DIY: Given a solar panel and an electrical outlet, how do I power a fridge using solar with grid backup?
See http://gregable.com/2007/09/apartment-solar-what-is.html
I want to buy a solar panel and some other device X that will let me smoothly power appliances from X. X will use power from the solar panel first, and then from the grid if there isn’t enough. I don’t want a battery system due to the costs, if there is too much power from solar, I’ll just waste it in this system. What is X that I would need to buy or how would I build X?
Some of the answers so far pointed out that my plan is a bad one for cost reasons. I’m well aware that it isn’t going to save me any money. Leather seats in my car don’t make it go faster either. Still, I’m interested in playing with the technologies in a bigger way than a little toy car or something. The DIY part is the main interest, not the saving money or environment.
January 13th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Even the smallest refrigerator requires far more power than even a fairly large solar panel can supply at high noon in Death Valley. That’s why nobody bothers with this sort of scheme: you’d be paying a lot for the solar panel, but supplying almost all of its power from the electrical outlet anyway.
Solar technology is gradually coming along, but it has a very long way to go before it’ll be this practical.
To confirm this, check the nameplate on your refrigerator and then the power output of any solar panel. Compare.