Fridge in garage?

[Bottesford]

I’ve just discovered the hard way what I’m afraid I was ignorant of before – i.e. that fridges don’t like being in unheated garages. My 4 year old Bosch Classixx fridge/freezer has just given up the ghost and the two firms I contacted with a view to repair both explained that the problem was bound to be because of where it is situated (a solid, but unheated, detached garage.)
Irritatingly, (a) I’ve got used to the convenience of having a largeish fridge in the garage and (b) I haven’t room INside the house for more than the pokey fitted one already in the kitchen.
My questions are:
1. Are there any brands/models of fridge which are designed for life outside?
2. Are there any which – even if not designed for the purpose – might last for a couple of years or so (we’re planning to move shortly)?
3. Does anyone have any advice/suggestions or personal experience on the matter?
This is the first time I’ve posted on what looks like a potentially very useful forum, so please forgive me if I’ve asked in the wrong place or something like that!
Many thanks to anyone who takes the trouble to read and, even more, reply.
Best wishes
Paul Bowden
Lincolnshire

[ELDAR59]

Re: Fridge in garage?

hello paul, every fridge that is made is designed to operate within a set parameter of temperatures.
this is called a climate class.
our climate class is between 16 and 32 degrees c.
that is to say, that a fridge will work perfectly well within this class, but will struggle outside of it.
your fridge is obviously, at the minute, operating well outside of it’s climate class.
a seperate fridge and freezer would do the trick, but should you have any problems, the manufacturer could always point to the fact that the fridges are operating outside their normal required conditions.
either seperate unts or a fridge freezer with two thermostats and two compressors, ie operating independently of each other, would work better.

cheers.

[Bottesford]

Thanks for such a quick reply and PLEASE forgive what (I bet) are stupid questions:
1. Are you saying (‘a separate fridge and freezer would do the trick’) that a fridge, rather than a f/freezer combi, would be OK in this situation? If so, that would be great, because it’s really the fridge, rather than freezer, which we need there. Any recommendation as to what specifications/brand/model we should look for?
2. F/freezer with two separate compressors and thermostats: are these common/reasonably cheap? Again, any suggestions?
Thanks once again for your help – sorry to be a pain!

[ELDAR59]

Re: Fridge in garage?

no probs paul!

yes, a seperate fridge would work better than a f/f.
although as mentioned, it would still be operating outside of it’s climate class. there are plenty of them on the market to choose from.

fridge freezers with twin compressors and thermostats are not as common nowadays and would be more expensive.

this is a problem that rears it’s head in the winter every year and i’m sure there will be more enquiries than yours on the site. i’ve been called out to a couple already this year!

[admin]

Re: Fridge in garage?

hi Paul..

Please check the operating temprature before purchasing your next fridge or fridge freezer.

you will need to ensure that the fridge / freezer has a low ambient temprature operation as 95{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of standard fridges / fridge freezers WONT work in your garage anymore unless it has the option of this low ambient temp setting.

Bryan

[Bottesford]

Thanks, Bryan.
I’ve been scanning Currys and Dixons etc websites, but that info doesn’t seem to be given. Given that I’m looking for around 5{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} only, have you any ideas – brands, models, manufacturers, for example – which could point me in the right direction? We’re definitely more interested in a single fridge than a combi, as we have a chest freezer in the same garage. With all the French in-laws descending at Christmas, it’s getting abit urgent!
I do very much appreciate you guys’ expert help. Thanks again.

[ELDAR59]

Re: Fridge in garage?

paul, a fridge alone wouldn’t need a low ambient device to help it work.
if it was cold enough the fridge compressor wouldn’t run, simple.
there will be any number available on the market. if it’s going in the garage, i wouldn’t go for a quality fridge, such as a liebherr.
these tend to be very well insulated, which normally is what you want. however, in this case, it’s not a requirement and in fact could work against you.

[ELDAR59]

Re: Fridge in garage?

paul, a simple fridge which should work ok, would be a frigidaire RL6003B.
cheap and cheerful.
although, the caveat is as ever, that it would be technically operating outside of it’s normal conditions.
cheers.

[kwatt]

Re: Fridge in garage?

This article should explain it, we get asked this all the time.

HTH

K.

[admin]

Re: Fridge in garage?

Hi Alf

a simple fridge which should work ok, would be a frigidaire RL6003B.

This fridge would not be suitable for garage use.. The ambiant temprature required is +12oc to 32oc during the cold months it will not cut back in correctly.

The warranty would not be validated if used in a garage

Bryan

[kwatt]

Re: Fridge in garage?

Conversely during the summer when it’s hot in that sort of environment it tends to go the other way and the fridge or freezer struggles to maintain temperature, often burning out the compressor as it runs for extended periods. So, even if you win on the swings, you lose on the roundabouts usually.

There are Liebherr and Bosch cabinets that can bring on the fridge lamp to help combat a low ambient by keeping the interior light on continuously at a low output to trick the fridge into cutting in and out by raising the cavity temperature. But, it’s a cheat and even they will admit, when pressured, that it will only work within a few degrees of the climate class and, I do mean a few.

Get one with LED interior lighting and that idea is a non-starter. 😉

In short, there’s no cure and domestic refrigerators and freezers are simply not designed to operate outwith the ambient temperatures that they were designed to operate in.

You can get such things I’m sure but, they’re commercial and they sure ain’t cheap, IIRC, think upwards of £1000 for a basic fridge!

K.

[ELDAR59]

Re: Fridge in garage?

paul, after all the rhetoric, a frigidaire RL6003B, ALTHOUGH NOT DESIGNED TO, works perfectly well in my garage 😉

[Bottesford]

Re: Fridge in garage?

Many thanks to ALL of you for taking the time and trouble to share your expertise – easily said, but it is much appreciated.
It’s clear that running a fridge in a garage is not an especially good thing to do and your posts have explained why.
In the end, I think we’ll have to take the risk, since we haven’t the room for the size of fridge which we have got used to inside the house and the Bosch has run for about 3 years without problems. Furthermore, we’re hoping to move in a year or so, so, with a bit of luck, this will be temporary.
I think I’m going to go for the cheapest reasonably good looking fridge I can find (Currys, Dixon, somewhere like that) and see if I can get a couple of years out of it.
A final thought (don’t laugh): I wonder whether it would have any positive effect whatsoever to put those thickish plastic packing things down the side (making sure no ventilation is blocked) for insulation….?
Once again, thanks for your help.

[Martin]

Re: Fridge in garage?

Bottesford wrote:A final thought (don’t laugh): I wonder whether it would have any positive effect whatsoever to put those thickish plastic packing things down the side (making sure no ventilation is blocked) for insulation….?

Don’t mess about with bits of packing for insulation. Just ensure the floor it stands on is insulated (i.e on lino so dampness doesn’t rise into the workings).

The essential thing to ensure is to try to prevent your garage ambient temperature from going below + 5 degrees centigrade and you will have no problem.

I’ve seen all the tricks folks get up to in raising the temperature of outbuildings. From bubblewrap, cardboard boxes and polystyrene ceiling tiles. All hopelessly flawed, all increasing the fire risk and often never removed when summer comes and the garage gets up to 40 degrees C. :rolls:

[Author]

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