Stupid fridge question

[ffutures]

Wearing my mad scientist hat again...

Just had the fridge-freezer delivered and they told me it has to sit for three hours before plugging in "because they don't use CFCs any more."

I knew that CFCs were banned, but I hadn't thought about what replaced them and why it would need so much longer to stand. I know that early fridges used ammonia, have they gone back to using that or is it something else?

Update Got home - fridge appears to be pretty cold, ditto freezer, so presumably working OK. I'll bung some frozen food in a little later, once I've checked the temperature. Now where did I put the freezer thermometer.

later Minus 18 - should be OK.

Comments

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

This is what I was told, a fridge in transit might be knocked around too much, or carried upside down by the delivery guys, or something, so you have to let them sit to avoid vapour locks or somesuch.

Apparently you should be very very careful when moving a fridge yourself too. And again, avoid rocking it too much, and let it sit for a while before switching it back on.

[autopope.livejournal.com]

Same goes for air conditioning units and similar (as I discovered, when buying a portable one for the recent heat wave -- and couldn't use it for 24 hours after I got it home, during which time the weather broke).

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Ouch, tough luck. Just goes to show that the weather gods do indeed have a sense of humour though.

I can't remember where I read this, but apparently you can make a makeshift air conditioner by nearly filling a 2 litre coke bottle with water, freezing it (carefully taking care that it doesn't split in your freezer), then setting it in a bowl in front of a fan. And it will produce a marked cooling effect.

I haven't tested it myself, but it sounds an intriguing idea.

[w00hoo.livejournal.com]

One of the CSI (IIRC Miami) episodes had a similar thing which I think they referred to as 'swamp air conditioning' or some such. Basically a big chunk of ice and an electric fan. Spoiler I guess ()

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

Swamp coolers are evaporative coolers that blow air past damp pads. They work well in the dry air of the West, but would be useless in Florida.