Current Draw Examples

[Pigman1]

Originally Posted by bruceisla

Yes, but the start current is needed if you are thinking about adding a secondary inverter dedicated to the residential reefer. In my case, at 6.5 amps at 120vac it looks like I could squeak by on a quality 1000 watt inverter but a 1500 watt would have a bit of a margin and a 2000 watt would run the reefer and a few sensitive electronics.

We run a 18 cu ft French Door Kitchen Aid refrigerator, a 16 cu ft chest freezer and a 3.5 cu ft basement freezer on a dedicated Tripp Lite PV1250FC inverter. The Tripp Lite has a 100% overload ability for 30 minutes and we have never seen a over 90% load on it, even when it was starting all three appliances at the same time after a power surge. Just remember to use the smallest inverter you can get away with to minimize the parasite load of the inverter itself.

[Muddypaws]

That's over 1000 watts! In order to make 1000 watts at 120v the inverter has to draw around 100 Amps (at 12v) from your battery bank. Factoring in a 25% inverter loss. That's a lot of current. But you did say that was the startup load.

I looked up that model of inverter. Nice that it has a load display.

Serious question:

What about once the motors get up to speed? What is the average load on the inverter? How about with just the refrigerator running?

Thanks!
Muddypaws

[vsheetz]

Reminder to those providing numbers for refrigerator or other devices that do not have a constant power draw, please use something like a kill-a-watt EZ to provide power over time (days). Just using running power draw in usage calcs will overstate the actual usage considerably.

[garyswann]

All the sat TV receivers I've had before HDTV were around 20 watts and all the ones I have now are 55 watts. They produce lots more heat now too.

[PyrateSilly]

Not sure what we draw on what, but I know that we were getting charged way more for electric where we are at then we should. After 3 months of complaining they finally had someone check and while the meter was spinning like crazy we were only pulling in between 3 and 4 amps with an LED TV, coffee pot, 2 laptops, a printer, a router and the microwave plugged in (not running). I think that was all but I may have missed one or 2 things plugged in. Yep we are getting a huge amount credited back to our account.

Oh yea we also had the RV fridge on electric and the hot water heater and the Roku ....

[camaraderie]

While having exact draws for specific appliances is ideal...for those planning a system, Efficiency Vermont has an up to date chart for average KW hours PER MONTH for all sorts of appliances and tools. Simply divide by 30 to get an average daily use in watts/KW's and again by 12 to find our the amp hours needed to run things each day on average. They even have monthly costs listed for a 14 cent per KW rate so it is easy to adjust to your own rate as well.
Electric Usage Chart - Refrigerators

[charles tuit]

The following readings are from my battery monitor.

Coach idle (inverter off) .3 amps@12 volts

Inverter on (TV's and micro on standby) 3.3 amps @ 12 volts

Inverter on Haier 10.3 running 15.2 Amps @ 12 volts

I have a 458 modified sine 2000 watt Xantrex inverter. The Haier runs approx. 30-50 % of the time. I'll let you electronics experts figure the amp hours out.

[Libero]

Originally Posted by charles tuit

The following readings are from my battery monitor.

Coach idle (inverter off) .3 amps@12 volts

Inverter on (TV's and micro on standby) 3.3 amps @ 12 volts

Inverter on Haier 10.3 running 15.2 Amps @ 12 volts

I have a 458 modified sine 2000 watt Xantrex inverter. The Haier runs approx. 30-50 % of the time. I'll let you electronics experts figure the amp hours out.

Maybe a dumb question, but: what is a "Haier"? I know this is the name of a Japanese company that makes a variety of consumer electronics but do not understand the term as applied above. Hope to learn something new today.

Perhaps it refers to a specific "Haier" product?

Thanks.

[charles tuit]

Haier is a 110volt, 10.3 cubic foot refrigerator.

[Libero]

Thanks Charles - you have made my day -learned someting new.

[so47]

Toshiba 42" led .26 amps Sony blue ray player .13 amps. Interestingly, the tv had no phantom current draw. When it's off, it's off. Very nice. The DVD pulled .11 when " off" .

[bruceisla]

Thanks everyone.

I appreciate the info and I also appreciate that folks are listing actual measured current draw, product info, and circumstances.

Estimates are nice but not what I'm looking for.

Here are a few others, as measured with a Kill-A-Watt Model 4460 ($29 at Home Depot):

1) Hamilton Beach model 22604RC, 2-slice toaster, 6.30 amps at 120vac.

2) Walmart digital clock, no radio, typical small bedroom table size, .01 amps at 120vac.

3) Lasko 42" Tower Fan, Model 2554, low=.36 amps, med=.38 amps, high=.40 amps at 120vac (interestingly, the sticker actually claims .4 amps).

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by charles tuit

The following readings are from my battery monitor.

Coach idle (inverter off) .3 amps@12 volts

Inverter on (TV's and micro on standby) 3.3 amps @ 12 volts

Inverter on Haier 10.3 running 15.2 Amps @ 12 volts

I have a 458 modified sine 2000 watt Xantrex inverter. The Haier runs approx. 30-50 % of the time. I'll let you electronics experts figure the amp hours out.

Nearly the same as my Summit 10.3 which is drawing 1.6 amps at 120vac which should equate to 16 amps at 12vdc (but probably near 20 amps at the battery after inverter overhead).

One of these days I'll measure over a 12 or 24 hour period but it's a nuisance because I don't have room to plug the Kill-A-Watt into the reefer receptacle and need to use a short grounded extension cord.

[Dr4Film]

Here is the consumption decal from the Samsung RF197.

I am now using a Kill-O-Watt on the fridge and have seen as low as .08 amps at times.

I can measure what it uses for one week and report back. It won't include any ice cube making as I generally make a half bin of ice cubes and then turn it off.

I will be making ice cubes again soon.

Dr4Film ----- Richard