There's a video I'll post from Youtube that shows one guy's efforts to save $$ and power from his fridge. Then I'll explain some flaws.
Ok, while I get the general idea there are some things you should know.
1. It's frost free because during the time it's running it actually heats up and melts the frost then re-freezes again. Does that make sense? It's automatically done several times a day if necessary.
2. Your freezer is where the cooling happens. In most fridges the the cool air is blown from the freezer into the fridge compartment to keep it cool too. It's adjusted through a damper or other method of controlling the flow of cool air.
3. This particular fridge is computer controlled to automatically run only as long as it needs to. That's how a thermostat works. Once it reaches the desired temperature, it shuts off.
4. An upright freezer is never an energy-efficient choice as every time you open it you let out tons of cold air. You'd be better to have a smaller fridge and a chest freezer. A chest freezer however holds most of the cold air inside. It's simple...hot air rises and cold air sinks.
5. It's always better to not mess with electrical and mechanical things like fridges where there are so many inter related components. By adjusting one you can foul up the whole thing. If you don't know what you're doing... then don't! You should call a professional if possible, like us. Nova Appliance Service in Greenwood, Nova Scotia. 765-3819
That's not to say that you can't have an energy efficient fridge that can run off a generator or solar and wind power. You absolutely can. The best thing Steve and I have seen is this chest fridge. If you knew what you were doing you could change out the thermostat from a regular chest freezer for a fridge thermostat (different temp. ratings) and you'd have yourself a nice brand new chest fridge for about $300-400. Or you could convert a freezer you already own.
As much as I'd like to think I have some good ideas, the website for Mt. Best has some great ones. I love the chest fridge and the bubble glazing idea too. So if you're into efficiency or preparedness, go have a look at their site and poke around http://mtbest.net/chest_fridge.html
We had a dream, like so many others before us, to live a simple and sustainable life on our own organic farm... so we drove from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, and we've been here nearly 6 years. We love life, learning, and sharing with others. Follow our adventures as we build a vibrant small family farm and work towards self-sufficiency using a combination of traditional methods, permaculture and original ideas.
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