[Graham C]

Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

Not so - my new replacement does not mention removing the back and
wouldn't be straightforward. I thought that condensers should be in
open air for efficiency. What's going on?

NB the entire back is covered apart from a 20 cm gap at the bottom
where one can see the compressor etc.

GrahamC

[Andy Burns[_13_]]

Graham C wrote:

Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic.

Open at the top? Perhaps it's creating a 'chimney' to persuade the
rejected heat to rise?

[John Rumm]

On 19/04/2017 09:42, Graham C wrote:
Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

Not so - my new replacement does not mention removing the back and
wouldn't be straightforward. I thought that condensers should be in
open air for efficiency. What's going on?

NB the entire back is covered apart from a 20 cm gap at the bottom
where one can see the compressor etc.

By closing it in, you can create a chimney effect, and this can actually
increase the rate of cooling as you get faster convection though the air
path.

--
Cheers,

John.

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\================================================= ================/

[Brian Gaff]

Mine is also, and it seems to be there to protect the fragile bits and
pipework. In frost free designs a lotof the heat is given out in heating an
evaporation tray at the base. I often wonder about this, as if all that
moisture goes up it is enclosed and may well rot the bits in there at some
point. also of course modern fridges seem to have very good insulation
compared with older models so probably do not need quite so much power to
keep them cold.
Brian

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"Graham C" wrote in message
...
Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

Not so - my new replacement does not mention removing the back and
wouldn't be straightforward. I thought that condensers should be in
open air for efficiency. What's going on?

NB the entire back is covered apart from a 20 cm gap at the bottom
where one can see the compressor etc.

GrahamC

[Brian Gaff]

No not open at the top.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Andy Burns" wrote in message
...
Graham C wrote:

Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic.

Open at the top? Perhaps it's creating a 'chimney' to persuade the
rejected heat to rise?

[Martin Brown[_2_]]

On 19/04/2017 09:42, Graham C wrote:
Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

Not so - my new replacement does not mention removing the back and
wouldn't be straightforward. I thought that condensers should be in
open air for efficiency. What's going on?

It may well be that the airflow with the back on is greater with than it
would be without. Chimney effect drawing cool air in at the bottom.

In normal use the thing is usually up against a wall anyway.

NB the entire back is covered apart from a 20 cm gap at the bottom
where one can see the compressor etc.

I presume there is a small gap open at the top too...

The compressor also gets warm so wants to be exposed (and you don't
really want the heat from it rising past the heat exchanger).

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

[[email protected]]

On Wednesday, 19 April 2017 11:59:33 UTC+1, Martin Brown wrote:
On 19/04/2017 09:42, Graham C wrote:
Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

Not so - my new replacement does not mention removing the back and
wouldn't be straightforward. I thought that condensers should be in
open air for efficiency. What's going on?

It may well be that the airflow with the back on is greater with than it
would be without. Chimney effect drawing cool air in at the bottom.

In normal use the thing is usually up against a wall anyway.

NB the entire back is covered apart from a 20 cm gap at the bottom
where one can see the compressor etc.

I presume there is a small gap open at the top too...

The compressor also gets warm so wants to be exposed (and you don't
really want the heat from it rising past the heat exchanger).

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

If it is a "built-in" fridge then it probably has a fan near the compressor and expects to circulate air through a vent grille in the kickboard.

John

[[email protected]]

On Wednesday, 19 April 2017 09:43:03 UTC+1, Graham C wrote:
Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

On a lot of freestanding fridges the 'heat output' is actually on the side panels; the insulation is sufficiently good for the external casing of the fridge to be the output and the inside to still be cold.

Owain

[Graham C]

On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 09:42:53 +0100, Graham C
wrote:

Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

Not so - my new replacement does not mention removing the back and
wouldn't be straightforward. I thought that condensers should be in
open air for efficiency. What's going on?

NB the entire back is covered apart from a 20 cm gap at the bottom
where one can see the compressor etc.

GrahamC
Just to confirm - there is no gap at the top, so no chimney effect.

Howeverthe backs of all the models I looked at (including mine) are
black in colour so I guess that helps (just a tiny bit, as plastic
itself is a pretty good insulator).

Perhaps it's a special plastic. Too much trouble now to heave the
appliance out and find out what's going on.

GrahamC

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

On 20/04/17 10:01, Graham C wrote:
On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 09:42:53 +0100, Graham C
wrote:

Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

Not so - my new replacement does not mention removing the back and
wouldn't be straightforward. I thought that condensers should be in
open air for efficiency. What's going on?

NB the entire back is covered apart from a 20 cm gap at the bottom
where one can see the compressor etc.

GrahamC
Just to confirm - there is no gap at the top, so no chimney effect.

Howeverthe backs of all the models I looked at (including mine) are
black in colour so I guess that helps (just a tiny bit, as plastic
itself is a pretty good insulator).

Perhaps it's a special plastic. Too much trouble now to heave the
appliance out and find out what's going on.

GrahamC

I have noticed this too.

And am as perplexed as you are.

Sure insulation's WAY better, so the things don't need to continuously
pull as much heat out, but even so...

--
The biggest threat to humanity comes from socialism, which has utterly
diverted our attention away from what really matters to our existential
survival, to indulging in navel gazing and faux moral investigations
into what the world ought to be, whilst we fail utterly to deal with
what it actually is.

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, 20 April 2017 10:01:40 UTC+1, Graham C wrote:
On Wed, 19 Apr 2017 09:42:53 +0100, Graham C
wrote:

Years ago if you looked at the back of a fridge you'd see the
condenser coils. When I was looking for a new fridge recently I
noticed that most models have the back covered with a sheet of what
looks like corrugated plastic. I assumed that this was for protection
and would be removed on installation.

Not so - my new replacement does not mention removing the back and
wouldn't be straightforward. I thought that condensers should be in
open air for efficiency. What's going on?

NB the entire back is covered apart from a 20 cm gap at the bottom
where one can see the compressor etc.

GrahamC
Just to confirm - there is no gap at the top, so no chimney effect.

Howeverthe backs of all the models I looked at (including mine) are
black in colour so I guess that helps (just a tiny bit, as plastic
itself is a pretty good insulator).

Perhaps it's a special plastic. Too much trouble now to heave the
appliance out and find out what's going on.

GrahamC

Twinwall polycarb is just cheaper than steel - when all aspects of it's manufacture are totted up. The evaporator coils on such machines are in the sides.


NT