Hello Tom,
> Thank you so much for your post.
Nice of you to say.
> Regarding refrigeration: it is a significant energy user and when watts
> are precious we take notice. My solution is quite simple in our cold
> climate of Northern New Hampshire USA where it is colder more than
> warmer than refrigeration temperatures.
{snip}
Your solution makes perfect sense. Why use those precious watts to cool
something when there's plenty of cool on the other side of the wall?
> Small, personal innovation can produce satisfaction beyond savings.
> How nice that is.
Well said.
Tom K.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Thiel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <sustainablelorgbiofuel@sustainablelists.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 11:08 AM
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] interesting refrigerator
> Hi Tom,
>
> Thank you so much for your post.
> We've been "way back" for 5 years and the decision tree is quite
> different from that of the plug in culture.
>
> Regarding refrigeration: it is a significant energy user and when watts
> are precious we take notice. My solution is quite simple in our cold
> climate of Northern New Hampshire USA where it is colder more than
> warmer than refrigeration temperatures. I put the refrigerator in an
> insulated cavity on an outside wall with vents (manually operated) to
> allow more and/or less access to outside air. The primary purpose of
> regulation was to keep the refrigerator from freezing. Since the
> refrigerator itself is also insulated, it averages temperatures over
> time and freezing has not been a problem, so vent operation is very
> minimal. In summer the (normal electric) refrigerator blows its waste
> heat (and noise) outside. Spring and Fall, the compressor sometimes
> comes on and works efficiently against cool outdoor temperatures.
>
> I'm installing a small chest freezer using same principles. I had ruled
> out a freezer due to excessive power consumption before the "north
> wall" concept.
>
> Small, personal innovation can produce satisfaction beyond savings. How
> nice that is.
>
> Tom Thiel
>
> On 10 Jan, 2008, at 9:47 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote:
>
>> Hi Chip,
>> You wrote:
>>> And yes, for the record, I am not a big fan of 'payback costs'
>>> when it comes to passive vs utility consumption.
>>>
>>> When the power goes out, passive systems continue to work.
>>
>> Some aspects of "payback" can be difficult to quantify or even
>> anticipate.
>>
>> Gardening:
>> Shovel $37 (US)
>> Rake ($26)
>> Pitchfork ($32)
>> Hoe ($30)
>> Small Hand Tools ($76)
>> Seeds/Plants $__, etc.
>> The experience of gardening; growing your own food: Priceless.
>>
>> While one could argue that vegetable gardening is "profitable",
>> what
>> about flower gardens? What about people who grow fruits and vegetables
>> and
>> give most of them away w/o concern for "payback period"?
>> Some things that are simply joyful ... as in full of joy. We take
>> joy
>> in doing them.. Some take joy in the little dollops of independence
>> that we
>> feel by producing our own food or by getting off the grid. I wouldn't
>> know
>> how to put a price on joy or independence.
>> It certainly is an "interesting refrigerator". When I see a
>> creative
>> idea/design implemented by human hands it takes on the qualities of
>> art.
>> Pouring a cold glass of milk from the "interesting refrigerator"
>> .....
>> priceless.
>>
>> Not so much to jump on the question re; payback period for the
>> refrigerator; it is a valid question. They did mention in the section
>> "Solar
>> Electricity" that they would have had to pay $30,000 to run wiring to
>> their
>> home. It might be that given their situation, the "interesting
>> refrigerator"
>> made perfect economical sense as well; another example of appropriate
>> technology.
>>
>> Thanks for the original post Kirk. I've been playing around with
>> some
>> ideas for at least pre-heating water going to my boiler (heat & hot
>> water)using a solar collector and maybe even my woodstove, to lower the
>> amount of fuel I use.
>> Tom
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Chip Mefford" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> To: <sustainablelorgbiofuel@sustainablelists.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 8:01 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Biofuel] interesting refrigerator
>>
>>
>>> John Mullan wrote:
>>>> I've seen that before. Excellent idea. I wonder how much all that
>>>> copper, insulation, etc. would cost (for purpose of payback period)?
>>>
>>> When calculating the 'payback period' be sure to deduct (or add)
>>> the cost of a couple of medium term power outages, as folks all
>>> across the mid-west have seen over the last few winters.
>>>
>>> And yes, for the record, I am not a big fan of 'payback costs'
>>> when it comes to passive vs utility consumption.
>>>
>>> When the power goes out, passive systems continue to work.
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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