[Karen W. (OP)]

This is a question my niece asked in her facebook comments. My first thought being no other reasoning because the lights go off when you close the door, right? I can't say for sure because I have never stepped in and closed the door behind me....lol....

So, seriously is there any other reason for refridgerator lights, other then the obvious midnight snackers?

What say ye scientific minds of refridgerator goodness?

[grizelda]

If the light goes out, you remembered to close the door.

[Karen W. (OP)]

Yes that would then become a serious problem....lol...

[neilep]

Midnight snacks are sheeposed to be had...this is why they are called Midnight Snacks !...as opposed to 22:57 snacks which as we all know is a hysterically ridiculous time to have snack !


Glad I could help !

[CliffordK]

The light helps you see what is in the back of the refrigerator.

Not that I would ever want to see what is in the back of the refrigerator!!!

[syhprum]

If you really want to be sure the light goes out obtain one of those plugin power meters ,interpose it in the circuit and note the reading with or without the door shut. 

[CliffordK]

If you really want to be sure the light goes out obtain one of those plugin power meters ,interpose it in the circuit and note the reading with or without the door shut. 

Assuming the compressor isn't running at the time of taking the reading, otherwise the light would get lost in the noise.

[neilep]

Ewe could also get a glazier to come install a window in your fridge else a cat flap may suffice. Both will facilitate the option to just reach through and grab what is on the other side.

Both quite sensible options you'll agree.

[Karen W. (OP)]

Lol...I think I like the cat flaps idea Neil.... I liken it to the heavy vinyle flaps that some stores used to use to cover the cold products, saving energy...lol....

[bizerl]

When the fridge door is closed, and no one can see inside, the light is both on and off at the same time. It is only when you open the door that it becomes one or the other.

And that's also why there's a dead cat in my fridge.  [xx(]

At least that's what I told my wife...   []

[neilep]

In "olden days" before electricity was invented in 1946, people used to keep gas flames alight in their fridges so that they could see what's inside at night. This kind of defeated the object until one day someone decided to call it an oven. Then, electricity was invented and they soon went back to calling them fridges. This is true !

[Karen W. (OP)]

If you really want to be sure the light goes out obtain one of those plugin power meters ,interpose it in the circuit and note the reading with or without the door shut. 

This sounds like a good idea..

[Karen W. (OP)]

In "olden days" before electricity was invented in 1946, people used to keep gas flames alight in their fridges so that they could see what's inside at night. This kind of defeated the object until one day someone decided to call it an
oven. Then, electricity was invented and they soon went back to calling them
 fridges. This is true !

  Well for some reason that sounds right and I can believe that.. THANK YOU MR. SHEEPY for your thoughtful refridgerator insight!

 Bizeral why is there a cat in your refridgerator? LOL...

So basically the refridgerator light is for our visual evaluation of the contents and not for the contents...which to me. Makes sense as root cellers were generally dark and cold to keep the produce for longer periods....so I assume the light goes off when shut.......

[Karen W. (OP)]

THANK YOU CLIFFORD AND SYPHRUM..I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK...

[Don_1]

Cat flaps, windows, meters?!?!?!

Look its a whole lot easier to bung out the stuff in your fridge, get in and close the door. You'll soon see if the light goes out. Better still, get some half baked nutter, such as David Blaine, to do it for you. When the door shuts on him, drop the fridge in a vat of quick drying cement, transport it to the mid Pacific and drop it over the side. You may never know the answere to the light riddle, but you will be hailed as the saviour of sanity.

Personally, I think the business is arse upwards anyway. When you open the fridge door, light streams in from outside; when you close the door, the external light cannot get in. So it stands to reason the the light should be on when the door is closed and go off when the door is openned.

Anyways, as to the question of midnight snacks, I do not partake of such nocturnal activity. Midnight feasts' maybe, but not snacks. Look, if your going to do a job, do it properly. Either stuff yourself silly, or just don't bother at all.

[Karen W. (OP)]

Lol...lol.. me niether on partaking of midnight snacks or grazing for me at all...lol and I agree with the light situation as far as it being arse backwards.. hee hee.. thank you for your clever entertaining answers and my smile this morning.. take care Don _1...
:-)

[RE.Craig]

If you really want to be sure the light goes out obtain one of those plugin power meters ,interpose it in the circuit and note the reading with or without the door shut.

After you shut the door the heat exchanger kicks in to re-establish the desired temp. Meaning that it would initially consume more power. On older fridges however the heat exchanger/compressor ran like buggery when you opened the door trying to maintain the temp which it never had a chance in hell of doing. 

[CliffordK]

The easiest way to verify the light turns off is to find the switch, somewhere that the door hits, and push the button.  Often you can visually see the light turn off just before the door closes.

It is easy enough to listen to when compressors and fans kick in so if you have some kind of power monitor, you could read it with the compressors and fans off.  There still may be some circuitry that would rob a few watts, although if the operation is based on a thermostat, it could truly drop to zero power usage when on standby.