On 04/09/2017 11:16 PM, Kirk Wallace wrote: > I recently verified that the > thermostat works and that the compressor is basically on all of the > time. I got to thinking this is a waste of electricity for something > that barely works, Yes, you really should replace it. Refrigerators that are working PROPERLY are one of the largest energy consumers in the house. > so I asked myself "if I add more ice and turn the > thermostat off, will it still be cold enough?" > > It turns out, without adding more ice the cabinet actually got cooler by > 5 degrees. Uhh? The ice jugs may be blocking air flow and preventing it from cooling. Also, you could have ice buildup on the coils, etc. or ice-saturated insulation that is fouling up the process. > My thinking is that the compressor is pumping whatever is still in the > system, which has no cooling effect, from the room temperature condenser > into the evaporator which then heats the ice in the cabinet. > > Refrigerators use capillary tube regulation of liquid flow to the evaporator. This requires condenser pressure within a certain range for the capillary to flow the right amount. It is a major compromise. If the condenser pressure is too low, you won't get any liquid at all, and the Carnot process turns into a really ineffective Brayton (all gas) process.
Jon ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
