Advice on solar fridge system for everyday use.

[CaliMobber]

Im not going to break everything down but there is some good info people have posted and some facts that are just not true. One I have to address is the edgestar does not have a dana foss compressor its a china knock off that while good is not a good as a true danfoss compressor.


Now for some real world facts. I have a 80w panel on my roof and that feeds into a morningstar pwm controller. I also have 2 optimum yellow tops under my hood. I have owned a edgestar 43qt since 2011 and its been a great tool for all my trips. I bought a ARB 50qt recently and now have both but the arb is more efficient.


With all my windows cracked for vents and my ARB set for 32deg F my fridge runs 24/7 and never kills my batteries. My 4runner sits most week days since i have a work vehicle so I dont start the car for 5 days straight and batt are still solid 12.8v when the sun goes down.

Now another factor to account for is outside temp. I use window visors to keep inside temps down but it does not get much warmer than 75-80 deg most days here in the rockies.

Im kinda rushed so I can chime in again later but 100w should be fine especially with a large battery, but you need good venting to keep the car from hot boxing.

 

[verdesardog]

If you are keeping your batteries in an enclosed space then yes AGM is the way to go, no need to vent. Flooded batteries need good ventilation or can lead to a build up of hydrogen which is not a good thing to have anywhere, especially where you live and sleep.

 

[4x4junkie]

How will the FLA batteries handle being in the enclosed bed with shell that I'll be sleeping in? I've read the AGM do not vent and are ok to use in this type of environment as opposed to other types that may vent and are probably not a good idea for what I'm wanting to do. I don't want to wake up dead one morning because of the battery, lol.

Just want to say thanks to everybody for your help and insight thus far, much appreciated! Keep it coming

For that you will want to look for batteries that use lead-calcium plate technology (ones that are labeled "Maintenance-Free", use calcium plates, and is what Costco sells). These produce very little gas during charging. The gas also is not poisonous in any way, however it is highly flammable, so the danger lies in having a spark or an open flame be in close proximity to the battery.
For this reason you also do not want to seal batteries of any type inside of an airtight box where gas could build up, even AGM ones because they can still vent should there be a charging system malfunction (having them in a box that is vented both at the top & bottom however should be fine).

One I have to address is the edgestar does not have a dana foss compressor its a china knock off that while good is not a good as a true danfoss compressor.

Danfoss brand compressors I understand are made in China now too, just so you know.
A fridge's insulation and exterior color (heat/light reflectance) matters far more than what brand or country of origin it's compressor is (for sure the Edgestar could be a little more efficient if it was bright white rather than light gray).