Refrigerator in the garage - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Refrigerator in the garage

Posted: 5/10/2020 11:29:21 AM EDT

So I’ve got a new fridge cooking tomorrow and I way toying with the notion of sticking the (very) old one in the garage. My dad says don’t do it, the electric bill will skyrocket.

I’ve been reading and I guess the older fridges are actually better for this application because they are as dependent on trying to maintain their temperature in relation to the outside temperature.

But real world examples word be nice. How many of you have done this and what did it do to your electric bill? Mines already $350+ in the summer so I’d like to a side any major increases. I wouldn’t mind a couple of bucks a month.

Posted: 5/10/2020 12:08:51 PM EDT

[#1]

No idea but we just brought our chest deep freeze in from the garage to try and help it run less and save too. I would say installing a programmable thermostat has helped the most with our older house.

Posted: 5/10/2020 12:51:14 PM EDT

[#2]

It will more than likely be fine.
The only way the electric bill will drastically go up is if you leave the door open all the time.

Posted: 5/10/2020 3:23:15 PM EDT

[#3]

We do it. We have no problems. However, we are in Prescott, so your results may be different.

Posted: 5/10/2020 4:51:35 PM EDT

[#4]

Most house hold refrigerators or freezer are not designed to operate in temps over 90 degrees.

Posted: 5/10/2020 4:57:10 PM EDT

[#5]

I have a mini fridge in my outdoor kitchen. It has been in full sun for 5 years. Still keeps beverages cold

Hope I didn't just jinx it.

Posted: 5/10/2020 5:56:36 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Originally Posted By 1goodshot:
Most house hold refrigerators or freezer are not designed to operate in temps over 90 degrees.

View Quote

That’s what I was reading also.

I was only going to pu drinks in it so if it craps out in not really concerned. My problem is I can just have the guys bringing the new fridge take this one away and I can wash my hands of it.

But if I keep it and it makes the electric bill go nuts or it craps out then I’ve got to dispose of it which seems like it out because a pain in the ass.

Posted: 5/11/2020 12:18:33 AM EDT

[#7]

I’ve had the same Side by side fridge in the garage for 10 years. It works great and it doesn’t make my bill go up pre vs post fridge In the garage. I use it every day. I’m the original owner of the fridge I bought in 2004.

Posted: 5/11/2020 12:33:28 AM EDT

[#8]

I have 2 freezers in my garage for over 10 years. Not sure on actual cost but it wont be much more than it was inside the house.

Posted: 5/11/2020 12:46:28 AM EDT

[#9]

There are a few models that do ok in AZ.. the key is to look at the min/max operating temp range of the frige.. a lot these days are up to 110f! Like this one.. https://www.frigidaire.com/Kitchen-Appliances/Refrigerators/Top-Freezer-Refrigerator/FFTR1821TS/

when we had our house redone a bit.. i had R30 blown over the garage as well as an insulated garage door.. ours maxes out at 104 in the summer now.. and is typically at 100 average mid day. We are getting a frige for the garage at some point but have not yet.

Posted: 5/11/2020 12:57:07 AM EDT

[#10]

Im in the Palm Springs area so we have the same temps as you guys and I have my 2008 model fridge (LG stainless double door with drawer freezer) from my old house in the garage along with a large chest freezer, it works great and I wanna say it adds maybe 20 bucks a month in electric from what I remember before we added solar.

Posted: 5/11/2020 10:53:28 AM EDT

[#11]

We put our stand up freezer in our garage when we moved here last year. No issues yet. Electric bill is in the 80s during winter and as high as 400+ in the summer. Our balance bill is 214/month, but that was based on 76 in the house during the day and 72 from 10pm to 6:30am, and never turning the heat on.

Posted: 5/11/2020 11:18:33 AM EDT

[#12]

I have always done it. There is not a noticeable impact on the bill. I now have solar, so none of that matters.

I currently have a freezer and stand along icemaker in my garage.

Posted: 5/11/2020 12:54:05 PM EDT

[#13]

Thanks guys. Guess I’ll give it a go.

Some of you reminded me though....solar. That’s been on my mind. I keep seeing ads pop up for “no out of pocket costs” solar. That sounds fishy to me. What size and how much did it cost those if you who went in that direction?

Posted: 5/11/2020 9:45:40 PM EDT

[#14]

My kids got me a smallish one for my diet foods. Moving ice cream to get to my frozen veggies was an "environmental" challenge. Dropped a breaker in the sub-panel and ran a short run of conduit. GTG except the fine print in the very back od the owners manual notes not for use in non-temperature controlled areas. Well my garage can get ridiculous. May rig a few small fans for some extra air movement around the back and bottom of it.

Basic physics limit just how much total cooling is available out of a unit and just how much colder it can get in relationship to the ambient air around it.

Posted: 5/12/2020 11:28:05 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
Thanks guys. Guess I’ll give it a go.

Some of you reminded me though....solar. That’s been on my mind. I keep seeing ads pop up for “no out of pocket costs” solar. That sounds fishy to me. What size and how much did it cost those if you who went in that direction?

View Quote

25 year lease. They even changed my electric panel and gave me all new breakers. Nothing out of pocket. Just read your contract. Bill is fixed rate, but has stepped increases. I am currently fixed at $100/month, regardless of usage. At 5 years I have the option to buy, but I bet that kills the full warranty and insurance. Some of these rates were grandfathered, so do that research too.

Shop around, read reviews. @AIWB

Posted: 5/12/2020 11:43:40 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Originally Posted By wildearp:

25 year lease. They even changed my electric panel and gave me all new breakers. Nothing out of pocket. Just read your contract. Bill is fixed rate, but has stepped increases. I am currently fixed at $100/month, regardless of usage. At 5 years I have the option to buy, but I bet that kills the full warranty and insurance. Some of these rates were grandfathered, so do that research too.

Shop around, read reviews. @AIWB

View Quote

Ahhh, so that’s how they do those “no out of pocket” cost deals. I didn’t even bother looking into those because I thought it was a scam just to get you in the door (so to speak)

Thank you very much! Do you mind telling me who you went through?

Posted: 5/12/2020 11:48:16 AM EDT

[#17]

I Have had the same fridge in the garage for a decade,After 5 years of indoor service, was a cheap builder grade GE unit from my first house, still run like a champ. Not noticeable On the electric bill, we average $100 during winter and $300 during summer.

Posted: 5/22/2020 11:00:51 PM EDT

[#18]

I have had my current fridge in the garage 10 years, and the previous on for 15 before that. My electric bills are not crazy at all. Keeps my beer, soda, and extra supplies ice cold.

Posted: 5/25/2020 6:36:44 AM EDT

[#19]

I've had a chest freezer that has been outside for most of its 20 year life and it's still working fine in my storage closet outside. Bought it for my mom while I worked at Best Buy as a teenager in the 90s.

She gave it to me several years ago.

It uses a timer that you set to a value instead of an value instead of a thermostat that kicks on the compressor depending on the internal temperature. I hooked it up to a Killawatt (sp?) and I calculated it costs about $50-$55 a year to operate on the medium setting.

Posted: 5/25/2020 8:00:15 PM EDT

[#20]

So the fridge has been great since I put it in the garage until the other morning. I went out there and it tripped the gfi it’s plugged into in the garage. *shrugs*

Reset it and it’s been fine since. I haven’t seen any obvious reasons as to why it would do that.

And someone from universalsolar is coming Tuesday to give me a quote. The website says no out of pocket costs and all of that jazz but we will see.

Posted: 5/26/2020 10:26:28 AM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
So the fridge has been great since I put it in the garage until the other morning. I went out there and it tripped the gfi it’s plugged into in the garage. *shrugs*

Reset it and it’s been fine since. I haven’t seen any obvious reasons as to why it would do that.

And someone from universalsolar is coming Tuesday to give me a quote. The website says no out of pocket costs and all of that jazz but we will see.

View Quote

We've got a single outlet in our garage

, and it is on the same breaker as the outlet on our front porch, and outlet on our back porch. I didn't realize that until it rained this winter while our Christmas decorations were out. Tripped the gfi. No idea how long the freezer was off, but everything was still completely frozen so all was good. Our Panel is on the side of the garage and I plan to have an outlet or two added in their eventually.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Refrigerator in the garage

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