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Uncle Monster[_3_]

wrote:
Frigidaire sells a $29 5303918301 laminated "garage heater kit," with
2 wires that wraps around the cold control of a fridge to allow it to
work in to work in a cooler room, down to about 40 F.

It apparently heats the thermostat to fool the compressor into turning on,
even if the fridge compartment is cool enough (eg 40 F in a 40 F room.
Without this kit, the compressor does not run often enough to keep ice
cream from melting.

How does this work, exactly? Is the heater always on? Is it just adding
enough heat to the fridge compartment to make the compressor run long
enough to keep the freezer compartment frozen? If so, why is it
wrapped around the cold control, vs somewhere else in the fridge box?

I just bought an 18.2 CF Hotpoint fridge. I'd like to cover the outside
with 2" foamboard and run it in a cool kitchen to reduce the energy used
from 480 kWh/year to 240 or so, but Hotpoints don't come with these kits.
Would leaving the light on all the time in the fridge compartment do
the same thing? Is there a more energy-efficient way to do this? Warming
the whole fridge box takes more power than just warming the thermostat.

Nick

I found some information. I originally thought the heater
was a crankcase heater for the compressor but something I
read indicates that the heater is for adding heat to the
"control compartment" to fool the thermostat into making
the compressor run for a longer period of time. It also
negates the Energy Star rating of the fridge. I do a lot
of commercial refrigeration where pressure controls may
be used in lieu of thermostats ie, better temperature
control over a wider ambient but much more expensive. I
could adapt a home refrigerator to run well in low ambient
conditions by adding extra controls and sensors but the
control compartment heater is simple and cheap. KISS

[8~{} Uncle Monster