Fridge ventilation

[docholliday93]

Some fridge freezers have a single cooling circuit with the sensor in the f= ridge part - it's designed so that when the fridge part is at the correct t= emperature the freezer compartment will be cold enough (though not necessar= ily up to three star standard). If the outside temperature is low enough th= e sensor in the fridge stops demanding cooling and the unit switches off.= =20 I don't think these are common any more, and the problem only affected frid= ge freezers. That shouldn't be confused with the limitations of the refrigerant used - t= he compressor no longer works properly if the external temperature is too l= ow, and with some of the ones used these days (since the phasing out of CFC= s) 'too low' may be well above freezing. That will affect any refrigeration= plant, not just cheapskate fridge-freezers.

[Davey]

Quite likely, but that wasn't the question, the question was about it being possible.

--=20 Davey.

[Tim Lamb]

[Chris J Dixon]

I had a similar discussion about ovens. I had read the full instructions, which specified ventilation, the designer had apparently never read this. They were added.

Chris

[RobertL]

some kind of corrugated plastic, so these > presumably need no ventilation. No holes in it at all.

The heat is probably meant to be conducted to the air by the corrugated back. But that heated air still needs to convect away.

Robert

[metric_trade]

Oops. I'm not as free of casual sex stereotyping as I thought.

I'd like to read a post from you saying you're considering alternatives to built-in appliances. I don't really know why I care because none of my business.

[Chris J Dixon]

built-in appliances. I don't really know why I care because none of my business.

When we were re-doing our kitchen, we initially contemplated a built-in fridge freezer. The overall dimensions were similar to the freestanding one that we were replacing, but the capacity figures were so much lower, that initially I did not believe them. I checked further and it was simply the greatly increased thickness of insulation in modern appliances.

We were so nearly caught out, but eventually went for a 2 m high Miele, with which we are very pleased. A substantial piece of work, the interior arrangement seems to accommodate all we need with ease. Although this is not a cheap fridge, it came in significantly less expensive than a built-in plus housing.

Chris

[Tim Lamb]

The last kitchen I installed was in 1995 so I could easily be out of touch.

This is kitchen diner and the fridge, freezer will face into the dining area.

I was alerted to this issue by the house my daughter is renting which has all the appliances concealed behind tight fitting doors. It may be there is some provision for venting above head height or at plinth level but nothing obvious.

[Gazz]

On those types of fridge/freezer the condenser coils are on the sides, just under the outer metal skin, apparently done to prevent condensation build up on the outer walls that bothered some people, the destructions warn about leaving a certain gap around all sides on these types of units,

The fridge freezer i have is one of those which only has an evaporator plate in the freezer section, and uses ducts and a fan to draw cold air into the fridge compartment above the freezer,

It seems the compressor thermostat is in the freezer, the fridges thermostat works the internal circulation fan and flaps, as i often hear the fridge's fan start up and run for quite a while before the compressor starts up,

[Alan Braggins]

The question was can you do it "and expect no efficiency losses".

If you need more energy for forced ventilation, that's an efficiency loss compared with a fridge doing the same job without needing forced ventilation.