Solar Setup/Dometic Fridge Questions

Alright so I have this plan and it should all be good but I am wondering how I should wire up the fridge. I am going to have a 160 watt panel, charge controller, 1000watt inverter, 100ah battery. Its all going to be in the windoor tool box on my new Leer 100rcc(besides the battery, thats gonna be in the bed). So picture everything in the diagram, mounted in that tool box. Can I just run the AC plug from the fridge to the inverter? Or do I have to run it straight to the battery? Or should I run a separate 12v DC outlet like most people do? I'm hoping I can just run it to the inverter. Let me know your thoughts, thanks!

 

Depends on the fridge. If its internally converting the 120V from the inverter to 12V to run itself, then you've got an unnecessary conversion from 12V -> 120V - > 12v in there, which will be less efficient than if its designed to just run off 12V directly.

Got a link to the fridge itself?

 

Agree, if the fridge runs off 12VDC, just get it (the juice) straight from the 12V batt. Protect the circuit with appropriate fusing to the expected load.

 

running it DC is going to be the better option. Those fridges are more efficient that way, plus you don't want to lose excess power from the inverter's inefficiency AND the fridge inefficiency.

 

I would honestly try to get all 12v electronics if you’re going to be out frequently. Inverters are super inefficient (even the efficient ones) so you’re throwing away a lot of power just using it. Try to limit it to the necessities (laptop and other things that can’t run on 12v)
But get 12v lighting and all that.

 

For your application, power the fridge with DC. One of the main benefits of AC on a vehicle is smaller wire size, but I assume you're already running heavy gauge wire to to charge the house battery whenever your engine is on (just looked again at your diagram...maybe not?). As others have pointed out, you should limit the amp draw on the AC side of your system due to the DC to AC conversion losses.

You may consider something like the REDARC BCDC1225, which functions as a solar charge controller as well as DC pulse-charger. If you just have the house battery connected directly to your starting battery/alternator, you're never going to get a full charge and the voltage losses associated with the length of the charge wire will only exacerbate the problem.

My setup utilizes a REDARC and 50AH lithium battery - it will run my fridge for nearly three days without starting the truck. The relays, busses, and other electrical components fit nicely in a "Fat Fifty" ammo can. Those lithium batteries are pricey though! Pics attached.

 

Thats badass! Im planning on running a separate 12v outlet for the fridge after all of the suggestions. Thanks for the info!

 

In outfitting a Tacoma with a Dometic electric cooler, I plan to add a solar panel and, most likely, an additional battery. The only other significant load would be a laptop and, of course, an iPhone and reading LED. I expect to carry climbing ropes and other nylon gear in the camper as well as the cab, so acidic fumes are, naturally, a concern. Attached is a photo of a 100 watt flexible solar panel mockup. I'd much appreciate any input regarding your experience with the matter, specifically placement of a second battery outside of the cab and camper. Thanks.

 

Question for you. Why do you have the panel mockup located there? Is it hinged, or fixed to cab and topper?
As for batteries, if you use AGM or lithium based batteries, they can be located inside the cab or topper without a concern for fumes, as they don't off-gas anything.
a 100W solar panel is typically going to see maybe 80W of average output most of the time. I would suggest looking into getting two of the 100W flexible panels and securing them side by side, on top of the cab, unless you have future plans for the cab roof.

 

I thought that locating the solar panel there might reduce drag a bit. I'm working on an easily de-mountable attachment incorporating vibration isolation and with foam seals at top and bottom to, hopefully, impede harmonics. I want it to be easily removable for optimal placement relative to the sun, but via secret attachment, so it's not easily stollen.
The Dometic cooler draws around 0.74 Ah/h, depending, of course, on ambient temperature, etc. so I plan to, first, observe operation with a single 100 watt panel and the starter battery. I may soon upgrade depending on results. Incremental parsimony.
Thanks for the battery and panel input. No plans for cab roof. Lithium batteries look terribly expensive, but nothing compared to a failed climbing rope.