Went from a Sun Frost 16cu (after 20 yrs) to a 20cu LG inverter based top freezer unit. Sold at all the big box stores. After a couple of days running it measures 46 watts running at regular cycle. About a 50% duty cycle, in a 70 degree ambient temp. So that's about 25 watts an hour or 600 watts a day! Of course you have to figure inverter losses into your consumption. So no noticeable surge upon startup. This works fine off a 600 watt Samlex. They also sell a 23cu version, that uses about 10% more according to Consumer Reports. They have ice makers and mine is not on so I don't know the daily use with it running.
YUP! An LG Inverter-compressor fridge is on my wish-list too! Which model did you end up getting?
PS - my washer is an LG with an innverter motor, UBER EFFCIENT!
love me them inverter motors in LG products, a MUST for off-grid appliances... I love having a LG washer not having to even look at what it draws in current... love it..
Interesting that that model has an energy star rating of 471 kWh/Year. Other, non-inverter 20 cu ft models are rated at 386 kWh/Year.
Biggest Benefit of inverter refrigerator is definitely the lack of surge. Small compressor. Less material cost?
I ran one from a 300w suresine inverter.
You may have issue depending on model and defost element rating. Not sure of they use over 300watts. Running watts was low.
On the energy star rating I went with Consumer Reports independent testing rather then the mfg. claims. You'll find they give the 471 kw LG a better score then the 386 kw rated Frigidaire. 40$ for the LG vs $44 for the Frigidaire. I also looked at usable capacity. Again not the mfg's claims.
Since it still cycles, filling unused space with water (refrigerator) or antifreeze+water (freezer) should help efficiency.
Or beer (refrigerator) and Tequila (freezer)?
also just upgraded to an lg inverter fridge . 450 liter bottom mount freezer . measuring around .7 kw per day . energy star says it will use 299 kw per year. so performing well .
@solarhills99 - You sure that is the right model number? The LG web site doesn't say anything about it using an inverter motor. I am pretty sure that if this model was an inverter one they would make a big deal about it (and charge more).
Up here in the frozen North, LG lists Inverter in all their advertising, but the sales people, locally anyway, know little about the fact that the label means something important, they just go on the annual power consumption.
Thanks @cupcake, I thought I had looked at the specs, but there it is. My bad.
I need to go look for that smaller one.
That small one is on my wish-list! Looks HELLA GOOD!
By the way another name for inverter compressor is liniar compressor. The LG's have a Smart Inverter label on the front door if your at a box store. Lots of the smaller box stores won't have this model on the floor, not enough demand I guess.
Great thread! Just ordered a LTCS20220W for our new off-grid setup.
Is the smaller one the LT NC 11121V selling at MSRP $699.99?
I got the LTCS20220W from Home Depot on sale for $749 US. Great deal!
I wasn't up on these types of refrigerators and bought a Haier HCF143 143 litre chest freezer for around $180 (usd) and replaced the freezers thermostat with a regular fridge one (~$20 usd).
It cycles every few minutes or so for less than a minute each time, uses about 200 w a day. It is quiet, the start up surge makes the lights momentarily dim but for our 1.2 kwh/day budget it is quite remarkable.
Seeing that it is a chest freezer, leaning down into it is the only drag but if you are happy using custom little bins for your items, then it's a good fit for the low energy off-grid keener.
@davema mentioned his freezer to fridge conversion cycles on every few minutes, on for a minute each time. You might want to adjust the cut in and cut out a little wider as short cycles can lead to premature compressor failure.
I have pondered this issue a bit and have thought about putting frozen blocks in the fridge and freezer in the evening.
I take it you do this with success?
It is minus 19 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now. All I need to do is put them outside on the back deck for a wee bit and I don't even have to worry about getting my freezer to do the heavy lifting to freeze them again.
I think I have project for today!
It's much more effective to use a mix of non-toxic antifreeze (maybe 40%) and water so that it freezes/thaws at the right temperature.
Compressor short cycling also reduces efficiency. Water helps with this too.
Update on Lg inverter based 20 cu. Running off 600 watt inverter for 2 weeks now using about 600 to 700 watts a day at 0 degrees freezer, 37 refrig. This is well below energy sticker estimates. Actual power used is about a kw a day with the inverter no load loss plus inefficiency. If I plug this into my 3000 watt inverter which has a sleep mode I'll have a 18 watt no load loss plus inefficiency, when on but the inverter does go into sleep mode with this frig and come out if it fine. We've had a bad patch of cloudy weather here on the NY, MA, VT border so I've actually turned the inverter off for a few hrs when leaving the house. Now that the deep freeze is here have started to use frozen water bottles.
I tried salt water and found that it separated. But certainly better than using plain water in the freezer.