keeping refrigerator cool - question

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
4,510
294
83
Refrigerators are not on the inverter, very long power outages here, have been using the blue plastic gallon water bottles in the freezer to keep contents cold. I rotate bottles from freezer to refrigerator section. Is there something more long lasting to use? Even though I fill the gallons only 75% they eventually crack and water leaks out of bottle.


image_8507.jpg
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
it may be a dumb suggestion but consider connecting the fridge to inversor. before we did that i used to get very ill because of the food that was improperly stored. not anymore. we have 3.5 kw inversor and 8 batteries. nearly whole house is wired too. in a long run it may be a better option. we used to have 8-10 hours of blackouts daily, btw.
 

FOURFAN

New member
Jan 30, 2015
52
0
0
not a dumb at all, inverter, inversor , dc to ac voltage convertor is what they are for. WE need three way refrigerators like rv's gas , 12 volt dc, 110 volt ac.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
If necessary, get more batteries, a larger inverter, and connect the refrigerator.
 

chic

Silver
Nov 20, 2013
4,305
1
0
thats why dom's dont use the freezer/fridge for much. never saw anything in my g.f.'s sisters fridge besides gallon or two of water....
 

VJS

Bronze
Sep 19, 2010
846
0
36
You can replace the water bottle with packs of specially designed gel in hard plastic shells, - generally used to keep picnic coolers cool. Not sure you can find this in DR though - e.g. look for 'blue ice' on amazon.
 

karlheinz

New member
Oct 2, 2006
451
4
0
i think a propane option would be a great idea for this country as a backup. Had the same on my old camper, 12v, 110v or propane useage.
 

ramesses

Gold
Jun 17, 2005
6,672
809
113
I have an older ice box type fridge. I never open my fridge during a power failure. Still in the safe zone when I open it once power comes back (up to 10 hours).....also helps defrosts it for me.
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
4,510
294
83
it may be a dumb suggestion but consider connecting the fridge to inversor. before we did that i used to get very ill because of the food that was improperly stored. not anymore. we have 3.5 kw inversor and 8 batteries. nearly whole house is wired too. in a long run it may be a better option. we used to have 8-10 hours of blackouts daily, btw.

Logical question, had refrigerator on inverter for a couple years. Electricity was so bad was changing 8 batteries after little more than a year. If I were to be here more often might do the whole nine yards with generator and a great new refrigerator. However, I am finding myself not wanting to spend that much time in the country and not make that capital investment now. The revolving ice gallons work well enough for the moment except for the cracking plastic bottles. Might try these:

8283-00!SPD-51_d.jpg
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
4,510
294
83
There are other nuances to the situation as to why I dont want to put the refrigerator back on inverter now, but I think the ice is a good idea even with inverter use. If everyone in the DR kept their freezers full of ice bottles a lot less electricity would be consumed.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
well, i have fridge and freezer full at all times as i keep nearly all food there: pasta, rice, flour, coffee, sugar and more. i also always have frozen platanos/yuca/batatas.

i do understand your point, thou. what i have seen in a barrio where we had the pharmacy, in particular in colmados, that some of their merchandise was in a freezer. but nothing was ever frozen because the power was so bad.
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
5,545
1,327
113
I managed to live through a whole year without batteries ( in btwn changes ).
An experience, might u call it.......... a very, very, very bad idea with hindsight...,.. anyway......
IF ure fridge is good quality ( seals, ....) and IF it is full of water/ice ( u can buy in any colmado, sort of long plastic bags to make ice ) and IF u DO NOT open the fridge door when the power is off, one can keep stuff cold for 12 + hours.

So plastic bags ( ask at colmado ), but also buy bags of ice ( again, big cheap bags at colmado ).

In my experience the frige used MORE electricity when not connected to an inverter, as it had to work big time when the luz came back, as to cool everything down again.