# How do I calculate what it costs for me to run this fridge? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438 "2012-01-13T21:40:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/21 "2012-01-14T16:14:10Z")
> [@Arjuna34](#): > > Well, from that page, the RAD-7 consumes 7.5kW. If it’s on continuously for an hour, that’s 7.5kWh, which is 7.5x$0.0755, or about 57 cents at your rate. OK, that’s what I thought, but with everyone saying how pricey they were, I was thinking maybe I was wrong. So if we use the sauna for 4 hours, 4 times a week (which is probably about average), assuming it’s on full-time for the first hour and half-time for the following 3 hours, that’s about $6/week. Not bad considering how much we like it. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/22 "2012-01-14T16:18:35Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > The fridge is a small fridge (though not dorm-sized. It’s maybe 5’ tall, has a freezer), and it’s in our unheated garage. Right now it’s about 16 degrees outside, and maybe 45 in the garage. Would that make the fridge run less and account for it not pulling much electricity? As noted above, being in a colder environment will reduce energy use, since less heat will leak into the fridge through the insulated walls. Another important question is whether you were actually using the fridge during this time; a lot of heat can enter the fridge when the door is opened, and the fridge has to do work to remove it. In other words, a fridge sitting in a 45°F garage and never being opened is going to use a lot less energy than a fridge that’s being used in a 70°F kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/23 "2012-01-14T16:23:33Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > In other words, a fridge sitting in a 45°F garage and never being opened is going to use a lot less energy than a fridge that’s being used in a 70°F kitchen. It’s a beer fridge. It gets opened, trust me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/24 "2012-01-14T16:50:44Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > I really cannot see how that can be true, at least with relatively modern devices. I have measured the power usage of my (six years old) refrigerator for months and it only averages a little over 50 watts. Contrast that with the cable receiver which draws a continuous 23 watts, and there does not seem to be a huge amount of difference. 50 watts? that is about 0.4 amps. I would be willing to bet that your evaporator fan consumes around 0.4 amps all by it self. Now add in the condencer fan and the compressor. I would believe that your reading of 50 watts is only when the compressor is not running. Look at the name plate data sheet, it should have the amp draw so you can calculate the KW. Run time will depend on how often and how long the door is opened. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/25 "2012-01-14T17:13:36Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > I would believe that your reading of 50 watts is only when the compressor is not running. It is the _ **average** _ use over hundreds of hours. The refrigerator uses different amounts of electricity at different times. The levels I have been able to measure are: none, fan low(?), fan high(?), compressor on, defrost on. Oddly, the self-defrost cycle requires more power than the compressor. Regarding the (?) on the fan speeds, I am not sure if there are two speeds, two fans, or some combination. Sometimes when the fan is on it reads about 10 watts, and sometimes it reads a higher value. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/26 "2012-01-14T17:24:00Z")
I did some calculations and some guess. If it consumes 5 amps when running or 600 watts. to average out to 50 watts it would be running only 2 hours a day. That is a very short duty cycle. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/27 "2012-01-14T17:42:29Z")
It never uses near that much power at one time. A quick search on the Sears web site tells me that my experience is outstandingly normal. If you look at the energy guide ratings for the new units, most of them fall into the range of 42-66 Watts on average. ---
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/28 "2012-01-14T19:41:48Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > … My local electric company says I pay $0.0755 per KWH. … Be thankful. You must live where there is a lot of cheap hydroelectricity. Here in Massachusetts, my electric bill typically runs about $0.16 per KwH, about twice what you pay. My refrigerator averages 140 watts which works out to about $16 per month or $200 per year. It’s 22 years old and I keep wondering how long it would take to recover the cost of a newer, more-efficient refrigerator. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438/29 "2012-01-14T20:00:09Z")
> [@bizerta](#): > > Be thankful. You must live where there is a lot of cheap hydroelectricity. Here in Massachusetts, my electric bill typically runs about $0.16 per KwH, about twice what you pay. My refrigerator averages 140 watts which works out to about $16 per month or $200 per year. It’s 22 years old and I keep wondering how long it would take to recover the cost of a newer, more-efficient refrigerator. new units will have a sticker with amount of power used and give a usage cost example. with an accurate amount that your fridge uses now then you can calculate a payback period. also utilities might also have a payment or credit for turning in a working old unit to them which makes the replacement even better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-calculate-what-it-costs-for-me-to-run-this-fridge/609438.md?page=1)