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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1495
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
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Solar freindly inexpensive refrigeration
I have never had much luck with gas refrigerators, especially in the summer. They seem to stay about 40 degrees colder than ambient, but when ambient
is 95 to 100 a 55 to 60 degree beer is just not cold enough. I was using a small dometic freezer as my beer cooler and it worked great. Set at its
warmest setting it would easily stay at 35 to 40 degrees even on the hottest days. Unfortunatly all good things come to an end, and my 25 year old
freezer finally cooled it s last beer. I looked for another one but they are scarce, and expensive. I remembered reading somewhere about someone that
had used a small elec chest freezer and turned that into a refer using an external thermostat switch. What I found is that this is fairly common
practice with the home brewing crowd.
What worked for me was to buy a used 5cf chest freezer that I found on Craig's list for $75. Then I bought a Johnson controls A 419 thermostat for $68
delivered and a $10 extension cord from home depot. You don't make any alterations to the freezer, so if you buy a new one you are not voiding the
warranty. The thermostat control is wired so that it plugs into a 120v outlet and the freezer plugs into the thermostat. Then you set the temp on the
thermostat to the temp that you want the freezer/refer to be at. Drop the thermostat probe into the freezer, and plug it into the wall outlet and you
are done. The beauty of this thing is that it uses less than 300 watts in 24 hours (that's after the initial cool down period) I find that mine runs
about 5 to 6 minutes every hour. I have the temp set to turn the freezer on at 42 degrees and off at 37 degrees. I got the thermostat here:
http://www.pexsupply.com/Johnson-Controls-A419ABC-1C-Single-...
So for around $150 I got a solar freindly beer/extra food refer. Life is now better. For me it works great YMMV.
Larry
[Edited on 8-12-2010 by larryC]
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BajaNomad
Super Administrator
Posts: 4999
Registered: 8-1-2002
Location: San Diego, CA
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http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=26910#pid2606...
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=42125
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=42113#pid4601...
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
https://www.regionalinternet.com
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geomike
Junior Nomad
Posts: 64
Registered: 10-3-2009
Location: Very near to the middle of nowhere.
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Mood: feeling an irresistable pull towards Baja...
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Well D###M that is clever!
OK brain remember this one for the future.
I mean it brain...or you'll get another bath in Gin.
You are entitled to your own opinions...not your own facts.
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3512
Registered: 8-27-2003
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LC: I am so doing this unless you have room in yours for my beer.
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1495
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
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Bajanomad
You mean I am not the first to do this? just kidding, when I was Googling for info none of those threads came up, but it was obvious that I was not
the first.
Santiago, Soulpatch,
I am taking it down there next week to see how it does in the heat, and I will hook up my Killawatt meter so I can tell you exactly how much power it
uses. So far I have it here in San Diego and the heat is non existant, one of the coldest summers I can remember. I will be at my place in early
October and it will be available for a test beer then.
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irenemm
Senior Nomad
Posts: 623
Registered: 7-16-2009
Location: vicente guerrero, baja
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Mood: relaxed
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Larry
will have #3 ready for you
drive careful see you then
Irene
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Debra
Super Nomad
Posts: 2101
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Port Orchard Wa./Bahia de Los Angeles BC
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Santiago, what Soulpatch said, ME TOO, ME TOO!
Mean people suck!
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3512
Registered: 8-27-2003
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Larry: have you put this together yet and if so, how's it working?
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3512
Registered: 8-27-2003
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I got your 'Looky' right here!
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hookemup
Junior Nomad
Posts: 63
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: pac nw/ cabo pulmo
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Being off the grid here in Cabo Pulmo we have a pal that took it a step further .He added a timer so it turns off at night .Works great unless of
course you happen to drink in your sleep.
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1495
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
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Santiago
Just got back from Bahia today. It is HOT down there. During the day it was hi 90's and in my garage (where the freezer is) it was 104. I hooked
everything up and put in a case of warm beer, a case warm of sodas, and about a half a case of warm bottled water. In the first 24 hours the freezer
used .630kw according to my Killawatt meter. The second 24 hours it consumed .452 kw. I don't think that is too bad considering the ambient temps. In
camparison, my 18cf sears refer (in the house) used 2.98kw in a 24 hour period and it was already cooled down. I suspect that in the cooler months the
consumption of the freezer will reduce by at least half. My sears refer drops to .95kw a day in the cooler months. Anyway, all in all I am happy with
it, and it was alot cheaper than a propane unit.
hookemup
I tried it with a timer, I had it turn on at 8am and off at 8pm, but it still used .6kw, so I am guessing that having to re-cool down after a 12 hour
off time is what used the extra power.
You are in Pulmo? My parents had a place there from '78 to '95 right next to Doug and Sally Kittridge. Are they still there? My dads place was just to
the north of Dougs and just to the south of Marty Pasos's place, which is probably just an over grown lot by now. Great memories from there, lots of
good diving out at the bajo, and fun fishing from shore right in front of the ramada in the afternoons for the Toros. Good times.
Larry
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irenemm
Senior Nomad
Posts: 623
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Location: vicente guerrero, baja
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Mood: relaxed
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Hi Larry
Glad you got home safely
was good to see you this trip.
Irene
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3512
Registered: 8-27-2003
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Is the unit's thermostat still hooked up? I assume it would not matter as it would always be 'on' and the external control would turn the compressor
on/off above the set point of the freezer's unit. Right? This means that you can also use it as a freezer just by plugging the freezer in the outlet.
Do I have this right? I'm getting 5 cubic foot freezers in the $75 range on Craig's List up my way.
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1495
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Irene
Thanks, I had a great (as usual) meal and a quiet night at your place. I got up early and headed to border, only 4 cars in front of me, and no
secondary. I was home before noon.
Santiago
Yes, you have it correct, no alterations to the freezer what so ever, so if you need it to be a freezer just plug it into an A/C outlet.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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I have used a regular Whirlpool electric fridge (15cft) soley run by my solar system for the last 10 years or so.
I believe the fridge only costs about $250 USD at Electra or Whirlpool in La Paz.
Added insulation box and top venting helps, but it has always run flawlessly... and makes ice right quick!
[Edited on 8-31-2010 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Mexicorn
Senior Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
I have used a regular Whirlpool electric fridge (15cft) soley run by my solar system for the last 10 years or so.
I believe the fridge only costs about $250 USD at Electra or Whirlpool in La Paz.
Added insulation box and top venting helps, but it has always run flawlessly... and makes ice right quick!
[Edited on 8-31-2010 by Pompano] |
Where can I get one of these in northern Baja?
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1495
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
I have used a regular Whirlpool electric fridge (15cft) soley run by my solar system for the last 10 years or so.
I believe the fridge only costs about $250 USD at Electra or Whirlpool in La Paz.
Added insulation box and top venting helps, but it has always run flawlessly... and makes ice right quick!
[Edited on 8-31-2010 by Pompano] |
So does my sears, but how much power does your Whirlpool use in a day? I suspect in the summer months it uses more than 450 watts.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
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Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mexicorn...wish I could tell you with certainty, but I hardly ever shop in northern Baja. I would imagine any major appliance store
would offer Whirlpool. Electra? The membership discount stores?
| Quote: | Originally posted by larryC
| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
I have used a regular Whirlpool electric fridge (15cft) soley run by my solar system for the last 10 years or so.
I believe the fridge only costs about $250 USD at Electra or Whirlpool in La Paz.
Added insulation box and top venting helps, but it has always run flawlessly... and makes ice right quick!
[Edited on 8-31-2010 by Pompano] |
So does my sears, but how much power does your Whirlpool use in a day? I suspect in the summer months it uses more than 450 watts.
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I can't put a number on the the wattage used for the summer, but don't recall any problems affecting my solar power system. The insulation box and
venting feature increases efficiency and conserves power.
Note: I wish I could find the dang photos I took of the fridge and box, but of course I can't find them right now. I must have titled them with some
other heading then 'fridge' 
The best I can do for now is this one ...the fridge is extreme left...stainless steel front.
Keeps the beers icy cold.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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beer and chocolate...WOW!!!
| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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Chocolate and beer?
Chocolate and beer are incredible together.
You may be surprised how well these beverages complement filled chocolates, bringing out the best flavors in each.
And isn't bringing out the best in each other what romance is all about?
[Edited on 9-1-2010 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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