Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

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  • KnowledgeSponge
    KnowledgeSponge Solar Expert Posts: 173 ✭✭✭
    #32
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    A certain amount of lateral thinking is inevitable in these threads.
    If it strays too far we do try to redirect or start new threads on the subject.
    But sometimes it's hard to tell just when 'the line' has been crossed.

    Basically we're still talking about refrigerator power use and how to reduce it.

    No worries. I'm really enjoying all the discussions. All of them ;-)
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #33
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    Well, I got a question on 'fridges as along as we're talking about them.

    Which ones are supposed to be more efficient? The side by side ones, or the top and bottom ones? I have left the kill-a-watt meter on our 'fridge and after two days it shows 3.7 kW. Not sure what the cubic feet of it - it's not as tall as some of the bigger ones. I think it's maybe 14 cu ft or so. But it's old - 1994. I seen the defrost cycle on it draw about 500 watts or so, but it's only for about five minutes twice a day. It spends more time off than it does running by far. Except I know that in hot weather it runs more.
    --
    Chris
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #34
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    I was going to suggest Energy Star to star looking... But they got hacked a couple days ago and their website is down at this time:

    http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=refrig.pr_refrigerators

    3.7 kWH * 365 days = 1,350.5 kWH per year

    And that is probably low for the entire year average.

    A typical good quality refrigerator should be in the 400-500 kWH per year range for a ~17-20+ cuft model.

    My ~8 year old fridge is using around 2.6 kWH per day or ~946 kWH per year... I have been checking it recently (last 2 weeks) wondering if it should be replaced or not yet.

    Yours sounds to be using a lot--Are there door heaters (to keep the fridge from sweating) turned on (if it even has the summer switch option)?

    Mine will run the compressor and fans around 140 watts (and probably 500+ for defrost). I am not sure I see how yours is using so much energy at the moment (I am not making ice in mine in a ~70F kitchen). Mine is already running ~77% of the time right now (based on 140 Watt compressor load and 2.6 kWH per day).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • PorkChopsMmm
    PorkChopsMmm Solar Expert Posts: 189 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #35
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    solar_dave wrote: »
    True but if the sun is up it can come off the panels instead of drawing off battery all night long.

    I think I am going to try this. Our fridge is a new (2012) high efficiency fridge and it makes me mad when I hear it cycling off and on at night when we haven't opened the fridge in hours. I am going to throw a kill-a-watt on it to get a baseline for power usage and then cut power to it at night.

    Thanks guys!
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #36
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    BB. wrote: »
    Yours sounds to be using a lot--Are there door heaters (to keep the fridge from sweating) turned on (if it even has the summer switch option)?

    Bill, that's the power consumption over the last 48 hours. I stuck the meter on it two days ago at noon.
    --
    Chris
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #37
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    Chris;

    I just reviewed the refrigerator thread. I don't see anything conclusive about one type being better than another, but if anything the side-by-side units fair worse.
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #38
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    I just reviewed the refrigerator thread. I don't see anything conclusive about one type being better than another, but if anything the side-by-side units fair worse.

    I was curious about that. Ours just cools the freezer and there's a fan that forces cold air to the bottom (I think - I don't know much about how 'fridges work). I thought maybe the side-by-side ones, with the freezer being full length on one side, might be better on energy consumption because the cold to the 'fridge compartment doesn't have to be forced air?

    Fridges aren't something I normally look at until the old one has problems and doesn't work anymore :blush:
    --
    Chris
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #39
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    I was curious about that. Ours just cools the freezer and there's a fan that forces cold air to the bottom (I think - I don't know much about how 'fridges work). I thought maybe the side-by-side ones, with the freezer being full length on one side, might be better on energy consumption because the cold to the 'fridge compartment doesn't have to be forced air?

    Fridges aren't something I normally look at until the old one has problems and doesn't work anymore :blush:
    --
    Chris

    It is pretty easy to tell which ones are the less efficient. Go into the appliance section of any place with a large selection, look at the energy star rating on different door configuration in the same line and size, and then against competitors. It will stick out like a sore thumb.

    That being said, the wife wanted french door fridge with the freezer on the bottom (SWMBO syndrome). Granted is is nicer to get around when the doors are open and maybe if you only open one side it is better. I suspect if the freezer drawer had closed sides it would have been better at keeping the cold in, but this thing just pours out cold air when the drawer is opened.
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  • Volvo Farmer
    Volvo Farmer Solar Expert Posts: 209 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #40
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    Top freezer models are generally the most efficient and if you poke around in the Energy Guide website, it will confirm that. Last time I was in Sears, I was eyeballing a Whirlpool WRT351SFYW, 364KWhr/year breaks the 1KWhr/day mark and it's 21 cubic feet. It appears to have an analog cold control, electronic defrost control, and AC fan motors. I didn't have an 800 dollar bill in my pocket at the moment though. Our current 18CF model is rated at 385KWhr/year and is about three years old. I confirmed my current fridge's consumption with a Kill-a-watt over a week or two and it was right within the specifications. We have no icemaker, until someone pulls the tray out and cracks it into the bucket. I dunno if that Whirlpool model I am lusting after includes ice production or not but I sure like the size and efficiency of the thing.
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  • KnowledgeSponge
    KnowledgeSponge Solar Expert Posts: 173 ✭✭✭
    #41
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    Volvo Farmer wrote: »
    Top freezer models are generally the most efficient and if you poke around in the Energy Guide website, it will confirm that. Last time I was in Sears, I was eyeballing a Whirlpool WRT351SFYW, 364KWhr/year breaks the 1KWhr/day mark and it's 21 cubic feet. It appears to have an analog cold control, electronic defrost control, and AC fan motors. I didn't have an 800 dollar bill in my pocket at the moment though. Our current 18CF model is rated at 385KWhr/year and is about three years old. I confirmed my current fridge's consumption with a Kill-a-watt over a week or two and it was right within the specifications. We have no icemaker, until someone pulls the tray out and cracks it into the bucket. I dunno if that Whirlpool model I am lusting after includes ice production or not but I sure like the size and efficiency of the thing.

    Are you a family of one?

    There's just two of us and we find 26 cubic feet to be a bit tight.

    But then maybe I'm comparing an "off grid" lifestyle to an "On grid lifestyle" ?
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #42
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    I guess it depends how far you are OFF the grid, ie how many hours travel to the grocery store... ratio of $ per gal. of milk to fridge size
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #43
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    westbranch wrote: »
    I guess it depends how far you are OFF the grid, ie how many hours travel to the grocery store... ratio of $ per gal. of milk to fridge size

    Adding one gallon of gas to the price of one gallon of milk does make it more expensive. :-)
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #44
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    inetdog wrote: »
    Adding one gallon of gas to the price of one gallon of milk does make it more expensive. :-)

    Living 25 miles from store with a solar charged Volt, priceless! hehe :D :-) 8)
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  • Volvo Farmer
    Volvo Farmer Solar Expert Posts: 209 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #45
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    KnowledgeSponge wrote: »
    Are you a family of one?

    There's just two of us and we find 26 cubic feet to be a bit tight.

    But then maybe I'm comparing an "off grid" lifestyle to an "On grid lifestyle" ?

    Four of us seem to be able to survive with 18 cubic feet. We have a small propane frig downstairs as well, but it usually only has a few soft drinks and a gallon or two of milk in it. Somehow, sixty years ago, families got by just fine on 10-12 cubic foot refrigerators, but then there were no hot pockets or frozen pizzas back then either.
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #46
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    I went and looked at the tag on ours. It says Total Refrigerated Volume 18.0 cu ft. Fresh Food Compartment 13.9 cu ft. Frozen Food Compartment 4.09 cu ft.

    I just found a Dairy Queen Heath Blizzard in there. I have to go eat that now 8)

    --
    Chris
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  • KnowledgeSponge
    KnowledgeSponge Solar Expert Posts: 173 ✭✭✭
    #47
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    I went and looked at the tag on ours. It says Total Refrigerated Volume 18.0 cu ft. Fresh Food Compartment 13.9 cu ft. Frozen Food Compartment 4.09 cu ft.

    I just found a Dairy Queen Heath Blizzard in there. I have to go eat that now 8)

    --
    Chris

    Didn't they last serve those in 1987 ?:p
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #48
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    KnowledgeSponge wrote: »
    Didn't they last serve those in 1987 ?:p

    I couldn't find a tag with the model year on it. But I ate it anyway 8)
    --
    Chris
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  • KnowledgeSponge
    KnowledgeSponge Solar Expert Posts: 173 ✭✭✭
    #49
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    I couldn't find a tag with the model year on it. But I ate it anyway 8)
    --
    Chris

    Compressor, insulation and ALL ??? lol
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #50
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    KnowledgeSponge wrote: »
    Are you a family of one?

    There's just two of us and we find 26 cubic feet to be a bit tight.

    But then maybe I'm comparing an "off grid" lifestyle to an "On grid lifestyle" ?

    I don't know what we'd do with 26 cu ft. With our two person household our 18 cu ft 'fridge seems to hold plenty of mold growth experiments.
    --
    Chris
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  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    #51
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    Chris, I was considering a 26 cu ft fridge a couple years ago for a 1 person household. I didn,t hsve a freezer and was thinking that that could be a good idea to have lots of freezer space and refrigerator space, Was looking at an LG or similar sears model that was made by LG. That gave you more than 13 cu ft freezer and still had lots of fridger space, After someone pointing out on the forum about these lg models having fires I decided against that idea and just bought a separate small danby freezer close to 10 cuft size and kept my energystar whirlpool built kenmore 18 cu ft. refrigerator built in 2004. Replaced the icemaker and saved lots of money. When this icemaker croaks I will get another one for $60.00 or so. I read somewhere a lot of icemakers only last about 3 years and it is cheaper to just buy a new icemaker than repair the one you have. :Dsolarvic:D
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #52
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    We don't have an ice maker other than the ice cube trays my wife puts in the freezer to make some. But she'd like one. So when we get a new 'fridge it will probably have one in the door like she wants. We have a chest freezer so don't really need a big freezer in the 'fridge. For a larger family a bigger 'fridge would probably be good. But for us the smaller one is fine. As it is my wife puts the leftovers in plastic containers with a lid, and tells me I can microwave that for my lunch. I find it in there six weeks later one day when I'm hungry and the baked beans got some green and white fuzz on 'em.

    The dog considers those fuzzy baked beans to be a delicacy. He snarfs 'em right down. :D
    --
    Chris
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #53
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    We don't have an ice maker other than the ice cube trays my wife puts in the freezer to make some. But she'd like one. So when we get a new 'fridge it will probably have one in the door like she wants.

    When shopping for that new fridge with the icemaker, be very careful about interpreting the efficiency tags. (Try to find a way to do your own Kill-a-Watt(TM) measurement at the store if you can.)
    The US energy standard allows the manufacturer to rate them with the icemaker turned off, and for some models that can be a much bigger difference than for others.
    The ones with the entire ice compartment in the door rather than just the dispenser part are particularly bad in this respect.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • Volvo Farmer
    Volvo Farmer Solar Expert Posts: 209 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #54
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    There's no way you're going to test a frig with the icemaker on in the store. None of the showrooms are plumbed for water.
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #55
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    inetdog wrote: »
    When shopping for that new fridge with the icemaker, be very careful about interpreting the efficiency tags. (Try to find a way to do your own Kill-a-Watt(TM) measurement at the store if you can.)
    The US energy standard allows the manufacturer to rate them with the icemaker turned off, and for some models that can be a much bigger difference than for others.

    That doesn't really overly concern me. If she finds what she wants we'll get it. If I have to screw three extra solar panels on the roof to run it, that's what we'll do. LOL!
    --
    Chris
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #56
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    Ouch she really is a SWMBO! :-)
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #57
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    Just to be clear for our non-North American English readers--She Who Must Be Obeyed.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #58
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    Bill, to tell the truth I got it from a Scottish cousin of my wife when they had a difference of opinion...;)
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #59
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours

    My wife is a European Import (Swedish). Being non-American she's pretty conscious of energy conservation when it comes to this type of stuff. When she wanted her induction range I was skeptical of it, but it turns out to be one of the most energy efficient appliances we got - and she told me that when she wanted it. So she won't pick at random based on "I want it". She'll do all the research on it before she picks it out. She's casually mentioned a couple times that she'd like to have a stainless steel 'fridge that matches her range, so I suspect it'll be something we'll be looking at in the near future.
    --
    Chris
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  • KnowledgeSponge
    KnowledgeSponge Solar Expert Posts: 173 ✭✭✭
    #60
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    I don't know what we'd do with 26 cu ft. With our two person household our 18 cu ft 'fridge seems to hold plenty of mold growth experiments.
    --
    Chris

    Now that I see you standing in front of that little model airplane in your avatar, I understand. ;)
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #61
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    Re: Full Size Refrigerator - I ran the Kill-A-Watt on it for 24 hours
    KnowledgeSponge wrote: »
    Now that I see you standing in front of that little model airplane in your avatar, I understand. ;)

    Yeah. LOL! That was a few years ago. I decided to drop all three turbines one winter day in December and service them because I never got it done in the fall. I was still outside at 10:00 at night working on the last one and my wife came out there wondering why I never came in for supper. She snapped a picture of me working on the turbine in the dark :blush:

    --
    Chris
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