A refrigerator for storage

[PatrickMarq]

Hi all,

Last week I got the message from my partner that our refrigerator is for vegetables and not filmboxes.

So I’m looking out for a small hotel refrigerator.
When looking at the internet I have found several models, but they all have none or a small freezer compartiment. I live in Belgium

So is this important, i’m buying normal only Kodak Ektar, Kodak Porta and Ilfort. These are now quite easy to get. And normally I have 5 boxes of each ready.

Thanks

[Tin Can]

Make sure the boxes fit in small freezers.

My 11X14 and 14X17 films only fit in some North American fridges.

[Duolab123]

I have a smaller 600 Liter refrigerator / freezer full of film and paper. If my wife tries to put a bottle of white wine in to chill, I tell her "it's not for food!"

[Alan9940]

Film doesn't necessarily need to be frozen to last a long time; cool storage is fine. I have two small fridges--neither has a freezer compartment--where I keep current film I'm using and raw chemicals for mixing various formulas. Both are set to maintain 50F. The remainder of my film hoard is kept in a chest style freezer.

[Doremus Scudder]

Two thoughts.

If you use your film up within a year or two, you only need to refrigerate, so a small refrigerator with no freezer compartment will do.

If you need long term storage, maybe just a freezer unit such as one listed here: https://www.mediamarkt.de/de/categor...te-604566.html .

The units above are from German Media Markt, but similar models should be available in Belgium I'd think.

Best,

Doremus

[Vaughn]

The more full the fridge, the more efficient it is. Stock it up for the planet's sake!

[Duolab123]

:d

[Eric Woodbury]

Problem with the little freezer units inside little frigs is that they are not frost free. Of course, you don't want frost free anyway, because to bem frost free, the frig goes through a heating cycle. The issue with the frost, ice, is that if you don't clean it out occasionally, then the ice will crush anything in there, even film boxes. It's pretty dry where I live, so a de-icing every couple years is fine. Keep an eye on your ice levels.

[cowanw]

Problem with the little freezer units inside little frigs is that they are not frost free. Of course, you don't want frost free anyway, because to bem frost free, the frig goes through a heating cycle. The issue with the frost, ice, is that if you don't clean it out occasionally, then the ice will crush anything in there, even film boxes. It's pretty dry where I live, so a de-icing every couple years is fine. Keep an eye on your ice levels.

I am pretty sure that my chicken and frozen pizzas do not defrost when the freezer is cycling. Do you have a reference for damage to film in frost free freezers?
The Conservators of Fine Arts and Material Culture at the Rocky Mountain Conservation Center and other conservators e.g. the American National Park Service recommend a frost free freezer unit.

[Duolab123]

I am pretty sure that my chicken and frozen pizzas do not defrost when the freezer is cycling. Do you have a reference for damage to film in frost free freezers?
The Conservators of Fine Arts and Material Culture at the Rocky Mountain Conservation Center and other conservators e.g. the American National Park Service recommend a frost free freezer unit.

Yeah, self defrost refrigerators can really dehydrate lettuce but a sealed film box no problem. In the old days there was a evaporator in the single compartment refrigerator. Gravity convection, just like an icebox. There was room inside for a couple ice cube trays. The evaporator was, depending on the refrigerant minus 25°F. Opening the door, moisture would condense and freeze on the evaporator, eventually you would need to take the food out and let the frost melt off the evaporator.

Today the marketing and sales people have convinced us we need 27 cubic foot refrigerator freezers. Air is blasted around the unit, the evaporator (s) have ice build up until a 500 to 700 watt heater comes on ,during the night, the ice is melted and drains into a evaporation tray, under the refrigerator, where the condenser (the hot side) and fans evaporate the water.

Today modern refrigerators use about 20 % of the energy they did 40 years ago. If you don't have a lot of door openings, the defrost cycle will not occur. A simple bottom freezer refrigerator is a good choice. Most service problems are with the ice makers, and ice and water delivery systems, ice crushers etc. Simple is better.