For the folks living in the frozen north...

[G.I.B.]

My sis-in-law lives in N.D. where the temps remain pretty cold for most of the winter.

They have a metal barn they call the Morton. Very little insulation and a dirt floor. The sleds, tractors, 4 wheelers and such live in there, along with the deer cleaning station. As all great locations go, they have a fridge inside the Morton, and inside said fridge is beer.

During the winter it can stay around 15-20F (or lower) inside the building for several weeks at a time.

So, here is the set up:

Take a cooler, the best one you got, very well insulated. Put ice inside and close the cooler. After a week the inside will be the same temp as the outside. If it's 5 degrees for a couple of weeks, the inside of the cooler will eventually cold soak and be frozen. Tested and proven.

If it remains 5 degrees in the Morton building for a couple of weeks, the beer is not frozen. Tested and proven.

Why? Does the fridge have a reverse cycle to counteract the cold soak from the outside?

If not, why doesn't the beer inside freeze? The compressor will no longer need to cycle on when the internal temp reaches balance with the outside temp, or below, if no reverse cycle to warm it up to the regulated operating temp...

There has to be an answer!

 

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[kronik219]

maybe the alcohol in the beer keeps it from freezing. or the fridge has more isullation. or both.

 

[G.I.B.]

maybe the alcohol in the beer keeps it from freezing. or the fridge has more isullation. or both.

Oh you poor sheltered soul... you have apparently never left a can/bottle of beer in the freezer too long have you? Nope, not more insulation...

 

[hvacker]

Interesting. I know beer freezes because I've had a beer icicle. I've seen beer freeze in a bottle but it was when the water in the bottle's neck froze and popped the cap.
One thing different is the beer is under pressure. Pressure raises the boiling and freeze point of water. The boiling point varies a lot )212 at sea level, 190 where I live.) The freeze point only varies a little. Most know water freezes at 32 deg but that's only at sea level. You'd need to know what the pressure in the bottle is and also because the pressure is created by co2 the pressure will decrease with a drop in temperature but not much. It takes a lot of pressure like 2028 #/sq in to drop the freeze point to about 30 deg. another thing might be happening. The old saying that hot water (in pipes) will freeze before cold water is true. What happens is the dissolved air in the water is cooked off when the water is heated. The air in solution acts as insulation. By description, insulation impedes the flow of heat.
What might be happening is the refrigerator is insulated and reacts more slowly to temp changes than might be thought. There can be a large swing in day/night changes. Where I live the average is 27 deg/F.
The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics states that heat travels from a substance of a higher temp to a place of a lower temp. So the heat in the fridge will stay higher until the thermal gradient has reached equilibrium. If the refrigerator is well insulated, that could be awhile. Along with the anti-freeze ability (below 32 degF) of alcohol and the co2 and other gasses providing some insulation the beer freeze could 1. Take longer. 2. Need to be colder. 3.Buy cheaper beer.
If you'd like to experiment, with a wired thermometer with a cord(so you can keep the door closed, put the probe in the fridge and put a beer of known high alcohol content 6-7% along with any light beer as they have less alcohol and see at what temp the cheap beer freezes. If you run out of winter maybe use a freezer.
While it might be cold outside you'd need to measure the temp in the fridge to see just how cold it is. With the increase pressure in the bottles and the co2 plus dissolved air acting as an insulation the freeze point of the water/alcohol mix would be lower. What temp does water freeze with a 7% alcohol and under some pressure, and dissolve gasses in the mix. And what is the refrigerators insulation time/temp gradient?
You've got your work cut out so let us know. Also let us know just where this refrigerator is. Lat/long would be good.

 

[hvacker]

Here's an alcohol freezing calculator.
Alcohol Freezing Point Calculator | LimoncelloQuest

 

[0121stockpicker]

Interesting. I know beer freezes because I've had a beer icicle. I've seen beer freeze in a bottle but it was when the water in the bottle's neck froze and popped the cap.
One thing different is the beer is under pressure. Pressure raises the boiling and freeze point of water. The boiling point varies a lot )212 at sea level, 190 where I live.) The freeze point only varies a little. Most know water freezes at 32 deg but that's only at sea level. You'd need to know what the pressure in the bottle is and also because the pressure is created by co2 the pressure will decrease with a drop in temperature but not much. It takes a lot of pressure like 2028 #/sq in to drop the freeze point to about 30 deg. another thing might be happening. The old saying that hot water (in pipes) will freeze before cold water is true. What happens is the dissolved air in the water is cooked off when the water is heated. The air in solution acts as insulation. By description, insulation impedes the flow of heat.
What might be happening is the refrigerator is insulated and reacts more slowly to temp changes than might be thought. There can be a large swing in day/night changes. Where I live the average is 27 deg/F.
The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics states that heat travels from a substance of a higher temp to a place of a lower temp. So the heat in the fridge will stay higher until the thermal gradient has reached equilibrium. If the refrigerator is well insulated, that could be awhile. Along with the anti-freeze ability (below 32 degF) of alcohol and the co2 and other gasses providing some insulation the beer freeze could 1. Take longer. 2. Need to be colder. 3.Buy cheaper beer.
If you'd like to experiment, with a wired thermometer with a cord(so you can keep the door closed, put the probe in the fridge and put a beer of known high alcohol content 6-7% along with any light beer as they have less alcohol and see at what temp the cheap beer freezes. If you run out of winter maybe use a freezer.
While it might be cold outside you'd need to measure the temp in the fridge to see just how cold it is. With the increase pressure in the bottles and the co2 plus dissolved air acting as an insulation the freeze point of the water/alcohol mix would be lower. What temp does water freeze with a 7% alcohol and under some pressure, and dissolve gasses in the mix. And what is the refrigerators insulation time/temp gradient?
You've got your work cut out so let us know. Also let us know just where this refrigerator is. Lat/long would be good.

Wow, nice scientific answer.

 

[G.I.B.]

Wow, that's quite the scientific explanation... Going a bit over my head~

The fridge is at 48 37.529N 98 7.531W (or close by)

So far it sounds like there is no reverse cycle...

 

[onfire]

Last frig. I bought I had a option on one for the garage or one for regular use inside. On the box it said can be used in freezing temperature's

 

[G.I.B.]

Last frig. I bought I had a option on one for the garage or one for regular use inside. On the box it said can be used in freezing temperature's

I did not know that.... What is the difference? Insulation? Compressor?

 

[onfire]

Warranty.

 

[XLTer]

I don't know G.I.B. , you may have a more serious problem than you think . Beer is very social . Leaving it for weeks alone would be considered Alcohol Abuse .

 

[gerryk]

Damn, this one is simple. Someone is secretly drinking out there and replacing the cold beer with warm ones from the store and no one else has caught on.

 

[hvacker]

Now that I know where your fridge is, Lat/Long the beer will no longer have a freeze issue. It will disappear.

 

[G.I.B.]

You can share it with Roscoe, the Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Bring Cheeseits, he likes Cheeseits with his beer and leg tendons.

 

[dejapooh]

Actually, it is pretty simple. Most refrigerators available now have automatic defrost built in. The refrigerator periodically heats itself to thaw the frost that builds on the coils. The water from the frost goes down and drains to a pan in the bottom of the Refrigerator. The expelled warm air blows across the water and causes it to evaporate. There is a thermostat next to the coils that measures the ice levels. Once it gets cold enough in the refrigerator to trigger the automatic defrosting system, the refrigerator heats itself to thaw the coils. This keeps the inside of the refrigerator from freezing. Thus, liquid beer...

Ta Da

 

[dejapooh]

When I first got married, my wife and I bought an antique refrigerator that did not have the automatic defrost in it. The coils would freeze and expand until the inside of the icebox became unusable. You would then have to unplug the 'fridge and let it thaw... Mop the floor, and start again.

 

[G.I.B.]

Actually, it is pretty simple. Most refrigerators available now have automatic defrost built in. The refrigerator periodically heats itself to thaw the frost that builds on the coils. The water from the frost goes down and drains to a pan in the bottom of the Refrigerator. The expelled warm air blows across the water and causes it to evaporate. There is a thermostat next to the coils that measures the ice levels. Once it gets cold enough in the refrigerator to trigger the automatic defrosting system, the refrigerator heats itself to thaw the coils. This keeps the inside of the refrigerator from freezing. Thus, liquid beer...

Ta Da

Well then, this makes sense. I believe I have an answer! Thanks!