ELECTRIC HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATION 



By W. T. ACKERMAN 



The electric refrigerator proved one of the most desirable pieces of 

 home equipment used on the experimental farms in the New England 

 rural electrification project. Such was the conclusion reached by both 

 the housewife and the farmer. 



Seven faniis cooperated in the electrification project. Six of the 

 seven were equipped with household refrigeration units. The other 

 farm continued to use ice. Three are retail dairy farms; two specialize 

 in poultry; and the other, while caring for 10 head of stock as a side- 

 line, is a fniit farm. 



The six locations range from the southern boundary line of the state 

 to Franklin, and from near the coast to a point midway on the east 

 and west line. 



No two farms were served by the same electric power company, and 

 rates and service conditions varied accordingly. Four of the machines 

 were installed and serviced by the local dealers who represented the 

 manufacturer. Lacking convenient dealers to look after the equip- 

 ment, two machines were installed and serviced by Boston distributors, 



DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT USED 



Tables 1 and 2 and the following descriptions by farms describe the 

 general working conditions. A variety of conditions were studied. 



Two methods of obtaining refrigeration for foods are included: — (1) 

 An individual refrigerator for the house, the accepted method, was used 

 on five of the six farms. (2) A combination with the dairy cold stor- 

 age, an alternate opportunity, was used on the sixth farm. 



The two principal types of installations were also employed — the self- 

 contained complete cabinet unit having all the equipment in one case, 

 and the separated unit. In the latter, the refrigerator is placed at a point 

 of convenience and the mechanical unit is located some distance away 

 where it frequently works under better conditons. 



The principal styles of equipment were represented, such as, (1) 

 The modern commercially built single cabinet unit, (2) the common 

 commercially built refrigerator converted to electric operation, and (3) 

 the hotne-made refrigerator converted to electric operation. 



CONDITIONS OF OPERATION 



In four of the six cases, the same operating customs were used with 

 the electric method as formerly were used with the ice, and in three 

 cases the same refrigerator was used. 



No attempt was made to record exactly the variations in tempera- 

 tures for any extended period. All equipment was tested and set to 

 produce refrigeration between 40° — 50° F., and observations were made 

 at intervals to deteraiine whether the thermostats were working within 

 these limits. Preliminary trials showed that in well insulated boxes 

 considerably lower temperatures could be secured. In two cases with 



