Energy Star Tier 3 and better 20+ cu ft refrigeration

Dave Angelini
Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,889 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
Anyone with experience searching for the Tier 3 and better refrigerators? I am finding that the bottom freezer units use more energy that the top freezers. This does not seem correct to me. Tier 3 and better are fairly new classifications for low consumption. Tier 3 units do not defrost on a timer but use a sensor to determine if the defrost is required. Other things also go into this class.

The units I found were 363 KWH per year for a 22 cu ft top freezer and 430 KWH for a 22 cu ft bottom freezer.
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,889 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Energy Star Tier 3 and better 20+ cu ft refrigeration
    Dave Angelini wrote: »
    Anyone with experience searching for the Tier 3 and better refrigerators? I am finding that the bottom freezer units use more energy that the top freezers. This does not seem correct to me. Tier 3 and better are fairly new classifications for low consumption. Tier 3 units do not defrost on a timer but use a sensor to determine if the defrost is required. Other things also go into this class.

    The units I found were 363 KWH per year for a 22 cu ft top freezer and 430 KWH for a 22 cu ft bottom freezer.

    This 21.9 cu ft bottom freezer unit used about 404 per year which was about 40 more than a top freezer. Still pretty low usage though.http://www.homedepot.com/p/203534763?N=5yc1vZc3piZ2bcre1Z1z0y90h
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
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  • Sun Dog
    Sun Dog Solar Expert Posts: 115 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Energy Star Tier 3 and better 20+ cu ft refrigeration

    When I was shopping for a fridge 2.5 years ago I too found that the bottom freezer units used more power than the comparable ones with a top freezer. We have a basic 18 cuft GE that is rated for 311kWh/year. When we first got it I measured it's summer consumption and it was pretty much right at the rated amount, 0.85kWh/day. We had to get it serviced about a year ago and I believe the tech put a little too much refrigerant back into it. It now consumes ~1.1kWh/day during our hot northern summers but only 0.5kWh during the winter. Yes, our kitchen floor is very much on the chilly side of things.
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,889 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Energy Star Tier 3 and better 20+ cu ft refrigeration
    Sun Dog wrote: »
    When I was shopping for a fridge 2.5 years ago I too found that the bottom freezer units used more power than the comparable ones with a top freezer. We have a basic 18 cuft GE that is rated for 311kWh/year. When we first got it I measured it's summer consumption and it was pretty much right at the rated amount, 0.85kWh/day. We had to get it serviced about a year ago and I believe the tech put a little too much refrigerant back into it. It now consumes ~1.1kWh/day during our hot northern summers but only 0.5kWh during the winter. Yes, our kitchen floor is very much on the chilly side of things.

    I bet it is chilly now in Yellowknife! Not to great down here with 25F in the morning with bone chilling pacific humidity finding a path into the mountains.

    I found a 21 Cu ft Whirlpool top freezer that uses 360 KWH and with the tier 3 attributes. I was told by the appliance guru on a Sears chat line that it all should be decided by if you make alot of cocktails. If you do, you need a top freezer.

    Spring is coming!
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Energy Star Tier 3 and better 20+ cu ft refrigeration
    Dave Angelini wrote: »
    decided by if you make a lot of cocktails. If you do, you need a top freezer.

    ?? I guess he doesn't like to bend over for those cubes...;)
     
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  • peakbagger
    peakbagger Solar Expert Posts: 341 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Energy Star Tier 3 and better 20+ cu ft refrigeration

    I just wish some firm would offer an economizer option for a home refrigerator that would use outdoor air for cooling when the temps were low enough. An inventor over in VT does it for freezer cases in stores.
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