Full size to mini frig experiment
 

I posted this over at Ecorenovator.org . Here is the link Full size to mini fridge experiment - EcoRenovator

I have a full size fridge that I have modified to act as a mini fridge using the freezer.

EDIT :
For those that don't want to click the link, here is the post :

After reading about freezer to fridge conversions like this one :
Man Retrofits Freezer to Make an Ultra-Efficient Fridge : TreeHugger
, I wanted to do something similar.
I have a small 3.1 cubic foot mini fridge that I did a few experiments on ( see the post entitled "Turn my frig on its side ?" )
That amounted to nothing, but I did manage to get the power consumption down to less than 200 kWh per year. The main factor which contributed to this was simply turning the temperature dial up as high as it will go.
Food that spoiled easily went bad a few days earlier than usual, but otherwise, all was normal. I kept the freezer section and my ice cream even stayed frozen ( yet soft ).
Now .....
Recently, I moved into a new apartment that has a normal sized ( 14.5 ? ) cubic foot refrigerator.
As an experiment, I decided to see if I could use just the freezer section of the fridge and use a temperature switch overide to control it.
I purchased a temperature switch from a DIY beer store. It is a simple matter of plugging the cord in, and inserting the temperature probe ito the fridge.
Right off, I'll admit that at my setting of 42 degrees, any frozen items turn to mush - so having ice cream in my fridge is no longer an option ( it melts within a few hours ) I could always dail the temperature down a few notches to where the ice cream doesn't melt, but I don't eat it too often anyways.
Also, frozen veggies thaw out ... which is actually O.K. for me, since they seem to cook faster.
So you are thinking " What kind of frikin moron wants to make their fridge smaller, and loose their freezer ??
Well ... yah, you're right it is pretty lame.
But it is just an experiment.

And the results ? I am currently averaging 143 kWh per year.
( The refrigerator is rated at 497 kWh )

143 kWh is a far cry from the 36.5 kWh that the fellow in the chest freezer conversion got, but he also started with a super efficient low wattage chest freezer rated at something like 170 kWh. I haven't found the freezer he used for under $ 1000.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2466/...7758f95b_b.jpg



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2542/...50bab5d7_b.jpg

I guess if it works for you, that's awesome.

That food he's got in there definitely works for me.

Oops... "he or she", I don't know for sure although you're probably a man. Like most people on this forum. :)

Thus exposing another hidden cost of a meat-rich diet like mine: without meat, you don't need a freezer, and you barely need a fridge. The above-reported electricity savings amount to $40/year.

If your pantry isn't air conditioned, you should move the potatoes, bread, beef jerky, pastries, etc. to the fridge. I threw out a few thousand calories of spoiled food this week.

Very much so a man last time I checked.:p

As far as the money savings go, that is just an added bonus. My main goal for this setup was to reduce pollution. I use my power companies '100% wind " plan, but we all know that it just works much like a carbon offset program.
( And encourages consumption by reducing the guilt factor )

I didn't include the picture of it here, but I am already using the actuall refrigerator section to store breads and nuts. It is ideal for that. ( But thanks for the tip anyways )

Average so far this week has been .24 wh per day ( 24 hrs ) :)