Posted by ESther on
URL: https://www.es-forum.com/Refrigerator-and-Microwave-tp4037028p4037059.html

Marc and Fog Top:  I have very much appreciated your replies, and the videos.

I am sooo out-of-date on information.  I was under the impression that transmitters were being put in appliances to communicate with smart meters.   I recall back when they were rolling out the installations of smart meters, that someone on the eSens forum said that manufacturers were denying that were putting chips in appliances.  I had assumed those were chips that sent wireless signals to the smart meters to record when they are being used so the power companies could charge time-of-use rates.  Now I realize that I don't know how smart meters are getting that information.  Is it that the smart meters are reading electrical signatures on the inside wiring, and then are transmitting  the usage to the power company via the smart meter's wireless signal?  In other words, there is no wireless signal being sent from the appliance to the smart meter via a wireless transmitting chip ?

As I understand it, the wifi-enabled appliances only use a wifi network, and are only for communication between the user and the appliance, so for example a refrigerator can send a message to the user that the door is ajar, or the user can changes the temperature settings on the fridge via their phone or computer.

The only refrigerator I've found that will fit in my small kitchen in my 1950's house with narrow doorways and not enough clearance space to open the doors (57" needed) of an over/under model, is a side-by-side that has a variable speed compressor in the top bak part of the fridge side, and electronic temperature controls on the outer door, but no wifi.  I suspect it's impossible to determine if I'll be able to tolerate it unless I get it.   However, I'm wondering if anyone has heard of anyone's personal experience with a either a variable speed compressor and/or electronic controls in a fridge?  As you pointed out, Marc, new electronic may cause issues and we're each individual in our tolerances.