Japanese Refrigerators : A Field Performance Analysis : Final Report.

Abstract

Under the act, BPA must identlfy and implementcost-effectiveelectric energy options and programsfor the Pacific Northwest. The ResidentialTechnology Section In the Dlvision of ResourceManagementsupports current residential energy conservationprograms and deslgnsand conducts various research and developmentprojects,of which thls projecC Is one.Laboratorytest proceduresused by the Japanese had shown their refrigerators to be about 50 percent more efficientthan American-maderefrigerators. A previous BPA study tested 12 Japanese refrlgeratorsaccordingto the U.S. DOE laboratoryprocedure. When tested to the DOE procedure,Japanese refrigeratorsused about 43 percent more energy than when tested by the Japanese procedure.This study compared in-homeenergy use of 12 Japanese refrlgeratorsidentical to those In the laboratorytest to both the Japanese and U.S. DOE laboratory tests. P_e.i_ecLAp_p_zo__cbTo test In-homeenergy use, the 12 Japanese refrigeratorswere placed In the homes of BPA employees In the Portland/Vancouver area and used as the primary refrigeratorfor 18 months. Data was recordedmanually by homeownersand included: cumulatlveenergy use cumulativedoor openings winter thermostatsetting number of occupants at the beglnnlngof the test any special applicableevents All collecteddata was entered Into a computer spreadsheetand analyzed to produce this report.