Cost to run a Energy Star refrigerator

J

Jack B. Pollack

Guest
Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a quick
answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office. A
freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run I guess
it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice to have if
needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated (and when
comparing some of the same models with and without freezers some
specifically say Energy Star COMPLIANT "yes" to freezer model, and "no" to
non freezer models).

I'm not sure if this is saying that non freezer units are just not rated,
but use the same amount of power as the freezer units and whether they are
not compliant just because they are not rated.

I would assume it would cost more to run a freezer, than not. So if the
freezer unit is ES compliant and the non freezer is not, which should cost
more to run - an ES compliant freezer, or non ES compliant non freezer
unit?

Obviously if there were specifications with current draw I could compare
something, but I don't see that given anywhere.

Thanks
 
On Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:02:50 -0500, Jack B. Pollack wrote:

Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a
quick answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office. A
freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run I
guess it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice to
have if needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated (and when
comparing some of the same models with and without freezers some
specifically say Energy Star COMPLIANT "yes" to freezer model, and "no"
to non freezer models).

I'm not sure if this is saying that non freezer units are just not
rated, but use the same amount of power as the freezer units and whether
they are not compliant just because they are not rated.

I would assume it would cost more to run a freezer, than not. So if the
freezer unit is ES compliant and the non freezer is not, which should
cost more to run - an ES compliant freezer, or non ES compliant non
freezer unit?

Obviously if there were specifications with current draw I could compare
something, but I don't see that given anywhere.
Click to expand...
Actually giving specifications in engineering units would confuse
'consumers'. Or worse, they'd make it clear just how little meaning an
"energy star" rating has.

I suspect that a pure refrigerator is going to consume as much or less
energy than a refrigerator/freezer. I further suspect that whatever
consumption threshold that must be met to get an Energy Star rating is
higher for a fridge/freezer than for a fridge alone, making it easier to
get the rating if you put a little box around the cooling coils and call
the unit a "refrigerator/freezer".

But I'm pretty damn cynical about "Energy Star" ratings. There was some
small hoopla recently about an Oregon woman who turned in a perfectly
good 1937 fridge/freezer (which has obviously lasted for over 70 years)
for an "Energy Star" unit that'll probably last 5 years before it needs
replacing. No mention was made in the article about the extra energy
consumption and other environmental impact that's going to be levied on
the world for the manufacture of a new fridge/freezer every five years,
and having a five year old one tossed in the dump.

--
My liberal friends think I'm a conservative kook.
My conservative friends think I'm a liberal kook.
Why am I not happy that they have found common ground?

Tim Wescott, Communications, Control, Circuits & Software
http://www.wescottdesign.com
 
On 12/14/2011 06:02 AM, Jack B. Pollack wrote:
Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a
quick answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office.
A freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run
I guess it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice
to have if needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated
Click to expand...
That's not the case where I'm looking.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?&startnum=1&resultsperpage=176
fuseaction=refrig.search_products_submit&pd_code=RRF
total_volume_pair=0%3A16%2E0&sortColumn=TVOL&sortColumn_order=ASC
layout=default&phase=search

For units from 1.5 to 1.8 cubic feet, more than half are Refrigerator Only.
 
On 2011-12-14, Jack B. Pollack <N@NE.nothing> wrote:
it might be used several times a year
[ ... ]
None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated
Click to expand...
You're a moron.
 
On 12/14/2011 2:05 PM, beryl wrote:
On 12/14/2011 06:02 AM, Jack B. Pollack wrote:
Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a
quick answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office.
A freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run
I guess it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice
to have if needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated

That's not the case where I'm looking.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?&startnum=1&resultsperpage=176
fuseaction=refrig.search_products_submit&pd_code=RRF
total_volume_pair=0%3A16%2E0&sortColumn=TVOL&sortColumn_order=ASC
layout=default&phase=search

For units from 1.5 to 1.8 cubic feet, more than half areRefrigerator Only.
Click to expand...
Most of those are thermoelectric, and they're junk. I got snookered by
one when I wanted a small fridge for the lab, but since ice cubes are
one of the pillars of my world, I got a small two-door Haier that I'm
quite happy with.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics

160 North State Road #203
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510
845-480-2058

hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net
 
Phil Hobbs wrote:
On 12/14/2011 2:05 PM, beryl wrote:
On 12/14/2011 06:02 AM, Jack B. Pollack wrote:
Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a
quick answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office.
A freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run
I guess it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice
to have if needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated

That's not the case where I'm looking.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?&startnum=1&resultsperpage=176
fuseaction=refrig.search_products_submit&pd_code=RRF
total_volume_pair=0%3A16%2E0&sortColumn=TVOL&sortColumn_order=ASC
layout=default&phase=search

For units from 1.5 to 1.8 cubic feet, more than half areRefrigerator Only.

Most of those are thermoelectric, and they're junk. I got snookered by
one when I wanted a small fridge for the lab, but since ice cubes are
one of the pillars of my world, I got a small two-door Haier that I'm
quite happy with.
Click to expand...

A little 'Haier of the dog'? ;-)

I have one of their small countertop wine coolers to keep cold pop in
my workshop. It was free, so why not use it? :)


--
You can't have a sense of humor, if you have no sense.
 
On 12/14/2011 9:37 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:
Phil Hobbs wrote:

On 12/14/2011 2:05 PM, beryl wrote:
On 12/14/2011 06:02 AM, Jack B. Pollack wrote:
Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a
quick answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office.
A freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run
I guess it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice
to have if needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated

That's not the case where I'm looking.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?&startnum=1&resultsperpage=176
fuseaction=refrig.search_products_submit&pd_code=RRF
total_volume_pair=0%3A16%2E0&sortColumn=TVOL&sortColumn_order=ASC
layout=default&phase=search

For units from 1.5 to 1.8 cubic feet, more than half areRefrigerator Only.

Most of those are thermoelectric, and they're junk. I got snookered by
one when I wanted a small fridge for the lab, but since ice cubes are
one of the pillars of my world, I got a small two-door Haier that I'm
quite happy with.


A little 'Haier of the dog'? ;-)
Click to expand...
Nah, not in the lab. If I drank on the job, I'd have to fire myself,
and then where would I be? (*)

I have one of their small countertop wine coolers to keep cold pop in
my workshop. It was free, so why not use it? :)
Click to expand...
A likely story. ;)

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

(*) In New Orleans, where my daughter lives, there's a local satirical
newspaper called the New Orleans Levee (their motto: "We don't hold
anything back"). One recent article announced the results of an
anticorruption drive in the NOPD: the last remaining officer had to
suspend himself, because he'd been signing his own time cards ever since
the second-to-last one was suspended. ;)


--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics

160 North State Road #203
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510
845-480-2058

hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net
 
On Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:02:50 -0500, "Jack B. Pollack" <N@NE.nothing>
wrote:

Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a quick
answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office. A
freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run I guess
it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice to have if
needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated (and when
comparing some of the same models with and without freezers some
specifically say Energy Star COMPLIANT "yes" to freezer model, and "no" to
non freezer models).

I'm not sure if this is saying that non freezer units are just not rated,
but use the same amount of power as the freezer units and whether they are
not compliant just because they are not rated.

I would assume it would cost more to run a freezer, than not. So if the
freezer unit is ES compliant and the non freezer is not, which should cost
more to run - an ES compliant freezer, or non ES compliant non freezer
unit?

Obviously if there were specifications with current draw I could compare
something, but I don't see that given anywhere.

Thanks

May have something to do with defrosting. The el-cheapo dorm size
Click to expand...
units leave out the defrost cycle and the freezer portion tends to
fill with ice and need periodic defrosting. A dorm unit without the
freezer may never need to be defrosted. Those run more like AC units
and never get cold enough to pull moisture out of the air and freeze.
 
Phil Hobbs wrote:
On 12/14/2011 9:37 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Phil Hobbs wrote:

On 12/14/2011 2:05 PM, beryl wrote:
On 12/14/2011 06:02 AM, Jack B. Pollack wrote:
Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a
quick answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office.
A freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run
I guess it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice
to have if needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated

That's not the case where I'm looking.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?&startnum=1&resultsperpage=176
fuseaction=refrig.search_products_submit&pd_code=RRF
total_volume_pair=0%3A16%2E0&sortColumn=TVOL&sortColumn_order=ASC
layout=default&phase=search

For units from 1.5 to 1.8 cubic feet, more than half areRefrigerator Only.

Most of those are thermoelectric, and they're junk. I got snookered by
one when I wanted a small fridge for the lab, but since ice cubes are
one of the pillars of my world, I got a small two-door Haier that I'm
quite happy with.


A little 'Haier of the dog'? ;-)

Nah, not in the lab. If I drank on the job, I'd have to fire myself,
and then where would I be? (*)
Click to expand...

Would you remember thaat you'd fired yourself when you sobered up?
;-)


I have one of their small countertop wine coolers to keep cold pop in
my workshop. It was free, so why not use it? :)

A likely story. ;)
Click to expand...

It's been sitting there for over two years without ever having being
plugged in. It's been that long since I've been able to work out there.
:(

I was going to put it in my bedroom to keep a little food and pop for
the days I'm really in pain, but there wasn't enough room for it and a
small microwave.


(*) In New Orleans, where my daughter lives, there's a local satirical
newspaper called the New Orleans Levee (their motto: "We don't hold
anything back"). One recent article announced the results of an
anticorruption drive in the NOPD: the last remaining officer had to
suspend himself, because he'd been signing his own time cards ever since
the second-to-last one was suspended. ;)
Click to expand...

They ran out of rope too soon? ;-)

--
You can't have a sense of humor, if you have no sense.
 
On Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:02:50 -0500, "Jack B. Pollack" <N@NE.nothing>
wrote:

Hi,

This may not be the best group to post this but maybe someone has a quick
answer.

I'm looking for a small compact 1.7 cu ft refrigerator for my office. A
freezer is not really necessary, but if it doesn't cost more to run I guess
it might be used several times a year, and ice would be nice to have if
needed.

None of the units without freezers are "Energy Star" rated (and when
comparing some of the same models with and without freezers some
specifically say Energy Star COMPLIANT "yes" to freezer model, and "no" to
non freezer models).

I'm not sure if this is saying that non freezer units are just not rated,
but use the same amount of power as the freezer units and whether they are
not compliant just because they are not rated.

I would assume it would cost more to run a freezer, than not. So if the
freezer unit is ES compliant and the non freezer is not, which should cost
more to run - an ES compliant freezer, or non ES compliant non freezer
unit?

Obviously if there were specifications with current draw I could compare
something, but I don't see that given anywhere.

Thanks

The label on the unit gives approximate cost to run per year.
Click to expand...
 
I've got one of those Haier fridges that doesnt get cold. Any way to
charge em up?
 
BobG wrote:
I've got one of those Haier fridges that doesnt get cold. Any way to
charge em up?
Click to expand...

Does it have a compressor? Some of their models are Peltier junction
systems, and the switching power supplies fail.


--
You can't have a sense of humor, if you have no sense.
 
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