Ecomodded Fridge saves $$ (added foam insulation)

ecomodded · 10-04-12, 01:38 PM

I have insulated my fridge by wrapping it with 4 layers of wood flooring insulation/acoustic barrier,called SolidBlack underlayment - SolidBlack MD and 1 layer of the blue vapor barrier over top of it.

I made a 4 layer sheet of the SolidBlack to stick to the bottom of the fridge,one piece from the kick panel to the back vent area, both inside lower sides are covered as well.
I used 3m Super77 spray adhesive to bond the layers together then to the fridge.
I staggered the seams while wrapping layers over the fridge, each layer covered the previous layers seam.
I am making a vent off the back of the fridge that goes directly to a hall closet, no more basking the fridge in warm air. I am designing the vent on a upward angle so the warm fridge condenser/compressor air will naturally rise and flow into the hallway coat closet, which by design has no door.
As for the improvements noted so far they are as follows - The fridge was running for 35 min. every 1 1/2 hr, now it runs for 26 min. every 2hrs
with a 22*c inside temperature
Before run time 29%
After run time 18%

A 38% improvement

Something interesting is after i added the insulation the freezer temperature dropped from -18.2 to -23.7
I turned the fridge down from 1/2 to about 1/5th to maintain a -18 freezer and a 2*C fridge.

Once my vent system is completed i am going to conduct test on the efficiency improvements from using sealed empty containers compared to water filled.for the added PCM's
The PCM averages are in, 2 hrs 17m off time
26.6 minute on time
A 14% percent longer off duration with the PCM's / water jugs note: room temperature was 2 degrees cooler during pcm tests.

A new same brand energy star model uses 383 kwh annually
my 2007 model has achieved 255.5 kwh annually,
33% less electricity

Watt meter results are in
0.7 kwh used in 24hr
7 cents a day
$25.91 a year @ 0.102 cents a kwh

strider3700 · 10-04-12, 01:53 PM

I don't see any coils on that fridge meaning it's cooling to probably the back of it and you've now trapped the heat in with you insulation. I'd be curious how well this works given a longer run time.

ecomodded · 10-04-12, 02:16 PM

strider i can understand your confusion but you are looking at the newer model of fridges that have the condenser coils under the fridge with the compressor,its visible in the photo with black insulation over the fridge.
The fan sucks air threw the condenser coils and exhausts it over the compressor.
The improvements were listed.
There is no longer run time ? its a shorter run time with a longer off duration.. i highlighted it so its not buried in the post.

strider3700 · 10-04-12, 03:56 PM

so they hide the coils on the bottom now? what a horrible spot to put excess heat.

My new fridge they're on the back but embedded into casing giving it a smooth back.

What I did on my old fridge was use that foil covered bubble wrap to create a barrier between the compressor and the fridgebox. I then carried it up the back between the fridge and it's coils so the excess heat stayed away from the cold. You could do similar at the bottom between the compressor and the coils to help keep that heat away from the cold area.

Daox · 10-04-12, 04:05 PM

Do you have a kill a watt to measure how much power the fridge is using?

ecomodded · 10-04-12, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider3700

so they hide the coils on the bottom now? what a horrible spot to put excess heat.

My new fridge they're on the back but embedded into casing giving it a smooth back.

What I did on my old fridge was use that foil covered bubble wrap to create a barrier between the compressor and the fridgebox. I then carried it up the back between the fridge and it's coils so the excess heat stayed away from the cold. You could do similar at the bottom between the compressor and the coils to help keep that heat away from the cold area.

You have to start reading the posts before you post as in both your post now they are assuming the wrong information then coming to a conclusion, your making my first thread here a laborious one lol.

"But " since you missed it i will post it again ~~~~~I made a 4 layer sheet of the SolidBlack to stick to the bottom of the fridge,one piece from the kick panel to the back vent area, both inside lower sides are covered as well.
I used 3m Super77 spray adhesive to bond the layers together then to the fridge.~~~~~~~
I feel that the condenser coils are are in a much much better position then your fridge with its coils embedded into the back. To be brutally honest that is bad technology from years ago when fridges sucked energy 600+ watts.
Its not a new idea or a good one, it may cool the condenser coils down but at the cost of the fridges cooling. Sorry to dis your fridge but its how i understand it.

Doax i do not have a watt meter,next month i will pick one up on ebay.

ecomodded · 10-04-12, 05:03 PM

These numbers are from my fridges spec sheet.
Operating time 25-35% @ 65 F or 18c.
45 to 55% run time @ 90F OR 32c
145 to 180 watts last third of cycle , Amps 1.1 to 1.6 @ 120v , Fan 2.3 watts .15 amps running , Defrost 375 watt

My test room temperature was 22c and i still achieved a 18% run time over the 29% before insulation run time.
I was amazed at how little power the fan used being its a fairly big fan.

MN Renovator · 10-04-12, 06:56 PM

My refrigerator has coils on the bottom but that's a better place for them than the back because if they were on the back, then the entire surface of the back of the fridge, that wall and the surrounding area of the fridge would be heated by the fridge. When they are on the bottom, the air is exhausted out the front of the fridge and not stuck behind the fridge where it continues to warm the fridge. The bottom of the fridge is insulated too and the back of the fridge is a larger area for that heat to be trapped and transfer back into the fridge. It might be better on the back when you have the fridge in the middle of the room where that air flow will be able to go around the fridge and move the heat away but for most refrigerators that isn't the case.

You're screwed either way when it comes to being on the back or the top because some heat will be migrating back into the fridge.

strider3700 · 10-04-12, 09:51 PM

Have to thank everyone on this thread. I went and looked at mine and sure enough coils on the bottom covered in a mountain of dog hair because I had no idea they were there needing cleaned.

mnrenovator are you sure your's blows air out the front?

On mine it looks like the fan sucks air from the front grill through the coils and throws it out the back grates. From there it hits the wall migrates up the back to the top cabinet which was designed for a fridge and has a chimney up and out at the ceiling.

I don't have enough space on the sides to insulate like ecomodded did but I can stick a solid 1" rigid board on the back above the grates then I'll add 1" spacers on the sides to create a chimney between the backwall and the rigid that can go from the grates to the gap in the cabinet. I'll probably have to find something flexible to go under between the compressor and the freezer and channel that heat out.

I still argue that the compressor on the bottom is just dumb, It should really be on the top since the hot air is going to rise. I'm also aware that houses aren't designed for top compressors anymore...

ecomodded · 10-05-12, 01:35 AM

Good to hear strider and MN Renovator that your fridges are not a internal heater/fridge.
With the smooth back its easy to assume it has internal coils.
Because of some misguided fashion sense we have the compressor and coils under the the fridge as opposed to over the fridge, it can't be long now before the designers decide to flip it right side up and put the works on top.

10-04-12, 01:38 PM	#1
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Ecomodded Fridge saves $$ (added foam insulation) I have insulated my fridge by wrapping it with 4 layers of wood flooring insulation/acoustic barrier,called SolidBlack underlayment - SolidBlack MD and 1 layer of the blue vapor barrier over top of it. I made a 4 layer sheet of the SolidBlack to stick to the bottom of the fridge,one piece from the kick panel to the back vent area, both inside lower sides are covered as well. I used 3m Super77 spray adhesive to bond the layers together then to the fridge. I staggered the seams while wrapping layers over the fridge, each layer covered the previous layers seam. I am making a vent off the back of the fridge that goes directly to a hall closet, no more basking the fridge in warm air. I am designing the vent on a upward angle so the warm fridge condenser/compressor air will naturally rise and flow into the hallway coat closet, which by design has no door. As for the improvements noted so far they are as follows - The fridge was running for 35 min. every 1 1/2 hr, now it runs for 26 min. every 2hrs with a 22c inside temperature Before run time 29% After run time 18% A 38% improvement Something interesting is after i added the insulation the freezer temperature dropped from -18.2 to -23.7 I turned the fridge down from 1/2 to about 1/5th to maintain a -18 freezer and a 2C fridge. Once my vent system is completed i am going to conduct test on the efficiency improvements from using sealed empty containers compared to water filled.for the added PCM's The PCM averages are in, 2 hrs 17m off time 26.6 minute on time A 14% percent longer off duration with the PCM's / water jugs note: room temperature was 2 degrees cooler during pcm tests. A new same brand energy star model uses 383 kwh annually my 2007 model has achieved 255.5 kwh annually, 33% less electricity Watt meter results are in 0.7 kwh used in 24hr 7 cents a day $25.91 a year @ 0.102 cents a kwh Attached Thumbnails Last edited by ecomodded; 10-27-12 at 05:11 PM..

10-04-12, 02:16 PM	#3
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	strider i can understand your confusion but you are looking at the newer model of fridges that have the condenser coils under the fridge with the compressor,its visible in the photo with black insulation over the fridge. The fan sucks air threw the condenser coils and exhausts it over the compressor. The improvements were listed. There is no longer run time ? its a shorter run time with a longer off duration.. i highlighted it so its not buried in the post. Last edited by ecomodded; 10-04-12 at 02:55 PM..

10-04-12, 04:05 PM	#5
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Do you have a kill a watt to measure how much power the fridge is using? __________________ 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.

10-04-12, 05:03 PM	#7
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	My fridges spec's These numbers are from my fridges spec sheet. Operating time 25-35% @ 65 F or 18c. 45 to 55% run time @ 90F OR 32c 145 to 180 watts last third of cycle , Amps 1.1 to 1.6 @ 120v , Fan 2.3 watts .15 amps running , Defrost 375 watt My test room temperature was 22c and i still achieved a 18% run time over the 29% before insulation run time. I was amazed at how little power the fan used being its a fairly big fan. Last edited by ecomodded; 10-05-12 at 01:14 PM..

10-04-12, 06:56 PM	#8
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 940 Thanks: 41 Thanked 117 Times in 91 Posts	My refrigerator has coils on the bottom but that's a better place for them than the back because if they were on the back, then the entire surface of the back of the fridge, that wall and the surrounding area of the fridge would be heated by the fridge. When they are on the bottom, the air is exhausted out the front of the fridge and not stuck behind the fridge where it continues to warm the fridge. The bottom of the fridge is insulated too and the back of the fridge is a larger area for that heat to be trapped and transfer back into the fridge. It might be better on the back when you have the fridge in the middle of the room where that air flow will be able to go around the fridge and move the heat away but for most refrigerators that isn't the case. You're screwed either way when it comes to being on the back or the top because some heat will be migrating back into the fridge. Last edited by MN Renovator; 10-04-12 at 06:59 PM..

10-04-12, 01:53 PM	#2
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	I don't see any coils on that fridge meaning it's cooling to probably the back of it and you've now trapped the heat in with you insulation. I'd be curious how well this works given a longer run time.

10-04-12, 03:56 PM	#4
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	so they hide the coils on the bottom now? what a horrible spot to put excess heat. My new fridge they're on the back but embedded into casing giving it a smooth back. What I did on my old fridge was use that foil covered bubble wrap to create a barrier between the compressor and the fridgebox. I then carried it up the back between the fridge and it's coils so the excess heat stayed away from the cold. You could do similar at the bottom between the compressor and the coils to help keep that heat away from the cold area.

10-04-12, 09:51 PM	#9
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	Have to thank everyone on this thread. I went and looked at mine and sure enough coils on the bottom covered in a mountain of dog hair because I had no idea they were there needing cleaned. mnrenovator are you sure your's blows air out the front? On mine it looks like the fan sucks air from the front grill through the coils and throws it out the back grates. From there it hits the wall migrates up the back to the top cabinet which was designed for a fridge and has a chimney up and out at the ceiling. I don't have enough space on the sides to insulate like ecomodded did but I can stick a solid 1" rigid board on the back above the grates then I'll add 1" spacers on the sides to create a chimney between the backwall and the rigid that can go from the grates to the gap in the cabinet. I'll probably have to find something flexible to go under between the compressor and the freezer and channel that heat out. I still argue that the compressor on the bottom is just dumb, It should really be on the top since the hot air is going to rise. I'm also aware that houses aren't designed for top compressors anymore...

10-05-12, 01:35 AM	#10
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Good to hear strider and MN Renovator that your fridges are not a internal heater/fridge. With the smooth back its easy to assume it has internal coils. Because of some misguided fashion sense we have the compressor and coils under the the fridge as opposed to over the fridge, it can't be long now before the designers decide to flip it right side up and put the works on top. Last edited by ecomodded; 10-05-12 at 01:41 AM..