On Monday, July 6, 2015 at 8:57:27 AM UTC-4, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 7/6/2015 12:12 AM, wrote:
On Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 7:39:00 AM UTC-8, blueman wrote:
I have always wondered about this one...
Refrigerators are one of the top energy consumers in homes.
In Northern climates, the outside temperature is colder than indoor
temperature at least 6 months of the year.

Why aren't they designed with "heat" exchangers to benefit from cool if
not frigid external air?

Even in warm climates (or summers) why isn't the same principle used to
vent the warm air from the compressor & coils outside rather than
loading the AC?

Presumably this could all be done by putting the evaporator coils
outside which would in turn decrease (or eliminate if cold enough) the
draw on the compressor during winter months.

Of course, installation might be a little more expensive, but with all
the focus on green-this and green-that why isn't this being done?

all of the responses I've read make the assumption
we have A/C. my house doesn't. I live in Oregon.
the few weeks when it gets very hot the refrigerator
feels like the range has been left on. simply venting
this hot air out thru the roof or exterior wall doesn't
seem too difficult. I could add a bathroom vent fan
if needed and have it turn on when the refr runs.
all of this is a comfort issue, not $ savings.


Doing the outside air thing makes sense. But it would
need coordination between the builders, the HVAC folks,
and the refrigerator designers.


It doesn't make sense. The heat generated by a modern refrigerator
is minimal. In winter, it adds to the heat you want in the house.
Spring/Fall, you typically have windows open, so it doesn't matter.
In summer, if you have no AC, you typically have the windows open,
so it isn't going to matter much. If you have AC it's a small
negative impact on the energy balance. A refrigerator costs less
that $100 a year to run. That isn't much heat. Now compare that
to the cost of the venting, the problems with running the venting,
connecting the venting somehow to the fridge, the electric used to
power the venting, etc and it doesn't add up.