My refrigerator died and I am better off

My refrigerator died and I am better off. I don't have funds for a new one so I figured I could make do with using the fridge as an icebox. I put two one gallon jugs of ice in it and am amazed how well this works. I only change them out every morning with the two jugs in the freezer. They still have a lump of ice in them. I am sure this is cheaper than running two compressors even though the freezer runs a bit more. To give an idea of how well this works let me just say that I keep my house at 80 degrees in the Summer.
Bob

I've often pondered the thought of losing power and the effects it would have on refrigeration. I have never considered doing what you are doing. It's a good idea and would be a fun thing to try. I live in Wisconsin by the water and have thought about the way they used to do things, like harvesting ice and keeping an ice house. You'd have to have a lot of ice stored to get through the warm months until winter, even in Wisconsin.

Bob, let us know how well this system works for you, I'm guessing that you haven't hit the really hot weather yet.

Tamara, I don't understand, "warm months in Wisconsin, storing ice", can't you simply walk over to one of the glaciers and chip off some ice?

Peace

Deane Adams wrote:Bob, let us know how well this system works for you, I'm guessing that you haven't hit the really hot weather yet.

Tamara, I don't understand, "warm months in Wisconsin, storing ice", can't you simply walk over to one of the glaciers and chip off some ice?

Peace

We are in the 90's. As stated I keep my house at 80, so it is now a valid test. Working great... so far.
Bob

Bob, I've been thinking of ways to reduce my energy use and my refrigerator is an older model, maybe 12 or 13 cu. ft, with the freezer taking a third of that total.  It is too large of an appliance for just me.  Not sure that I could do the ice box thing like you.  May look into a small 4 cu. ft. unit and check on a small freezer of about the same size.

My next idea is the water heater, adding a new insulation jacket plus pipe warp and having a timer installed.  I like the on demand water heaters, but that would be more work than I want to take on here with this house.

The HVAC system is a heat pump about ten or eleven years old, and I think it's very reasonable in cost.  I use ceiling fans and just turned the ac on this week, I also like mine set to 79 or 80.  Winter setting of 68 or 69 works for me, I can always put on thicker socks!


Peace