Gas refridgerators

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I am considering purchasing a gas refrdgerator. I don't know anyone who has or has ever had one. I woud like to hear from someone who has had experience with one. Are they as efficient as they are said to be? Why are they so unpopular in mainstream appliance stores? When they burn gas is the exaust unhealthy? Are they easy to maintain? If we go on vacation can they be left on?

-- Anne Roberts (busysage@aol.com), February 23, 2002

Answers

This site tells hows Gas Refrigerators Works, http://www.howstuffworks.com/refrigerator5.htm, it may answer some of your questions.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), February 23, 2002.

The early gas Refrigs were made by Servel..think this is the correct spelling. almost all RVs use the gas refrig and it is also set up on a lot of them to run from 12 volts DC and 120 volts AC also. The gas is used to heat the refrigerant and make a high pressure so ti will cool when it is bled back through a small orrifice to the cooling coils. They are quite safe and work well...the cost is the problem for most folks.

God Bless and have a Great weekend.

-- Charles Steen (xbeeman412@aol.com), February 23, 2002.


A lot of things got electrified during the past century for many reasons. I think the original gas refrigerators used a gas refrigerant that was hazardous if it leaked and collected in a closed room.

Electricity was viewed as safer than gas for many uses such as lighting. We seem to pursue safety more and more as time goes by at the loss of common sense. How many house fires are electrical in origin?

The ones I see come up for sale are usually around 50 years old and still in working condition. I wouldn't mind having one of the older ones to stick out on the back porch.

As far as being unhealthy because they burn gas, how many people have gas cooking stoves or ventless gas heaters? Gas refrigerators never went out of production. They've just been more difficult to buy. They do seem to be more expensive but that's probably due to the smaller production quantities.

-- Darren (df1@infi.net), February 23, 2002.


We bought a Servel 6 years ago when we moved to the country and didn't have electricity. It was expensive, but sure made life easier especially in the summer when temperatures are in the nineties. It's vitually maintenance-free except for needing to be defrosted :(. It's also not as big as the standard American jumbo fridge which is probably why they're not very popular. Who wants to pay more for less space? We now have one of those, but I like knowing the Servel is there when the power goes out. Ours is always running; there's no smell, and the gas consumption is not noticeably great.

-- Katherine in KY (KyKatherine@Yahoo.com), February 23, 2002.

Hi, I have used a gas refrigerator when I was living beyond the power lines. It worked great but I have problems with chemical sensitivities and could not live with it in the house. Some of the newer ones vent to the outside tho and I think that is definitely better for your health. All gas appliances put out nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, not good for you. Mine used about 1 1/2 gal of propane a week.

-- Kim Kimbrell (kimk61252@hotmail.com), February 25, 2002.


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