Ecomodded Fridge saves $$ (added foam insulation) - Page 4

ecomodded · 10-18-12, 05:56 PM

For the added PCM's

The averages are 2 hrs 17m off time
26.6 minute on time

A 14% percent longer off duration with the PCM's / water jugs.

Facts: room temperature was cooler by 2 degrees c when conducting PCM tests, It may well be the measured gain is larger in this case because of it.
In the next few days i will raise my house temperature to 22 C and time the off durations again.

ecomodded · 10-26-12, 12:40 PM

My kill-a-watt meter has arrived and measurements were taken.

Actually test duration was 23hr 45 m
Started test after run cycle
Ended test after last run cycle
1 short defrost cycle took place, 5 min.

Run time wattage: 125w to 120w
peak wattage: noted once, 150w briefly, drops to 130w in 2 min. to settle at 122w

Defrost 412w, 5 min. run time noted

It uses 120 to 122 watts 90% of the time when it is running

Test duration: 23hrs 45m
Started watt meter measurements after a run period had stopped
Finished the test after a run time had completed, at 23hrs 45m.

0.7 kwh used
7 cents a day
$2.12 month
$25.91 year

Room temperature: 19.5 c night and day.
Fridge was used as normal, including 6 beers..

Daox · 10-26-12, 12:53 PM

Wow, thats really low. What is the ambient temperature?

ecomodded · 10-26-12, 01:03 PM

Its pretty warm in here, its 19.5 c constant night and day during tests.
My fridge is a Kenmore not a GE like i thought, although they may be all the same, probably Kenmore is just a higher quality model of the GE line.. glass shelves and the better adaptable defrost timer.

The improved efficiency i measured using the clock for the fridge was about 50% , the kill-a-watt numbers suggest a 33% savings over a new energy star fridge.
Sears energy guide kwh usage for a 2012 model, the same size, features and brand of fridge is $41 or 383 kwh a year, comparable to other $42 and $52 per year fridges, my fridge is a 2007 model.

Looks like my $50 insulating investment will take 2 years to pay back.
More importantly i have started my electrical consumption reduction and just realized my first 50% reduction improvement

I put the watt meter back on the fridge at 10 pm today, tomorrow at 10 pm i will check it again and post results.
I wanted to check other items with it so it was hard to just leave it on the fridge.
added:
As compared to the yearly 383 kWh from the 2012 energy guide my fridge with heavy use is using 255.5 annual kWh, 33% less energy

I completed the 2nd 24hr cycle, this time I used the fridge less including no beers,it made a difference in the long run 208 KWh year, 0.57 kWh consumed, annual cost: $20.55 temp. 19.5c

I am going to do one more test with no door openings what so ever, same as my clock timing tests were conducted, its a more precise way to measure the gains or losses as there is no corruption in the data by the usage differences.

Non-use 24hr numbers are in
.56 kWh
204 kWh year
5 cents day
$19.65 year

Hardly a change from the lighter use numbers, just a 0.01 daily KWh increase, with a 20% lower consumption over the heavier use test.
46.5% lower then the 2012 energy star fridge
(unsure of refrigerator EnergyStar KWh rating criteria)

temp: 19.5 -20 c

ThomSjay · 10-29-12, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MN Renovator

My refrigerator has coils on the bottom but ......

Wow! Thanks!

As soon as I read this, I grabbed a flashlight to inspect my fridge. Sure enough, it had bottom coils,...and they were covered/blocked with dust bunnies! Immediately, I grabbed the vacuum cleaner, a brush, and a long slender device(AKA knife) and cleaned it all out.

MN Renovator · 10-29-12, 01:39 PM

Next spring right before the weather gets hot and the indoor temperature rises I'm going to roll the refrigerator outside and spray the coils down with water. Vacuuming the coil design in my fridge model is difficult, time consuming, and doesn't get rid of all the dust with mine. Water is the easiest way to flush it all away. Just be sure to let it dry well before dragging it inside. I usually need to borrow a few coolers to keep the food safe but it works well.

ecomodded · 10-30-12, 12:54 AM

I had heard of someone who used compressed air to clean the coils out with, it sounded good to me. Although a wee bit dusty, you would want to sweep or vacuum the area after. I used a wet cloth, it left a dust stain of sorts, 98.9% done and a pain in the ___ to do.

Piwoslaw · 10-30-12, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MN Renovator

Just be sure to let it dry well before dragging it inside.

Why? Just turn it on and the coils will heat up enough to dry out quickly. In fact, the evaporation will slightly increase efficiency

Quote:

Originally Posted by MN Renovator

I usually need to borrow a few coolers to keep the food safe but it works well.

What temperature is your basement? I defrost/clean my fridge when it's really cold outside, so I can put the frozen stuff outside and the refrigerated stuff in the basement.

MN Renovator · 10-30-12, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Why? Just turn it on and the coils will heat up enough to dry out quickly. In fact, the evaporation will slightly increase efficiency

What temperature is your basement? I defrost/clean my fridge when it's really cold outside, so I can put the frozen stuff outside and the refrigerated stuff in the basement.

Right, but there's that whole myth about not tipping the fridge up and powering it up immediately incase oil moved to where it shouldn't be such as into the evaporator. I didn't have this issue when I waited about an hour before firing it up but I wouldn't want to invite a problem by immediately plugging it in. Besides if I pulled it inside and fired it up, it would be dripping over my wood kitchen floor and I already know from experience that it doesn't like being wet if I can't wipe it up immediately so I consider that a bit out of the question.

Even in the winter if I have the upstairs 40 degrees, the basement is still 50 degrees. Most of the time in the summer it is over 65 degrees down there. Right now it's high 50's with upstairs in the mid 50's at the moment.

bizboy · 11-05-12, 10:05 AM

Don't forget, for folks like me that live in cold climates where we heat for 7 months of the year, that heat from the refrigerator isn't wasted during those months, it heats the house. I like to think I'm getting a double use of any electricity use during those months where I am running an appliance or lighting.
So for me the calculation of energy "saved" would be altered a bit.
Good effort and documentation of the energy saved, certainly worth it for those hot summer months or if you're off-grid!

10-26-12, 12:40 PM	#32
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	My kill-a-watt meter has arrived and measurements were taken. Actually test duration was 23hr 45 m Started test after run cycle Ended test after last run cycle 1 short defrost cycle took place, 5 min. Run time wattage: 125w to 120w peak wattage: noted once, 150w briefly, drops to 130w in 2 min. to settle at 122w Defrost 412w, 5 min. run time noted It uses 120 to 122 watts 90% of the time when it is running Test duration: 23hrs 45m Started watt meter measurements after a run period had stopped Finished the test after a run time had completed, at 23hrs 45m. 0.7 kwh used 7 cents a day $2.12 month $25.91 year Room temperature: 19.5 c night and day. Fridge was used as normal, including 6 beers.. Last edited by ecomodded; 10-26-12 at 05:31 PM.. Reason: add info

10-26-12, 12:53 PM	#33
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,520 Thanks: 1,160 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Wow, thats really low. What is the ambient temperature? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-30-12, 12:54 AM	#37
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	I had heard of someone who used compressed air to clean the coils out with, it sounded good to me. Although a wee bit dusty, you would want to sweep or vacuum the area after. I used a wet cloth, it left a dust stain of sorts, 98.9% done and a pain in the ___ to do. Last edited by ecomodded; 10-30-12 at 01:03 AM..

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10-18-12, 05:56 PM	#31
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	For the added PCM's The averages are 2 hrs 17m off time 26.6 minute on time A 14% percent longer off duration with the PCM's / water jugs. Facts: room temperature was cooler by 2 degrees c when conducting PCM tests, It may well be the measured gain is larger in this case because of it. In the next few days i will raise my house temperature to 22 C and time the off durations again.

10-29-12, 01:39 PM	#36
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 939 Thanks: 41 Thanked 116 Times in 90 Posts	Next spring right before the weather gets hot and the indoor temperature rises I'm going to roll the refrigerator outside and spray the coils down with water. Vacuuming the coil design in my fridge model is difficult, time consuming, and doesn't get rid of all the dust with mine. Water is the easiest way to flush it all away. Just be sure to let it dry well before dragging it inside. I usually need to borrow a few coolers to keep the food safe but it works well.

11-05-12, 10:05 AM	#40
bizboy Zenovator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Northern MN Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Don't forget, for folks like me that live in cold climates where we heat for 7 months of the year, that heat from the refrigerator isn't wasted during those months, it heats the house. I like to think I'm getting a double use of any electricity use during those months where I am running an appliance or lighting. So for me the calculation of energy "saved" would be altered a bit. Good effort and documentation of the energy saved, certainly worth it for those hot summer months or if you're off-grid!