DIYbanter - View Single Post

Jon Danniken[_7_]

On 10/19/2012 10:24 AM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On 19 Oct 2012 14:24:14 GMT, Han wrote:

The condensor is black because black radiates heat better. To make it
functioning that way, put an awning of some kind over the fridge to keep
solar radiation off of it.

"Black" in the visible range doesn't matter much at the far infrared
wavelengths the refrigerator will be operating at. It matters some in direct
sunlight because there is a significant component of sunlight in the visible
range (duh!). My point is that its "color" in visible light doesn't mean a
lot. The emissivity at the operating point matters.

White or silver doesn't make a difference, as
long as it is as opaque as can be. In addition, rig a small fan up so
there is additional cooling when the fridge is in cooling mode.

Again, color doesn't matter, as far as the operation of the refrigerator,
itself. If the object is to reflect visible sunlight, white is better.

An argument could be made that a specific type of silver paint, that
with a high zinc content common in "cold galvanizing" types, might be a
good choice because the zInc may be more conductive to heat transfer
than an additional layer of regular paint.

Jon