Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!
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About six months ago we had to replace our refrigerator due to it being 12 years old and not being cold. So we got a nice new Samsung model from a suggestion of a friend and getting a good deal from some good guys. We even paid for it to be delivered and installed. It's been working well.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago where there was a 40+°C heatwave. Open the freezer compartment to get some ice-blocks for the kids, go to put the packet back and can't open it. What!? The suction is so great it's impossible to open. Even trying to wedge a plastic knife in the seals is difficult. I'm not a weight-lifter or anything but I can carry both my 5-year-old twins at the same time so I have some strength! After a while the suction reduced and it was able to be opened again. The fridge section was not affected during this time.
Putting it down to the really hot day we let it go. Putting the knife in as it closes lets the pressure equalise so is a good temporary workaround. But because it's still happening we decide to call Samsung to get it fixed under warranty.
My wife called and after wrangling the IVR got some scripted low-level drone in Elbonia. I'm not sure if there was a language barrier but she was twice told that the seal and suction was a standard feature to keep the cold in, even after explaining that it was so great I couldn't open it.
In the end they said to turn it down a little bit and see what happens. Still happening now though. If they can't fix it I'll have to take it back under Australian Law because it was advertised as being able to open!
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@Zemm said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
Open the freezer compartment to get some ice-blocks for the kids, go to put the packet back and can't open it. What!? The suction is so great it's impossible to open.
My Mom's non-Samsung freezer does the same. After you opened it, it won't open again for a few minutes. The difference in air pressure keeps the door shut.
So yeah, this is a "feature" of many freezers. Whether it's useful is debatable, but it certainly teaches you to get everything you want from the freezer in one go, because otherwise you'll have to wait 10 minutes.
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Boils down to the standard gas law - cold air has a higher density so as air cools and the amount of gas stays the same the pressure goes down. Probably over time additional air leaks in.
This effect may be stronger if your fridge is relatively empty.
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This post is deleted!
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@asdf said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
So yeah, this is a "feature" of many freezers
I've noticed there was a slight extra resistance immediately after opening, ever since I was a kid. But this freezer only started doing it after a few months and I literally can't open it for a good 15 minutes after it's been opened. You can see the seal compress and the freezer door is noticeably "in" compared to the fridge door.
So you open it to get your frozen vegies then you can't put it back before they melt?
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Hmm. Samsung. Smart TVs (other thread). Obviously "You're Doing It Wrong"
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@PleegWat said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
Boils down to the standard gas law - cold air has a higher density so as air cools and the amount of gas stays the same the pressure goes down. Probably over time additional air leaks in.
This effect may be stronger if your fridge is relatively empty.
Finally a cromulent explanation for this
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@Zemm said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
Open the freezer compartment to get some ice-blocks for the kids, go to put the packet back and can't open it. What!? The suction is so great it's impossible to open.
Yes, this is a standard feature, at least on all our units of various brands (except the icebox with a lid).
In fact, you can even hear it while it does its sucky-thing. Takes about 10 seconds or so until it relaxes.
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@Zemm Your Elbonian is correct to say that there ought to be some suction to make the seals work properly, but it sounds like you've got too much of that in the freezer. There's probably a breather between the fridge and freezer compartments that's got itself iced up from the humidity let in during the heatwave.
I'd bet a small amount of money that if you were to eat everything perishable that's currently inside your fridge, then turn it off and leave the doors open for a whole day, this problem would fix itself.
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@flabdablet said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
There's probably a breather between the fridge and freezer compartments that's got itself iced up from the humidity let in during the heatwave.
I'd bet a small amount of money that if you were to eat everything perishable that's currently inside your fridge, then turn it off and leave the doors open for a whole day, this problem would fix itself.I was thinking about that but thought it would have fixed itself by now. Might wait until the end of the week just before grocery shopping and try it properly if Samsung won't come to the party.
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@flabdablet said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
I'd bet a small amount of money that if you were to eat everything perishable that's currently inside your fridge, then turn it off and leave the doors open for a whole day, this problem would fix itself.
I rather like the dehumidifier feature my freezer has - no more defrosting. And it's not too fast, so if I want to make ice cubes (and use an open mold) it still works. If I forget the mold however the cubes will be gone after a month. :)
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Ice buildup doesn't fix itself. I've found it works well to using blankets as a makeshift cold box. Pack the freezer contents together, cover in plenty of blankets, put a prepared pan of boiling water in the fridge to speed up the de-icing process.
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@PleegWat said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
Ice buildup doesn't fix itself.
Yeah - it claims to, but really doesn't. I speed up removing the chunks of ice by removing the back panel from the inside and removing as much of the ice as possible before using a pan of hot water to melt the remainder.
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@PleegWat said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
Ice buildup doesn't fix itself. I've found it works well to using blankets as a makeshift cold box. Pack the freezer contents together, cover in plenty of blankets, put a prepared pan of boiling water in the fridge to speed up the de-icing process.
It kind of does. It's called a defrost lamp. I should know, I had to replace one recently.
Also I have one of those shitty fridges that doesn't have a damper between the fridge and freezer compartments, which is probably why I don't have this issue. Those with dampers would have to wait for the damper to open to move the air to/from the fridge compartment before the pressure equalized.
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You could avoid all these problems if you moved to Canada.
Your freezer is your outside balcony
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@Rhywden said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
I rather like the dehumidifier feature my freezer has - no more defrosting. And it's not too fast, so if I want to make ice cubes (and use an open mold) it still works. If I forget the mold however the cubes will be gone after a month.
And if you catch them half-way, they don't taste very good... The normal chemicals in the water get a little too concentrated.
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@TimeBandit said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
You could avoid all these problems if you moved to Canada.
Your freezer is your outside balcony
I remember doing that in Maine (high school was at a boarding school). We put ice cream in the snow that was piled up against the window. But not too close to the window, or it melted!
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@dcon said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@TimeBandit said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
You could avoid all these problems if you moved to Canada.
Your freezer is your outside balcony
I remember doing that in Maine (high school was at a boarding school). We put ice cream in the snow that was piled up against the window. But not too close to the window, or it melted!
yeah. most winters our cooler is the great outdoors. it's great for parties.
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My mom was born in Alaska. She says she remembers one time when her father gave them a very memorable safety lesson about bundling up outdoors: He took a pot of boiling water outside, swung it so all the water flew out and up into the air, and it was all frozen solid before it hit the ground.
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@masonwheeler said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
My mom was born in Alaska. She says she remembers one time when her father gave them a very memorable safety lesson about bundling up outdoors: He took a pot of boiling water outside, swung it so all the water flew out and up into the air, and it was all frozen solid before it hit the ground.
Bucket list item: Take a piss outside and watch it bounce. no, not really
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@dcon said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
Take a piss outside and watch
it bouncethe end snap offFroze that for you.
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Well apparently this is too hard and they are replacing the whole thing. Noone has even suggested defrosting!
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I just read through this thread and wondered why I had never noticed this phenomenon. Then it occurred to me...
Through-the-door ice dispenser FTW!!
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@flabdablet said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
everything perishable that's currently inside your fridge,
So.... Practically everything? That's the point of a refrigerator, isn't it?
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@Tsaukpaetra said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@flabdablet said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
everything perishable that's currently inside your fridge,
So.... Practically everything? That's the point of a refrigerator, isn't it?
Not necessarily! 90% of what's in my fridge is non-perishable stuff that's better kept cold (bottles of pop, Brita pitcher of water, popcorn, ketchup, other condiments) that would survive a return to room temperature. Mine's probably more biased towards that than most people (although they'll also have fruits and vegetables which would be okay with it too!), but it's still unlikely to be "practically everything".
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@Unperverted-Vixen said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
what's in my fridge
@Unperverted-Vixen said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
ketchup
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@Polygeekery said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
I just read through this thread and wondered why I had never noticed this phenomenon. Then it occurred to me...
Through-the-door ice dispenser FTW!!
My cat sits and stares at the ice dispenser. He really, really wants to push the button to make the ice come out, but can't reach it (thankfully, or I would have a kitchen full of ice).
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@Tsaukpaetra said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@flabdablet said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
everything perishable that's currently inside your fridge,
So.... Practically everything? That's the point of a refrigerator, isn't it?
teeechnically........
everything in your refrigerator is capable of surviving for a not insignificant amount of time at room temperature and still be edible (or as edible as the particular item gets), most items would survive a single day unrefrigerated, and those that won't could hang out in a halfway decent cooler with three kilos of ice in the bottom for the day.
the refrigerator merely extends the amount of time the food takes to spoil, significantly so actually.
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@accalia said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
the refrigerator merely extends the amount of time the food takes to spoil, significantly so actually.
Except for bread, which actually lasts less time in the fridge than in a cool cupboard, weirdly
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@RaceProUK There's other foods as well which don't take kindly to refrigerators: Tomatoes, potatoes, bananas,...
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@Rhywden I've had the advice that anything which isn't cooled in the supermarket (and this includes most vegetables and fruits) does not need to be cooled at home either.
This probably depends on local climate however: Things which keep fine in my 20° cupboard with relatively dry climate may not keep as well in a 30° cupboard with high humidity.
And of course there is 'Store cooled after opening', or however that gets phrased in English.
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@PleegWat said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
And of course there is 'Store cooled after opening', or however that gets phrased in English.
Normally "Once open, keep refrigerated and consume within [period]"
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@PleegWat said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
And of course there is 'Store cooled after opening', or however that gets phrased in English.
"Refrigerate after opening." Which, as funnily enough, is exactly what my bottle of
ketchuptomato sauce says, @RaceProUK!
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@RaceProUK said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@PleegWat said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
And of course there is 'Store cooled after opening', or however that gets phrased in English.
Normally "Once open, keep refrigerated and consume within [period]"
more often "Refrigerate after opening" in the states, with the unwritten expectation of "use the expiration date, luke"
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@Deadfast said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@PleegWat said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
And of course there is 'Store cooled after opening', or however that gets phrased in English.
"Refrigerate after opening." Which, as funnily enough, is exactly what my bottle of
ketchuptomato sauce says, @RaceProUK!I'm gonna have to check my ketchup, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't say to refrigerate it
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@accalia said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
the refrigerator merely extends the amount of time the food takes to spoil
Technically, the refrigerator merely cools the food. Whether that extends its spoilage time or ruins it depends on the food.
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@Yamikuronue said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@accalia said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
the refrigerator merely extends the amount of time the food takes to spoil
Technically, the refrigerator merely cools the food. Whether that extends its spoilage time or ruins it depends on the food.
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@Unperverted-Vixen said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
90% of what's in my fridge is non-perishable stuff that's better kept cold...ketchup,
Ketchup is not best kept cold. Ketchup is able to be stored at room temperature with no ill effects and I do not know of a single food that is better with 36F ketchup than room temperature ketchup.
Plus, I like the look on guests' faces when I pull a half empty bottle of ketchup from the pantry and hand it to them, because everyone keeps it in the fridge and they wonder if they are about to get food poisoning.
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@Polygeekery said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
I do not know of a single food that is better
with 36Fketchupthan room temperature ketchup.Fixed that for Me
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@accalia said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@Polygeekery said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
I do not know of a single food that is better
with 36Fketchupthan room temperature ketchup.Fixed that for Me
Mmm, butter ketchup
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@accalia I wish I could upvote that more than once.
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@antiquarian Make a sockpuppet account?
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@RaceProUK That sounds like too much work.
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@antiquarian said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@RaceProUK That sounds like too much work.
@boomzilla alt confirmed?
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@Polygeekery said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@Unperverted-Vixen said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
90% of what's in my fridge is non-perishable stuff that's better kept cold...ketchup,
Ketchup is not best kept cold. Ketchup is able to be stored at room temperature with no ill effects and I do not know of a single food that is better with 36F ketchup than room temperature ketchup.
Plus, I like the look on guests' faces when I pull a half empty bottle of ketchup from the pantry and hand it to them, because everyone keeps it in the fridge and they wonder if they are about to get food poisoning.
Q: Do I need to refrigerate Ketchup?
A: Because of its natural acidity, Heinz® Ketchup is shelf-stable. However, its stability after opening can be affected by storage conditions. We recommend that this product, like any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening.
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@Dreikin good thing we don't buy Heinz then.
Or, we have two small kids. A large bottle of ketchup lasts less than a month.
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@RaceProUK said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@Deadfast said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
@PleegWat said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
And of course there is 'Store cooled after opening', or however that gets phrased in English.
"Refrigerate after opening." Which, as funnily enough, is exactly what my bottle of
ketchuptomato sauce says, @RaceProUK!I'm gonna have to check my ketchup, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't say to refrigerate it
Well, there you have it.
puts her ketchup back in the cupboard in clear violation of the instructions
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@Rhywden said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
Tomatoes, potatoes,
cheese and crackers...
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@masonwheeler said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
cheese
Is one thing that should definitely be refrigerated
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@Polygeekery said in Samsung fridge standard feature: you can't open it!:
Ketchup is not best kept cold. Ketchup is able to be stored at room temperature with no ill effects and I do not know of a single food that is better with 36F ketchup than room temperature ketchup.
I suppose it may be a bit of a problem if your room temperature is 36°C.