Fridge/freezer stopped working in garage

BOWFER

Recently bought a Bush fridge/Freezer from Argos, for overspill use in the garage.
It's stopped cooling and freezing (light still works) and it's pretty obvious to us now that the ambient temp in the garage is too low.
My question is, until we can afford another one that will work in low ambient temps, should we switch the Bush off or will it kick back into life itself when the garage ambient temp reaches a decent level?

Soot2006

I can't answer the electrics question, but is there any way of using insulating boards and some wrapping to prevent it from being so exposed to the cold?

Neil_Jones

there are external parts of a freezer which normally need to be kept above a minimum temperature. These include your freezer’s compressor, which can stop working at low temperatures – ironically you might say – and may result in the appliance breaking down. 

If the outside temperature does drop below a certain level, the fridge thermostat believes it is cold enough and can turn the compressor off, causing the freezer contents to start to thaw. It is possible that the contents of your freezer can start to thaw out and then be re-frozen when the outside temperature warms up without you even knowing.

The food in your fridge compartment on the other hand, will start to freeze at 0°C and below, so its recommended you only use the freezer compartment in these low temperatures and not the fridge compartment.

BOWFER

Neil_Jones said:

there are external parts of a freezer which normally need to be kept above a minimum temperature. These include your freezer’s compressor, which can stop working at low temperatures – ironically you might say – and may result in the appliance breaking down. 

If the outside temperature does drop below a certain level, the fridge thermostat believes it is cold enough and can turn the compressor off, causing the freezer contents to start to thaw. It is possible that the contents of your freezer can start to thaw out and then be re-frozen when the outside temperature warms up without you even knowing.

The food in your fridge compartment on the other hand, will start to freeze at 0°C and below, so its recommended you only use the freezer compartment in these low temperatures and not the fridge compartment.

So it's safe enough to leave plugged in for now.
I think we'll give it to my mum and order a Beko, as they guarantee their freezers work down to -15C.
A lesson learned!

debitcardmayhem

BOWFER said:

Neil_Jones said:

there are external parts of a freezer which normally need to be kept above a minimum temperature. These include your freezer’s compressor, which can stop working at low temperatures – ironically you might say – and may result in the appliance breaking down. 

If the outside temperature does drop below a certain level, the fridge thermostat believes it is cold enough and can turn the compressor off, causing the freezer contents to start to thaw. It is possible that the contents of your freezer can start to thaw out and then be re-frozen when the outside temperature warms up without you even knowing.

The food in your fridge compartment on the other hand, will start to freeze at 0°C and below, so its recommended you only use the freezer compartment in these low temperatures and not the fridge compartment.

So it's safe enough to leave plugged in for now.
I think we'll give it to my mum and order a Beko, as they guarantee their freezers work down to -15C.
A lesson learned!

I have a BEKO freezer and a fridge too in my garage, they work fine 4 yeaars on, just check it is the one that works at -15, a neighbour bought the wrong beko for his garage

BOWFER

debitcardmayhem said:

BOWFER said:

Neil_Jones said:

there are external parts of a freezer which normally need to be kept above a minimum temperature. These include your freezer’s compressor, which can stop working at low temperatures – ironically you might say – and may result in the appliance breaking down. 

If the outside temperature does drop below a certain level, the fridge thermostat believes it is cold enough and can turn the compressor off, causing the freezer contents to start to thaw. It is possible that the contents of your freezer can start to thaw out and then be re-frozen when the outside temperature warms up without you even knowing.

The food in your fridge compartment on the other hand, will start to freeze at 0°C and below, so its recommended you only use the freezer compartment in these low temperatures and not the fridge compartment.

So it's safe enough to leave plugged in for now.
I think we'll give it to my mum and order a Beko, as they guarantee their freezers work down to -15C.
A lesson learned!

I have a BEKO freezer and a fridge too in my garage, they work fine 4 yeaars on, just check it is the one that works at -15, a neighbour bought the wrong beko for his garage

Their website suggests all of their models do this.

bob_a_builder

Freezers Yes,   But  Fridge / Freezers the 'Garage use' spec only applies to the Freezer part  - -because as Neil said  The food in the fridge part will freeze at the temp goes down below zero

Quote from Beko site :

Fridge/Freezer - 
  "Minimum ambient temperature required for satisfactory operation - Freezer Only          Down to -15°C
----------------

Freezer only
  "Minimum ambient temperature required for satisfactory operation Down to -15°C"

Header of Freezer only page  - They don''t say this on Fridge/Freezer page
Place your freezer anywhere in your home

Whether you need to place your freezer in your garage, your outbuilding, or anywhere else in your home, our Freezer Guard technology ensures your freezer will always function properly, keeping your frozen food frozen whatever the outside temperature – even if it drops to as low as -15°C.C
-----------

So  Freezer only is the better bet for use in Garage/ Sheds 

I think the Beko freezers use a different refrigerant gas to achieve this - although if it was as as simple as that why doesn't everyone use that gas ?

unforeseen

We have had a separate Beko fridge and freezers in our garage for the last 10 years. Both still working fine.
Even when the ambient temperature has been negative the fridge contents have not frozen. 

EssexExile

Separates are fine, it's some combined fridge/freezers that don't like the cold.
More basic fridge/freezers only have a thermostat in the fridge, they assume that keeping the fridge at say 5C will keep the freezer at -20C. In a garage at 5C ambient, the thermostat in the fridge won't turn on at all, so the freezer will never turn on.

mobileron

Beko for the garage,had mine for 8 years well worth it.

J_B

The fridge/freezer in our garage was a present from my mum about  years ago 35/40 ................. 🤞