ENERGY MATTERS

REFRIGERATORS

Your household refrigerator and freezer probably consume more energy than most other electric appliances. It is very difficult to tell how much energy they are using.  One way is to listen to see if they are running often and for long periods of time. Another is with the use of a meter to measure the amount of electricity used.

The Ad Hoc Energy Committee has recently run a series of tests on refrigerators located in the Association facilities. Some of the results were quite surprising! To test these refrigerators the Committee borrowed a kilowatt-hour test meter from the Grass Valley PG&E office. In this way, the Committee could determine the consumption of electricity for each appliance.

Seven refrigerators and a coke machine were tested. If the appliance used less than two kilowatt hours per day, it was considered acceptable. If it consumed over five kilowatt hours per day, it was regarded as needing possible replacement.   

Of the refrigerators tested, five were acceptable and two were needing replacement.  One, a newer refrigerator which had been donated to the Association, replaced an older model. After testing, it was discovered the newer model would cost $445 a year to operate. The replaced, older refrigerator cost $62 a year to operate.  Needless to say, the older model which used much less electricity was returned to duty.

With the current cost of electricity for the Association at 15 cents per kilowatt hour, a refrigerator using two kilowatt hours a day would cost about 30 cents a day to run;  a five kilowatt hour usage would cost about 75 cents a day, or about $109 and $274 a year, respectively. 

A member recently visited a local appliance store and found two new refrigerators that are very efficient. One, a fifteen cubic foot model with a price tag of $499 cost about $86 a year to operate. An eighteen cubic foot model cost $549 to purchase and $72 a year to operate. Those costs are based on the manufacturer's estimated usage and a rate of 15 cents per kilowatt hour. Thus, if the operating cost of an existing refrigerator is high, it wouldn't take long to pay for a new model.

A kilowatt-hour meter is available at the Grass Valley PG&E office. There are simple instructions on how to operate the meter. If the meter is not available, call Ed Coutts at 432-9677.

At last word, rebates of $125 are still available for new Energy-Star refrigerators.

We all hope to reduce our electricity costs, and refrigerators and freezers can be big power consumers. Check to see how much your refrigerator is using, and 

REMEMBER.......ENERGY MATTERS!

Ad Hoc Energy Committee