Refrigerators derived their name from a group of chemicals known as refrigerants. These chemicals have a low boiling point and work by cooling the inside of the fridge. To keep your food cold, refrigerators work to maintain the room at a constant temperature via the production of cold air. It is crucial to maintain your refrigerator uses an airtight seal to retain cool air and ensure the fridge operates efficiently.
The average operating temperatures for a refrigerator when freezing food is -5 to +8 degrees F and 34 to 42 degrees F for preserving fresh food.
Your fridge cannot function without a refrigerator compressor. This unit is the part that compresses the refrigerant, thus heating it before it is turned into liquid form. The refrigerator compressor also determines the amount of liquid which flows via the system. Soon after, the coils which are on the outside of the refrigerator will cool the refrigerants and turn them into liquids.
The question you are probably asking is, how many watts how often should a refrigerator run? If you have an older refrigerator, it will go through the running cycle more than 50 percent of the time.
However, newer appliances and refrigerators that come with Energy Star rating go via the cycle more than 90 percent of the time. It all depends on the size and model of your refrigerator. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about a typical refrigerator here, including its running cycle.
What’s the Normal Energy Efficient Refrigerator Run Time?
There is nothing like a “normal” refrigerator run time because it is affected by various factors right temperature. The ambient temperature in your kitchen can significantly impact how often your refrigerator runs.
In normal circumstances, the average refrigerator that’s compressor runs over 50 percent of the time. So, how often should a refrigerator run? Experts suggest that the average run time of a refrigerator is about 30 minutes but this happens when the refrigerator is not opened.
If you are alone in the house and you do not open the fridge door then the refrigerator cycle will repeat after every 30 minutes. But in case your family size is large say five or more members, the fridge door will likely be opened more often, which triggers the cycle to repeat more often.
Each time the fridge door is opened, warmer air enters, causing the compressor to run more frequently with less power and for a longer duration to compensate for the change in temperature.
For a garage refrigerator to maintain proper temperature, it needs the compressor to run most of the time. Note that more energy-efficient refrigerators have a compressor that runs 80 to 90 percent of the time. In case you live in a humid and warm area, the run time of the refrigerator could be as high as 100%.
However, run times of refrigerators vary depending on the model and size of new fridge. A faulty refrigerator could have an increased run time.
How Long Should a Refrigerator Compressor Run Before Shutting Off?
Talking about the long period of a refrigerator, it should run for about 4 to 8 hours before it shuts off and goes into a defrost cycle. To determine how much power your refrigerator consumes, you need to consider its estimated yearly electricity use and the average electricity rate in your area. A faulty defrost thermostat can cause the refrigerator to run continuously without entering the defrost cycle.
However, a large amount of different factors affect how long a refrigerator should run before it shuts off. They include ambient temperatures, how much electricity and often you open the refrigerator door and keep warm food inside it.
If you are plugging in your refrigerator for the first time then it can up to 24 hours so that it attains a stable cold temperature.
Factors that Affect the Run Time: Ambient Temperature
So, how often should a refrigerator run? Newer refrigerators come with compressors that are supposed to run 80% of summer time to 90% of the time. When you use a refrigerator in very hot, humid areas then the run time will approach 100%. Also, if the refrigerator is lightly loaded or empty the run time will be longer.
You should keep the refrigerator at least 3/4 full to reduce run time and maintain a proper time. Using frozen food to defrost inside the refrigerator can also help save on energy consumption by reducing the workload on the compressor.
Other factors that contribute to the run time of a refrigerator include blocked air vents inside the refrigerator use the bottom freezer refrigerator dirty or damaged door gaskets, and interior light does not turn off when the door is shut. If the door gaskets are damaged, cold air escapes, causing the refrigerator to run longer to maintain the proper temperature.
Reasons for Increased Run Time: Dirty Condenser Coils
The question that you are probably asking yourself is how long should a refrigerator run? Different factors affect the run time and power bill of an appliance such a refrigerator. Similar to an air conditioner, a refrigerator’s run time can be affected by external factors such as temperature and load. Dirty condenser coils and faulty components can also increase the electricity usage of a refrigerator.
First is a weak or damaged door gasket. A damaged door gasket can prevent the refrigerator from working properly when shutting, thus cold air will leak from the refrigerator. Also, if you constantly open the refrigerator to remove stuff it will cause gas and cold air to move out of the fridge.
Second is a dirty condenser coil. In case your refrigerator is running for the whole day, it could be as a result of the condenser coils being dirty. Condensers that are located underneath or behind the refrigerator function by releasing heat which has gathered inside and cooled the refrigerator to the outside.
The third reason why a refrigerator may have an increase in run time is because of a faulty motor or compressor.
Fourth is the defrost heater assembly. Defrost heater assembly works by melting away the frost which has accumulated inside the refrigerator. In case it malfunctions, the part inside wall refrigerator will not defrost and will accumulate on evaporator coils. As such, the refrigerator fan will constantly run to cool down.
How to Solve it?
If you want your fridge to work properly you need to maintain it properly. Investing in a new energy-efficient appliance can significantly reduce energy consumption and improve overall efficiency. The benefit of this is that it will help achieve a regular cycle and the fridge will work less energy efficiently.
Start by checking and fixing the defrost timer. If the defrost timer is faulty then the refrigerator will continue running. This is an electronic device that regulates and controls the defrost cycle and affects the refrigerator’s run time.
Next, make sure that the refrigerator doors are not opened for long. After you remove something from the freezer or the fridge, ensure that you close the door. Check the door gaskets to ascertain that cold air from mini fridge is not escaping and warm air is not entering the fridge as this leads to rising temperature inside the fridge.
If the door gaskets are faulty then it is recommended to repair for that to replace a new refrigerators door gasket. Also, when you put food inside the fridge, make sure that it is not cramped in front of air vents.
However, you should not put hot food inside the fridge. The final thing you can do to ensure that the refrigerator does not run for a long time is to clean the coils which are found behind the door seal the fridge once per year to optimize heat exchange.
Conclusion
Your fridge has to work to keep your food at the required temperature. Regular maintenance can help reduce refrigerator power consumption. Typically, a refrigerator should run for about 4 to 8 hours before it shuts off and goes into a defrost cycle.
However, a refrigerator can run longer in case the door gasket is defective, parts site the main control board is defective, the condenser coil is dirty, the door is opened, and the refrigerator is exposed to direct sunlight. But for your refrigerator to work properly, it requires to be regularly maintained. Keeping the door closed as much as you can, fixing damaged door gaskets, and cleaning dirty condenser coils can help reduce how long your refrigerator runs.
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