Do magnets increase the electricity bill?

The Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) announced a 25% increase in residential electricity prices due to rising energy production costs. A common curiosity is whether the colorful magnets that decorate our indispensable refrigerators increase the appliance’s energy consumption.

Evaluating the effect of magnets on refrigerators, Prof. Selim Şeker stated that “The magnetic field created by magnets on the refrigerator does not affect the device’s operating principle. Additionally, magnets have zero impact on the electricity bill.”

Chair of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Üsküdar University, Prof. Selim Şeker evaluated whether the magnetic field created by magnets on the refrigerator affects the device’s operating principle or energy consumption.

The power of a magnet is nearly zero compared to a refrigerator

Addressing the effect of magnets on refrigerators, Prof. Selim Şeker expressed that “The magnetic field generated by magnets on a refrigerator does not influence the appliance’s operating principle. This is because the refrigerator operates at a power of 500–1000 watts, while a magnet’s power is nearly zero. Also, if the magnet uses direct current, its frequency is zero. Devices, on the other hand, operate at 50 hertz.”

No measurable effect on energy consumption

Prof. Selim Şeker also noted that the presence or number of magnets cannot measurably change a refrigerator’s energy consumption and added: “The energy they generate is so minimal that it is unmeasurable. There is no scientific study or test conducted on this matter.”

Zero impact on the electricity bill!

Prof. Selim Şeker also pointed out that, in the fields of electrical engineering or physics, there is no known mechanism suggesting that magnetic fields can influence the electricity consumption of appliances like refrigerators and stated that: “This is because magnets operate with direct current, whereas refrigerators operate with alternating fields. Moreover, magnets have zero impact on the electricity bill.”

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)