4 ms·

I just replaced the condenser fan (was squealing) and the evaporator defrost heater (it wasn't working at all, leading to the coils icing over) on my 20-year-ol

I just replaced the condenser fan (was squealing) and the evaporator defrost heater (it wasn't working at all, leading to the coils icing over) on my 20-year-old GE fridge. I threw in some SwitchBot BLE temp sensors that I monitor with Home Assistant, with alerts set to fire if it can't hold temperature or if the defrost cycle doesn't seem to be working, as measured by the swing between the "pre-chill" before defroster heater kicks on, and the temperature/humidity rise as it works. $40 in parts rescued a fridge that my subdivision neighbors each traded up years ago the first time theirs started acting up. I already had the BLE sensors. Runs like a champ, and remains free of an IP address.

TuringNYC 3y ago
I got an eye opener when a fridge with a 10yr parts warranty came with a $2100 labor bill to actually install the broken condensor. I'm not sure why the condensor would be built in such a way that swapping one out can cost $2100...but it was cheaper to purchase another fridge, this time with a top of the line parts and labor warranty This infuriated me greatly because of the waste, not one of money, but for the environment. I considered paying the $2100 just to avoid the environmental waste, but realized this would probably be only one in a line of upcoming repairs.
ljf 3y ago
I cannot speak for that fridge as I don't know the energy usage. But the sad fact is that often buying a brand new machine will pay for itself in only 2 or 3 years over a 'free' older fridge or freezer (at least here in the UK). I have a 'keezer' - a chest freezer I run at fridge temps to store and serve homebrew beer. Buying a new A+ rated chest freezer cost me £199 but only costs £35 a year to run. A friend scored a free 15 yo freezer from Facebook and it costs just under £100 a year to run. So he saved £200, but now is down £65 a year. It won't take long for my keezer to be significantly cheaper over a 5 year horizon. I hate to see old tech wasted, but the energy and cost savings can be significant.
- userbinator 3y ago
  Did he clean the condenser and replace the door seal? Dirty/clogged condensers and leaky door seals have a huge effect on efficiency. Also, if his is not a chest freezer, that's another big difference --- a chest freezer is inherently better if opened often, since the cold air stays at the bottom, whereas in an upright one, it spills out.
  - ljf 3y ago
    Yes another chest freezer - and yes that usage is pretty good for a freezer of that age - when I've tested other brewers set-ups they can be even worse (but that is often when they've clad them in wood - looks cool but stops the freezer cooling properly...) I'll get them to check it is clean, but I'll assume it is as he's pretty on top of that sort of thing.

TuringNYC 3y ago

I got an eye opener when a fridge with a 10yr parts warranty came with a $2100 labor bill to actually install the broken condensor. I'm not sure why the condensor would be built in such a way that swapping one out can cost $2100...but it was cheaper to purchase another fridge, this time with a top of the line parts and labor warranty This infuriated me greatly because of the waste, not one of money, but for the environment. I considered paying the $2100 just to avoid the environmental waste, but realized this would probably be only one in a line of upcoming repairs.

ljf 3y ago

I cannot speak for that fridge as I don't know the energy usage. But the sad fact is that often buying a brand new machine will pay for itself in only 2 or 3 years over a 'free' older fridge or freezer (at least here in the UK). I have a 'keezer' - a chest freezer I run at fridge temps to store and serve homebrew beer. Buying a new A+ rated chest freezer cost me £199 but only costs £35 a year to run. A friend scored a free 15 yo freezer from Facebook and it costs just under £100 a year to run. So he saved £200, but now is down £65 a year. It won't take long for my keezer to be significantly cheaper over a 5 year horizon. I hate to see old tech wasted, but the energy and cost savings can be significant.

userbinator 3y ago
Did he clean the condenser and replace the door seal? Dirty/clogged condensers and leaky door seals have a huge effect on efficiency. Also, if his is not a chest freezer, that's another big difference --- a chest freezer is inherently better if opened often, since the cold air stays at the bottom, whereas in an upright one, it spills out.
- ljf 3y ago
  Yes another chest freezer - and yes that usage is pretty good for a freezer of that age - when I've tested other brewers set-ups they can be even worse (but that is often when they've clad them in wood - looks cool but stops the freezer cooling properly...) I'll get them to check it is clean, but I'll assume it is as he's pretty on top of that sort of thing.