Mark M wrote:
?The home we are buying has a side by side GE Monogram all freezer
and all refrigerator. These are separate, freestanding, units. In
looking the house over, I opened the freezer door and closed it. It
would not reopen until about 10 seconds had passed. I tried this
several times and each time the same thing happened.

It was as if there was a timer or interlock on the door that
prevented it from being reopened for a few seconds after being
closed. The house has no manual for the freezer or refrigerator, so
I'm hoping someone here with a similar unit can enlighten me on
what's happening?

All well-sealed freezers will exhibit this behavior.

When you opened the door, warm air was exchanged for the existing cold air.
When you closed the door, the warm air inside immediately cooled and
contracted, creating a vacuum.

When the freezer is full of food, there is less air subject to this
condition, and the pull necessary will be less.

That said, the door WILL open if you pull hard enough.

?

"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...
Mark M wrote:
?The home we are buying has a side by side GE Monogram all freezer
and all refrigerator. These are separate, freestanding, units. In
looking the house over, I opened the freezer door and closed it. It
would not reopen until about 10 seconds had passed. I tried this
several times and each time the same thing happened.

It was as if there was a timer or interlock on the door that
prevented it from being reopened for a few seconds after being
closed. The house has no manual for the freezer or refrigerator, so
I'm hoping someone here with a similar unit can enlighten me on
what's happening?

All well-sealed freezers will exhibit this behavior.

When you opened the door, warm air was exchanged for the existing cold
air. When you closed the door, the warm air inside immediately cooled and
contracted, creating a vacuum.

When the freezer is full of food, there is less air subject to this
condition, and the pull necessary will be less.

That said, the door WILL open if you pull hard enough.

Thanks for both the laughs and the most likely answer. Once explained, it
makes a bunch of sense. The freezer has nothing in it at the moment, but is
turned on to verify that it works.

Thanks for all.

Mark

Mark M wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...
Mark M wrote:
....
It was as if there was a timer or interlock on the door that
prevented it from being reopened for a few seconds after being
closed. The house has no manual for the freezer or refrigerator, so
I'm hoping someone here with a similar unit can enlighten me on
what's happening?

All well-sealed freezers will exhibit this behavior.

When you opened the door, warm air was exchanged for the existing cold
air. When you closed the door, the warm air inside immediately cooled
and contracted, creating a vacuum.
....

That said, the door WILL open if you pull hard enough.

Thanks for both the laughs and the most likely answer. Once explained,
it makes a bunch of sense. The freezer has nothing in it at the moment,
but is turned on to verify that it works.
....

Well, let's think about this a little...

Yes, _some_ warm air is exchanged when the door is opened, but...the
laws of thermodynamics don't allow the warm air introduced to be
"immediately" cooled and thereby contract; that takes a little while for
the heat transfer to actually occur.

What is more likely that occurs is the denser, cooler air inside tends
to migrate out as well as the opening door likely pulls some air out by
the slight pressure drop behind the moving door as it opens.

The small pressure drop, despite being minute, is multiplied by the
fairly sizable door area and so, exerts a decent amount of force. The
box isn't absolutely sealed so over a little while the pressure does
equalize.

I agree the effect is one of lowered pressure; I don't think it's
primary cause is cooling of introduced air, however, but primarily owing
to the mechanical displacement of air.

--

?

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Mark M wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...
Mark M wrote:
...
It was as if there was a timer or interlock on the door that
prevented it from being reopened for a few seconds after being
closed. The house has no manual for the freezer or refrigerator, so
I'm hoping someone here with a similar unit can enlighten me on
what's happening?

All well-sealed freezers will exhibit this behavior.

When you opened the door, warm air was exchanged for the existing cold
air. When you closed the door, the warm air inside immediately cooled
and contracted, creating a vacuum.
...

That said, the door WILL open if you pull hard enough.

Thanks for both the laughs and the most likely answer. Once explained,
it makes a bunch of sense. The freezer has nothing in it at the moment,
but is turned on to verify that it works.
...

Well, let's think about this a little...

Yes, _some_ warm air is exchanged when the door is opened, but...the laws
of thermodynamics don't allow the warm air introduced to be "immediately"
cooled and thereby contract; that takes a little while for the heat
transfer to actually occur.

What is more likely that occurs is the denser, cooler air inside tends to
migrate out as well as the opening door likely pulls some air out by the
slight pressure drop behind the moving door as it opens.

The small pressure drop, despite being minute, is multiplied by the fairly
sizable door area and so, exerts a decent amount of force. The box isn't
absolutely sealed so over a little while the pressure does equalize.

I agree the effect is one of lowered pressure; I don't think it's primary
cause is cooling of introduced air, however, but primarily owing to the
mechanical displacement of air.

Despite the cause, a friend who hears better than I do listened for a click
or some indication of a latching mechanism. Instead, she heard what she
called a "sucking sound," which she associated with lowered pressure inside
the case. The "timeout" this morning was 14 seconds on 3 trials separated
by around 5 minutes each.

It's an interesting and entertaining thing for me, and I appreciate the
discussion about the possible or probable cause.

Mark

Mark M wrote:
?

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Mark M wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...
Mark M wrote:
...
It was as if there was a timer or interlock on the door that
prevented it from being reopened for a few seconds after being
closed. The house has no manual for the freezer or refrigerator,
so I'm hoping someone here with a similar unit can enlighten me on
what's happening?

All well-sealed freezers will exhibit this behavior.

When you opened the door, warm air was exchanged for the existing
cold air. When you closed the door, the warm air inside
immediately cooled and contracted, creating a vacuum.
...

That said, the door WILL open if you pull hard enough.

Thanks for both the laughs and the most likely answer. Once
explained, it makes a bunch of sense. The freezer has nothing in
it at the moment, but is turned on to verify that it works.
...

Well, let's think about this a little...

Yes, _some_ warm air is exchanged when the door is opened, but...the
laws of thermodynamics don't allow the warm air introduced to be
"immediately" cooled and thereby contract; that takes a little while
for the heat transfer to actually occur.

What is more likely that occurs is the denser, cooler air inside
tends to migrate out as well as the opening door likely pulls some
air out by the slight pressure drop behind the moving door as it
opens. The small pressure drop, despite being minute, is multiplied by
the
fairly sizable door area and so, exerts a decent amount of force. The box
isn't absolutely sealed so over a little while the pressure
does equalize. I agree the effect is one of lowered pressure; I don't
think it's
primary cause is cooling of introduced air, however, but primarily
owing to the mechanical displacement of air.

Despite the cause, a friend who hears better than I do listened for a
click or some indication of a latching mechanism. Instead, she heard
what she called a "sucking sound," which she associated with lowered
pressure inside the case. The "timeout" this morning was 14 seconds
on 3 trials separated by around 5 minutes each.

It's an interesting and entertaining thing for me, and I appreciate
the discussion about the possible or probable cause.

Mark

so, you're saying the freezer sucks?

chaniarts wrote:
....

so, you're saying the freezer sucks?

Ay-up...

--

On Sep 23, 6:09*am, "HeyBub" wrote:
Mark M wrote:
?The home we are buying has a side by side GE Monogram all freezer
and all refrigerator. *These are separate, freestanding, units. *In
looking the house over, I opened the freezer door and closed it. *It
would not reopen until about 10 seconds had passed. *I tried this
several times and each time the same thing happened.

It was as if there was a timer or interlock on the door that
prevented it from being reopened for a few seconds after being
closed. *The house has no manual for the freezer or refrigerator, so
I'm hoping someone here with a similar unit can enlighten me on
what's happening?

All well-sealed freezers will exhibit this behavior.

When you opened the door, warm air was exchanged for the existing cold air.