igloo chest freezer

[SunEagle]

So what you're saying is that the testing for the energyguide labels isn't remotely standard making them useless for comparing different products?

I am sure there is a "standard" used to determine the Energy Efficiency calculations of appliances. I would be surprised that every appliance uses the exact same standard and process but I could be wrong.

You might be able to find more information concerning what that "standard" is and how it applies to specific appliances like freezers and refrigerators doing a web search. I do not have that information or I would provide it.

[russ]

For whoever is interested you can search for energy star on your search engine.

The link I had http://www.energystar.gov/ seems to be down right now.

[Sunking]

So what you're saying is that the testing for the energyguide labels isn't remotely standard making them useless for comparing different products?

Not at all, they all use the same crappy test you can never duplicate. It is done for 1 thing and 1 thing only: (COMPARISON)

Sort of like you are interested in two car models like a Honda and VW trying to decide which gets better gas mileage. So what do you do? You look at the EPA MPG sticker. That Civic EPA is 41 mpg and the VW Jetti gets 39 mpg. Which one gets better mileage is easy to answer, but the actual mileage will be less than posted.

[Datacruncher]

Sounds pretty energy efficient to me

So I'm trying to figure out whether this is energy efficient or not: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/igloo-5-...LBAHjg5m3YgNPA

The energyguide says 172kwh but I'm not sure how those numbers are calculated. It has a refrigerator setting, so I'm wondering what setting was used to determine the kwh's?

Long and short of it is it looks like a very reasonable price and efficiency, assuming they kept food frozen when doing the test to get the 172 kWh/year spec.

from my own personal data using a Kill-a-watt meter I was able to determine that this site has data that matches closely to mine, so I trust the data. So go here http://siliconvalleypower.com/index.aspx?page=1922 and you will see Freezer (manual defrost), 15 cu. Ft. uses 90 kWh/mo; [(90 kwh/mo)/(15cu.ft.)]*12 = 72 kwh/year/CF, yours only uses 172/12 = 14 kwh/mo or (14/5.2)*12 = 32 kwh/year/CF !! Even if you divide by 15 cu.ft/5.2 cu. ft it gives you 31 kWh/mo. So yours at 14 kwh/mo sound pretty efficient to me.

Another site

https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/For-My-Home/ways-to-save-and-rebates/Appliances/Refrigerators/General-Info/Electric-Usage-Chart

this site shows the newest Freezer - Freezer - upright, 17 CF, manual defrost, new 480 ANNUAL kWh, 480/17 = 28 kWh/year/CF , Yours is 172/5.2 = 33 kWh/year/CF which is just a bit higher. I'd say its good!

Being recently unemployed I have time to calculate my I&E and contemplate Solar as well as see where my energy costs are going. So I recently purchased two Kill-a-watt meters which will give you info on how much power an appliance is using. My data below:

1997 Westinghouse 17 cu ft standup freezer: [2.98 kwh/36.46 hours]*730 hrs/mo = 59 kWh/mo (59/17)*12 = 42 kWh/year/CF and YOURS is 32 kwh/year/CF - lower is better

I bought a 2007 Frigidaire 14 cu ft standup freezer and it was no different !? : 7.42 kwh in 100 hours; 7.42/100 * 730hrs/mo = 54 kwh/mo; (54/14)*12 = 46 kWh/year/CF

whats really weird is that my local power company in southern calif told me that the average refrigerator use 8-12 kwh/day. which is no where close to any of the tables nor my empirical data using the kill-a-watt meter.

And my 2005 Samsung refrigerator Model RS2630SH used 37.1 kwh in 255 hours/ 37/255 = 0.145 kwh/hour *(730 hours/mo) = 106 kwh/mo * 0.18 avg $/kwh = $19/mo to operate in southern California. Thats just 3.5 kwh/day, far from what the utility says an avg refrig is 8-12 kwh/day.

PROOF: 24 hrs/day * 365 days/year = 8760 hrs/yr ; divide by 12 = 730 hrs/month

[Bucho]

Long and short of it is it looks like a very reasonable price and efficiency, assuming they kept food frozen when doing the test to get the 172 kWh/year spec.

I know huh, that's why I started a thread to try and see if that's a valid thing to assume.

[Bucho]

You might be able to find more information concerning what that "standard" is and how it applies to specific appliances like freezers and refrigerators doing a web search. I do not have that information or I would provide it.

I ran a search before starting the thread, I can find where it's strongly implied that there's standardized testing:

Are all EnergyGuide labels the same?

No, there are some different labels. Some appliances are being rated with updated energy efficiency tests and as of January 2014, have new EnergyGuide labels with bright yellow numbers. Other appliances have original labels with black numbers. Before you compare the features of different models, check the labels. Make sure the models you are comparing have EnergyGuide labels with all yellow numbers or all black numbers.

But I'm having an unexpected amount of trouble finding for sure that the test is reasonably standard and determining even vaguely what it consists of.

[SunEagle]

I ran a search before starting the thread, I can find where it's strongly implied that there's standardized testing:



But I'm having an unexpected amount of trouble finding for sure that the test is reasonably standard and determining even vaguely what it consists of.

The lack of being able to find a specific procedure or "standard" on how appliance efficiency is determined leads me to believe that the specification is very loose and hard to verify.

I also did not find concrete procedure on how an appliance is rated for Energy Star status although it is regulated by the EPA. I did find a paper on what is required to get an Energy Star Home rating.

Energy Star National_Program_Requirements.pdf

[Bucho]

The lack of being able to find a specific procedure or "standard" on how appliance efficiency is determined leads me to believe that the specification is very loose and hard to verify.

I also did not find concrete procedure on how an appliance is rated for Energy Star status although it is regulated by the EPA. I did find a paper on what is required to get an Energy Star Home rating.
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That's where I am too, thanks for your help. Guess I'll just have to find some place with a good return policy to buy it from.

[inetdog]

Consumer Reports apparently is able to access the specific standards and duplicate them as a reference point for their testing.
One recent (last year) anomaly was in the testing of refrigerator-freezers.
The standard allows the automatic ice maker to be turned off for the energy testing. In several (LG?) models turning the icemaker off also turns off the refrigeration to the ice compartment (in the refrigerator section door.) CR correctly identified that nobody in their right mind would ever use the unit that way, and I believe that the standard was since changed to close that loophole.

[Leehamrick]

I see the picture of the knob that turns it from freezer to a refrigerator but I can't find that listed in the description anywhere.

[SunEagle]

I see the picture of the knob that turns it from freezer to a refrigerator but I can't find that listed in the description anywhere.

Put a thermometer inside and set it on the lowest setting to see what temperature "Refrigerate" means. Then do the same on "Strong Cold" to see how cold it gets.

You may be correct that it has the ability to just keep things cold without freezing them.

[Bucho]

I see the picture of the knob that turns it from freezer to a refrigerator but I can't find that listed in the description anywhere.

Just bought it today, it does have a refrigerator setting.

[ayurtdweller]

I have one. We use it as a refrigerator. Uses about .4 to .6 Kwh/Day. I have to keep greens away from the sides so that they do not freeze and wilt. Otherwise, it works great as a fridge.
According to Kill A Watt, when it first comes on it draws about 130 watts, then tapers down to 80-100 watts as the cycle runs. It runs about 15-20 minutes every few hours. Sometimes I leave it unplugged overnight if the batteries are low, and fire up the genny in the AM to cool it back down. Takes about 45 minutes to get back down. Then I plug it back into pv.

[ZoNiE]

I have one. We use it as a refrigerator. Uses about .4 to .6 Kwh/Day. I have to keep greens away from the sides so that they do not freeze and wilt. Otherwise, it works great as a fridge.
According to Kill A Watt, when it first comes on it draws about 130 watts, then tapers down to 80-100 watts as the cycle runs. It runs about 15-20 minutes every few hours. Sometimes I leave it unplugged overnight if the batteries are low, and fire up the genny in the AM to cool it back down. Takes about 45 minutes to get back down. Then I plug it back into pv.

...And there is your answer.