need advice re solar power please

[diamond lil]

We have everything sorted here for long power cuts, apart from the fridge/freezer, and we want to deal with that this year. What I need to know is what to get that will keep the f/f running so I don't lose all the food in there - (it's a big American style double door one). I read a blog where they were installing solar power but lost it.

[Spiderwebb]

I have the same project on my list of never ending jobs! I'm no solar expert but one good professional info source I've bookmarked is this -

http://www.mysolarshop.co.uk/solar-pane ... -i-94.html

I particularly like the step by step approach to helping you understand how a solar system works and therefore how to build one based on anticipated demand/consumption.

I hope to build my system with as many used/improvised components as possible. I also intend to supplement the solar system with a vertical wind turbine.

[poppypiesdad]

oops didnt read

[andy prepper]

That's quite high power consuming appliance to run of a solar panel set-up, if you need just to power the fridge freezer off the top of my head you would need the following to run it.

One 150 amp hour 12 volt deep cycle battery £220
Two 80 watt solar panels with a battery charge controller £300
12 volt to 230 volt inverter £100

Your looking at about £650 when you add in wiring and other materials, you could get price down by shopping around and buying second hand. Like I say this only of top of my head, if you want me to I could calculate a system to power your fridge freezer all I need is the wattage of it. The wattage is noted generally on back near where power cable is. Another alternative to look at is a generator you can pick up good second hand one for around £250, it would also power more the just your fridge freezer.

[diamond lil]

Thanks both - I don't really want a genny, they're noisy, smelly and expensive, more interested in solar. If we can't do solar then it's up to the OH - if he decides to get one then we will. But I've saved the solar power site and will try hard to follow it
The f/f - I can't get round to the back cos it nearly killed 3 men getting the bloody thing in and it's never going to come out again until we die or the house is demolished! But the booklet says it uses 749kwh per annum if that helps? The cost is manageable at £650 ish. Would that run it all the time or only for short periodsin powercuts?

[Hamradioop]

Lil if you post the make and model we may be able to find its power consumption on the net, or it may be listed in the handbook that came with it.

[diamond lil]

It's a Samsung RSH5UBMH. We bought it a week before I found out that you could get solar powered freezers

[junmist]

Hi Lil why don't you try wind and solar and if you have a river near by a water turbin. Im with you on liking solar but would it work in Scotland in the winter.

[diamond lil]

Well, it's HA house in a terrace of 6, so not sure how fancy we want to go Junmist - not sure if it will work here, am asking on other forums.

[poppypiesdad]

Going on an average for you Samsung f/f

I assume it to be 800w ish with both defrost heaters on so it will be less
Assume that the compressor will run about 8 hours in the day so total power needed is 6400w/day

So worst case scenario the power is off for 2 days so you'll need 12800 w

Due to battery inefficiency so assume you'll only get 50% of the battery capacity so you'll need 25600w capacity

Then you'll need to compensate for temperature assume lowest temp of 10 oC factor of 1.3 33280wh

Then using a 12v battery bank you would need 2773amp hours to run your freezer for 2 days through an inverter

You would need 12 batteries with a capacity of 240 amp hours


So to recharge the batteries using solar alone 12v panels 25 w would take 1320 hours or 55 days to recharge
250w. 132 hours or. 5.5 days
1kw. 33 hours or. 1 day 9 hours


To charge the batteries from empty to full . Small panel but the bigger the panel the shorter the time

Been all long day so I feel like in need to check the numbers again before quoting gosp

need to sleep will check them again tomorrow , but that is going to be very very expensive and take up a huge amount of room , SOMEONE CHECK THE CALCULATIONS PLS


Jamie