been on a couple of times already and was helped out quite a bit.

I'm asking if anyone knows if there are any hazards to leaving a fridge on
when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily drop to -20 if not
lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this temp or still try to maintain
it's operating temperature? I heard of others who turn them off and leave
the door ajar , for what reason?

Thanks to you all,

Gino

My fairly new Sears Kenmore energy star can not be run in a room below
50-55f. Yours may take a bit less but best is turn it off. I know
running some AC units below 60f is bad also

m Ransley wrote:

My fairly new Sears Kenmore energy star can not be run in a room below 50-55f.

It can't be, or that isn't recommended because the freezer might thaw?
In wintertime, I unplug the barn fridge and put a 100 W bulb in series with
a Thermocube in a lower drawer of the fridge compartment that lights the bulb
when the fridge compartment temp drops to 35 F to keep it from freezing.

If I used the freezer compartment, perhaps I could keep it from thawing by
plugging the fridge back in with a thermostat that also turns on the bulb
in the fridge part when the freezer compartment gets up to 20 F. Who makes
a cheap "reverse thermocube" like that? An old fridge thermostat might work,
if the setpoint could be adjusted that low.

Nick

http://www.countrysupply.com/products/sku-BEW19.html

"GINO" wrote in message
. ..
been on a couple of times already and was helped out quite a bit.

I'm asking if anyone knows if there are any hazards to leaving a fridge on
when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily drop to -20 if
not lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this temp or still try to
maintain it's operating temperature? I heard of others who turn them off
and leave the door ajar , for what reason?

Thanks to you all,

When in doubt, check the instructions. Mine says you can damage the
compressor running it below 40 (or some such temperature); so that is how I
handle my cottage fridge.
I suppose it would never run at -20, but it would at 20.
It can smell odd if you don't leave the door open.

wrote in message
. .. been on a couple of
times already and was helped out quite a bit. I'm asking if anyone knows if
there are any hazards to leaving a fridge on
when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily drop to -20 if
not lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this temp or still try to
maintain it's operating temperature? I heard of others who turn them off
and leave the door ajar , for what reason? GINO

At -20 degrees, I would worry about something possibly failing in the
compressor area, which is not in the insulated, inside part of the fridge.
The fridge specs will give operating temp range.
Of course, the room will be heated somewhat by the compressor running,
increasing the temp. in the room. Another reason to shut it off: why waste
electricity while you are away? And add a (albeit very small) chance of an
electrical malfunction.
Others prop open the doors to allow air to circulate inside, reducing the
rate of mold formation, which is common in closed fridges, at ambient
temperature.

GINO wrote:
been on a couple of times already and was helped out quite a bit.

I'm asking if anyone knows if there are any hazards to leaving a
fridge on when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily
drop to -20 if not lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this
temp or still try to maintain it's operating temperature? I heard of
others who turn them off and leave the door ajar , for what reason?

Thanks to you all,

Gino

Save money and the frig. Empty it and turn it off.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

"GINO" wrote in message
. ..
been on a couple of times already and was helped out quite a bit.

I'm asking if anyone knows if there are any hazards to leaving a fridge on
when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily drop to -20 if
not lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this temp or still try to
maintain it's operating temperature? I heard of others who turn them off
and leave the door ajar , for what reason?

Thanks to you all,

Gino


Once the outside temp drops below the fridge setpoint temp. it won't need to
run anymore but the frost free heater may continue to function using some
energy. Unless it is a special garage refrigerator, the whole thing will
freeze up freezing any food in the fridge compartment. The cold should not
harm the unit since the compressor should not be called upon to run when it
is very cold.

Opening the door on an off refrigerator is advised mainly to prevent
trapping moisture which will breed mold and mildew making it necessary to
clean when you return. Prop the door open securely so some varmint doesn't
crawl in and die with the door closed.

It is Kenmore instructions that my frige not be operated in a room 50f
or lower.

"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
: It is Kenmore instructions that my frige not be operated in a
room 50f
: or lower.
:
I always get a kick out of those kind of things. They have a
perfectly good product that, years ago, didn't much care about
the ambient temp, and then they fill it up wiht electronics and
other temp senstivie components so you can't let it get cold.
Sometimes it's just a wart on the ass of progress!

Pop

"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
It is Kenmore instructions that my frige not be operated in a room 50f
or lower.


Thats because they cannot guarantee the temperature regulation of the
interior compartments or the hot coil would be inefficient below that temp.
It does not necessarily mean that damage to the unit would occur.
Instruction manuals are written to the lowest common denominator. Rarely
are the reasons for definative statements given.

It has no fancy electronics and is not a wart on the ass of progress,
just the opposite, it is the most efficient frige made in its size 3 yrs
ago, it compares to a Sun Frost in my tests and only costs 2.50 - 3.30$
a month to run. I think its the compressor and its efficient design
which limit it to 50 as dehumidifiers can freeze at 65f and AC units
should not be run below apx 60f, you can freeze the coil and damage
things. It only pulls 95 watts running and is 19.5 cu ft.

GINO wrote:
been on a couple of times already and was helped out quite a bit.

I'm asking if anyone knows if there are any hazards to leaving a fridge on
when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily drop to -20 if not
lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this temp or still try to maintain
it's operating temperature? I heard of others who turn them off and leave
the door ajar , for what reason?

Thanks to you all,

Gino

This is Turtle.

Here is the country boy's rules for friges at camps.

It is best to turn the box off and prop open the doors to keep the
moisture from forming inside the box to rust it apart. put a chair in
the way of the door to keep it from not closing.

You don't let refrigerator run in sub-freezing weather because of
possible freon flood backs when running and busting the valve plates in
the compressor. There is only a 1 in 1,000 chance of this happening but
if you have bad luck. Don't do it.

Also if you have any liquid items in the refrigerator section , they
will freeze and bust and make a mess.

TURTLE

TURTLE wrote:

GINO wrote:

been on a couple of times already and was helped out quite a bit.

I'm asking if anyone knows if there are any hazards to leaving a fridge on
when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily drop to -20 if not
lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this temp or still try to maintain
it's operating temperature? I heard of others who turn them off and leave
the door ajar , for what reason?

Thanks to you all,

Gino


This is Turtle.

Here is the country boy's rules for friges at camps.

It is best to turn the box off and prop open the doors to keep the
moisture from forming inside the box to rust it apart. put a chair in
the way of the door to keep it from not closing.

You don't let refrigerator run in sub-freezing weather because of
possible freon flood backs when running and busting the valve plates in
the compressor. There is only a 1 in 1,000 chance of this happening but
if you have bad luck. Don't do it.

It won't even cycle on in sub-freezing weather since the stat is set
somewhere between 36 to 42 deg. It would call for heat if it was able.
Even if it did cycle on why would it flood back?

hvacrmedic



Also if you have any liquid items in the refrigerator section , they
will freeze and bust and make a mess.

TURTLE

"RP" wrote in message
...


TURTLE wrote:

GINO wrote:

been on a couple of times already and was helped out quite a bit.

I'm asking if anyone knows if there are any hazards to leaving a fridge
on
when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily drop to -20 if
not
lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this temp or still try to
maintain
it's operating temperature? I heard of others who turn them off and leave
the door ajar , for what reason?

Thanks to you all,

Gino


This is Turtle.

Here is the country boy's rules for friges at camps.

It is best to turn the box off and prop open the doors to keep the
moisture from forming inside the box to rust it apart. put a chair in
the way of the door to keep it from not closing.

You don't let refrigerator run in sub-freezing weather because of
possible freon flood backs when running and busting the valve plates in
the compressor. There is only a 1 in 1,000 chance of this happening but
if you have bad luck. Don't do it.

It won't even cycle on in sub-freezing weather since the stat is set
somewhere between 36 to 42 deg. It would call for heat if it was able.
Even if it did cycle on why would it flood back?

hvacrmedic


Cause, there is a 1 in 1000 chance it might.....LOL

I wonder if hes getting his numbers from GE on this one...



Also if you have any liquid items in the refrigerator section , they
will freeze and bust and make a mess. TURTLE

CBHVAC wrote:
"RP" wrote in message
...


TURTLE wrote:


GINO wrote:


been on a couple of times already and was helped out quite a bit.

I'm asking if anyone knows if there are any hazards to leaving a fridge
on
when I leave a country cabin, it gets cold and can easily drop to -20 if
not
lower. Would the fridge just hibernate at this temp or still try to
maintain
it's operating temperature? I heard of others who turn them off and leave
the door ajar , for what reason?

Thanks to you all,

Gino


This is Turtle.

Here is the country boy's rules for friges at camps.

It is best to turn the box off and prop open the doors to keep the
moisture from forming inside the box to rust it apart. put a chair in
the way of the door to keep it from not closing.

You don't let refrigerator run in sub-freezing weather because of
possible freon flood backs when running and busting the valve plates in
the compressor. There is only a 1 in 1,000 chance of this happening but
if you have bad luck. Don't do it.

It won't even cycle on in sub-freezing weather since the stat is set
somewhere between 36 to 42 deg. It would call for heat if it was able.
Even if it did cycle on why would it flood back?

hvacrmedic



Cause, there is a 1 in 1000 chance it might.....LOL

I wonder if hes getting his numbers from GE on this one...

If GE is what he calls his ass

hvacrmedic



Also if you have any liquid items in the refrigerator section , they
will freeze and bust and make a mess. TURTLE

this is Turtle.

My Words of 1 in a 1,000 come from working on them all my life. what
does your words come from ?

Also Richard if you worked on these refrigerator , you would know that
the refrigerator thermostats will not go above 40 degree f for the U.S.
Health dept. will tell you not to store any Dairy or milk products
above 40 degree F. do you say or think different from the U.S. Health
Dept. ? Yes i am nit picking but if your going to do it so will i.

TURTLE

RP wrote:

It won't even cycle on in sub-freezing weather since the stat is set
somewhere between 36 to 42 deg...

It might, with an old refrigerator thermostat in the freezer and a Thermocube
in the fridge compartment that light a 100 W bulb in the fridge if the freezer
rises to 20 F (to keep frozen food frozen) or the fridge falls to 35 (to avoid
freezing the fridge contents.) Will this hurt the compressor?

Nick

http://www.countrysupply.com/products/sku-BEW19.html

wrote:

RP wrote:


It won't even cycle on in sub-freezing weather since the stat is set
somewhere between 36 to 42 deg...


It might, with an old refrigerator thermostat in the freezer and a Thermocube
in the fridge compartment that light a 100 W bulb in the fridge if the freezer
rises to 20 F (to keep frozen food frozen) or the fridge falls to 35 (to avoid
freezing the fridge contents.) Will this hurt the compressor?

Nick

http://www.countrysupply.com/products/sku-BEW19.html

That's pretty neat, but it won't help out with the subfreezing condenser
air. Somehow I doubt that a fan cycle control is a viable option

hvacrmedic

RP wrote:

It won't even cycle on in sub-freezing weather...

It might, with an old refrigerator thermostat in the freezer and
a Thermocube in the fridge that light a 100 W bulb in the fridge
if the freezer rises to 20 F... or the fridge falls to 35 (to avoid
freezing the fridge contents.) Will this hurt the compressor?

http://www.countrysupply.com/products/sku-BEW19.html

That's pretty neat, but it won't help out with the subfreezing condenser
air. Somehow I doubt that a fan cycle control is a viable option

So subfreezing condenser air might hurt the compressor, and controlling
the fan duty cycle to keep the hot coil above freezing might avoid that?

A friend of mine is poor and lives in a 50 F house. Her fridge hasn't run
for several months now, so she can't keep frozen foods frozen...

Nick

unattended cabin food can spoil with a simple power failure. the
duration of the power failure and the unknown refrigerated product
temperature create the hazard.
"In the event of a power failure, frozen or refrigerated foods warmed
to above 40 F for two to three hours may not be safe to eat."
please see full information at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d001201...8/d001288.html

Just to add some new data to this debate, I just bought a new Frigidare
Frost Free Freezer. The manual specifies it should not be used above
110F and also says there is no problem or special precautions required
at low temps.

So, I guess the answer is the lower safe operating temp depends on the
unit.

Right, it depends on the unit, as my 3 yr old stated not below 50f, but
I know of people using them in unheated areas for years with no
problems. Here it goes to - 15f.