Connecting the refrigerator after transport - should you wait 24 hours?

• How does a fridge work?> Transport the refrigerator
• rest periods
• Set up the fridge
• planning
• Tips for quick readers

The question of the rest period for a freshly delivered refrigerator is still hotly debated today. The recommendation to let a refrigerator rest for at least 24 hours is still the common opinion. Under certain circumstances, that is still true today. In this guide, we'll explain exactly how to make mistakes with the fridge.

How does a fridge work?

To understand what the idle time for delivered refrigerators is, you first have to understand how refrigerators work. Today, two technical designs for refrigeration units are in use. These are:

• Absorber refrigerators
• Compressor refrigerators

Absorber refrigerators create the cold inside an insulated box. They work with a relatively massive unit, which is welded from steel tubes several centimeters thick. It is heated at one point electrically or by a gas flame. This initiates a chemical reaction, which at another point leads to the desired cooling. The advantage of absorber refrigerators is that they work silently. That makes them especially interesting in hotels and caravans. Absorber refrigerators are therefore mainly used for minibars and camping refrigerators. Their disadvantage is that they are quite expensive to manufacture. However, they are quite insensitive to transport and fluctuations, otherwise they could not be installed in caravans and motorhomes.

For domestic use, the compressor refrigerator has prevailed. Its refrigeration unit is only a few millimeters wide, but occupies almost the entire back of a refrigerator from the surface. The refrigeration unit of a compressor refrigerator also consists of a closed system of soldered piping. For the circulation of the coolant and its conversion to produce the desired cold, a compressor is used. This is powered by a small electric motor.

Transport the fridge

What happens if the refrigerator is transported lying down?

A refrigerator should always be transported upright. The first reason for this is that the unit is very sensitive at its back. If the refrigerator is placed on the unit, the thin pipes can break off.

Even the smallest leak will damage the refrigerator irreparably. An exchange, re-soldering or refilling a defective cooling unit is usually not useful. Therefore, the refrigerator must, if not otherwise, be transported lying on its side. This applies, for example, when the refrigerator is transported by a station wagon. In addition, during transport, the liquid coolant does not run into the designated reservoirs.

For a refrigerator to function properly, it should therefore be left standing for a while after a lying transport. In this rest period, the coolant can run back to the designated places, from where the cooling process can be restarted. If the refrigerator is switched on beforehand, it only consumes a lot of power without triggering the desired cooling effect.

rest periods

A fixed specification for the rest period of a refrigerator does not exist in the sense. The reason for this is that the technology of the refrigerators has changed a lot. The chemical composition of the refrigerants, its quantity and the design of the refrigerators have changed dramatically in recent years. Modern refrigerators use much less electricity and offer more comfort. The specification of how long a refrigerator should rest after a horizontal transport is stated in the operating instructions.

Use information as an indication of an exchange

The previously valid data of 24 to 48 hours are outdated today. Normal rest periods for modern refrigerators are between two and six hours .

A recommendation for a one- to two-day rest period indicates that the fridge is quite old. One can therefore use this information as an indication to question the economy of the refrigerator. The information on the energy consumption of a refrigerator is only valid until the end of its warranty period. The cooling gases used are highly volatile. At solder joints and closures there is a permanent slight loss of coolant. This means that a refrigerator automatically becomes more and more of a power hog with increasing operating time, as the motor of the compressor has to run longer and longer. If the operating instructions still require a rest period after transport of 24 to 48 hours, it can be assumed that the refrigerator is already very old.

In general, a refrigerator refines itself after one to two years by the saved power consumption. Instead of worrying about the installation of the old refrigerator, it is worthwhile in this case, immediately to order a new one.

Set up the fridge

With the clever choice of the site, the refrigerator can save a lot of electricity and therefore money. Basically, the warmer the outside temperature is, the more the refrigerator inside has to cool down. That's why a cool place for the refrigerator is ideal. The rule of thumb is: One degree of increased outside temperature increases the power consumption of the refrigerator by four percent. But nobody likes to go down in the cellar whenever he wants to get something out of the fridge. But even within the kitchen, a cleverly chosen site can significantly reduce electricity costs.

The proximity of pronounced heat sources such as heaters, dryers or dishwashers are therefore unsuitable for the refrigerator as a site. The refrigerator should always be isolated and well insulated. If it is unavoidable to place the refrigerator next to a warm kitchen appliance, an intermediate styrofoam plate may shield the refrigerator from the radiated heat.

The fridge should not be directly on the wall. At both sides and at the back, a distance of a few centimeters already helps to ensure the circulation of air. This prevents the formation of mold on the wall.

It is also particularly important to align the refrigerator exactly. This is done with the help of a spirit level at the screw feet of the device until it is absolutely straight. Leaning coolers are noisy and waste energy. In addition, the door of the refrigerator does not close properly in a crooked position. An open fridge is not just a waste of electrical energy. The open door of the refrigerator can also trigger a defrost and the stored food can spoil.

Threat to connect with the fridge threatens from another side: Before a refrigerator is connected to an old outlet, it should be checked carefully.

In kitchens, even with an existing extractor hood, a light film of lubricant is produced over time, which settles everywhere. Especially the sockets usually remain unnoticed for a long time. It happens relatively quickly that soaked dirt in the socket triggers a short circuit. It is also possible that the protective contact is isolated by corrosion or contamination. Then it can happen that the housing of the cooling unit is energized and the user receives the next time a proper electric shock of 220 volts.

A dirty socket should be replaced with a new one. Attempts to clean a corroded and dirty outlet usually create more problems than benefits. As a rule, an optical control of the socket is sufficient. If it is smeared in any way or even charring is visible, it must be replaced. Only if the old socket is still perfectly clean and without corrosion on the bare protective contacts, it can be used for the new refrigerator.

planning

Plan exchange well

The replacement of a refrigerator is rarely a spontaneous decision. The better it is planned, the less trouble you have afterwards. One has the least effort if you buy the refrigerator at a local specialty store and can also be supplied by him. The advantage of this traditional buying process is that companies can take the old refrigerator with them and dispose of it properly. But the old fridge has to be dismounted and removed from the old niche. It is important that at this time the socket is already checked, as described in the previous chapter.

At this point in time, the key question when choosing a refrigerator is: Where to go with the food "> Tips for quick readers

• Before connecting, check the age of the refrigerator
• Always replace refrigerators in winter
• Do not place refrigerators in warm places
• If heat sources are nearby, insulate the refrigerator additionally
• Always keep your distance to the walls
• Check sockets before installing a new refrigerator