Chest Freezer -Power consumption & cost to run

peter999
peter999 Posts: 7,097
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Anyone know power consumption & cost to run to expect for a large chest freezer (6ft x 2ft6" x 2ft6" approx).

I have a large 30+ year old upright chest freezer.
(probably not as efficient as new ones, but it has lasted all these years considering new hi-tech appliances don't always last)

It seems to be running all the time, that is I can hear the compressor running all the time.

Ice builds up a little at top of freezer where the I think the seal is not perfect.

I have only just thought of this, but the electric cost/power consumption in the house is quite high, considering only 1 person there, they switch of lights & they are working a lot.

Have just realised that this freezer may be burning money !!

I have plug-in power meter, so will check power consumption soon.

But what general power consumption & cost to run (per month/year) would people expect for a large freezer running normally ??

peter999
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Comments

  • bill888
    bill888 Posts: 248
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    fwiw, I have a 10yr old Bosch 6+ft tall frost free fridge-freezer. Energy rating 'C'.

    Last time I did any measurements, it was using on average 1.38kWh per day (503kWh pa). At say 10p per kWh, that works out at £50 a year. (More if you factor in the standing charge or primary units)

    Looking in Argos catalogue, the largest fridge/freezers they sell claim to use 400kWh a year, energy rating 'A'.


    If you can find the power consumption for a modern chest freezer which is comparable to your own, you should be able to do a similar comparison.
  • AndysDad
    AndysDad Posts: 694
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    Best to use your Energy monitor as they vary so much and leave it connected for as long as you can to get a good average, then you will have definite figures.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    I have a large Bosch chest freezer about 10 years old in my garage.

    It uses about 8.5kWh a week in the summer and 6.5kWh in the winter.

    So taking 7.5kWh as the average it costs me approx £28 a year.
  • I have an allotment and hope to freeze lots of veg that I've grown. Trouble is I only have a small under counter 50mm wide freezer - hardly big enough for ice cubes. I want a freezer in the garage for the produce.

    So do I

    a) Buy a 6 foot high A+++ new freezer from Curry's for about £200 or

    b) get a free old clunker from Freecycle and pay the extra to run it.

    I'm looking at a long term thing here without extended warranty which I never take out. So what is the differencce in power use of the 2 models. Any ideas? As £200 isn't an issue to me the extra power is from a green point of view so What is the extra usage?

    Also going to raise a question about shower versus bath so look out for that.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    jellitot wrote: »
    I have an allotment and hope to freeze lots of veg that I've grown. Trouble is I only have a small under counter 50mm wide freezer - hardly big enough for ice cubes. I want a freezer in the garage for the produce.

    So do I

    a) Buy a 6 foot high A+++ new freezer from Curry's for about £200 or

    b) get a free old clunker from Freecycle and pay the extra to run it.

    I'm looking at a long term thing here without extended warranty which I never take out. So what is the differencce in power use of the 2 models. Any ideas? As £200 isn't an issue to me the extra power is from a green point of view so What is the extra usage?

    Also going to raise a question about shower versus bath so look out for that.

    A 'how long is a piece of string question.'

    You can get an idea for annual consumption of a new freezer from the specification sheet - around £40pa??

    With a 'freecycle' freezer you can monitor the consumption with a cheap plug in monitor, and if the 'economics' don't make sense - back to square 1.
  • saving-mad
    saving-mad Posts: 425 Forumite
    edited 30 September 2013 at 8:19AM
    Wow, with a change in circumstanses ( son going to Uni and me working less) I have had time to think about our freezer.
    We store bargin food in a bid to save money but having to find our watt meter bought years ago it shows our freezer is costing us £113 a year to run that's £28 every bill!
    The freezer was an old one that my parents gave us when we were married 20 years ago. It must be 35 years old.
    Over the last year or so we have eaten lots of freezer burn food in a bid not to waste it so I am now seriously thinking about buying a small one as this one is almost empty.
    I think I have had my lightbulb moment!
    What is the point of paying to store so much food? Apart from fruit and veg from the garden we don't really need a freezer.
    For years I have been buying bulk meat at wholesale from the butcher in a bid to save money, by the time we plough through it it's not at its best and its not as if supermarkets have restricted hours any more.
    Think I am off to look for a small freezer and free cycle the huge chest freezer.
    Owner of a cute cottage in the North York Moors :j
  • Nada666
    Nada666 Posts: 5,004 Forumite
    That's a weird billing cycle you have!

    Edit: Eh? Oh. You've updated it. Never mind.
  • Yes sorry 113.62 a year inc vat not 135, wrote the post from memory then checked it!
    Owner of a cute cottage in the North York Moors :j
  • thor
    thor Posts: 5,483
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    Where can you get these plug in power meters that the op mentioned?
  • Nada666
    Nada666 Posts: 5,004 Forumite
    Electricity suppliers, hardware stores, libraries, DIY stores, department stores, supermarkets, Amazon.

    Important thing is to make sure you buy a model that keeps the reading in memory when it is unplugged.
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