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Tom Del Rosso[_6_] Tom Del Rosso[_6_] is offline
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Default Refrigerator current load

amdx wrote:
On 1/12/2020 10:47 PM, Tom Del Rosso wrote:
Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sun, 12 Jan 2020 18:43:28 -0500, "Tom Del Rosso"
wrote:

I expect a large fridge to draw around 5 amps, but my clamp
transformer (on one wire of a broken-out extension cord of course)
and Fluke together say 830ma when the thing is running. Does that
seem wrong? It measures the toaster oven at 9.1A and the fridge
light at 300ma.

Make and model of the fridge? 117VAC or 240VAC? I can possibly
lookup the expected current drain online and do a sanity check. I
found a few charts that claim a full size refrigerator/freezer
should draw about 700 watts. 5A sounds about right:


Frigidaire FFHT1621TS1


117VAC * 5A = 585 VA
No clue on the PF (power factor) so I'll use VA instead of watts.

If you're seeing only 0.83A, then you're looking at the current
drawn by a fan or light bulb in the fridge, not the compressor. Try
lowering the temperature setting of the thermostat temporarily to
force the compressor to start.


Tthat 800ma is when it's making noise. It's less than 10ma the rest
of the time. The other loads are toaster and microwave so they draw
zero most of the time.

The most unfortunate thing is that all the outlets in the kitchen
seem to be on one breaker. I say so because there is a 3 volt drop
on any outlet when the toaster oven draws 9 amps. In another room
it drops 100mv or less.



I'd have a little concern about that 3v drop. It could be just a
long run of wire, (I doubt it) or a poor connection somewhere between,
starting at the box and going to the outlet.
Warning I once connected several freezers to an outlet, in an outdoor
porch. It was fine for years and then one day a got a burning smell.
Tried and tried to sniff it out, but it went a way. A couple days
later I smelled it again. I traced behind a TV, I grabbed the TV plug
and it was very hot. I moved everything out, removed a panel from the
wall. Upon inspection the the outlet crumbled to pieces. The wire
from the Circuit breaker box terminated at the outlet, then another
wire was connected to the box that went to the outdoor outlet. A poor
connection to the box, heated up every time the freezers ran. I was
lucky it didn't start a fire. I installed 220v to a sub box and
divided that for my freezers after that.

Mikek


Yeah, thanks, but I realize that. It's the landlord's fault if the
building burns. I have my own insurance. His might be cancelled.