I've always wondered why refrigerators don't have some of their parts located outdoors like an air conditioner.
In warm weather, it seems like it would make sense to have the condenser outside like an AC unit to avoid heating the room. In cold weather, it seems like it would be much more efficient to have the condenser outside to cool down faster. Why is the condenser still indoors?
First, does this exist in some places? Have I personally just never seen it? Maybe for large commercial, refrigerator/freezers?
If not, would the cost simply outweigh the benefit? Is it cheaper to have the AC cool the room down after the fridge has heated it slightly rather than install another condenser outside? In cold weather, is the fridge acting as an efficient space heater, so putting the condenser outside not really get you anywhere? I'd be interested to see if a cost/benefit analysis has been done.
Finally, is it just convenience? Is it simply much easier to just move the fridge in, plug it in, and be done?