Remote Control Plug for Fridge Freezer

victor2

Is the new fridge/freezer "frost free"? If so, you should never need to defrost it, and can clean it shelf by shelf while it is still running, without causing it too much trouble. Or just turn the temperature up while cleaning it, so it can sort itself out when you've finished and turn the temperature down again, which you of course won't forget to do! 

Section62

grumpy_codger said:

Section62 said:

Rusty190 said:

Good idea or bad?
Looking for advice please.
New, built in fridge freezer being delivered next week.
It plugs in at the back of the unit so, once the fridge freezer is in place and switched on, it is impossible to turn it off without taking the whole thing out again requiring the help of several burly gents.
Turning off occasionally, for cleaning purposes, would be helpful.
I wondered if a remote control plug in thingy would be OK to use in this situation or, are they best avoided?
 

If it is permanantly installed you should really consider having it hardwired with a double-pole switch in a convenient place, or failing that, have a socket installed in an adjacent unit (if possible) so the plug can be accessed that way.

I agree, but in this case it makes sense to connect it to the same socket as the fridge - that has to have an accessible switch anyway and, most likely, does have.Not sure if it's double-pole.

OP doesn't mention anything about a (separate) fridge or where the socket for it is?

Rusty190

twopenny said:

I have a socket for the fridge and freezer which is wired into a switch mounted into the tiles behind the worktops - so no visible wires but a 'master switch' with a light.

So dead easy to turn on and off and see that it is on.

It's a small bank of illuminated switches for fridge, freezer, cooker hood and washing machine.

Works brilliantly for me. No fuss or bother and easily accessible and can see if the leccy has gone off.

That looks very neat and tidy @twopenny but, what happens when the fridge/freezer needs replaced?
That's where I'm at now but I don't particularly want to cause any more disruption than I currently have.
Thank you for your thoughts - as ever, very helpful. 

grumpy_codger

Section62 said:

grumpy_codger said:

Section62 said:

Rusty190 said:

Good idea or bad?
Looking for advice please.
New, built in fridge freezer being delivered next week.
It plugs in at the back of the unit so, once the fridge freezer is in place and switched on, it is impossible to turn it off without taking the whole thing out again requiring the help of several burly gents.
Turning off occasionally, for cleaning purposes, would be helpful.
I wondered if a remote control plug in thingy would be OK to use in this situation or, are they best avoided?
 

If it is permanantly installed you should really consider having it hardwired with a double-pole switch in a convenient place, or failing that, have a socket installed in an adjacent unit (if possible) so the plug can be accessed that way.

I agree, but in this case it makes sense to connect it to the same socket as the fridge - that has to have an accessible switch anyway and, most likely, does have.Not sure if it's double-pole.

OP doesn't mention anything about a (separate) fridge or where the socket for it is?

My apologies. I misread the OP.

That said, is it not a requirement to have an accessible (and reliable, not some WiFi) switch in this case?

35har1old

grumpy_codger said:

Section62 said:

grumpy_codger said:

Section62 said:

Rusty190 said:

Good idea or bad?
Looking for advice please.
New, built in fridge freezer being delivered next week.
It plugs in at the back of the unit so, once the fridge freezer is in place and switched on, it is impossible to turn it off without taking the whole thing out again requiring the help of several burly gents.
Turning off occasionally, for cleaning purposes, would be helpful.
I wondered if a remote control plug in thingy would be OK to use in this situation or, are they best avoided?
 

If it is permanantly installed you should really consider having it hardwired with a double-pole switch in a convenient place, or failing that, have a socket installed in an adjacent unit (if possible) so the plug can be accessed that way.

I agree, but in this case it makes sense to connect it to the same socket as the fridge - that has to have an accessible switch anyway and, most likely, does have.Not sure if it's double-pole.

OP doesn't mention anything about a (separate) fridge or where the socket for it is?

My apologies. I misread the OP.

That said, is it not a requirement to have an accessible (and reliable, not some WiFi) switch in this case?

OP never mentioned a WiFi socket only a remote control.But both could be prone to faults and also the fridge will sit further out
The use of a extension lead is not recommended 

35har1old

Section62 said:

Rusty190 said:

Good idea or bad?
Looking for advice please.
New, built in fridge freezer being delivered next week.
It plugs in at the back of the unit so, once the fridge freezer is in place and switched on, it is impossible to turn it off without taking the whole thing out again requiring the help of several burly gents.
Turning off occasionally, for cleaning purposes, would be helpful.
I wondered if a remote control plug in thingy would be OK to use in this situation or, are they best avoided?
 

If it is permanantly installed you should really consider having it hardwired with a double-pole switch in a convenient place, or failing that, have a socket installed in an adjacent unit (if possible) so the plug can be accessed that way.

I would avoid using a remote control plug/socket because -

a) If it goes wrong and you don't notice you could end up with a freezer load of thawed out food.

b) If it goes really wrong you could have a lump of melty/smoky plastic and electronics in a place you can't access; or

c) If you are lucky and it hasn't burnt your kitchen down then you'll still need the burly gents to remove the fridge/freezer so the faulty plug can be replaced.

Hard wiring may void warranty unless a qualified electrician does the fitting 

GDB2222

Rusty190 said:

twopenny said:

I have a socket for the fridge and freezer which is wired into a switch mounted into the tiles behind the worktops - so no visible wires but a 'master switch' with a light.

So dead easy to turn on and off and see that it is on.

It's a small bank of illuminated switches for fridge, freezer, cooker hood and washing machine.

Works brilliantly for me. No fuss or bother and easily accessible and can see if the leccy has gone off.

That looks very neat and tidy @twopenny but, what happens when the fridge/freezer needs replaced?
That's where I'm at now but I don't particularly want to cause any more disruption than I currently have.
Thank you for your thoughts - as ever, very helpful. 

Is there a cupboard next to where the fridge freezer is going? If so, an electrician could easily move the socket from where it is into the cupboard. Then make a small hole to feed the freezer’s plug through into the cupboard. Minimal disruption. 

twopenny

Rusty the socket is behind each appliance.

Master controls in the wall which you can use to switch on and off.

When freezer needs replacing you switch off at the wall and take it out and unplug it.

When you plug the new one into the socket then switch on at the wall switch is automatically working

The wall switches control the on off for the socket

knightstyle

In our previous house we solved this with an extension lead, putting the end on top of the F/F and plugging it in there, easy to reach and unplug when we needed to.

Rdwill

Hi.

If I was that desperate to turn the ff off but couldn't at the plug, I would flip the switch in the fuse box.

You may lose all the other electrics on that ring for a bit, but a small price to pay for the piece of mind of having it 'conventionally' wire.

Edit to say that mine has been in for 4 years and I have never defrosted it, buy a modern good quality frost free one and you shouldn't need ti switch it off.