Keeping the food safe for extended periods is an expertise of a chest freezer; this goal is achieved only if the temperature settings are appropriate and according to the need.
The temperature settings on a chest freezer are pretty confusing as it always confuses between the high numbers meaning the high temperature of high efficiency, which means a lower temperature. It’s essential to figure it out entirely before selecting a chest freezer temperature.
Another critical factor that has to be kept in mind while setting the temperature of a particular deep freezer is the external weather or the temperature that also matters and affects the working of the chest freezer.
Chest Freezers Temperature Settings
Some people play the safe game and evade the confusion of temperature by setting it at the middle figure on the temperature panel; that’s clever. Still, it’s better to know a good acquaintance with the temperature settings so that you can always set it according to the upcoming need.
Temperature Control Panel
All the deep freezers come with a control panel responsible for setting the inner temperature of the freezer. This panel usually boasts the temperature between the figure of one up to seven; in other cases, it could be minimum to maximum, and even in some, it’s cold and coldest.
The temperature panel is outside the chest freezer, so you can operate it efficiently and adjust it as required. The numbers mentioned on the temperature control panel indicate a particular temperature, and the value of that temperature is not mentioned on any panel. These control panel numbers represent the temperature range from higher to lower inside the freezer.
In some units where the control panel has a range of Min to Max, taking the indicator before the minimum will put the compressor at rest and won’t work. However, the compressor can’t be put to rest in chest freezers where the panel range is between 1-7, as every value represents some temperature and makes the compressor work. The same is the case with the temperature panel having the value of cold to coldest, with no option of putting the compressor off.
The temperature recommended worldwide in the chest freezers is of such value that it will keep the food in a frozen form and keep it safe from getting spoiled. Any wrong temperature setting will surely lead the food to go bad. The acceptable temperature for keeping the food safe is zero degrees Fahrenheit, which the freezer will always retain and go further high in temperature.
The zero degrees will keep the food safe and cold; however, if the freezer is stuffed with too many eatables, you have to lower the temperature to keep all the food items frozen inside the freezer. The temperature is to be taken even lower than -18 degrees Celsius than a fully loaded freezer will serve the purpose more efficiently.
The temperature ranging from 20 – 32 degrees Fahrenheit is reasonably sufficient to keep the food cold and fresh, but still, there are chances of decay for longer. To evade this probability, it is always recommended that the temperature be set even lower than that and at around zero degrees Fahrenheit.
To be on the safe side, the lower the temperature, the better it is for the food items, as they remain frozen like a rock solid and retain the nutrition in a better way and increases the life of these foodstuffs.
Best Temperature Settings for a Chest Freezer
It is imperative to keep checking the temperature settings of the freezer from time to time and set them according to the circumstances. The best bet is to set the temperature setting at the highest number; the highest number means the lowest temperature in the freezer and the highest efficiency level.
However, during winters and with very little food inside the freezer, you can lower the temperature setting of the chest freezer to the mid-value on the temperature panel. As a high-temperature setting on the freezer in winter will have an extra load on the power usage and additional cooling, as in such weather the compressor works remarkably well even at a mid-value of temperature.
Maintaining a temperature at zero works well almost in most cases; taking it below -10 or either -20 degrees Fahrenheit is not highly appreciable and will make the food too hard and take a lot of time while defrosting on the kitchen counter.
Another important thing for maintaining the ideal temperature in a freezer is the manual that comes along with the freezer. It will guide you in detail about the values and their appropriate settings according to the weather and load. It’s always better to cross-check the settings with the manual for better efficiency and power utilization results.
Freezer Burn and Temperature Settings
Freezer burn is a condition of food discoloration that is mistakenly associated with the freezer temperature setting, although it has nothing to do with the freezer’s temperature. The food is burned chiefly because the food encounters an undesired contact with the air or moisture, which causes a change in the color of the food.
The temperature inside the freezer is working fine with the food, but the freezer burn is caused pertaining to other issues, and a bad packing of the food Is also one of the reasons as this also lets the food come in contact with air and moisture that again works towards discoloration of the food and makes it look bad.
Temperature Setting and Light Indications
The chest freezers come with three lights typically indicating the temperature and functioning of the freezer. The green light mainly indicates normal functioning and proper temperature follow-up of the freezer according to the set value. If there is any discord between the setting and the inner temperature of the freezer, the green light will start to blink and call for an inspection of the freezer’s working.
The red light usually goes on if the temperature inside the freezer goes extraordinarily wrong and can result in dire consequences regarding the food. The red light is representative of something seriously gone amiss with the freezer temperature; it can be either because of the malfunctioning of the compressor or the evaporator fan or anything else and needs an expert.
The proper temperature setting is significant for the chest freezer’s appropriate working and normal power usage. Chest freezers usually offer a wide range of temperature settings and can be set to as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit; however, the best and most recommended temperature value on a chest freezer is zero degrees Fahrenheit keeps the food frozen and fresh for quite an extended period. Weather and quantity of food inside the deep freezer also affect the temperature setting and should be regulated accordingly. I hope this article might have helped you understand your chest freezer’s temperature requirements.
