Initial Kill-a-Watt Fridge Data

[Mo Heat]

Garage Fridge:

11.24 KWHs / 94.4 hrs = 83.61 KWHs/mo * 0.055/kwh = $4.60/mo

Basement Fridge:

32.54 KWHs / 381.00 hrs = 61.49 KWHs/mo * 0.055/kwh = $3.38/mo

 

[Corey]

Interesting data. Kind of surprised to see the garage and basement are so close. Up until this past week, my garage has been like a refrigerator...no power required! Any plans to check them this summer? I suspect the garage usage may change when the weather warms up, but the basement may stay fairly constant?

Have you checked any appliances in the 'off' position? I'm becoming more curious about how much power is 'evaporating' around here.

Corey

 

[Mo Heat]

Interesting data. Kind of surprised to see the garage and basement are so close. Up until this past week, my garage has been like a refrigerator...no power required! Any plans to check them this summer? I suspect the garage usage may change when the weather warms up, but the basement may stay fairly constant?

Have you checked any appliances in the 'off' position? I'm becoming more curious about how much power is 'evaporating' around here.

Corey

The garage fridge is probably 10 yrs older than the basement fridge. My garage was about 50oF at the time. I'll likely check them again in the summer. In fact, I'll be checking something with the kill-a-watt meter until I figure out where all the watts are going.

As far as the off position, I was kind of freaked out when I checked on the garage fridge last night. It wasn't running, but it looked like the kill-a-watt meter was registering wattage. I didn't know what to think of that. Still don't. Maybe it's evaporating electrical watts (EEW!)!

 

[jjbaer]

Interesting data. Kind of surprised to see the garage and basement are so close. Up until this past week, my garage has been like a refrigerator...no power required! Any plans to check them this summer? I suspect the garage usage may change when the weather warms up, but the basement may stay fairly constant?

Have you checked any appliances in the 'off' position? I'm becoming more curious about how much power is 'evaporating' around here.

Corey

The garage fridge is probably 10 yrs older than the basement fridge. My garage was about 50oF at the time. I'll likely check them again in the summer. In fact, I'll be checking something with the kill-a-watt meter until I figure out where all the watts are going.

As far as the off position, I was kind of freaked out when I checked on the garage fridge last night. It wasn't running, but it looked like the kill-a-watt meter was registering wattage. I didn't know what to think of that. Still don't. Maybe it's evaporating electrical watts (EEW!)!

OK Mo...that's about 140 KW-hrs for thos two items...where are the other 1160 KW-hrs going...LOL....?

 

[Corey]

As far as the off position, I was kind of freaked out when I checked on the garage fridge last night. It wasn't running, but it looked like the kill-a-watt meter was registering wattage. I didn't know what to think of that. Still don't. Maybe it's evaporating electrical watts (EEW!)!

Maybe the defrost cycle or a crank case heater on the compressor? (or maybe that light really does stay on when you close the door!) Let us know what other watt gulping appliances you measure.

 

[Mo Heat]

This effort isn't going to be as easy as decommissioning one old refrigerator. It's starting to feel like searching for the legendary pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I've never had much luck with that, either.

I'm going to leave the k-a-w meter on the garage fridge for a while longer to get a better feel for things. I'm really surprised it doesn't use more electric than thus far indicated. I'm headed to Florida for the next couple weeks, so I'll see what it says when I get back.

On another issue: the radon fan is up and running and the radon level has already dropped upstairs in my bathroom from 9.2 to 8.2 pc/l in just over 48 hrs of up-time. Uhm... and I now know it's costing me $3 per month.

 

[kevinmoelk]

Fridges are very inefficient in general. The basic design of having the compressor and all the other "stuff" creating heat underneath the box that it's trying to cool seems counter-productive imo. Notice commercial fridges have all the heat generating components on top of the fridge. There is a manufacturer... Sunfrost?... that has developed homeowner fridges with the compressor on top, but they are the only manufacturer that comes to mind.

I've often wondered about simply gluing ridgid foam on the exterior of the fridge to see if that would help to lower the outgoing kw. But... seeing as I eliminated my garage fridge I won't do it on the fridge inside my home for asthetic reasons. Anyone want to be the guinea?

Phantom loads (parasitic draw) is a real pain. Seems the remote control age, and every electronic gizmo having a clock doesn't help when trying to save energy.

-Kevin

 

[colsmith]

I just completed a similar study, 2 freezers in the basement and the kitchen frig

the number is a 1 hour average of KwH

upright freezer 0.0492
chest freezer 0.0400
refrigerator 0.0345


These were not the biggest energy hogs, at the top of the list we have

palm tree 0.1481
computer 0.0973
computer monitor 0.0706

The palm tree is just 2 strings of light on a palm tree looking stand. They look like chrismas lights, but they are a big power suck.

[Edited for spelling - Hubby (Jim) posted this, he is dyslexic. Also, the highest number/time was from the microwave, although of course we don't run it very long at one time. Doubt it could be energy efficient to dry firewood in it! - Marcia]

 

[jjbaer]

Fridges are very inefficient in general. The basic design of having the compressor and all the other "stuff" creating heat underneath the box that it's trying to cool seems counter-productive imo. Notice commercial fridges have all the heat generating components on top of the fridge. There is a manufacturer... Sunfrost?... that has developed homeowner fridges with the compressor on top, but they are the only manufacturer that comes to mind.

I've often wondered about simply gluing ridgid foam on the exterior of the fridge to see if that would help to lower the outgoing kw. But... seeing as I eliminated my garage fridge I won't do it on the fridge inside my home for asthetic reasons. Anyone want to be the guinea?

Phantom loads (parasitic draw) is a real pain. Seems the remote control age, and every electronic gizmo having a clock doesn't help when trying to save energy.

-Kevin

Wench,

Years ago all refrigerators had those ugly compressors on the top of the fridge and they sat up top like a hat-box on a shelf.....then for aesthetics and to lower the center of gravity, they put them down below.....so now you have to pay big bucks to get the ones where the compressor sits up top.....