On Fri, 27 Feb 2004 00:04:17 GMT, "Peter Aitken"
wrote:

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 26 Feb 2004 21:55:52 GMT, "Peter Aitken"
wrote:

"P and H Macguire" wrote in message
...
Our 22 year-old Electrolux fridge/freezer is beginning to rust! and
also I
suspect it's costing a lot more to run than modern ones, so we're
replacing
it.

My question is, does anyone have strong views for or against frost-free
machines?


Frost-free is more convenient but not as good for keeping food for more
than
a couple of months. This is because the frost-removal cycle warms up the
freezer. The food does not thaw but the regular warming and cooling
affects
quality.


That depends on the design of the appliance and how the frost removal
is controlled.

I measured the temperature in mine, and it increases by less than a
degree. Since it is operated at about -20 this is not significant.


Then you measured the temperature wrong.

No I didn't. You didn't read what I said. I know how to conduct
temperature measurements, thank you.


Please explain how going from -20
to -19 can remove frost.

The temperature readings were made in the centre part of the cabinet,
and I also measured near the top and bottom.

The evaporator of the freezer is in a compartment separated from the
rest of the freezer and air is circulated between it and the food
storage area with a fan. For the frost- free cycle, the fan is
turned off and the evaporator is heated for a short period. This
does not result in a significant rise in temperature in the rest of
the cabinet because insulation separates the area of the evaporator
from the rest of the cabinet and it is at the top anyway..

At the end of the cycle, the compressor runs to chill the evaporator
before the fan is started again so that warm air is not circulated.

The particular freezer has microprocessor control of the whole
operation and is highly insulated, so is able to maintain very tight
temperature control.

And, IIRC, freezers are designed to operate at
about 0 degrees, not -20 ( I assume you mean f).

Rubbish. The freezer compartment in the top of a fridge (if it has
one) may run at around zero degrees. In a freezer, the normal
operating temperature is in the -18 to -23 range.

No I don't mean degrees Fahrenheit, I always use Celsius.





..andy

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