GENERAL INTEREST

refrigerator
economizer
for older models
If your refrigerator is
still one of the old
types with an ‘auto-
matic defrost’ system,
this economizer can
help you reduce your
electricity billls. These
old models are pro-
vided with a small
heating element to
prevent icing up, but
in general this is at
best inefficient and
adds unnecessary
kilowatt-hours. The
circuit described in
this article limits the
number of defrost
cycles in such a way
that your electricity
bills are reduced with-
out an increase in ice It is a fact of nature that humidity to melt the ice.
tends to condense on the coldest part This is, of course, an
formation. of a space (think of single-glazed win- inefficient system:
dows in cold weather). This also hap- first the air is cooled
pens in a refrigerator. The coldest spot and then it is heated.
in this is easily recognized by the for- Since the heating element invariably is
mation of ice. This icing hinders the on for longer than necessary, it is pos-
heat conversion and so lowers the effi- sible in many cases to lower the energy
ciency of the system. In modern consumption of the fridge without
fridges the on and off switching of the affecting the efficacy of the defrost facil-
compressor motor is timed so that ice ity.
is never a problem: it can defrost natu-
rally, i.e., without a heating element. FIRST …
Many older models, however, are pro- Before you start building the econo-
vided with an ‘automatic defrost’ facil- mizer, make sure that it can be used
ity, which consists of a small heating with your fridge.
element. As soon as the compressor A diagram of the electrical circuit of
motor of such a refrigerator is switched a typical fridge is shown in Figure 1. A
Design by K A Walraven off, the heating element is switched on heating element, A, with an electrical

Elektor Electronics 10/98

54
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resistance of about three kilohms is in the mains voltage. Figure 1. Basic electri-
series with the compressor motor, C. In the quiescent state, when relay 1 cal circuit of the auto
Thermostat B short-circuits the heating Re1 is not energized, the refrigerator is defrost facility in a
element when the compressor is to linked to the 12 V supply line on the refrigerator.
operate. This setup is shunted by door economizer via resistor R7. The fridge
switch D in series with the interior and this resistor then create a potential
light. divider, which provides a simple
A multimeter is needed to find out means of detecting whether the inte-
whether your refrigerator is suitable for rior light or the compressor motor is
use with the economizer. switched on. A B D
• Unplug the refrigerator cable from When the resistance of the refriger-
the mains socket outlet. ator becomes low, the refrigerator is
• Set the thermostat control to zero. switched on by IC1a via T1 and relay
• Make sure that the door of the Re1. This results in a p.d. of more than
refrigerator is closed. 320 mV across R9. The relay remains
• Measure the resistance between the energized until the load diminishes C E
L(ive) and N(eutral) pins of the mains (interior light or compressor motor off). M
socket terminating the refrigerator When the compressor motor works,
cable. The resistance should be about the p.d. across R9 is large enough to
3 kΩ; if it is much more, exceeding
1 MΩ, the refrigerator has no heating
element and the economizer cannot be Figure 2. Circuit dia- A = heating element (about 15 W)
used. gram of the econo- B = thermostat
mizer. It is linked C = compressor motor (about 135 W)
POWER directly to the mains D = door switch
E = interior light 980052 - 11
REQUIREMENTS supply, so that great
A refrigerator with an auto defrost care must be taken in
facility, and connected to the mains testing it.
supply, needs power at three different
levels.
R12 R11
470k 470k
• When the compressor motor is work- 2 C3 R10 F1
ing: about 150 watts (W). 22Ω
X2
• When the compressor motor is off 1µ 1W 2A T

and the heating element is on: about D8

250V ~
1N4001
15 watts (W).
• When the compressor motor is off
12V IC2
and the heating element and the inte-
7812 12V
rior light are on: about 30 watts (W). K1
R7 R2 C4 C5
RE1
When the refrigerator is discon- D9
5k6

33k

nected from the mains supply by 470µ

35V
10µ
63V
24V
the economizer, it may happen that: L
3V2

1. The refrigerator needs power R1 1N4001

RL1
100k

3 T1
at a level of more than 15 W. This D1 R6
RE1 = V23057-B6-A201
1
may be because the thermostat 2
IC1a 4k7

wants to switch on the compres- R3 BC547B

2x D3 C2
sor motor. In this case, the econ- 1N4148
10k

D2 K2
0V59

omizer must reconnect the 1N4148 10µ 63V L

7
refrigerator to the mains sup-
R4
ply.
1k

IC1b
2. The refrigerator needs power
at a level of less than 30 W. This 5 6
R8
10k
indicates that only the heating element R5
R9
12V
D7
is required to be on. The economizer
1k2

0V32

C1 D4 D5 D6
2Ω2

R16
then does not reconnect the refrigera- 10µ
4k7

tor to the mains supply. 24V 63V 5W

BAT85 12V
2x 1N5400 D11
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
R15
The circuit diagram of the economizer SAVE
47k

CTRDIV10/ 0 3
is shown in Figure 2. When the refrig- 10 9 12 DEC 2
S1
1
erator is connected to the mains sup- 14 IC3 4
IC1c IC1d 2
ply, the current drain is measured by 13 14
3
7
IC1 = TLC274 &
the potential difference, p.d., across D10
+ 4
10
1N4148 R13 13 1
resistor R9. If this is in accord with the 12V 8 5
100k 5
current drawn by the heating element R14
4017 6
6
7
and the interior light, the output of 4 16 1M 15 9
CT=0 8
op amp IC1b is low during part of the IC1 IC3 C6 11
9
positive half-cycle of the voltage. If the 11 8
CT≥5
12
220n
current is considerably larger since the
compressor motor is on, op amp IC1c is
on for part of the positive half-cycle of 980052 - 12

Elektor Electronics 10/98 55

 C6
R14 R8 Parts list
3 R9

D10
H1

H2
R13

R2
R6
C2
Resistors:

R4
D11 D6
IC1 R1, R13 = 100 kΩ

R3
R16 T1 D5 R2 = 33 kΩ
D3 D9 ~ R3, R8 = 10 kΩ
D1 D2 R4 = 1 kΩ

R5
K2 R5 = 1.2 kΩ

D4
L R6, R16 = 4.7 kΩ

RE1
IC3

R7 = 5.6 kΩ
L
R9 = 2.2 Ω, 5 W
C1
R10 = 22 Ω, 1 W

R1
K1 R11, R12 = 470 kΩ
C5 S1 R7
R14 = 1 MΩ
IC2 R15 R15 = 47 kΩ
~
R12
C4 Capacitors:
R11 F1 2AT C1, C2, C5 = 10 µF, 63 V, radial
C3 R10 C3 = 1 µF, 250 V a.c., Class X2

H3
H4

C4 = 470 µF, 35 V, radial

tnemgeS )C( 1-250089 980052-1 C6 = 0.22 µF
D8 D7

Semiconductors:
980052-1
D1, D2, D3, D10 = 1N4148
(C) Segment

D4 = BAT85
D5, D6 = 1N5400
D1 = LED, 5 mm, high efficiency
T1 = BC547B

Integrated circuits:
IC1 = TLC274CN
IC2 = 7812
IC3 = 4017

Miscellaneous:
K1, K2 = 2-way terminal block, pitch
7.5 mm
S1 = octal DIP switch
Re1 = 24 V relay for board mounting
F1 = fuse, 2 A, slow
Enclosure as appropriate (see text)
PCB Order no. 980052 (see Readers
Services towards end of this issue)

Figure 3. The printed-circuit economizing), output Q1 is not linked economizer circuit works directly
board for the economizer is to a DIP switch. Diode D11 indicates from the mains supply, which means
available ready made – see when the heating element is not on. that it must be housed in a double-
Readers Services towards the Diodes D1 and D3, in conjunction insulated enclosure.
end of this issue. with T1 and network R6-C62, form an
OR gate, so that T1 may be switched on The economizer is best built on the
by IC1a or IC3. printed-circuit board in Figure 3,
drive IC1c on in the rhythm of the A 24 V supply voltage is derived which is available ready made – see
mains voltage. The consequent nega- from the mains voltage by network Readers Services towards the end of
tive pulses at the output of the op amp R10–12-C3. This supply line is stabilized this issue. Depending on the enclosure
cause capacitor C6 to be discharged via by zener diode D7, and subsequently used, it may be necessary to round the
D10. The trailing edge is inverted and dropped to 12 V by regulator IC2. Var- corners of the board with a file as
enhanced by IC1d. In this way, the state ious reference voltages are derived shown. Figure 4 shows the prototype
of counter IC3 is then increased by one from the 12 V line by potential divider board in its enclosure.
for every trailing edge. When the com- R2–R5. Solder all components on the board
pressor motor stops, C6 is recharged Diodes D5 and D6 protect op amp as indicated, but do not yet fit IC1 and
via R14. against high voltages at the input and IC3 into their socket. Connect the fin-
When the state of counter IC3 is also limit the dissipation in R9. ished board to the mains supply and
zero, that is, when output Q0 is high, measure the voltages at the points indi-
the relay remains energized. Every CONSTRUCTION cated in Figure 2. Take great care since
time the compressor motor is working, WARNING. Constructors in the United the full mains voltage is present on the
the next output of the IC goes high. Kingdom must ensure that the circuit board. Use an insulated workbench if at
When the output whose DIP switch is earth is NOT linked to the mains earth al possible. It is convenient to leave one
closed becomes high, the counter is which, by Regulation, must be perma- probe of the multimeter permanently
reset. It will be seen that the setting of nently connected to the refrigerator If connected to the circuit earth (NOT the
the switch determines after how many the two earths were linked, the Neutral mains earth!).
times the compressor motor has been line would be short-circuited to the When all voltages correspond with
on a defrost cycle is initiated. Since at mains earth. those indicated on the circuit diagram,
least one ‘motor on’ cycle must be disconnect the circuit from the mains.
ignored (otherwise there would be no CAUTION. It will be noted that the

56 Elektor Electronics 10/98

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Figure 4. Photograph
4 of the finished board in
its enclosure with the
lid removed. Great care
must be taken when
testing it.

the thermostat control, when the diode

should light. When this is so, the
remainder of the economizer may be
checked. When the refrigerator door is
opened, the interior light must come
on. When the door is being closed, the
click of the relay changing state should
be heard clearly.
It is not possible to say which set-
ting of S1 is the most propitious for
each and every case. As a guide, open
all switches so that the counter is reset,
and close S1.8. If this results in icing up
after a while, the economizing action is
too drastic. Open S1.8 and close S1.7. If
this still leads to icing up, open S1.7.
and close S1.6. and so on until there is
no icing up.
[980052]

ELEKTOR

Open all DIP switches, except S1.1. circuit to the mains supply. Briefly 240V ~ 50Hz

Insert IC1 and IC3 into their respective open and close S1.1. No. 980052
sockets. Connect the refrigerator to the When all is well, D11 remains off. F = 2A T max. 220VA
relevant terminals and reconnect the Turn on the compressor motor with

Elektor Electronics 10/98 57