from the inverter.

Next double that for startup loads.

MandG-Fun · 07-18-2014, 10:22 PM

I would if there was a back to look at. Haven't purchased it yet and the stores around me don't stock it, special order only.

Thanks to all the other replies. If it draws equal or less than the NotCold then I should be in good shape. The order will be placed and I'll see if I can find someone on CL that would like to purchase a highly upgraded N841.

TQ60 · 07-18-2014, 10:28 PM

Go to manufacturer web page to see the spec sheet there

MandG-Fun · 07-19-2014, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TQ60

Go to manufacturer web page to see the spec sheet there

That was the first place I went, the only spec they give is the annual consumption in kWh, which is what gave rise to my original question.

radar · 08-29-2014, 08:28 PM

Howdy. I'm not 100 percent sure I can give you what you are looking for but I'll tell you what our 22 cubic frigidaire uses. Around or just under 1 amp when cycled on. Depending on outside temp it is cycled on anywhere from 18 to 24 minutes per hour. It occasionally goes into auto defrost for a bit. It draws around 320 watts then, plus or minus.

Any residential uses a lot less power than the absorption unit. Both have their pros and cons. For us it is all pros although we only seem to dry camp 3 to 6 weeks per year. We have a robust solar system that looks after all power needs although we tend to run the genny around 45 minutes per day around meal times.

Hope this helps.