Make use of sub-zero temperatures (32° F) outside in winter months and freeze a few bottles of water outside (consider larger ice volume). Then put them into the top of your fridge and when they have melted just repeat the process. This is similar to an ice box.
A (very rough) calculation:
Warming up 5 kg (=5 L or 0,26 Gallons) ice from 0°C to 7°C (44,6°F) takes 0,5 kWh thermal energy (0,46 kWh to go from 0°C ice to 0°C water due to high enthalpy of fusion). Assuming your fridge is 25% (or 50% or 75%) efficient it would save you 2 kWh (or 1 kWh or 0,67 kWh) of electrical energy.
DO NOT use the same procedure with your freezer (unless outside temperature is well below your desired freezer temperature and even then the benefits are very, very small. You could skip the freezer and store your stuff outside).
DO NOT do this if the water is very cold, but not frozen. The benefits are miniscule.
DO NOT do this with ice from your freezer or with ice you bought. You will not save money or energy. This is kind of obvious, but you never know.....;)
If your fridge is already very efficient the savings will be relatively small and likely not worth the effort.
FEEDBACK much appreciated. It's still too warm where I live and so I have to wait a few weeks to try this. I will freeze the water overnight and change it in the morning (if necessary) which takes less than a minute.
Submitted November 21, 2016 at 03:45PM by icolex http://ift.tt/2fJVDsw Frugal
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