Fridge designs
- Thread starter KurtDixon
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Condensor mounted in the cabinet?
Most fridges and freezers here have the condensor mounted all the way round the fridge cabinet, the outside of the fridge gets quite hot.
Is that how its done in the US or is the condensor still underneath or at the back?
With the condensor built into the whole cabinet, you can place most fridges into a confined space.
Most fridges and freezers here have the condensor mounted all the way round the fridge cabinet, the outside of the fridge gets quite hot.
Is that how its done in the US or is the condensor still underneath or at the back?
With the condensor built into the whole cabinet, you can place most fridges into a confined space.
Here are some pictures of my bottom freezer Marynen fridge. It's actually a Zanussi with a different name tag on it. It was made in Italy and I think it is from 1989 or so when I bought it new. And yes, there is a recipe for pineapple upside down cake on the door.
A picture of the inside.
The freezer with two drawers.
Top drawer.
Bottom drawer. I confess that the white lid is of a big box of chocolate icecream. And the bags are frozen fruits, I just stocked up.
"Most fridges and freezers here have the condensor mounted all the way round the fridge cabinet, the outside of the fridge gets quite hot.
Is that how its done in the US or is the condensor still underneath or at the back?
With the condensor built into the whole cabinet, you can place most fridges into a confined space."
Most fridges here now, have SOME condenser tubing around the door frames, this is to reduce moisture on the outside of the frames. Older fridges (our Norge AND GE both have this) had electric heaters in the frame, to do the same (reduce moisture). Of course just running more condenser tubing in the frame doesn't require extra energy. However I think pretty much all fridges here, with the exception of mini fridges, have a traditional condenser. Freezer only units are a different story. BTW it would be bad to put a cabinet mounted condenser fridge in a confined space, the cabinet has to exchange the heat to the air, can't do that with walls next to it. But I have no idea of Australian designs, might work fine in a tight space, not sure lol.
Is that how its done in the US or is the condensor still underneath or at the back?
With the condensor built into the whole cabinet, you can place most fridges into a confined space."
Most fridges here now, have SOME condenser tubing around the door frames, this is to reduce moisture on the outside of the frames. Older fridges (our Norge AND GE both have this) had electric heaters in the frame, to do the same (reduce moisture). Of course just running more condenser tubing in the frame doesn't require extra energy. However I think pretty much all fridges here, with the exception of mini fridges, have a traditional condenser. Freezer only units are a different story. BTW it would be bad to put a cabinet mounted condenser fridge in a confined space, the cabinet has to exchange the heat to the air, can't do that with walls next to it. But I have no idea of Australian designs, might work fine in a tight space, not sure lol.
Natural Draft
Frost-Free is such a huge waste of energy, and has so many more parts to fail.
If a natural draft 2-door fridge is properly designed and insulated (like they were in the 50s), it only needs defrosting about twice a year anyway.
It's hard to beat a 2-door natural draft fridge with the condenser on the back with a nice quiet low speed compressor.
The old GEs with the lazy-susan shelves help eliminate forgotten leftovers.
Ken D.
Frost-Free is such a huge waste of energy, and has so many more parts to fail.
If a natural draft 2-door fridge is properly designed and insulated (like they were in the 50s), it only needs defrosting about twice a year anyway.
It's hard to beat a 2-door natural draft fridge with the condenser on the back with a nice quiet low speed compressor.
The old GEs with the lazy-susan shelves help eliminate forgotten leftovers.
Ken D.
Hey rick,
That is called a static condenser on the back of your refrig. Uses convection currents to dissipate heat.
That is called a static condenser on the back of your refrig. Uses convection currents to dissipate heat.
Natural draft
That is of course true. In fact, perhaps 5% of problems with fridges even today involve the sealed system. Most are the defrost, fans, cold control and of course if you have an ice maker, those are probably over 50% of "fridge" problems.
That is of course true. In fact, perhaps 5% of problems with fridges even today involve the sealed system. Most are the defrost, fans, cold control and of course if you have an ice maker, those are probably over 50% of "fridge" problems.
Here's my FCI-20V
Since we're showing off our refrigerators, here's mine. It's a Poppy Red Frigidaire. Got it for $50 because the previous owner thought it was going out on him. It turned out to be cat hair and lint plugging the coil underneath.
Since we're showing off our refrigerators, here's mine. It's a Poppy Red Frigidaire. Got it for $50 because the previous owner thought it was going out on him. It turned out to be cat hair and lint plugging the coil underneath.
It has always run perfect since I bought it in 1994. Here is a picture of it open.
And here is an up-close of the ice maker that I had to dig through an old appliance store to find and it too has always worked perfect since I installed it. Makes these great little 1 inch square cubes that are so much better than todays 'orange slice' cubes that are all you can find in any refrigerator brand these days.
In the US...
Okay, that is one sweet Poppy!
Here's the setup at our place; Amana 27, Amana bottom-freezer, and a classic Coldspot upright freezer. (side story- these are my parents, my fridges are in the basement in anticipation of my house construction)
Cool features on the '27, it's all digital with displays above the right door handle. Temp adjusts, Fast Freeze, door-open alarm silencer, etc.
Food in the left fridge, drinks in the middle, frozens in the right.
Cory
Okay, that is one sweet Poppy!
Here's the setup at our place; Amana 27, Amana bottom-freezer, and a classic Coldspot upright freezer. (side story- these are my parents, my fridges are in the basement in anticipation of my house construction)
Cool features on the '27, it's all digital with displays above the right door handle. Temp adjusts, Fast Freeze, door-open alarm silencer, etc.
Food in the left fridge, drinks in the middle, frozens in the right.
Cory
Hey Rick,
Static condensers don't do well in high ambient temps, like on a hot summer day. It prolly feels warmer above the refrig because heat rises. A fan cooled condenser will do well in a hot enviroment and feel cooler because it exhausts the heat from below and into the room. Though static condensers are more energy efficient because there is no fan involved, and it doesn't draw in lint, pet hair, etc. Hope that helps!
Static condensers don't do well in high ambient temps, like on a hot summer day. It prolly feels warmer above the refrig because heat rises. A fan cooled condenser will do well in a hot enviroment and feel cooler because it exhausts the heat from below and into the room. Though static condensers are more energy efficient because there is no fan involved, and it doesn't draw in lint, pet hair, etc. Hope that helps!
Hey RickR, I LOVE that cabinet design in your kitchen! Are those custom built, or were they modular ones . I am looking for something like that to redo the particleboard junk in my kitchen.
That fridge works perfect in there with them too!
That fridge works perfect in there with them too!
I agree with you pdub on those ice cubes. Those half-moon cubes have been another one of my pet peeves with fridge designs!
I KNOW you all have experienced ice-blockage when sipping on a drink eqipped with those half-moon ice cubes. They will get horizontal in the glass, and since they are the same shape as the glass, will block the liquid from flowing into your mouth....then the worst happens. Enough liquid gets dammed up beind the cube, and then the dam finally "breaks" (the ice cube moves) A flood of drink ends up into yor face, all over your clothes and everything else!
I KNOW you all have experienced ice-blockage when sipping on a drink eqipped with those half-moon ice cubes. They will get horizontal in the glass, and since they are the same shape as the glass, will block the liquid from flowing into your mouth....then the worst happens. Enough liquid gets dammed up beind the cube, and then the dam finally "breaks" (the ice cube moves) A flood of drink ends up into yor face, all over your clothes and everything else!
