If frost coats and builds up in a refrigerator/freezer, it can leave little room for anything else. It also forces the unit to work harder. As a result, energy is wasted and your electric bill goes up. Frost-free refrigerators avoid these problems. Here, we’ll discuss how they work, starting with why frost forms in a fridge in the first place.
“Frost-Free” refrigerator/freezer units usually use a heating element to defrost their evaporators, a pan to collect and evaporate water from the frost that melts from the cold plate and/or evaporator coil, a timer which turns off the compressor and turns on the defrost element usually from once to 4 times a day for …
How a Frost-Free Refrigerator Avoids This Issue
A frost-free fridge, which is just about any model sold today, uses various methods to prevent frost. It often has a temperature sensor to monitor conditions inside the unit. When ice forms or temperature falls below a certain threshold, the sensor can trigger a heating cycle, and turn off any heating element when the temperature rises above 32℉. However, this isn’t the only process a frost-free refrigerator may use; others include:
- Defrost Timer: A built-in mechanism is programmed to turn on a heater, for example, every six hours. It can also be set to trigger after the compressor has run for a specific time period. Adaptive timers can track not only when the compressor runs, but also how many times the refrigerator door is opened and other parameters.
- Defrost Heater: The defrost heater is usually placed near the evaporator coils where frost tends to build up. It can be woven through the coils as well. Oftentimes, the heater is a wire filament within a glass or aluminum tube; electricity heats the tube and melts any frost nearby. Melted liquid and condensation collect in a drip pan where they evaporate.
- Defrost Heating Elements: An anti-sweat heating element is built into the refrigerator frame to stop condensation from building up on the appliance’s exterior. A small heater may be placed under the water dispenser tube of fridges with a water supply system in the door. It prevents the water dispenser line from freezing.
It is true that adding heat to a refrigerator increases energy consumption. Temperature changes can affect food stored in the freezer. In some models, especially large chest freezers, food may not last as long, which is why manual defrosting is used. This also uses less power.
In fact, a manual defrost unit may use half as much energy. But the amount of maintenance it needs can be inconvenient and time-consuming. Factoring in the inefficiencies that frost can cause, a frost-free refrigerator with an anti-sweat heater uses about 5% to 10% more energy than a model without one. However, you can save energy by using the heater manually (i.e., turning it on only when condensation is visible).
Why Does Refrigerator Frost Form?
Frost is the result of water vapor condensing on cold coils inside the refrigerator. These coils distribute refrigerant that absorbs heat to keep the interior cold. As the vapor condenses into liquid, the surface temperature is cold enough for it to freeze, eventually forming a layer that may be several inches thick.
How Does a Frost Free Refrigerator Work?.mov
FAQ
What is the downside to frost-free freezer?
Do you need to defrost a frost-free fridge freezer?
How does an anti frost freezer work?
Do frost-free freezers run all the time?
How does a frost-free freezer work?
As you know, over time, freezers will start to gather ice inside of them. This ice builds up each time you open the freezer doors. It is essentially frozen air. The job of a frost-free freezer is to prevent that ice from building up inside of the freezer.
Why do I need a frost-free freezer?
A frost-free freezer will eliminate something like this forming in your freezer. While the most noticeable ice in the freezer will be inside the various freezer trays and on the door, some of that ice will have accumulated around the various internal components. This is the reason why we need to regularly defrost a freezer.
How does a frost free fridge work?
Frost-Free Refrigerators: How Modern Frost-Free Fridges Work and Stay Frost-FreeA frost free fridge, in the old days, would work by having two sets of coils Frost-Free Refrigerators: How Modern Frost-Free Fridges Work and Stay Frost-FreeA frost free fridge, in the old days, would work by having two sets of coils
How does a freezer heater work?
The heater melts the ice off the coils. When all of the ice is gone, the temperature sensor senses the temperature rising above 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) and turns off the heater. Heating the coils every six hours takes energy, and it also cycles the food in the freezer through temperature changes.