auto defrost freezers

[wildbill]

I'm considering a used 5.0 cubic ft upright freezer for $75 to keep my velvia,konica 750,classic pan, fp4, you get the idea.
I know what auto defrost freezers do to food over long periods. Do they still make manual defrost freezers?

 

[Dave Parker]

Not that I have seen in the last few years, I have always stored my film in my auto defrost freezer with no ill effects at all, never had a problem in the last two decades of doing it.

Dave

 

[Donald Miller]

Yes, many of the chest freezers are manual defrost. The chest freezer (GE) that I bought strictly for photo materials is manual defrost.

 

[Dave Miller]

I'm considering a used 5.0 cubic ft upright freezer for $75 to keep my velvia,konica 750,classic pan, fp4, you get the idea.
I know what auto defrost freezers do to food over long periods. Do they still make manual defrost freezers?

What is the perceived problem with auto-defrost freezers?

 

[wildbill]

What is the perceived problem with auto-defrost freezers?

The freezer let's itself warm up in order to precent ice buildup. In other words, it doesn't always stay at the same temp and uses more electricity as well. thanks fellas

 

[Dave Miller]

The freezer let's itself warm up in order to precent ice buildup. In other words, it doesn't always stay at the same temp and uses more electricity as well. thanks fellas

I didn't know that, thanks for the explaination.

 

[Dave Parker]

My auto frost does not ever go over freezing when going through its cycles, in addition, it evacuates the air in it every single time the door is opened, so there is no ice build up, I guess I have been using a frost free freezer, come to think of it, I have never had to defrost it...

So I may be talking about something different.

Sorry.

Dave

 

[Donald Miller]

Auto defrost freezers need to go above freezing temps (certainly in the interior walls of the cavity) in order to defrost.

Typically they will have strip (resistance) heaters installed in the side walls of the unit. A timer will initiate and terminate the cycle.

There is an increased potential for condensation formation on materials stored in them...I always double bag and seal all of my paper and film that I store there.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Big difference between "frost free" and "auto defrost". A frost free freezer keeps the coils separated from the food (or whatever) and defrosts them by reversing the refrigeration cycle periodically. As pointed out above, it also immediately runs its internal fan so that air admitted from a door opening is moved to the coils dn the frost deposited there instead of on the food packaging. I have frost free in the freezer part of my refrigerator, and it doesn't even harm the ice made by the ice maker. OTOH, the cabinet freezer (where I keep film) is manual all the way; it was quite inexpensive when I bought it, and that's been more than 10 years ago.

 

[laz]

I know what auto defrost freezers do to food over long periods. Do they still make manual defrost freezers?

I think you are mistaken to blame auto defrost. "Freezer Burn" is what I believe you're referring to which is the dehydrating of foods, especially meats, after long periods in a freezer. Water evaporates at all temperatures, and even will escape its solid state. Ice will slowly shrink even without melting first, as water molecules escape from the ice surface and fly into the air. This process is called sublimation. The circulating fan can speed the process somewhat but not cause it per se

Either way I agree with Donald Miller's advice to double bag and seal all paper and film that you store in a freezer.

-Bob