Why won’t the freezer in my garage refrigerator freeze?

Has your garage refrigerator’s freezer stopped working in the summer (non-winter) months? Then click here to read this: Summertime blues: my garage refrigerator no longer works; no longer keeps things cold

There’s nothing wrong with your refrigerator, the problem lies with your refrigerator being outside and the outside air temperature. Refrigerators are designed to work inside a home where air temperatures are around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The thermostat, located in the refrigerator part of the appliance, senses when the temperature rises above the set level and turns on the compressor causing the freezer to cool and pushing the cold air produced in the freezer part into the refrigerator part.

For a refrigerator located in the garage, where the air temperature gets much colder, the thermostat does not sense a rise in outside air temperature and therefore, never kicks the compressor on. Because the compressor does not come on, cold air is never produced in the freezer. The temperature in your freezer rises and begins to thaw out all your frozen foods. Not good.

To get around this, install a garage refrigerator kit. The kit gets installed next to your refrigerator’s thermostat and produces a small amount of heat which “tricks” the thermostat into thinking it is in a much warmer environment. It then kicks your compressor on, which all

Garage Refrigerator Kit, $23.29, click on photo for more info.

ows your freezer to produce enough cold air for the fridge, but more importantly, for the freezer. A garage refrigerator kit will provides the proper heat source to keep the refrigerator working properly while in very cold temperatures.

Another option is to discontinue use of the refrigerator during the winter months altogether, especially if you use it mainly as a source for keeping drinks and food cold for summer entertaining. Turn the refrigerator off, clean it out, and leave the door slightly ajar. This will help prevent mold and mildew from accumulating in the refrigerator.

Home selling tips: focus on your kitchen

photo source: stockxchng.com

Selling your home can be stressful event, even in the best real estate market. However, the market today is uncertain at best. What are some ways you can get top dollar for your home?

According to this article on MSNBC, “Getting your house ready to sell,” “The kitchen is everyone’s favorite room in the house.”

Make sure your kitchen is inviting by doing the following:

1. Make sure that all the accessories on the appliances work and that the appliance is in good, top-running order in order to get the top dollar when selling your home. If you need help doing the home repair yourself, this repair guide will help you in your repairs. You can also order any parts you need online right from the site.

2. Replace broken and missing appliance parts with original manufacturer parts. You want to go for a uniform look to make the appliances seem as up-to-date and appealing as possible. You can buy replacement parts for refrigerator doors, racks and shelves. Replace or buy missing knobs for cooktop stoves and ranges. Replace old, stained cooktop burn pans and drip dishes. Replace burnt out lightbulbs in your refrigerator and stove. Replace broken parts on dishwashers including racks and silverware backets.

3. Clean all your appliances (inside and out). Appliances can add value to your home, but dirty appliances are not only unappealing, it can make the home seem rundown and uncared for. Here are some suggested cleaning products to get you on your way:

• If you have stainless steel appliances that are scratched, stained or has rust marks, don’t spend money replacing them, try Scratch-B-Gone to remove the blemishes. Scratch-B-Gone even works on sinks.
• If your fridge has a strong smell to it, try Odor Neutralizer Spray, Kleen-Air, or Fridge Aid Deodorizer
• If your oven has tough-baked on stains, try a ceramic cooktop cleaning kit to get it looking like new.
• Finally, to get top dollar for your home, make all your appliances really shine with an appliance polish and cleaner.

For more tips on selling your home, check out these articles:

Getting your house ready to sell from RealEstateABC.com

Tips on selling your home in a cooling market from MSNBC.com

Guidelines for the Real Estate Seller from ReMax.com

5 Tips, Improving homes for Sale By Owner from PopularMechanics.com

Working on the home (and appliances) of the future

Ever wonder who develops new appliances or add all those cool, new features to our household appliances? Innovation might come from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Home of The Future. This working laboratory lets student dream up new innovations to make our home environment safer, healthier and more ecological.

At the PlaceLab, a “living laboratory” for integrating new technologies into the home, MIT students and researchers develop new technologies and products that will better meet the needs of people in their future homes.

Here, volunteers live within the residential laboratory –a residential condominium in Cambridge, Mass., outfitted with “Hundreds of sensing components” to monitor the activities and interactions of the volunteer subjects.

MIT is not the only institutions dreaming up the home of the future. Check out this page for other futuristic links from the MIT page: http://architecture.mit.edu/house_n/web/resources/links/otherhousesofthefuture.html. Also, check out Moen’s page about future innovative appliances.

What functions would you like your future appliances to have? How about a refrigerator that lets you know exactly what you need to pick up at the store on your way home?

We can dream of the future, but we live with the appliances we have now. If you are on a budget, it might be cheaper to fix the appliances you currently have. You can find millions of appliance parts at apwagner.com where you can find parts for expensive appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, clothes washers, and dryers. You can also get repair advice and live online help with finding the correct part, all online.

How Do Gas Ranges Work?

Most gas ranges are designed with very similar set ups. The information below will help you understand how most gas ranges and ovens work. Before looking at the problems with gas ranges, it is important that you have an understanding of how they work. If you have a gas wall oven, ignore the parts about the cooktop. If you have a separate gas cooktop, ignore the parts about the oven. A range is just a cooktop on top of an oven that shares a gas and power supply.

Gas ranges basically take natural gas or propane and turn it into concentrated heat that you can use for cooking and baking. There are burners on the cooktop and one or two burners in the oven which burn gas that has been ignited by a pilot, spark ignitor, or glow ignitor.

On the cooktop you usually have 4 to 6 burners with grates over them that allow you to cook in pots and pans. Gas flows from the main gas valve to a manifold that has a corresponding number of burner valves. The gas is brought from the burner valve to the burner through a venturi tube. The burner control knobs that you see on the control panel attach directly to the burner valve. This valve controls how much gas is sent to the burner. To get a larger flame, you send more gas to the burner. The venturi tube between the burner valve and the burner allows the gas to properly mix with air for clean combustion. The air and gas mix then flows into the burner where the pilot flame or ignitor ignites it. On models with a spark ignition, there is usually a spark switch attached to the burner valve, a spark module and the spark ignitor. When you turn the valve, the switch tells the spark module to send electricity to the spark ignitor to create the spark to ignite the gas. Almost all older cooktops with unsealed burner units allow you to raise the entire top for cleaning and service.

In order to control how close your food is to the flame, there is at least one adjustable rack in the oven. In the oven, there is at least one burner on the bottom. If there is a broiler below the oven, this is the only burner in the oven. If you have a utility drawer or nothing below the oven, there is probably a second burner on the top of the oven that is used during broiling. The burner is a tubular device through which the gas flows before it’s ignited. It has a lot of little holes on its sides that lets the gas burn and provide heat evenly throughout the oven. The gas gets to the oven burners through a safety valve. The gas safety valve does precisely what the name implies. It prevents gas from being introduced to the burner when there’s a possibility that it won’t get ignited properly. There are a few different variations in their operation, but the purpose is always the same, to prevent accidents, and allow gas to get to the burner when it is safe.

In order for the gas in the oven to burn it needs to be ignited. The most common ignition systems in use currently are the spark ignition and glow-bar ignition systems. Pilot flame systems tend to have hard to find parts.

Many ovens use the glow-bar ignition system to light the oven or broiler. During normal operation, the glow-bar will glow yellow-hot. A weak or faulty ignitor may still glow, but only glows red through orange. Replace a faulty ignitor. Some glow-bar systems have a fuse in the system, under the cooktop or in the console itself. Check for continuity in these systems.

Spark ignition systems use a spark module to generate a high-voltage spark which is used to ignite a pilot light. This module is used for the burners on the stove as well as the burner in the oven. As the pilot light heats a capillary tubes’ bulb liquid, it expands and puts pressure on a diaphragm. The diaphragm then opens the gas safety valve, releasing gas to the burner. This gas then gets ignited by the pilot light flame.

Pilot ignition systems in the oven use a flame sensor to determine whether or not the pilot is lit. This sensor sits in the middle of the pilot flame. The position of the sensor is very important. The pilot flame has two parts to it, the outer yellow flame, and the inner blue flame. The sensor needs to be in the hottest part of the pilot flame, located right at the tip of the blue flame to operate properly. If the sensor detects that the pilot is lit, only then will it allow the gas safety valve to open and let gas flow to the burner.

There are several different systems that manufacturers use to control pilot light systems. The capillary pilot system uses a liquid filled bulb that is connected via a capillary to the gas safety valve or flame switch. When the bulb’s liquid gets heated up, it expands and puts pressure on a diaphragm. The diaphragm then opens the gas safety valve or closes the flame switch. The flame switch system uses hydraulic pressure from the capillary to physically close a switch. This completes a circuit to the gas safety valve. If there is no pilot flame, the gas safety valve will not open. In the hydraulic capillary system, the hydraulic pressure from the capillary physically opens the gas safety valve itself. If there is no pilot flame, the gas safety valve will not open. The millivolt pilot system uses a bi-metal pilot generator. When the copper and steel bi-metal strip is heated, it produces an electrical current. This bi-metal strip generates about 750 millivolts. This current allows the gas safety valve to open. If there is no pilot flame, then there is no current and the gas safety valve will not open.

The oven thermostat is usually integrated with the gas valve for the oven. It is located behind the knob that controls the gas valve. You can often adjust your oven thermostat using a small screwdriver. The adjusting screw is located on the thermostat valve stem. Remove the knob and you’ll see the screw underneath it. You want to turn the oven on and run it through at least two cycles while watching a calibrating thermometer in the oven for high and low temperatures. Adjust the screw as necessary to fine tune the temperature.

In the past, clocks were usually manual and worked with the selector switch and thermostat to set a time for the oven to come on, and a time for it to turn off. Clocks today are usually electronic, and in some cases, have taken over the control functions of the thermostat and selector switch. They connect to an oven temperature sensor to determine what the oven temperature is. The oven temperature sensor is located in the oven and attaches to the clock with high temperature wiring. Then the control sends more or less electricity to the broil and/or bake elements as needed. These types of clock are usually referred to as Electronic Oven Controls (EOC) or Electronic Range Controls (ERC). The keypad that you use to set the EOC, along with the EOC itself can only be replaced, not repaired. On some models the keypad is available separately from the EOC, and on the others it is one integrated part.

Most ranges have a light inside the oven compartment. The switch on the oven door turns the light on when you open it. Some models also have a manual switch on the range top that will let you turn the light on. Some models also have a light on the backsplash with a switch located near or on the control panel.

It is very important to use the proper pan size and pan material for the cooking you are doing. It’s common for people to use over-sized pans, but the outer edge of the pan or pot should be no more than one inch outside of the surface cooking area. Aluminum cooking pans are great heat conductors. Stainless steel by itself is a slow heat conductor, but if other materials like copper or aluminum are sandwiched between layers of stainless steel, it becomes a very good heat conductor. Cast iron heats slowly, but once hot, it cooks very evenly. Glass and ceramic are slow heat conductors but are easy to clean. Porcelain enamel is created when a glassy material is fused with a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, or cast iron. The heating characteristics depend on the metal used.

Cast iron cooking pans should be seasoned properly before use for ease of cleaning and rust prevention. One way to season a cast iron pan is to rub a thin layer of vegetable oil all over the pan, and heat it up very hot, then just wipe it down with a clean cloth or paper towel after it cools off.

How Do Electric Ranges Work?

Most electric ranges are designed with very similar set ups. The information below will help you understand how most electric ranges and ovens work. Before looking at the problems with electric ranges, it is important that you have an understanding of how they work.

Electric ranges basically take electricity and turn it into concentrated heat that you can use for cooking and baking. There are elements on a cooktop and elements in the oven that heat up when electricity travels through them.

On the cooktop you usually have 4 to 6 elements that heat up for cooking in pots and pans. There are three types of elements that are used today. The most economical and popular is the coil element. This type of heating element is flat or slightly rounded coiled wire. Heating elements are usually made from nichrome, an alloy of nickel and chrome. When the heating element receives electricity, it glows red hot. In most cases, these types of element plug into receptacles which allow them to be removed for cleaning or replacement. A few older models have wired-in coil elements. These bypass the receptacle. Ranges with coil elements have drip pans below them. These help reflect heat and provide an area that can collect any spills. These drip pans can be cleaned or replaced when they get dirty.

Another type of burner is commonly referred to as Euro burners. These burners are solid and smooth. They heat with electricity also, but do not glow red when in use. They can get very hot, so be careful when cooking with this type of burner.

The third style that is gaining in popularity is the radiant element. This style has a glass or ceramic top which covers the heating elements. Be careful to use flat cooking pots and pans. If you don’t use flat pots and pans, the temperature limiter may kick in, turning the heating element off to help prevent damage to the cooktop, and to help prevent a fire.

All of these types of elements have their temperature controlled by an infinite switch (sometimes referred to as a surface burner switch). Theoretically they can be set at an infinite number of settings. Simply by turning the switch between low and high settings, you can increase and decrease the electrical current to the electric burner. This will adjust the temperature of the heating element.

Most cooktops with the coil style elements allow you to raise the entire top for cleaning and service purposes. On these type of models the manufacturers like to put the model and serial number tag for the appliance here.

Operation of the oven is almost as basic. In the oven, there are two elements. The one on the top of the oven is used for broiling and the one on the bottom of the oven is used for baking. There are two main controls on older electric ranges. The racks inside the oven can be adjusted to hold the food at a desired distance from the heat source.

The thermostat controls the temperature, and the selector switch lets you select between bake, broil, self-clean, and timed-bake. Some of the selector switch features may be part of the thermostat or more than one control. The thermostat is located directly behind the knob that you set the oven temperature with. It is attached to a thin copper tube which goes down into the oven compartment. There its sensor detects the oven temperature and sends signals back to the control for more or less heat.

In the past, clocks were usually manual and worked with the selector switch and thermostat to set a time for the oven to come on and a time for it to turn off. Clocks today are usually electronic, and in some cases have taken over the control functions of the thermostat and selector switch. They connect to an oven temperature sensor to determine what the oven temperature is. The control sends more or less electricity to the broil and/or bake elements as needed. These types of clocks are usually referred to as Electronic Oven Controls (EOC) or Electronic Range Controls (ERC). The keypad that you use to set the EOC, along with the EOC itself can only be replaced, not repaired. On some models the keypad is available separately from the EOC and on the others it is one integrated part.

Some ovens are referred to as convection ovens. Convection style ovens have a circulating fan that moves the air all around the inside of the oven. Because the air is constantly moving and mixing itself, it makes sure of an even cooking temperature throughout the oven, and this will help cook your foods more evenly and thoroughly. Some of these ovens include a heating element built right into the circulating fan. This can help to prevent hot spots caused by a stationary heating element. Many other ovens put the heating element under the ovens’ floor. Convection ovens usually have a control that allows you to turn this feature off.

Most ranges have a light inside the oven compartment. The switch on the oven door turns the light on when you open it. Some models also have a manual switch on the range top that will let you turn the light on. Some models also have a light on the backsplash with a switch located near or on the control panel.

It is very important to use the proper pan size and pan material for the cooking you are doing. It’s common for people to use over-sized pans, but the outer edge of the pan or pot should be no more than one inch outside of the surface cooking area.

Aluminum cooking pans are great heat conductors, but may leave marks on the smoothtop surface. Remove these marks as soon as possible. Stainless steel by itself is a slow heat conductor, but if other materials like copper or aluminum are sandwiched between layers of stainless steel, it becomes a very good heat conductor. Cast iron heats slowly, but once hot, it cooks very evenly. Glass and ceramic are slow heat conductors but are easy to clean. Porcelain enamel is created when a glassy material is fused with a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, or cast iron. The heating characteristics depend on the metal used.

Cast iron cooking pans should be seasoned properly before use for ease of cleaning and rust prevention. One way to season a cast iron pan is to rub a thin layer of vegetable oil all over the pan, and heat it up very hot, then just wipe it down with a clean cloth or paper towel after it cools off.

How Do Air Conditioners Work?

An air conditioner takes warm air and makes it cooler by transferring the heat using evaporation principles. When you turn on your air conditioner, the thermostat control measures the air temperature. If the air temperature is warmer than the setting on the thermostat, it sends power to the compressor.

After the compressor gets power from the thermostat, it starts pumping and compresses a refrigerant gas, causing it to become a hot, high-pressure gas. Next, this hot gas flows through a set of condenser coils where it dissipates its heat to the surrounding air which is pushed past the coils by a fan, and then condenses into a liquid. Following that, the liquid flows through what’s called a capillary tube. During this process, the liquid refrigerant evaporates to become a cold, low-pressure gas. This cold gas flows through a set of evaporator coils which allows the gas to absorb heat, and by absorbing that heat; it cools down the air which passes over the coils, and then this cold air gets pushed into the room or building by the air conditioner’s fan. When warm, moist air goes over these coils, they collect condensation, which drips off and flows through a drain tube into a drip tray. This water usually flows to the back of the unit where it is sometimes thrown by the condenser coil fan onto the condenser coils to help cool the hot coils down. You may even hear the sound of the water getting splashed around. This part of the process also reduces the humidity levels in the room or house.

A fan blows the air from the room over the cold evaporator coils and back into the room at a cooler temperature to cool the room. It also blows warm outside air over the condensor coils so they don’t get too hot. The selector switch controls how fast the fan motor goes and therefore how much air is moved.

Once the thermostat measures the temperature of the room to be slightly lower than the control setting, it sends an electrical current which turns off the compressor. The fan may continue to blow the air between cooling cycles. Once the thermostat measures that the temperature is again above the desired temperature, the compressor shuts off until it gets the start signal, and the process begins again.

How Do Microwave Ovens Work?

Warning! Microwave ovens carry high-voltage! Do not attempt repairs without taking the proper precautions. We do not recommend home repair of this appliance. Serious risk of injury and the risk of death come with opening up a microwave oven. There is a high-voltage capacitor inside this appliance. Warning!

Microwave ovens use microwave energy to cook or heat food. A microwave passes microwave radiation, at a common frequency of 2.45 GHz, which is equal to a wavelength of 12.24 cm, through foods. This radiation is really just a high frequency radio wave. The fat, water, and other molecules in the food act as electric dipoles. A dipole has a negative charge at one end, and a positive charge at the other. The dipoles try to align themselves with the alternating electrical field generated by the microwave radiation by rotating themselves. This causes a lot of bumping between the molecules, which creates heat by friction.

A common misperception is that food cooks from the inside out with microwaves. This is not true. The microwaves actually penetrate deeper initially, up to a couple of centimeters deep, than does the heat from convection and radiant heat cooking. This makes it appear that the food gets cooked from the inside out.

The cooking area is enclosed by a Faraday cage, which keeps the radiation safely inside the oven, and away from people and pets. The mesh you see on the door allows visible light to pass through, letting you watch the food cook, while blocking the microwaves. This can happen because the frequency of the microwaves is much larger than that of visible light. The legal limit of microwave leakage for new microwaves in the United States is 1 mW/cm² at 5 cms. This is way below the exposure limits thought to be harmful to humans.

When cooking or reheating foods in a microwave oven, especially a convection microwave oven, you need to allow at least 1″ clearance between the food containers and all the walls and door. This will allow proper air circulation for optimum microwave performance.

How Do Washers Work?

If you have to do any kind of repair or maintenance on this unit, make sure to unplug it from the power supply.

Washers work by completing three major cycles: the fill, wash or agitate, and drain cycles. First, you load your washer with the clothes you want cleaned. Make sure you don’t pack the clothes in too tightly; you want the wash water to be able to circulate amongst the clothes to get them as clean as possible. The next step is to choose if it’s a large, medium, or small load.

The controls are different for each washer. The controls let you adjust wash settings, such as the water temperatures, spin speeds, timer cycles, etc. When operating properly the washing machine completes the cycle selected on the timer.

Your washer may have more than one selector switch. One switch allows you to select your desired settings for load size and another will allow you to choose whether you want to use cold, warm, or hot water. The start switch is usually integrated with the timer assembly. When you set the timer to the desired cycle, you either pull out or push in the timer knob to begin the cycle.

What happens next is that a solenoid operated water mixing valve opens and lets the washer fill up with cold water, hot water, or a mix of both, according to what you have selected using the selector switch. The water-inlet valve consists of three main parts which include: the cold water solenoid, the hot water solenoid, and the valve mixing body. Two hoses are clamped to the valve intakes from the house, one hot, one cold. A third hose connects at the valve mixing body to the washer tub. Its purpose is to fill the washer. The water then mixes with the detergent and clothes. The selector switch and timer interact with a pressure switch which measures the depth of water in the tub. When the desired level of water is reached, the switch sends a signal to the solenoid that closes the water-inlet valve.

Now that the washer tub is full, it’s time for the agitator to begin its work. The agitator is the plastic upside down cone with arms or fins on it, located in the center of the tub. It is driven by a clutch and transmission system attached to the motor. This system then rotates the agitator arms back and forth. This motion pulls the clothes down and through the wash water and detergent mixture repeatedly, loosening the dirt from the clothes. The pump re-circulates the wash water from the bottom to the top during the wash cycle. When the timer tells it to, the washer then pumps the water out of the tub, while the tub is also spinning between 400 to 800 rpm. This spinning provides a centrifugal force that pushes the water to the outside of the tub where the pump can pull all the wash water out of the tub.

For top load washers, the agitator is in the center of the tub; there is no agitator itself for front load washers, although the wash principle is very similar. The washer tub tumbles, moving the clothes through the wash water and sloshing the wash water over and through the clothes.

The selector switch and timer work together to complete the cycle you have chosen. The timer switch is usually mechanical, and is motor driven with cams to open and close switches. Newer models may use an electronic control circuit board. The timer tells the washing machine what to do next by sending the instructions and power to the washer’s parts at the right time.

After the agitation or tumbling is completed, the timer advances, and the dirty water is pumped out. More water is brought in to rinse the clothes while the washer agitates or tumbles some more to make sure the clothes are rinsed well. The machine spins the clothes again, using centrifugal force to get as much water out of them as it can while pumping out the rinse water, and that’s it.

There are three basic ways that washers pump water: direct drive, belt drive, and a separate pump and motor assembly.

There are certain safety features that are integrated into washing machines. What happens if you lift the lid on your washer? It stops spinning or agitating immediately because the lid switch activates the brake. This is to prevent injury to your arms and hands. There is a brake system built into washers by law because many people have been injured in the past by putting their hands and arms into a spinning wash tub. The brake system operates in much the same way as car and motorcycle brakes. With the lid open, your washer may still fill, but it will not spin or agitate. There are times the lid switch can fail, and your washer won’t work until you replace it. Going by this, if your washer fills, but won’t agitate or spin, you can infer that this switch may be defective.

Have you ever noticed that when your washer begins to spin, you can actually hear it pick up speed? Electric motors can reach full speed in under a second, however, under a load of clothes and water, trying to get up to this speed immediately is not good for certain components. The clutch and transmission assembly comes in handy here, allowing the tub to gradually increase its spin speed, without damaging any internal parts. The clutch basically lets the belt slip a bit and gradually tightens it until full speed is reached.

The electric motor powers the agitator during wash cycles and spins the inner tub during the damp dry or spin cycle; the motor also drives the pump on many models. After washing or rinsing, the pump removes the water from the tub through the drain hose, and lifts it out to the drain.

Many washers have a reversible motor, it can turn clockwise and counterclockwise. In one direction the motor uses the transmission or clutch system to spin the inner tub; while in the other direction, it uses the same transmission or clutch system to work the agitator. For washers that don’t have a reversible motor, a solenoid automatically shifts the transmission from agitate settings to spin settings.

Some washers use plastic and rubber coupler assemblies that connect the motor directly to the transmission. It makes the connection without the need for a belt. This part breaks fairly often. 

Refrigerators and how they work.

All residential refrigerators operate in a similar fashion. All refrigerators have these components: a compressor, condenser, evaporator, capillary tube, and a thermostat. Refrigerators with an automatic defrost cycle have small heaters in strategic places to defrost ice buildup. The basic principle of refrigeration is that you remove heat. Some people think refrigeration works by cooling something, but it’s just taking heat away. The refrigeration process is really simple. Your refrigerator takes warm air and makes it cooler by transferring the heat using evaporation principles.

Refrigeration starts with the compressor. The compressor is the workhorse for the refrigerator. The compressor is turned on when electricity is sent to it by the thermostat. It mechanically compresses, or squeezes, a refrigerant gas. This compression causes the gas to become a hot, high-pressure gas. Next, this hot gas flows through a set of condenser coils where it dissipates its heat, and condenses into a liquid.

The condenser coil is a system of bent tubes that run through thin pieces of metal. These thin pieces of metal are sometimes referred to as fins. These fins resemble a radiator that you would see in a car. The high-pressure gas from the compressor flows into the condenser coils and changes state to become a liquid. As this change takes place, the tubes radiate heat from the refrigerant gas. This heat is conducted away from the coils by the fins attached to the tubes. The capillary tube connects the condenser coils to the evaporator coils, and it controls the pressure of the refrigerant as it enters the coils.

As the refrigerant passes through the exit of the capillary tube, the liquid refrigerant expands, boils, and evaporates into the evaporator coils, and it becomes a cold, low-pressure gas. This cold gas flows through the evaporator coils, which allows the gas to absorb heat, and by absorbing that heat; it cools down the air flowing past the coils. The fan inside the freezer’s compartment circulates the air to keep the temperature uniform and constant. Because the evaporator coils are so cold, they cause any humidity in the air to freeze onto the evaporator coils as ice or frost. The refrigerant is then sucked back into the compressor where the process is repeated. A thermostat controls the process, helping to keep frozen foods at the desired temperature to maintain freshness.

The fan that is located inside the refrigerator’s freezer compartment circulates the air to keep the temperature uniform and constant. The process is regulated through the use of thermostats and switches, which help to keep your foods at a desirable temperature to maintain freshness without freezing the food, or leaving it so warm that it spoils. When the temperature is cool enough, the thermostat senses it, and tells the compressor and fan to take a break. When it gets too warm again, the same thermostat tells the compressor and fan break time is over.

Most modern refrigerators have an automatic defrost system which includes three major components: the defrost timer, defrost thermostat, and defrost heater.

The defrost timer, approximately every 6 to 12 hours, cuts off the power to the compressor and cooling system, and switches on the defrost heater. As the ice melts, it drips through a drain hole, through a tube, and into an evaporation pan where it evaporates with the help of a fan that blows warm compressor air over it to improve evaporation. The defrost heater has an electric heating element and is located just beneath the evaporator coils. This heater element gets hot, and due to its proximity to the coils, any ice or frost build-up usually melts pretty fast. When the defrost timer advances, or the defrost thermostat, located near the evaporator coils, detects that the temperature by the coils has raised up to a certain pre-set temperature, the cooling unit kicks back in.

For more information check out AP Wagner