GE Monogram Freezer

[Mark M]

?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?

Mark

[Molly Brown]

I can=92t tell you what=92s happening specifically with the refrigerator but here is what=92s happening with television sets as an example:

[Ed Pawlowski]

Go the the GE website and download the manual.

[HeyBub]

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.

[WW]

HeyBub has the correct answer. All good uprights do this. WW

[Mark M]

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

[dpb]

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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.

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[Mark M]

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

[chaniarts]

so, you're saying the freezer sucks?

[dpb]

chaniarts wrote: ...

Ay-up... :)

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[hrhofmann]

Hey Bub is 100% correct Our freezer is exactly the same way.