new deep freeze or keep the old

[frank]

I have a 20 cu. ft. chest freezer that is 35 yrs old and was having a thermostat problem with it. I can fix the freezer for 25 dollars. Then I started to check out the new freezers and the operating costs. My freezer takes 4.08 kwh per day according to the kill-a-watt reading. at .10 per kwh that figures out to 147. a year to run it. the energy star site says the new ones of that size will run for about 63 dollars a year. I was wonder in if any of you had a newer freezer of comparable size that you have ever checked to see what power it actually consumes. If the new ones actually run that much cheaper it would only take 5 years to recover the cost of a new one. what do you think? thanks

frank

 

[ERD50]

I think the energy star ratings are pretty reliable, except that from what I understand, they don't include things like ice-makers, which can use a lot of power - but that's probably not an issue in a deep freeze like you are looking at.

One question is - was your kill-a-watt reading made when the thermostat was broken? That could throw you way off. IME, a freezer will run about 50% on/off, so if you take the running watts and divide by two, you might be close - but that assumes the 50/50 cycle.

Our freezer is abut 30 YO, and I would put a new $25 part in it. I know it's been reliable for 30 years, not sure of the new ones. But mine is only using ~ $7/month now, so the payback would be pretty long.

-ERD50

 

[Walt34]

For $25 I'd fix it. Sadly, you can bet a replacement freezer won't last 35 years.

 

[frank]

thanks guys for the replies. never thought about the fifty fifty duty cycle good thing clearer minds on here.