"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 01 Jan 2006 13:07:45 +0000, Huge wrote:

On Sun, 01 Jan 2006 12:37:39 +0000, Richard Marx wrote:

Hi, I have recently moved and have a large kitchen cupboard designed to
take a fridge, with a full-height wooden door on it (almost like
entering
another room or broom cupboard). Is keeping the fridge in there with
the
door shut a good thing or a bad thing, energy-consumption-wise?

I.e. does the fridge's heat not dissipate so well, heating the cupboard,
causing the fridge interior to warm up faster so its thermostat clicks
in
more often; or does it keep the cool in by double-insulating the fridge
making it more energy efficient?

I don't notice any particular cold or hot air when I open the door, but
it
certainly keeps the noise in with the door shut!

Thanks for any advice.

Built-in appliances have extensive ventilation to avoid the overheating
problem, so I would say that, Yes, your frig will likely use more energy
if sealed in a box.

(Isn't this one of Andy Hall's thermodynamics questions?)


Well, I was just going to suggest that he opens the fridge door
occasionally to cool down the cupboard...... :-)



--

.andy


Some observations:

1. Fact - heat from the inside of the cabinet will get pumped to the
outside - this is how fridges work - old or new. Some additional heat will
be generated from the motor. Better insulation though will ensure less heat
enters through the cabinet.

2. The thermostat will switch on the motor when the temperature inside rises
above that which is it set. This has nothing to do with the temperature of
the room or the time of the year. It does not control the 'power' of the
chilling - merely the starting and stopping of the motor in response to heat
gains.

3 In a hot kitchen more heat will enter the fridge when the door is opened
and items put into the fridge will tend to be warmer - therefore the fridge
will work harder - but it does not require the thermostat to be altered. 5
Degrees is 5 degrees (or whatever, all the year round)

4. In a hot kitchen more heat will need to be dissipated from the back of
the fridge.



John