Kalmia wrote:
> On Dec 26 2011, 4:59 pm, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>> Goomba wrote:
>>> On 12/26/11 11:40 AM, KenK wrote:
>>>> Last August I replaced my failing refrigerator with a new Kenmore.
>>>> All the many years I had the old refrigerator the freezer temp was
>>>> a bit below 0, until its last few weeks. The new Kenmore was also,
>>>> the first three or four months. Then it suddenly changed to + 4 to
>>>> + 7 or so with the analog freezer thermometer. I called warranty
>>>> repair and the repair guy checked it out and said it was normal. I
>>>> was doubtful. I bought an additional thermometer, a $10 digital
>>>> freezer thermometer. Then, last Saturday, the temp suddenly went
>>>> up to +17. It seemed to go up to 17 or so, then the cooling would
>>>> come on and reduce it to around 0, then with the cooling function
>>>> off it would go back to 17, slowly, over and over. I think it is a
>>>> defective freezer thermostat, or don't they work that way anymore?
>>>> I called for service again Saturday, which will come this
>>>> Wednesday. How can I convince this service person this time that I
>>>> really have defective freezer function so it gets properly
>>>> repaired? I'm afraid the next temperature change, or the one
>>>> after, will be to above freezing. These Sears repair guys work on
>>>> all the appliances and perhaps understand none of them really
>>>> well.
>>
>>>> Or am I wrong and this is within normal freezer operation
>>>> parameters? BTW. the non-freezer portion of the refrigerator has,
>>>> according to an old analog thermometer, remained normal.
>>
>>> Was it going through an automatic defrost cycle? My understanding is
>>> that rising temps (still low though) are how self defrosting
>>> freezers work.
>>
>> Sounds more like there is not enough mass in the freezer, an empty
>> freezer won't maintain a constant temperature, especially as the
>> seasons change along with the ambient temperature. Also the controls
>> between the fridge and freezer may not be set in an equilibrium for
>> contents and how often opened. If all there is in the freezer is one
>> frozen pizza and the fridge is full of canned beer and he opens the
>> fridge for another brewski every twenty minutes and leaves the fridge
>> door open for five minutes while staring blankly into space the
>> freezer temperature will fluctuate wildly.
>
> So, is the better rule of thumb to keep the freezer filled vs. opening
> fridge frequently? Or both, I bet.....
> If he's opening ev. 20 for a brewski.....well, he's under the table
> soon and won't be opening ANYthing. Ha.

I would think both. Another problem we have in this house is someone not
only opening both doors at once but standing there drooling like a dope
while they decide what they want.

It was much easier when my daughter was little. She had a snack basket.
She could eat things from that at any time. And the bottom shelf of the
fridge was hers too. She could take anything from there at any time. But
if she wanted something from the freezer or the other shelves she had to
ask. Actually she isn't the worst culprit now but I have seen her open both
doors at once.