[meldrewreborn]

My upright freezer had been working well for 34 years!! It was still doing its job but the increase in electricity prices made me consider what electricity I was using and my focus descended upon the freezer. Clues were that my level of daily consumption was high, even when the house was unoccupied, and the freezer’s compressor seemed to be running most of the time. A through plug meter confirmed my suspicions and the decision was taken to replace the freezer. With energy costs so high, consumption that in previous times might have been viewed as tolerable is no longer. The problem was finding one the right size to fit into the allocated space in the kitchen, and this was much more difficult than I had hoped – it eventually came down to one brand.
Early indications are that my through plug meter actually underestimated the old freezer consumption and the annual saving at current EPG prices look to be greater than £250. And at the OFGEM price cap figures for October 2022 the saving would be £400. I mention the latter because from April 2023 the EPG will be replaced by something else – probably much less generous, so the October 2022 OFGEM prices might represent a step on the way to the new reality.
The message I have for you all is that it can pay to identify the energy costs of each and every appliance, and then consider whether to just unplug it, change it for something more efficient or accept that you just need it to be on. Obviously, I’ve had to pay for the new freezer, but with the payback period at only 15-20 months this was a no brainer. And no more defrosting – like probably all newer models, this one is frost free.

[retrotecchie]

@meldrewreborn

If your total electricity consumption has dropped by 30% then the old fridge-freezer was one poorly bunny.

I was reading somewhere recently that refrigeration (fridges, freezers, etc.) contributes around 18% to the annual electricity bill. Those items run 24/7/365 but not continuously. A well maintained, well insulated correctly working fridge or freezer would normally have a duty cycle of around 5-10 minutes every hour, on average, depending on ambient conditions and usage. An old badger like your former appliance will tend to have to work harder and more often to maintain temperature as it ages. I had an old second hand chest freezer with a worn seal which used to run almost all the time in the shed during summer. I hate to think what that cost to run, and that was at 2019 prices. Just getting rid of that and replacing it with a modern upright freezer made a significant difference two and a bit years ago. With costs now, we'll be saving proportionally more.

[Anasa_EONNext]

@meldrewreborn This is fantastic advice it really goes to show how smart savvy you have to be around your home to make those small savings. If you have an update on this or one of your spreadsheets to show how much energy you made by making this change this would be fantastic! Thank you for sharing it has definitely inspired me to be checking on my appliances 😊

[Mailman]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

Clues were that my level of daily consumption was high, even when the house was unoccupied, and the freezer’s compressor seemed to be running most of the time. A through plug meter confirmed my suspicions and the decision was taken to replace the freezer. With energy costs so high, consumption that in previous times might have been viewed as tolerable is no longer.

So what is your new freezer using (per day) in comparison to your old one now?

[meldrewreborn]

@Mailman @Anasa_EONNext

I’d have to remeasure now because my post was 2 months ago. Suffice it to say my consumption is down circa 2 kWH per day, so 66p per day times 365 days plus VAT is £250 of anybody’s money. I’m content that my consumption is at an acceptable level for us two, is affordable even at these high energy prices (with help from the government), and not reducible further without impacting our standard of living or other investment in efficiency which is less rewarding than the freezer was.

[meldrewreborn]

Even though some government measures are ending, spring is on the way and my heating cost will rapidly diminish through the summer. Our pensions will go up in April and energy price hopefully will start to fall from the summer onwards. I fully appreciate that not all will be in the same position as us, but there is some cause for just a little optimism.

[meldrewreborn]

Originally Posted by Mailman

So what is your new freezer using (per day) in comparison to your old one now?

The energy label says 253 kWh per year so about .7 kWh per day. how that relates to real life is debateable.

On a random note, we've had frozen water on our bird bath for days now. I suppose leaving a plastic bottle of water out and allowing it to freeze, then bringing it into the fridge would cut the consumption of the fridge a bit?

[Mailman]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

The energy label says 253 kWh per year so about .7 kWh per day. how that relates to real life is debateable.

On a random note, we've had frozen water on our bird bath for days now. I suppose leaving a plastic bottle of water out and allowing it to freeze, then bringing it into the fridge would cut the consumption of the fridge a bit?

My FF states on its energy label 304kWh/annum and probably in the right ball park although I suspect it uses nearer to 1kWh/day than the 0.85 kWh/day suggested by the product fiche depending on the compressor time and the dial setting.

Putting dirty botles into the fridge might lead to WW3 😁

[meldrewreborn]

@retrotecchie

Yes you are entirely correct.

The freezer was old, but it was still going and operating at the correct temperatures. Prior to the price increases there was no particular reason to examine its consumption in great detail.

My purpose for posting was to alert others to possibilities for saving that they might not have considered. I had to spend to save in this instance as the allocated space limited my to just one brand of replacement, and it was not at the bargain end of the price range. But I know I'll save money in the long run.

The problem with averages is that we're not average. Homes are not the same size, built to the same standards or occupied by people of the same ages and numbers. Our choices are different too - that why averages can be really misleading.

[retrotecchie]

@meldrewreborn

And this is why I am in complete agreement with you that a plug in energy monitor that allows you to drill down consumption to an individual appliance will give you far more granular data on energy use than a smart meter 'whole house' consumption reading. Not all freezers are created equal. Certainly when I first moved to Wales and essentially had to start from scratch again, quite a lot of the clobber to furnish the house was 'pre-loved' due to budget considerations.

The first fridge-freezer was, I think, £30 compared to the cheapest 'new' item from Curry's at around £219. I would imagine that in the two years I owned it, any saving on up front purchase was soon eaten away in running costs. That said, sometimes beggars can't be choosers - you work with what you've got.

Fortunately in recent years, especially since we moved to the new place, we've had the wherewithal to make changes. Not only that but factor in the ball-ache of getting an appliance into the back of the car and moving it six miles, with all the humping and lumping at each end. Having a new one delivered to the new place and juggled into position by someone else and the old one taken away from the old place and disposed of properly by the local council was easily worth ten percent of the purchase price of the new item, and after 13 months has paid back another 20%-30% in savings on the running costs.