![]() I frequently see tiny “dorm” refrigerators with only two-to-three cubic feet of capacity that use more energy than my 18 cubic foot model. They waste energy that you had best conserve off the grid.ĭon’t be fooled by thinking a smaller refrigerator uses less energy. Try to avoid simple, energy-wasting design mistakes like locating the fridge right next to the oven and range, or even worse, right by the propane space heater or wood stove.Īvoid “side-by-side” refrigerator/freezer combos and through-the-door ice and water dispensers. Here are a few electric refrigeration tricks I’ve learned over the years: Once you’ve done your homework, you are very likely to find free, expert advice online. Internet discussion boards are an excellent place to get information and ask questions, for example my company’s board at Anywhere you go, please search and read past postings before posting, as basic questions have probably already been answered…multiple times. Most off-gridders are both satisfied with and proud of their lifestyle, and are eager to share tips and tricks with others. From their spreadsheet, I selected my fridge/freezer sorting by both cubic feet capacity and kilowatt-hours per year, then compaed with what was available locally. ![]() You can search their appliance database and even download spreadsheets for your own, more advanced analysis, from their website at Go to the Product Finder search page, and have at it. Department of Energy that gives you that kilowatt-hours per year figure, but keep in mind your usage may vary depending on the ambient temperature of your house. The unit is nothing fancy nor from Europe, just a standard Frigidaire from the local big box store, but I had to visit many stores, make lots of phone calls and do hours of internet research to find the most efficient model at an affordable price.Īll refrigerators and freezers are required to have a yellow Energy Guide sticker (Photo 1) from the U.S. Snowy or rainy weather with no sun or wind, it keeps me scrambling. That’s not a problem most of the time, but during extended periods of The fridge/freezer combo is reasonably efficient, using about 350 kilowatt-hours per year, which translates to about one kilowatt-hour per day. My electric fridge uses more energy daily than anything else in the house, and I had to expand my solar array to be able to run it. For example, most off-grid families cultivate the habit of doing chores that require a lot of electricity-for example, laundry, vacuuming, dishes-on sunny days when their battery bank is already nearly full and there’s plenty of power coming in.īut what about appliances that you have no control over when they run? Refrigerators and freezers are essential ones. But you can design your house and choose what you put in it in a way that helps you reduce your energy consumption drastically. Remember: houses don’t use electricity, people do. To thrive when living off the grid, you must always be aware of how much energy you are generating, how much you are using and how much you have stored. Photo 1: Energy Guide sample label for a refrigerator. Fortunately, manufacturers saw this happening, the government started requiring some basic standards, and now many U.S.- made appliances rank among the best in the world for efficiency. manufacturers lagged far behind Europe in building efficient machines, and all that extra cost paid for itself in the reduced cost of solar panels, batteries and the rest of the power system. Most renewable energy installers recommend that you choose your appliances before you even begin planning your power system.īack in the day, it was actually very common for off-gridders to order appliances like refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and washer/ dryer combos from Europe, and pay exorbitant prices plus outrageous shipping charges. Off the grid, though, your appliance choices will have a huge impact on how much your renewable energy system will cost, how easy it is to live with and how often you have to run a noisy, high-maintenance backup generator to keep your battery bank healthy. When buying appliances for a new home or a remodel, most people cruise the big box store looking for the right combination of features, style, color and-as an afterthought-an Energy Star sticker, then maybe a yellow Energy Guide sticker to at least be sure the model they want isn’t one of the worst energy hogs out there.
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