![]() ![]() ![]() Propane refrigerators are commonly used in RV campers and off-grid houses. Food does not stay at an even temperature in a cooler, resulting in more spoilage than other options. Also, an ice box has to be regularly drained and restocked with ice, even when ice may not always be readily available. The cons are it won’t keep food frozen, and food can easily get wet and soggy. If you live in a cold climate, an ice box in winter is free to use and you can freeze your own ice. The pros are it is cheap and readily available and can be taken with you if you are camping. The cooler will stay colder if you can keep it in the shade and add extra insulation. If you have access to cheap ice this is probably the lowest cost solution. Some new cooler manufacturers claim 7-10 days but I am skeptical. If you can get a well-insulated ice box (cooler) or add extra foam board insulation to an icebox, you can keep food fresh but not frozen for about 5 days. In my years of trying to find the lowest power usage option and factoring in convenience and food storage space, these are the setups and these are the options with the pros and cons.īest off grid refrigeration options ICE BOX / COOLER ![]() That is way too much power for a small off-grid system and would require a minimum of 2kw of power just for the fridge. The average grid connected house fridge consumes 500-750 watts when running, but uses 1200-2000 watts to get the compressor pump started (cold crank power). One of the biggest problems off-gridders run into is how to have refrigeration without a big power system. That is a typical off-grid setup like most off-gridders use. I also occasionally use a small gas generator for running a washing machine or recharging the batteries on low sun days. My current power system is 580 watts solar and a 400 watt wind turbine. I have used many different refrigeration options in my off-grid adventures. I have been off grid for over 15 years and live in a 14×14 solar and wind powered cabin I built. ![]()
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