r12 vs r134a minifridges (efficiency)

Just a simple question. I think I made a huge mistake.

I've recently acquired a ton of minifridges, with many being r12 and some r134a ones.

I was always under the impression that r12 was way more efficient, so I've been getting rid of the newer r134a ones.

I should have just dug through my closet to find my killawatt to find out for sure.

But anyway, I had a kenmore r134a minifridge that didn't have the condenser in the rear. Instead, it heated the walls. I figured this was horribly inefficient, so I gave it away when I got an equally sized old GE with r12 and a rear condenser.

But then I was reading that most fridges post1993 were at least 50% more efficient than earlier ones. Should I have kept the newer r134a one?

Ack, no edit button. So the minifridge became used for beer. The main fridge was opened way less, and in the end, the utility bill ended up being a few dollars less with the addition of the new r134a minifridge.

I just swapped in the r12 minifridge today. Should I expect a rise in cost now?

Ack, again didn't give enough info. The Kenmore fridge was from 2007. The GE now in use is from 1988

apart from r12 not being the most efficient refrigerant in the world you can still have a proper cold drink on a 43 deg c day.motor efficency has improved greatly since then

ah so it has. damn. I was going solely off r12 being more efficient than r134a, hence why I favored the older r12 units. Whoops...

Also, I was searching and came up on some articles describing the different new fridge techniques, but lost the link. Pretty much disproved each one of my preconceived notions. I always favor fridges with the external hanging condenser, but I read about the warm wall ones being better? Or warm walls and a fan inside (this I can understand)?

I'll pull out the killawatt tomorrow and see for sure how it's really doing.

Hello Ziddey.
So you have a bunch of (mini)fridges, and you want to cull inefficient and retain money-saving ones ? Buy or borrow a clamp ampermeter, and measure the currents consumed by every fridge. By that, measure the temp inside - they sell cheap digital thermometers with a long lead sensor (put the sens inside the fridge and monitor for a while the display). Which draw less amps, give at the same time lowest temp, work shortest time intervals (so, notice also for how long comp on and how long off - after having "worked in" ), leave them (even better say - the joungest of them).
I would do so.

yep, mesuring is nowing.

Ice

if it is possible to mount a runtime meter on the comps to compare.

Ice

any results yet ziddey ?

no, haven't dug through my box for the killawatt yet. But I will only be able to post power consumption for this current (larger) minifridge unit, since I gave away the newer r134a one. But hopefully, you guys will be able to tell me if I'm running grossly powerhungry or not. :)

Will reply with results in a few days hopefully. Thanks for the interest in this thread!