Fridge Freezer Being Used In Outside Shed.

[bestmum]

I wonder if anybody can help me with my problem? We have a fridge freezer in our outside shed. When the weather goes colder the freezer part does not seem to be keeping stuff as frozen as it should. I tried turning the dial up and the next time i went to the fridge their were cans of pop exploded all in the fridge. Checked the food in the freezer part and it was as frozen as it should be. Can anybody help me with any suggestions, hints or tips to help my fridge freezer work properly. I have no problem at all in the summer. TIA

[buildersmate]

Are you saying that turning up the dial for the freezer (to make it run colder) impacts the fridge compartment as well? (in that it freezes the products in there).

Most fridge / freezers have separate controls for the two compartments.

[Stargazer]

I think the answer lies in the fact that it is a fridge/freezer rather than either a fridge or a freezer. I have had two secondhand ones that packed up because the ambient temperature was not constant. In the summer it got too hot where they were kept and in the winter when it froze, it was too cold. I now realise that the safest way is to have a fridge and a freezer both independant of each other.

[Stargazer]

What make is it and is ut Frost Free etc. I have just had an issue with Bosch over my Frost Free fridge freezer which is in my kitchen and it is not frost free at all. This a different to auto defrost by the way. Supposedly you never need to defrost my model but that is not true in my case.

[EDDIE51]

A fridge works by transfering (pumping) heat from inside the fridge to the outside.
If the temperature outside the fridge is colder than the inside of the fridge it can not work. This is why you never have a problem in the summer.
In winter it is probably better to just store the food in the shed on a shelf.

[wiltsman]

I always thought that Freezers, or Fridge Freezers, were not designed to be used in zero temperatures.

[Maydup]

Yours is a very common problem and if you google "fridge freezer in the garage" you'll see pages and pages on it.

Here's a clear explanation and a suggestion that you buy one with seperate thermostats.

http://blog.buyspares.co.uk/appliance-help-and-tips/does-your-fridge-freezer-defrost-in-the-cold-weather/

I have a freezer in the shed (but not a fridge freezer) and to protect it in the winter, I insulate it with polysyrene board around two sides and on top.

[chrissa1]

I had this problem last winter too. My F/F is in a room, (I call it the scullery but my children laughed at me), with no heating, which is at the back of the garage.
I have to put a small oil filled radiator in there to keep the temperature at around 42-48 degrees farenheit. (6 centigrade).

[buildersmate]

Maidup's link makes this very clear. It also points out it is only an issue when the fridge and freezer units share a common thermostat that is in the fridge. If you have a unit with two compressor sets, this won't be an issue. Old ones used to be built like that - combined sets must have been introduced as a cost saver.

Eddie - your comment is not right in pure physics terms. Fridges and freezers do remove the heat energy out of the inside of the cabinets - transferring it to the rear of the unit to the diffuser, where it makes it WARMER, not colder as you assert. The heat then dissipates into the surrounding air. A single compressor unit (either a single fridge or freezer) will be more effective, not less effective, in a colder climate.

[bestmum]

The fridge freezer's make is Amica and it doesn't have two seperate thermostats. methyl the cans where in the fridge.