Refrigerator Too Cold: Wrapping Veggies in a Blanket?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hornbein
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Cold Refrigerator
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the issue of a refrigerator being too cold and freezing vegetables, with participants exploring potential solutions and the underlying physics of refrigeration. The scope includes practical advice, personal experiences, and some theoretical considerations regarding temperature control and insulation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests wrapping vegetables in a blanket as a potential solution, questioning the effectiveness based on the physics of refrigerator compartments.
  • Another participant shares a personal experience with a similar issue and recommends drying vegetables, wrapping them in a kitchen towel, and placing them in a Ziploc freezer bag.
  • Some participants propose using partially inflated sealed plastic bags for storing vegetables, while others question whether removing all air is more effective.
  • A participant mentions that air is a good thermal insulator and discusses the implications for food storage and spoilage.
  • One participant suggests blocking airflow into the refrigerator as a possible fix, referencing a personal experience with a defrost system failure affecting cooling efficiency.
  • There is a discussion about turning up the freezer temperature as a potential solution, though it is noted as speculative.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various opinions on how to manage the cold temperature of the refrigerator, with no clear consensus on the best approach or solution. Different methods are proposed, and some participants challenge each other's ideas without reaching an agreement.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention specific conditions such as the refrigerator's minimal setting and personal experiences with similar issues, indicating that solutions may depend on individual circumstances. The discussion includes assumptions about the physics of insulation and airflow that are not fully explored.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals experiencing similar issues with their refrigerators, those interested in food storage techniques, and participants curious about the physics of refrigeration may find this discussion relevant.

Hornbein
Gold Member
Messages
3,847
Reaction score
3,098
My refrigerator is on the minimal setting but still freezes the vegetables a little bit. It didn't do that a week ago. I'm renting and moving out in a few days so I'm not going to do anything drastic. How about wrapping my veggies in a blanket?

I never understood the physics of those compartments for butter. I guess they work because they are next to the wall, from which outside heat penetrates. So a blanket wouldn't make any difference. Or would it?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
My parents fridge has had the same issue. With the amount of food lost they could have bought a new one at this. Instead they put veggies and fruit in the wine fridge.

Dry your veggies as best you can, wrap them in a kitchen towel, and secure them in a Ziploc freezer bag. That might work.
 
I would place the vegetables inside partially inflated sealed plastic bags.
 
Lnewqban said:
I would place the vegetables inside partially inflated sealed plastic bags.
I could be wrong on this, but isn't it best to remove all air?
 
Mondayman said:
I could be wrong on this, but isn't it best to remove all air?
Air is a very good thermal insulator.
Most insulating material keep many tiny pockets of air trapped for that reason.
 
You could try blocking or partially blocking the air flow into the refrigerator. Our refrigerator did this on its own recently due to a defrost system failure and consequent ice build up in the airflow path. The refrigerator basically stopped cooling completely even though the freezer was nice and cold. I imagine you could just duct tape over the place or places the air comes into refrigerator. Or something caveman like that.

Turning up the freezer temperature might help as well. But I'm just guessing. If I knew more I wouldn't have spent that $250 on a repair.
 
Lnewqban said:
Air is a very good thermal insulator.
Most insulating material keep many tiny pockets of air trapped for that reason.
I meant more for the food itself. Oxygen will speed up how fast it turns bad.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Lnewqban

Similar threads

  • · Replies 30 ·
2
Replies
30
Views
4K
Replies
2
Views
4K
Replies
9
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
8K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
7K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
10K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
7K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K