Just how bad a small 'frige is

waynefromnscanada

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Less than 0.6 kwh/day? Not bad, not bad at all! Thanks for sharing.

Cariboocoot

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

It seems to be about the same power consumption as the 1.1 cu.ft. unit I tested (also Danby) - only a larger refrigerator! This is slightly less than half the power used by the 16 cu.ft. Whirlpool at the cabin.


And if that doesn't prove the point I don't know what would. :cool:

ggunn

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

waynefromnscanada wrote: »

Less than 0.6 kwh/day? Not bad, not bad at all! Thanks for sharing.

Six cents a day to keep your beer cold? I'll take it!

solar_dave

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

I have one of those in my office, seems real efficient. Is marked Energy Star, and I shopped around until I found one with really low numbers.

BB.

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

And a "cheap" full sized 18 cuft fridge/freezer with frost free (too cheap for the ice maker:roll:) is rated for 0.85 kWH per day (311 kWH per year).

At some point, I will through a Kill-a-Watt meter on it to confirm (lazy).

-Bill

TheBackRoads

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

waynefromnscanada wrote: »

Less than 0.6 kwh/day? Not bad, not bad at all! Thanks for sharing.

That is if my math is correct :roll:

Also note, the humidity was low during this test. It is an insulated porch that we use 3 seasons. No direct sun.

Cariboocoot

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Latest "just for fun" test: 15 cu. ft. RCA chest freezer (very old).
Start-up surge: 4.99 Amps
Running Watts: 154 average
Daily consumption: a horrible 3.7 kW hours

Let's see what other refrigeration units I come across.

techntrek

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Some numbers from a thread I posted here in December:

Chest freezer, don't know the size but it isn't huge: 22 W-h (ambient temps 20-40F)
Fridge/freezer combo, average apartment size: 15 W-h (ambient temps 20-40F)
Fridge/freezer combo, average apartment size: 12 W-h (ambient temps teens-30F, same fridge as above)
Fridge/freezer combo, larger size w/ice maker: 51 W-h (15 feet from a wood stove running full blast, obviously this one is inside)

I made a note to re-run these tests, now that its summer.

ggunn

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

techntrek wrote: »

Some numbers from a thread I posted here in December:

Chest freezer, don't know the size but it isn't huge: 22 W-h (ambient temps 20-40F)
Fridge/freezer combo, average apartment size: 15 W-h (ambient temps 20-40F)
Fridge/freezer combo, average apartment size: 12 W-h (ambient temps teens-30F, same fridge as above)
Fridge/freezer combo, larger size w/ice maker: 51 W-h (15 feet from a wood stove running full blast, obviously this one is inside)

I made a note to re-run these tests, now that its summer.

If you have the 'stat set to 30 degrees F and the ambient temp is 20 degrees F, will it run backwards?

TheBackRoads

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

ggunn wrote: »

If you have the 'stat set to 30 degrees F and the ambient temp is 20 degrees F, will it run backwards?

Should! 8)

Heatpump Style :p

john p

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

If you have the 'stat set to 30 degrees F and the ambient temp is 20 degrees F, will it run backwards?
MABE if you conect the powercord to the input of a gridtie inverter it may sell electricity back to the power co,????????:p

techntrek

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Tell ya what, next winter when my garage is in the teens I'll unplug it from the wall and touch the plug to my tounge to see if I get a tingle. :-)

techntrek

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Update on my stuff, to show a comparison between two seasons.

Winter numbers, posted before:
1. Chest freezer: 22 W-h (ambient temps 20-40F)
2.1 Fridge/freezer combo: 15 W-h (ambient temps 20-40F)
2.2 Fridge/freezer combo: 12 W-h (ambient temps teens-30F, same fridge as above)
3. Fridge/freezer combo: 51 W-h (15 feet from a wood stove running full blast, obviously this one is inside)

Summer numbers:
1. Chest freezer: 51 W-h (ambient temps 70s-80sF)
2 Fridge/freezer combo: 73.5 W-h (ambient temps 70s-80sF)
3. Fridge/freezer combo: 64 W-h (75F inside)

baja1

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

tell me if this is possible. I have two chest freezers (one a refer conversion) both units I removed the outer skin, picked out the condenser coils, added 3 inches of foam, covered with frp then reattached the hot coils to the outside of the box. they work well BUT im running TWO compressors.
what if you took say a 16 foot top freezer model, layed it on its back,elevated it and remoted the compressor to an upright position? would'nt it be great to have a chest freezer/refrigerator combo running only one compressor? there;s a canadian company building these dual purpose chest freezers (12volt danfoss units) but the price tag is around 3k.
could this be done??? thanks!

mike95490

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

baja1 wrote: »

...... layed it on its back,elevated it and remoted the compressor to an upright position? would'nt it be great to have a chest freezer/refrigerator combo running only one compressor? there;s a canadian company building these dual purpose chest freezers (12volt danfoss units) but the price tag is around 3k.
could this be done??? thanks!

I think the internal coils need to be arranged so oil goes back to the compressor, just remoting the compressor won't do that.

bmet

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

So, for the benefit of us who got sidetracked by beer comments, what was the final conclusion by the Original Poster?

Cariboocoot

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

bmet wrote: »

So, for the benefit of us who got sidetracked by beer comments, what was the final conclusion by the Original Poster?

The conclusion is that whereas the small refrigerators do use less kW hours over-all, for the capacity they are atrocious energy hogs (1.1 cu. ft. using 0.5 kW hours vs. 14 cu. ft. using [best] 1.2 kW hours). The start-up surge on the tiny 'frige was as bad as, and in some cases worse than, the full-size units.

TheBackRoads slightly larger Danby unit (see Post #31) appears to be a reasonable compromise: about 3X the capacity of the tiny cube 'frige and about the same power consumption.

solar_dave

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Coot I did dig in this thread a bit, but didn't see it. How many amps starting is required for a late model energy star fridge/freezer? I see your old one was 5.5 amps. Any better these days?

BB.

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

The normal assumption is 3-5x running current for starting surge.

Perhaps 2manytoyz can update his website with some common surge currents (fridge, etc.) with his fancy Fluke current meter (with "in-rush" capture).

-Bill

Slappy

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

(There are many people who post here expecting to save power in an off-grid situation by using a "small" refrigerator, as opposed to a large one)..from the first post. wondering what would the surge/draw would be from a battery bank? before the inverter.

mike95490

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Slappy wrote: »

(There are many people who post here expecting to save power in an off-grid situation by using a "small" refrigerator, as opposed to a large one)..from the first post. wondering what would the surge/draw would be from a battery bank? before the inverter.

Depends on the voltage of the battery bank.

5A @ 120V = 50A @ 12V One has to consider the cable resistance, the sag of the battery under such a heavy load, and the inverter cut off point.

At 24V, it's only 25A, and 48V, only 12.5A

Slappy

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

thanks mike, I just pick up one of those clamp amp meters that BB was listing from sears,(thanks BB) now I just have to get my "behind" out to the carport, and plug in the fridge and see, was running that fridge from my off-grid set up, until I got the sundanzer a few months back, and I can see a differance in my battery voltage, before sunrise. I will post the ac/dc draw as soon as I get a chance. The reason I asked the previous question, so that others can figure out how much of a load that a fridge can put on a battery/bank, and of course their is a lot of variables.

Slappy

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

got it.

whirlpool 21 qf freezer on top, let run for about 4 minutes took reading.
compressor 1.2A @ 116V.....12.20A @ 12.70v DC
compressor and light 1.66A @ 116V...........17.20A @ 12.70V DC

the light alone took .49A........5.45A @12.70V DC.

DC reading varied just a little up and down.
running off a exelltech 600 watt 12v inverter

Seven

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Samsung 29cuft French door with dual ice makers. 1.4kw a day with all day usage.

Chuck46

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

I have a Frigider 5.0cu ft starts @107 watts runs @42-47 watts I havent done a 24 hour yet but will soon.
Chuck

Cariboocoot

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

solar_dave wrote: »

Coot I did dig in this thread a bit, but didn't see it. How many amps starting is required for a late model energy star fridge/freezer? I see your old one was 5.5 amps. Any better these days?

The one E-star unit I tested had a start-up of 7.27 Amps when already cooled down. Kind of sucks up the electrons, eh? :roll: That's nearly 860 Watts.

I've got two more refrigerators and two more freezers to test, when I get to them.
(Don't ask why I have so much refrigeration equipment - it's a long story.)

Polychrest

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

Anybody have any experience with a Steca 5.9 DC fridge/freezer? It's made in Austria and has been in Ontario for a year or two. Sounds like a real power-miser, if it lives up to its specs. http://www.uniqueoffgrid.com/en-ca/Products/Product-Line-up_/Solar-Appliances/Stecca-PF166.html

DavidOH

about a small 'frige

I found the exact unit I have online.

My 3.1 cu ft Ref/Frez tested at 78 watts. ( was listed at 84). Not so bad, but compare size/wattage they use to much for the size.
Larger than my Whirlpool cube and uses less power. Quieter too!

It's an Edgestar this one:
http://www.compactappliance.com/CRF320SS-EdgeStar-Midsize-Compact-Refrigerator-Freezer-Stainless-Steel/CRF320SS,default,pd.html?cgid=Appliances-Refrigerators-Refrigerator_Freezer






The best thing about it is the temperature regulation.
It is accurate and keeps ice cream frozen.
I'll have to do that 24 hr. test and see how it compares.

vcallaway

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

I have a Whirlpool 9.6 cu ft in my Motorhome.

Startup on this is about 5A. Running is less than 1A. According to the kill-o-watt it consumes just under 1Kw in 24hrs.

I use a Xantrax ProWatt SW inverter to run it. I did let the batteries get low once and the inverter had trouble starting the compressor @ 11.5v.

There are probably more efficient ones out there, but at $375, it fit the space and I could pick it up at a local Lowes so I went with it.

The interesting thing is the house fridge which is twice as big uses about the same power. Don't seem to gain anything by going with a smaller refrigerator.

pHredd9mm

Re: Just how bad a small 'frige is

A lot of good info here about Energy Star and older refrigerators and freezers.

Has anyone actually tested the Sun Frost line of freezers and refrigerators to see if their published energy numbers (@110/120vac) are real world numbers?