So this has been driving me nuts for some years now and Im wondering if any one has done anything about it. I live in northern Colorado. Its been below freezing for a week or so with maybe two day in the last month above 40*F. But when I look at I my refrigerator I notice that its working harder then it needs to. I've wondered if it there might be a way to redirect the condensor coil outdoors to take advantage of the cool air temps rather then trying to use 75*F and then push coil into the basement in the summer. Just some thought. May try it with a used refrigerator. My appliance guy is going to laugh when I have him come charge the system

Here are some thoughts about your idea.  Be sure to read all of it from top to bottom because different methods are discussed.  See  http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb...50881.html

Defiantly very valid points and they are right in the months when you can take advantage of the cool temps is when you would actually want the unit putting heat into the house. My other off shoot of this thought is to use it to preheat domestic cold water coming in to the house when its at its coldest. this way the energy stays in the home. would only take a friarly simple tube and shell heat exchanger, and a low temp buffer tank. when your home you use more water there for your refer runs more eff, when you're away the refer runs less anyways but you are also using less water.

That was studied in California 20 years ago (Google "refrigerator CREWH") but didn't make it off the drawing board owing to complexity and the fact that refrigerators have become much more efficient, greatly reducing waste heat available for water heating.

You would have to be very careful regardless. The fridge system is a "critically charged" cap tube system which doesn't take well to changes in design.

Mike is correct

Posted By engineer on 23 Feb 2013 08:38 PM
That was studied in California 20 years ago (Google "refrigerator CREWH") but didn't make it off the drawing board owing to complexity and the fact that refrigerators have become much more efficient, greatly reducing waste heat available for water heating.

Thank you! Its good to see other people have already tried it. and youre right they have gotten so much more eff that it wouldn't be worth it.

The idea has merit in the case of commercial or industrial scalel refrigeration.

Do you have easy access to your roof/outside directly above the refrigerator? If so, you could probably fabricate a thermosiphon loop filled with a glycol solution to transfer that heat given off by the condenser outside your homes insulated envelope. A lot would depend on how your refrigerator's condenser is configured and positioned within the back/bottom of the unit. The beauty of thermosiphon is that it won't cost you anything to operate, just materials to fabricate(copper tube and pex?)... If done right, it also wouldn't require you to break the system to install. It might be able to be done with thinner copper tube bonded to the condenser tube with heat sync compound...

No harm in trying that, I suppose. Just be sure not to interfere with the natural or forced convection of room air over the condenser coil that the manufacturer planned and designed.