Defrosting a Freezer

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Defrosting a Freezer
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Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 10:00 am Post subject: Defrosting a Freezer
I speed up the defrosting by putting large casseroles of hot water in the freezer. Which is more efficient: leave the door open & allow the ambient temperature to augment the warmth of the hot water in the casseroles; or Shut the door & trap the heat of the water inside the freezer cabinet? I can't decide which is better and I don't defrost it enough to gather realistic quanities of data

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 10:25 am Post subject:
It will depend on the size of the casseroles, the volume of water, the size of the freezer, the temperature of the water and the ambient air, and the insulating ability of your freezer. Does it matter?

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 10:35 am Post subject:

Nick wrote:

It will depend on the size of the casseroles, the volume of water, the size of the freezer, the temperature of the water and the ambient air, and the insulating ability of your freezer.

Does it matter?

Yes it matters because I need to get it done & switched on again asap so that I can get on with working instead of everlastingly mopping the floor & worrying that the basket of frozen stuff will defrost quicker than the freezer itself & therefore drip red juice from (probably raspberries, but equally possibly beetroot soup or Something Else) onto the clean towels I've wrapped them in for insulation.

It's also hard to concentrate on painting a banner while listening to bits of ice falling in the freezer.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 10:38 am Post subject:
Then you need to know the variables. Alternatively, get a hairdryer on it. That's how we used to defrost them in the quickest time.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 10:43 am Post subject:
Nick's suggestion would be the quickest. A fan heater works well. Or if your freezer as a drain and you don't mind a really wet floor hose it out with warm water.

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 12:33 pm Post subject:
Hairdryer is what we use but i would say if your usimg a pan of water turn it off and close the door otherwise the warm air will escape and be replaced with cooler ambient air. Change the pan reguarly and protect what ever you stand the pan on with a folded teatowel

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 1:27 pm Post subject:
Towels in the bottem and use a hair dryer.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 2:13 pm Post subject:
Hairdryer - what's one of those? I don't possess such a thing. We don't have a fan heater either. Hot water & closed door seems to have done the trick best. Freezer now wiped out with bicarb, dried off, re-connected to the electric and re-filled with frozen stuff once it had got cold again.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 2:20 pm Post subject:
I always put a clean towel in the bottem too, then when it get s a bit crumby, and the odd bits of veg fall in there it isn't a yucky mess to clean out next time, just lift out, and wipe.

snowball
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 6240
Location: swindon

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 4:28 pm Post subject:
Yep, hairdryer with a clean towel beneath.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 5:46 pm Post subject:

Midland Spinner wrote:

Hairdryer - what's one of those? I don't possess such a thing. We don't have a fan heater either.

Sorry, didn't realise this was a re-enactment defrosting.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 6:22 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Midland Spinner wrote:

Hairdryer - what's one of those? I don't possess such a thing. We don't have a fan heater either.

Sorry, didn't realise this was a re-enactment defrosting.

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 13 6:42 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Midland Spinner wrote:

Hairdryer - what's one of those? I don't possess such a thing. We don't have a fan heater either.

Sorry, didn't realise this was a re-enactment defrosting.

thats just called spring...

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15600

Posted: Fri Oct 04, 13 7:51 am Post subject:
Only thing I would suggest is not making the inside of the freezer too warm or you can upset the gas in the system and make the thing go backwards.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 13 9:00 am Post subject:
Sadly since I defrosted it, my freezer no longer appears to have puffins living inside it.

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