Freezer thermostat adjustment

[bijones2]

My Whirlpool upright freezer (EV200NXGW03) has too wide a range for turning on and off (about 20 degrees). How can I adjust this to, say, 5 degrees?
Thanks. - Bill

[LazyPup]

On domestic refrigeration appliances the differential is not adjustable, It would require replacing the thermostat with a thermostat with a smaller differential.

On the other hand, a deep freeze is intended as a long term storage unit and there really would be no advantage to decreasing the differential.

[Dan O.]

As LazyPup said, the temperature differential of a thermostat can not usually be adjusted. If the control is performing outside its design specifications it would usually have to be replaced.

LINK > Whirlpool EV200NXGW03 Temperature Thermostat

What is it that makes you think that is what is occurring in the first place?

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[bijones2]

Thanks for the really fast responses. I know that the on-off range is about 20 degrees because I looked at the temperature (freezer thermometer) a whole bunch of times. Maybe 20 degrees is within the spec. It seems like a lot to me.
I don't see why I have to cool the food to -20 degrees F. in order to keep it at 0 degrees.

[LazyPup]

By industry standard the freezer compartment of a domestic refrigerator/freezer is considered to be a short term storage facility and it is designed to operate in a range of 0-5degF +/-10degF thus at any given moment in time it could range from 15degF to -10degF and still be within tolerance.

A domestic upright or chest type "freezer" is classified as a "Long Term Storage Device" and it is designed to operate at 0degF to -10degF +/- 10 or sometimes 15degF thus at any given moment in time it could be +15 to -25 and still be within tolerance.

You must also note that the thermostat is actually measuring the air temp in the storage cavity. Every time you open and close the door all the open space in the storage cavity is filled with warm room air thus if you repeatedly opened the door to check the thermometer you introduced warm air into the cavity which caused the thermostat to start the compressor, however it is doubtful if the actual stored products in the freezer changed even a fraction of a degree. For testing during maintenance I use an indoor/outdoor thermometer and I put the remote sensing bulb for the outdoor thermometer inside the unit and close it up, thus I can keep the cavity closed and still monitor the internal temperature.

Here are a couple other little known facts about freezers:

For best performance a freezer should be kept as full as possible. When the level of stored food products starts to drop for peak performance you can fill plastic bags with ice cubes or you can freeze containers of block ice to occupy the space.

If the power should happen to go out, DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR! In fact, you would be better to tape the door shut with duct tape until the power comes on again or until you can get a generator. If a freezer is full and at its designed operating temperature when the power goes out it can safely maintain your stored food for up to 5 days but every time you open the door you cut the remaining time in 1/2.

By example, if you open the door immediately after the power goes out you cut the time from 5 days to 2.5days. Open it a second time and the remaining safe storage time is cut to 1.25days. Come back in a few hours and open it to check on it again and the remaining time is cut to 14 hours. come back again and open the door and you better plan on cooking everything in the freezer if you hope to save it.

[Dan O.]

I know that the on-off range is about 20 degrees because I looked at the temperature (freezer thermometer)

And you were measuring exactly the same place the appliance's thermostat's sensor was? Air temperatures can be different depending on where they're measured.

I don't see why I have to cool the food to -20 degrees F. in order to keep it at 0 degrees.

You wouldn't be. To maintain 0 degrees assuming the control had a 20° differential, it would cool to -10 and then warm up to +10 (-10/+10, -10/+10, etc., etc., etc.). Food maintains an average temperature not the warmest.

Maybe 20 degrees is within the spec. It seems like a lot to me.

It's a little wider than the common 15°F for a freezer thermostat but I don't know what its original specifications were. I certainly wouldn't consider it "a lot" in my professional opinion. You really don't want the compressor stopping and starting quickly like driving in stop and go traffic. It is hard on the compressor and consumes more energy.

IMO leave well enough alone or replace the control with the part it is designed to take. No fiddling!

LINK > Whirlpool EV200NXGW03 Freezer Thermostat

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[bijones2]

It's good to understand things. Thanks so very much. I'll stop worrying (and stop checking!). Wow.