View Single Post
Old 04-22-2018, 05:25 PM   #37
Rossland
Senior Member
 
Rossland's Avatar
 
City: Buffalo
Vessel Name: Almost Perfect
Vessel Model: Kadey-Krogen 48
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 232
For everyone claiming one type of fridge is more efficient than another, can you quote some numbers? Some may be misled by the amp rating. That number is useful only to determine the appropriate size wire. The only way to determine total energy consumed is to test a fridge over several days with a device which measures total KWH.

A few months ago I tested our 11year old GE 15.5 cu ft fridge with a Kill-a-Watt, and found that it used 1.7 kwh/day. Our inverter is 90% efficient, so our fridge uses 1.9 kwh/day from the batteries. This amount includes the freezer portion, the automatic defrost, and the interior light.
I then looked at the EnergyStar rating (www.energystar.gov) for a new fridge equivalent, and found GTE16GSHSS had an EnergyStar rating of 1.17 KWH/day, or about 40% more efficient than our 11 year old version. One other thing I noticed from the EnergyStar ratings is that the amount of energy consumed is in direct proportion to the size of the fridge. Smaller fridges use proportionately less.
I could not find any EnergyStar ratings for 12V or dual voltage fridges. EnergyStar is a voluntary program so no manufacturer is compelled to submit their equipment for testing.
Can anyone give a link to energy ratings for "marine" fridges.

Arguing what is the best kind and size of fridge is like arguing what is the best kind of boat. It depends on your lifestyle, and where you cruise. For us, we will stick with our old 120V AC fridge. But if it craps out we will not spend much on repairs. Instead we will replace it with a new more efficient 120V AC model.
Rossland is offline   Reply With Quote