PV Gap

Stacey Said:

Solar Panel Batteries?

We Answered:

If your desired voltage is 12V then you will hook up your 6V in series, and your 12V in parallel.
Depending on what your amp draw of the fridge is, will determine the gauge wire you need from the battreies to the fridge.
The used batteries are probably there for a reason, they don't hold a charge, you are better off using new batteries or if you know, or know someone who knows how to "load test" a battery you may get a good deal with used ones, but don't get them without a test being done.

Jean Said:

Solar Panel Batteries?

We Answered:

You have a 12 volt system with two small 6 volt batteries running in series. If you get 12 volt batteries, you will have to run them in parallel. That would be positive to positive, negative to negative. Don't exceed the voltage input of the inverter. You will blow it and create a great deal of heat.

Either way, it really doesn't matter what you buy. If it won't run the mini-fridge, it won't run the mini-fridge. No amount of batteries in the world will make it run. The inverter simply doesn't have enough kVA (watts or capacity) to be able to overcome the locked rotor amps (LRA) of the compressor on the mini-fridge. You need a different inverter, not batteries. That being said, batteries plus a good sized inverter would do what you want to do.

If you really want to get into it, you could put a much larger capacitor (higher capacitive reactance, otherwise known as a "hard start kit") on the start coils of the compressor. That would give your current inverter a chance at starting the mini-fridge.