Minimum Temperature for a refrigerator

[j2400]

It seems to me that I read here a comment that refrigerators stop working when the temperature is too low. What is the "magic number" for the minimum temperature?

I know someone who is trying to get an older, but not vintage, refrigerator running. I've thinking that part of his problem might be that it's sitting in an unheated house. (Day time temps around here have mostly been in the 40s recently, night drops to the low 30s.)

Thanks for any answers!

 

[DADoES]

Probably a room temp of mid 30°Fs or lower would be a problem, near or below the setpoint of the refrigerator section, resulting in the compressor running very little, if at all, and the temp of the freezer section would rise. Perhaps a work-around would be to run a thin cord in with a 7-watt night light bulb or some such to generate a bit of heat and trigger the thermostat, if that wouldn't be too much heat.

I've had a KA topfreezer in my garage for 4 years, haven't had a problem with it. Garage doesn't seem to get below the mid-40°Fs or so even in coldest weather that happens here.

 

[maytagbear]

I try to

keep my refrigerator (fresh food section) at 37F, and the freezer at 0F.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[sudsmaster]

My KA fridge manuals say the room temp has to be at least 55F.

So 30F would be waaaay too low.

 

[sudsmaster]

The fridge may run with room temp in the 40's, but it's possible that stuff in the freezer will warm up.

 

[toggleswitch2]

There is no magic number (except 69 & 72) but that is another story.

A unit won't work well much below room temperature if a combo ref/freezer that has as its "OFF" position on the refrigerator control knob. That is the thermosat's location (i.e, the refrigerator) and the unit won't run enough once the garage reaches or goes below 40*F (which is normal refrigerator temp), as the refirgertor section then becomes satisfied too quickly easily, and the unit doesn't run enough to cool the freezer sufficiently.

So your frezzer of a fridge/freezer won't be happy in the cold garage, if the main control (with the "OFF" position) is located on the fridge knob.

CAPISH?

 

[toggleswitch2]

Please do let us know what your someone thinks as you convey your findings!

 

[j2400]

Thanks everyone!

The refrigerator started running again after:
A. The room temperature was increased
B. (The Magic Trick) A good tap to the plastic box holding the thermostat.

Whether or not it stays running, of course, has yet to be seen.

 

[rp2813]

On old mechanical controls I would think there would be some sort of click produced when the control is moved to a setting where it's calling for cooling--even with the fridge unplugged. Since you've increased the ambient temp it sounds like you've solved the problem but if you're not sure the control is working properly, unplug the fridge and move the control knob and see if you can hear anything. Then at least you know the control is presumably doing its job.