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Freezers etc and maison secondaire


Nicos

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Not quite sure if I've put this in the right place????

We have just left our French house for the first time with the electricity turned on so that the central heating can come on if it gets frosty ( sensor is outside the house set at 5 C )

As the electricity is now on I wonder if it is wise to get a freezer and risk the contents thawing incase there is a storm causing the mains switch to trip.

We have a small fridge/freezer but want to buy bio lamb etc from the local farmerwhich would involve buying a bigger freezer. Is it worth the risk ?

Is there anything you can buy which could avoid this situation?

What do other people do?

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Thunderstorms are much less common in winter than in summer, it is often a lightning strike nearby that will cause a trip switch to trip.  In winter storms shouldn't  be too much of a problem. 

One way of ensuring that the electricity hasn't been off for an extended period, due perhaps to a more general power-cut on the network, is to freeze ice cubes in an ice tray, and then when they are frozen, turn it upside down in the freezer.  If, when you next arrive at your house, the tray is still full of ice cubes, you know that there hasn't been an extended interruption to the supply, and that the freezer contents have not defrosted and refrozen.  If the tray is empty, the power has been off for too long, the freezer has defrosted and refrozen, and the contents are likely to be dodgy.

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What a simple,brilliant idea Cat!![:-))]

Mind you- if the main trip switch has gone ( as in the case of lightning) it would stay off until manually turned back on wouldn't it?

We had thought that a low voltage light left on a timeswitch at night could alert the neighbours to the house tripping if they haven't come on.

Problem is- we don't want to presume they need to keep an eye on the house for us ( although I'm sure they'd be more than happy to help out).

The main problem would be the central heating not coming on in case of a frost I suppose ( the thought of burst pipes....)[blink]

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Just a small variation on Cat's brilliant sugestion,  put some ice-cubes in a small plastic bowl.  If when you return they are all cubes then fine, if you have a flat piece of ice then problem - this just saves the water falling to the bottom of the freezer and re-freezing.
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Electricity won't be a problem with insurance - otherwise anyone with a burglar alarm would be wasting their money.

 

Re freezers left on in unheated / frost protected only properties, be aware there are two technologies used in fridges + freezers.  One will not work when the external temperature falls to below around 6°C.   I assume it has to do with getting enough heat into the coolant to make it gaseous, but I am no expert.

Anyway, what this means is that if you have the wrong type, and if your heating only comes on at say 2°C then the freezer won't work.  I have both types and so know from experience.

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Thanks Andy- I'll bear this in mind if we do decide to get a freezer.

It would be so handy taking over homemade nosh for the locals to sample and for those 'lazy' moments over there as well as supporting the local bio farmer.

I can do my research on the internet in the UK now- thank![B]

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