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How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

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Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#101

Post by Simon_says »

rsync wrote: post #88
kevindong wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Such data might be interesting to look at, but as long as the freezer does its job (aka keep everything stored within it fully frozen), what's the point in having that data?

"... what's the point in having that data?" In normal, day to day life, I think it would have little value. The use-case I am envisioning here is: you have a high value store of frozen items (meat, etc.) and you leave your home for 20 or 30 days ... When you get back, the freezer is running nicely and everything is frozen and things look great - but what if there were a 3 or 4 or 5 day power outage in the middle of y…

This is all kind of overkill. Just put a penny on the surface of a cup of ice in the freezer.

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#102

Post by hnick »

jhallenworld wrote: post #69

Here's what I've learned about refrigerators recently. My fridge is failing in a revealing way. It has an automatic defrost unit- this means that it heats the evaporator coils in the freezer every so often (I think it's once every 36 hours) to melt the frost off of them, producing the same condensation you normally get from an A/C. So where does this water go? Well there is a hose from the freezer to a pan underneath…

I have a Samsung fridge and there is a problem that causes water to pool in the meat/vegetable trays. It's very simple - a tube in the back behind a panel takes run-off under the fridge. But this drain runs past the freezer, so it freezes solid eventually and overflows. It took quite a while to work out the first time but YouTube came to the rescue.

The fix is apparently replacing or extending the stupid little piece of metal they attached that is meant to transfer heat into the pipe. Instead we add a longer copper wire or something that goes deeper and conducts better. Doing this only costs only a few dollars more (currently, I've simply poured hot water down there to unclog it twice in ~6 years but next time it's getting the wire).

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#103

Post by yjftsjthsd-h »

foota wrote: post #34
pengaru wrote: post #18

A test with the freezer as full as possible with just water would be interesting as a best-case set of data points to compare against. I always keep containers full of water in the bowels of my refrigerators/freezers only removing them when the space is required for food. There's not much sense in keeping empty volumes of air in a refrigerated space.

Interesting, the idea being that the air gets cycled every time you open the door?

And that water has a higher specific heat than air.

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#104

Post by maxfan8 »

walrus01 wrote: post #83
morninglight wrote: post #64

The location of the freezer or refrigerator is critical. If you live in a house that has a typical unfinished basement, don't overlook the advantage it offers. With one simple change, you can noticeably lower your electric bill, reduce your carbon footprint, gain extra kitchen space and improve your health. Just move your refrigerator to the basement. Since the basement is normally cooler than the upstairs, the refri…

As an additional benefit, since any fridge or freezer generates waste heat on its 'warm' side (the room itself), the additional heat from the freezer will rise from the basement into the rest of the house. As compared to if you had a freezer on the 3rd floor of a tall/narrow town house, all that the heat would do is rise towards the ceiling and attic. I would not advocate for moving a fridge to the basement just beca…

This is only a benefit during cold seasons or in colder regions of the world.

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#105

Post by fouc »

cbsks wrote: post #75
morninglight wrote: post #64

The location of the freezer or refrigerator is critical. If you live in a house that has a typical unfinished basement, don't overlook the advantage it offers. With one simple change, you can noticeably lower your electric bill, reduce your carbon footprint, gain extra kitchen space and improve your health. Just move your refrigerator to the basement. Since the basement is normally cooler than the upstairs, the refri…

That’s a clever idea! I’m not sure how practical it is, however. The first problem that popped into my mind was that the stove would often be unattended while I ran downstairs to grab something I forgot from the fridge.

Turn down the burner as much as you can, or even off.

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#106

Post by walrus01 »

maxfan8 wrote: post #104
walrus01 wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an additional benefit, since any fridge or freezer generates waste heat on its 'warm' side (the room itself), the additional heat from the freezer will rise from the basement into the rest of the house. As compared to if you had a freezer on the 3rd floor of a tall/narrow town house, all that the heat would do is rise towards the ceiling and attic. I would not advocate for moving a fridge to the basement just beca…

This is only a benefit during cold seasons or in colder regions of the world.

That's true, but having a fridge in your house is going to generate waste heat no matter what climate you live in. Just a question of what you do with it.

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#107

Post by wutwutwutwut »

contingencies wrote: post #59

It depends on the thermal mass of the contents, the effectiveness of the insulation, and the external ambient environmental temperature. In real world use, it also generally depends on (1) how frequently and for how long you open it, and (2) whether it's top-loading (efficient) versus front-loading (inefficient). Source: My venture custom designed and built a refrigeration circuit with autonomous electronic managemen…

Hm did you read the article? I ask because you're just repeating things brought up in it.

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#108

Post by jhallenworld »

hnick wrote: post #102
jhallenworld wrote: post #69

Here's what I've learned about refrigerators recently. My fridge is failing in a revealing way. It has an automatic defrost unit- this means that it heats the evaporator coils in the freezer every so often (I think it's once every 36 hours) to melt the frost off of them, producing the same condensation you normally get from an A/C. So where does this water go? Well there is a hose from the freezer to a pan underneath…

I have a Samsung fridge and there is a problem that causes water to pool in the meat/vegetable trays. It's very simple - a tube in the back behind a panel takes run-off under the fridge. But this drain runs past the freezer, so it freezes solid eventually and overflows. It took quite a while to work out the first time but YouTube came to the rescue. The fix is apparently replacing or extending the stupid little piece…

Interesting- on mine, this hose is external. There is a fitting that goes all the way through the wall insulation and hose runs along the back of the fridge.

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#109

Post by wutwutwutwut »

vageli wrote: post #77
cbsks wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s a clever idea! I’m not sure how practical it is, however. The first problem that popped into my mind was that the stove would often be unattended while I ran downstairs to grab something I forgot from the fridge.

> That’s a clever idea! > I’m not sure how practical it is, however. The first problem that popped into my mind was that the stove would often be unattended while I ran downstairs to grab something I forgot from the fridge. I often leave the stove unattended whilst I check the grill outside. So long as it's less than a few minutes (and you have a fire extinguisher on hand in the kitchen—as one always should), there s…

What kind of stoves do you guys use where this is a risk? Guessing it's not induction?

Re: How long does a freezer stay frozen when the power goes out?

#110

Post by Dylan16807 »

morninglight wrote: post #64

The location of the freezer or refrigerator is critical. If you live in a house that has a typical unfinished basement, don't overlook the advantage it offers. With one simple change, you can noticeably lower your electric bill, reduce your carbon footprint, gain extra kitchen space and improve your health. Just move your refrigerator to the basement. Since the basement is normally cooler than the upstairs, the refri…

Is the efficiency benefit bigger than getting a different model or taping some styrofoam to the outside of the fridge?
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