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refrigeration ? | 12 comments (12 topical, editorial)

Re: refrigeration ? (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by nothing to lose (nothingtolose175 at yahoo.com) on Thu Nov 18th, 2004 at 12:28:30 PM MST
(User Info)

Can't you just turn down/up the thermostat on the freezer as it is?
Maybe mine was an older model or maybe not working as cold as it should have been, but I did this before. I kept everything just above freezing, like about 40. I don't like my stuff frozen, but the closer it is the longer it lasts.
My reason for doing it wasn't power though, I had no money and no fridge at the time, but got a cheap freezer for a couple bucks at a yard sale. It seemed to work like a new one, just looked rough, a little rusty on the top from sitting in a garage.

I'll be experimenting with low power fridges also soon myself. My plan is to run cold water from the well through a heat exchanger to cool the water in a barrel which the coils will sit in. And I plan to also burry the barrel to get ground temps when the well hasn't been running. Part of my preheater for the hot water tank and solar system. I don't expect to do much for heating water this way and a 55gal barrel, but it should keep those coils cold!

If you try water cooling, remeber they still use lead in some solders, maybe the coils, so keep it seperate.
.
nothing to lose

Spelin and tpying are my strong points, not electronics.

Re: refrigeration ? (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by Volvo farmer on Thu Nov 18th, 2004 at 06:15:18 PM MST
(User Info)

I don't know if water cooling the coils is such a good idea in a cap tube system. The length and diameter of the cap tube are designed to work with air cooled coils. If you water cool the coils, the high side pressure drops and the refrigerant turns into a high pressure liquid further up the condenser coil than it normally would. I'm not exactly sure what the effect on the system would be but my guess would be reduced efficiency.

Volvo Farmer

May you always have success in your quest to irritate those who you despise. -Ben Goode
[ Parent ]

Re: refrigeration ? (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by SDO on Fri Nov 19th, 2004 at 12:50:27 AM MST
(User Info) http://alternativepower.dyndns.org:8080/

Do you have a FAQ location, URL for me to read on this low
power consumption for cooling food? I have thought about
going with a root-cellar (but I have sandstone at about
10" below ground) with a solar/ammonia driven ice maker.
However, if there was a way to keep food cool INSIDE the cabin
I'm building instead of in a root cellar, and I could do
away with the 15-20 foot long ice maker that ran to the cellar,
I would be happier. Any information is welcomed.

SDO-aka-Todd
---
Super Dave Osbourne, Man of a Million Shunts
"Not that I expect the current administration to do anything about it."
[ Parent ]

refrigeration ? | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 editorial)

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