Cutting my Electric Cost by 30% on refrigeration for $10, Results were surprising

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  • Опубликовано: 13 янв 2025

Комментарии • 105

  • @JOHNDANIEL1
    @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +13

    *WHY I DID NOT DO THE SIDES:* ( thermal tool used to find issues is a Tarcher IR Thermometer amzn.to/3QNrOoF ) Reason for the top, not sides. For one, a poorly insulated top allows convection of air, Causing air to cycle from lower to upper, warming very slightly and then increasing ice, moisture and frostbite. By adding this insulation the temps stabilized to stop convection to the top lid. From that we increased cold density in the freezer. This also works for upright as well as chest freezers, stopping a cycle of air from making a loop though improving the door, is huge in results. Most freezers use the sides for refrigerant and may cause your thermostat stress to cover them, using a SEEK thermal Imager that uses your phone to work, amzn.to/44QQGUZ can help you save thousands in losses from windows, walls, doors and appliances, but the cheap and fast way to fix 30% loss on freezers is 1/2 to 3/4 foam the tops/doors.

    • @lostinaustralia-dave7802
      @lostinaustralia-dave7802 Год назад

      maybe so, I am not a refrigeration engineer, but learned very quickly that you never completely cover the top of a fridge, (not a freezer) so I will leave those guys to their magic.

    • @totherarf
      @totherarf Год назад +1

      I am sure you are right, but a consequence of this stratification could be that your thermostat thinks it is hotter or colder (dependant on where it is placed) than the freezer as a whole is!
      I guess I am being picky with this though ;o)

    • @lostinaustralia-dave7802
      @lostinaustralia-dave7802 Год назад

      @@totherarf a very good point, but just shift it. I would do that. Bit of solder, maybe a screwdriver. (been doing refrigeration for a while mate)

    • @derrickmansingh4689
      @derrickmansingh4689 Год назад +1

      Yes, You should not ever cover the sides on these. They need to dissapate the heat from the condenser.

  • @cindyjohnson5242
    @cindyjohnson5242 Год назад +3

    I never realized this. I had to go feel my freezers. You really can feel the cold. Even the sides. Thank you!

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +3

      Do not do the sides, just the tops. It will be a huge fix. Many freezers will have coils in the sides that can cycle hot on occasion and you can boil your refrigerant if you cover the wrong spot.

    • @cindyjohnson5242
      @cindyjohnson5242 Год назад

      @JOHNDANIEL1 thank you! None of my freezers are frost free though. Does it still matter?

  • @lostinaustralia-dave7802
    @lostinaustralia-dave7802 Год назад +9

    The simple solutions are the best. Good work.

  • @steffybael1245
    @steffybael1245 Год назад +4

    i purchased a freezer at Menards in 2017, then put 2inch foam all around including the top, leaving holes for drainage valve and ventilation, then wrapped it in cheep white duck tape. this was before i ever plugged it in. it was in a 2017 enclosed car trailer. i never plugged it into my "killawatt . i used a golf car with big anderson connectors to make it 12 or 36 volt at will!
    i also ran a small pipe from my home built battery chargers exhaust into a stainless steel pot with 3 small chunks of brick on the bottom so i could put a big pot of water into it to use the waste heat from the exhaust to heat hot water to bathe and wash dishes. we were living in a 31 foot pull behind trailer with a slide out. we lived off grid for 3 full years, had a baby and 6 months later i got a staph a infection and was made to move into an apartment. im a 65 year old MAN!
    i have lived off grid for most of my life and spent time in the Philippines too.

  • @davef.2329
    @davef.2329 Год назад +12

    Good show. If you have fridges with the condenser coil on the back, fasten a sheet of that foam to the back between the condenser coil and the cabinet to keep the heat from radiating inward to the metal cabinet. I did that on two 18.2 Kenmores using the foam sheets they came with new in the packaging in 2006. Seems to have worked quite well, as these have consistently used about 1, to 1.3 kW / day each, depending on the usage and time of year. Thanks for all you do.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +12

      My FLIR Camera should have been booted up for the video on it, but when you prepare to increase insulation, use a infrared tool and mark all the "not supposed to be that cold" areas to consider boosting the insulation on. What I learned is the factory will not use expanding, or closed cell due to manufacturing speed is lost. so they sell crap on purpose!

    • @marcfruchtman9473
      @marcfruchtman9473 Год назад +3

      Wow Dave F. , That is an interesting idea. Thank you for sharing that!

  • @teddycunningham7568
    @teddycunningham7568 Год назад +3

    Glad to see I'm not the only one to do this.i did mine mostly to patch up a rust hole and found it really makes a difference.

  • @greenbimoon
    @greenbimoon Год назад +5

    I used 50 mm Styrodur on mine and just used gaffe tape around the edges. Very happy with results

  • @angacamthehobbit-PapaPrepper
    @angacamthehobbit-PapaPrepper Год назад +3

    I totally agree. I have 3 chest freezers like you. I added heavy duty Insulated moving Blankets on top of them. The only minor issue is when I open them I take the blanket off remove or add what I need and replace heavy duty Blanket.
    I freezers are also on my solar sub grid power and I have seen what you have seen in over all power saving. I think more like 15%. My units are less then 5 years old all are well packed .
    Just my 2 cent
    Good luck

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +6

      I have 2 Haier, 2 GE and one Woods ( Woods is lowes store brand, a Mitsubishi compressor in it) all but one are 9.0 CU, the woods is 8.3 CU and all are using a massive less power just doing the lids. We also have 3 of the 12 volt units, A Cosco, a Statpower, and a Stakol from 53 quart to 115 quart. All too full really. I even have a 6.75 CU that's new in the box, tested, boxed back up. As a WTF spare. Kiera grows so much and hunts so much, we need them. Can't can everything, we have over 2000 jars already full, and nearly 3000 can goods and almost 500 #10 twenty five year cans. So I am ready for what ever Brandon of the DC swamp has next. Stay tuned, I got more fun on the way!

  • @marcfruchtman9473
    @marcfruchtman9473 Год назад +6

    I had noticed the same thing with my deep freeze and I put a sheet of 1 3/4 on it for last few years. (I don't actually glue it on tho). I wasn't sure if I would have a savings but your video helps.
    Thanks for the tip!

  • @richardpedersen2092
    @richardpedersen2092 Год назад +1

    I didn't think of that. I put Vaseline on the seals of all my refrigeration devices and a weight on top. I use my automotive smoke gun to put the freezers in the best flow corners of the house. I tries to get a small chest to run on just the panels, but in-rush got me. I really like your posts, Sir!!

  • @johnbrizendine7716
    @johnbrizendine7716 Год назад +3

    Very awesome video!!!! I love the comments as well!!!!

  • @ChrisHarperKC
    @ChrisHarperKC Год назад

    This is my new favorite channel just because common sense is in such short supply.

  • @JennySimon206
    @JennySimon206 Год назад +5

    You can get a kilowatt monitor and figure out how much power they are in fact using. Good job figuring this out. Very useful information but I don't have a chest freezer anymore.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +1

      We had them on a meter, I removed the meter, dragged them out to clean behind them, was putting it all back in when I noticed the month by month record sheet was gone. One of the kids tossed it a few days earlier so while I had my outcome I just shared it.

  • @pinkladybikermamma3603
    @pinkladybikermamma3603 Год назад +4

    HECK OF A SAVING AND SO SIMPLE FIX

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +3

      Logic! It was what folks our age simply grew up knowing!

    • @davef.2329
      @davef.2329 Год назад

      @@JOHNDANIEL1 Amen to that!

  • @MisterManMister
    @MisterManMister Год назад +3

    Glad I found your channel, again. You sir, are very full of knowledge and I'm not just blowing smoke.

  • @Deveak
    @Deveak Год назад +2

    Nice, how about putting some on the bottom? Cold falls and the bottom would be the coldest. Pretty sure you could cover the inside bottom and outside. The evaporators are only on the sides of the freezer.
    I have a 19 cubic ft refrigerator I insulated. I guess design comes in waves. The last 10 years had the condenser under the skin of the fridge. The new ones have a small fan driven radiator. So I added 1 inch of foam all around and left the back open for air flow. I didn’t do the door since I figured it would fall off or get scuffed. Went from 1.2 kWh a day to 700.

  • @crazeelaydee3496
    @crazeelaydee3496 Год назад +1

    Great solution 😊

  • @rgnewlife6622
    @rgnewlife6622 Год назад

    Blessings to you and yours and thank you.

  • @RobHaag71
    @RobHaag71 Год назад +1

    Amazing! I wonder if power factor correction would help any, probably a lot of refrigerant compressors have a bad power factor rating. I’ve been meaning to chexk that out myself in our refrigerator and small deep freezer

  • @soggyb4082
    @soggyb4082 Год назад +5

    Next time you go into the building supply, pick up a roll of silver tape. Some has the sting weive imbedded. Shine up that great idea. Just the solid tape job will have an effect. Funny you posted this cause I’m just getting a make shift system and been running the freezer and refrigerator for 2 1/2 days straight. I never actually paid as much attention to how much they run till now. Both will pull 280 watts on most runs then sometimes they really get the meter up.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +3

      Great idea with the tape, total hillbilly, but perfect to add to my Total redneck set up, I freakin love it.

    • @nddn954
      @nddn954 Год назад +2

      When you say silver tape, do you mean duct tape or that's different?

    • @KC9UNS
      @KC9UNS Год назад +2

      I think he’s talking about the actual duct tape better known as hvac tape, which is different from duck tape. Both would work, but would worry about the duck tape drying out and causing problems over time. Hvac tape should work great as an extra protector and might bring back some of the loss acceded from the damaged foam.

    • @soggyb4082
      @soggyb4082 Год назад +1

      @@nddn954 Yes HVAC Foil tape. It will have the treads in it for strength. I’m gonna do the same thing to my lid on freezer. It’s cold to the touch. Lids are poor quality these days. I guess the lids on the old one was to heavy for some. I think the manufacturers need to take a better look at this. Add more star foam, cheap and lite. I’ve done laid a 1/2 inch of foam and a sleeping bag on top of that and it has slowed down the run time already.

  • @blikjensen
    @blikjensen Год назад +2

    Why they make trach freezers, so they can sell you more..... may a give ask if you testet the bottom of the freezer for outside temp vs room temp, just maybe more to win... thanks for good info, big fan for the channel, have a good one

  • @pauldesjardins9210
    @pauldesjardins9210 Год назад

    Off grid here..I've been doing this too. 2" styro. Northern canada. Freezer outside in the winter and in the basement in summer.

  • @janekinzig3847
    @janekinzig3847 Год назад

    Thank you!!!!!

  • @benkanobe7500
    @benkanobe7500 Год назад +2

    We have one very large 24-volt one running on solar, we are going to do this! Everything you do is trustworthy (science).

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      Do not cover the sides unless your absolutely sure no coils are imbedded in that area.

  • @corneliusdevenney1848
    @corneliusdevenney1848 Год назад

    Hello John hope all is good with you guys looking forward to the next video thanks again God bless

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      All is good, got the second surgeon cutting on my shoulder, bone spurs removed and recovering.

  • @benkanobe7500
    @benkanobe7500 Год назад +1

    John, if the link for the insulation was listed, I missed it. That is amazing 28%!!!!!!

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +4

      Home Depot, Menards, Lowes or what ever decent sized home store carries it. It's $13 now, but worth it if it was $30. The adhesive is 3M type 77

  • @ccm290
    @ccm290 Год назад +1

    One thing I have done to save energy on my freeze is purchased a cycle timer. I have set my freezer to be on for 60 minutes and off for 90 minutes. Figure this reduces my energy use by 50%. Probably closer to 30% as the freeze may need to work a little harder to get back down to full chill. Need to make some temp measurements to figure out the real savings.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +2

      That's a great way to ruin your food with freezer burn. And the surge to recover is far more power used than the status of maintaining.

  • @McCuneWindandSolar
    @McCuneWindandSolar Год назад +1

    Like t he video John I have an old Freezer I was given to me its a commercial one. Easy to fix and find parts but most of the parts cost and arm and leg. The lid was all dented up, So I took the lid off and took it apart, and found it only had insulation in it like something close to what would go in the walls. I took that out and Sprayed it full of spray foam, and let cure and then carved it out fit the light and wires and the bottom part of the lid. Took out the dents ect and made it flat. put it together and that thing as been running for 5 years no problem. Before I did all that the lid would get ice on the top of it, after the rework of the lid it no longer dose that and it hardly ever runs, and keeps every thing nice and frozen

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      That's the best outcome for the effort for sure.

  • @overreach01
    @overreach01 Год назад +1

    I have a cold spot, and it's great, I have it connected to my solar system. Runs like a champ 🏆

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      We once had a 1948 Norge, they were made by Borg Warner back then, it was massive, sorta commercial sized and had belts driving the compressor. I sold it and the Norge 120 volt large electric stove that was in the house we remodeled, same year models back in 2010 to a restorer. Looking back, it was not a bright thing to do. Now days that pair would have been worth thousands.

  • @randylenart9674
    @randylenart9674 Год назад

    I've seen people do that to the outside of the portable 12-volt coolers

  • @stevenl4422
    @stevenl4422 Год назад +1

    After seeing this I'm wondering about if we do it to the sides as well if that would help further, note I'm sure the results won't be quite as high but I'm wondering if it would help a little bit at least

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +3

      I probably should do a second video on why not to, but I will explain in a PINNED post above why the top is so important. It's the stopping of air moving inside that means the most, I will post that.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +2

      I detailed the info in a pinned post, anyone needing that finding can read it.

  • @Jackson-hx6fr
    @Jackson-hx6fr Год назад

    Mr Daniels I would put that Three others sides front two sides would make more difference?

  • @edwardutter6975
    @edwardutter6975 Год назад +1

    Would it be beneficial to wrap the sides as well with the thermalboard ? Except for any vents

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +2

      They use the sides, at least mine does, for cooling of the refrigerant, covering them may cause big losses. The lids are so poor, you will get your biggest benefit on that.

    • @edwardutter6975
      @edwardutter6975 Год назад

      @@JOHNDANIEL1 I will give it a try, I am also wanting to better insulate my 12vdc stakol(53 quart).

    • @edwardutter6975
      @edwardutter6975 Год назад

      @@JOHNDANIEL1 I simply double folded a big towel over the lid of the 12 vdc freezer,and it has made a huge different.

  • @travishodges5179
    @travishodges5179 Год назад +1

    Drop a slab of 2 inch foam in the bottom of one, put a wool blanket over the food inside, watch what happens next

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      We used those windshield sun covers in full freezers on the food snug to the sides and it was about 5% less run time. I'll do a vid on it.

  • @nirbhaokhalsa4636
    @nirbhaokhalsa4636 Год назад

    Thanks! Have you considered doing this to all sides as well, except the warm side?

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      They use the sides, at least mine does, for cooling of the refrigerant, covering them may cause big losses. Not sure the outcome, I will be getting my camera out to look it over. The lids are so poor, you will get your biggest benefit on that.

  • @bradley200711
    @bradley200711 Год назад

    great info Mr. Daniel, I have a 14 cu ft upright. What parts of a freezer do we not want to cover with insulation? I ask because my wife said not to insulate because the freezer would not function correctly.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      If you can get a feel for it, they are obvious where the cold is loosing. I would cover the door, make sure no wiring is in the door, add 1/2" and get some White 1/8 MDF board or similar and craft it on. As for the body, it depends on how they routed the cooling for the model you have. Some you will notice very warm sides or the back. Avoid covering anything that is making heat since that is how the condenser is working.

  • @worldwideimpeach
    @worldwideimpeach Год назад

    Hey Johnny Two Chins, Thank you for this video. I will try this on my Fridge. Summer heat is here.
    Could you please consider doing a video on RV Airconditioner Soft Starts? It looks like there are "plug and play" ones called "active start" but they are even stupider expensive than regular hardwired ones which are still stupid expensive. What's in those things? Platinum? Perhaps you could show us how to scratch build one?

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +1

      IF your RV air conditioner is not electronic ( digital board controlled ), A manual older style with controls on the lower, there is a alternative. Table Saw soft start module. I use it on my 2007 Dometic AC unit that has 3 dials on it. I just installed it on the line going to the AC unit, its breaker, by adding a male and female extension cord plug inside the lower section. Then this amzn.to/43s0OBT in the middle. There was room in the air intake side. But you can also pull the wire from the breaker box, most all have a 15 amp only for the AC unit, and like one I added for a customer we just wired it in and wall mounted next to the breaker box the saw starter.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +1

      Forgot to mention, we have installed lots of these in RV ac units when people run them on Inverters. amzn.to/43pQytL
      If your handy, you can install it. Theres videos about installing it, search the name and videos. Such as ruclips.net/video/HEXeJsV111k/видео.html

    • @worldwideimpeach
      @worldwideimpeach Год назад

      Thank you! The $139 15A table saw soft start is way better than the $700 plug and play 30A. With my dinky Fridgidare 5000BTU this will work fine. I might check out that other one too. For $40 I can be handy as long as it doesn't involve welding 😅.

  • @MissionaryForMexico
    @MissionaryForMexico Год назад +1

    The job is not finished. We insulated the sides and front side. But we used 2" thick foam.

    • @condew6103
      @condew6103 Год назад +1

      Gotta be sure your freezer doesn't have coils under the metal on the sides to do that. Most newer freezers do. Top is safe because it's hinged and would not have a coil in it. Examine with a FLIR camera to see the cold spots and hot spots. Don't insulate the hot spots.

  • @gorbaggoescamping
    @gorbaggoescamping Год назад

    Interesting.

  • @rgnewlife6622
    @rgnewlife6622 Год назад +1

    Sir I have a 12 volt A/C split unit on my trailer and it has 3 different motors that draws alot of wattage.
    Is there a dc to dc converter that will help me?

  • @donaldsteele6276
    @donaldsteele6276 Год назад

    Awesome.

  • @closertothetruth9209
    @closertothetruth9209 Год назад

    years ago my freind charlie bought a fridge that had atleast 6 inches insulation that thing almost never switched on.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      They make a Avanti 9 cubic foot that you can order from Mexico, it has 65mm of poly iso foam in it everywhere and they use 45% less power than anything we can buy in America. Now why is that??

    • @johnwyman6126
      @johnwyman6126 Год назад

      There are a couple available that have 4 inches of foam or so. I know of the the Unique brand, Sun Danzer, and Sunfrost. They are made for the solar industry, and are typically 12/24 VDC.

  • @massa-blasta
    @massa-blasta Год назад +2

    have you tried stringing one of those thin tube plant misters around your A/C unit? You could even consider using a watering timer so it only sprays mist when the suns out? I don't have a home, myself but I've heard of 50% reduction in electric bills and far less wear-n-tear on your now (far more efficient a/c unit). Attach the mister lines around the A/C with zip ties, shouldn't take long. Also, when Kiera is old enough to be married, I'll probably be close to 80, so you need to reconsider. Here's to hoping for an apocalypse, lets build an ultralight helicopter. 😁

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +1

      Why don't you have a home? You were invited to park a RV back in our oak trees around the pecan gove. You never showed up. I got my 40 foot motor home for sale for $6500 to use as a home if your willing to do a little work to set it up.

    • @massa-blasta
      @massa-blasta Год назад +1

      @@JOHNDANIEL1 I have a small diesel bus, but I haven't been doing too well fixing it up. I'm just not that great on knowing how to do stuff and not much money. I don't need a lot, but need some kind of a source of income to live and haven't figured that out. I'm a veteran from the 80's, lost in life really. I've been with family for a long time. I plan to work the beet harvest up north in October. I have my basic stuff, small generators, water heater, a/c unit, cooking stuff, tools, etc. I would like to meet you and your family one day before I become a ghost in some Arizona desert.

    • @massa-blasta
      @massa-blasta Год назад

      @@JOHNDANIEL1 Hey, your daughter was supposed to be moving into that one, not the princess K.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +2

      @@massa-blasta Would you like to run a dump truck hauling sand in Challis Idaho for $900 to 1000 a week for the Shot Crete supplier, 3 to 4 days a week. All summer and into fall. About 7 to 9 hour days. Back road 25 mph there and back 2 to 3 loads a day.

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +1

      My other daughter is choosing the Holiday Rambler presidential since its lower and she like the design. The motorhome is a lot bigger and takes more power and things to live in it.

  • @jjames5475
    @jjames5475 Год назад

    Hi John .. Can you Please tell me what The Temperature is Now on Your FREEZER TOP With The INSULATION Glued On .... ??
    Thank You John 👍

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад

      It's now within 3 to 4 degrees cooler then the ambient now. Not 18 anymore like it was.

  • @jasonrogers143
    @jasonrogers143 Год назад +1

    There’s no insulation in door bet do some spray foam? Inside door bet it works

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +1

      We have opened them, they have very ill fitting shaped foam inserts. About a R-3.5 but adding the 1/2 on top created a thermal break even re-foaming them would not have done. I explain in my pinned post above.

  • @victorboucher675
    @victorboucher675 Год назад

    Great, now add Shungite magnets and report back please.

  • @pjbikerful
    @pjbikerful Год назад +2

    I'm paying 32 cents a Kwh where i live here in Commiefornia. 👎

    • @JOHNDANIEL1
      @JOHNDANIEL1  Год назад +1

      Yes, but think of all the homeless your helping, (BTW we are sending 100,000 more from here) and they spend almost $100k a year on each one, yes, it is $95k of theft and waste from the Grubberment, but at least you can virtue signal as you starve paying .32cpk while they eat at fancy restaurants, ride in gas guzzlers and laugh at everyone.
      Now, If we can just get all the ones moving from Cleptofornia to take mental exams prior to voting in Texas!!!