Engel 45 Temperature difference?

[Superu]

Can anyone give me a rough idea of the temperature difference from bottom to top of your Engel when it's set to keep items on the bottom frozen, but you don't need the things at the top to freeze?

I'm midway through my foodsaver routine for our upcoming adventure to VT and NY and am trying to find the best range without having a two-zone. I;d like to keep the beef stroganoff frozen until ready to cook and avoid having my eggs and mayo frozen at the top!

Thanks,
Bill

 

[5Runner]

I have never thought about "planning" around the temperature gradient inside my fridge, but I do notice it is there. You very well might have a good idea!

I have only done about 5 trips with my fridge so far, but I have found that if I keep it at around 1.5 nothing will freeze. At 2.0 I had some pretty slushy sodas at the bottom and just about at 2.25 on the dial, things start freezing at the bottom. I tell ya, it makes me wonder why the dial goes all the way to 5.

I would suggest pre-freezing what you want to stay frozen, put it at the bottom and setting the dial to about 2.0 or just below. I would guess that by day 3 or 4 it should be thawed.

Again, this is only from 5 trips worth of experience with a fully loaded fridge each time.

I hear you about the eggs...I froze my eggs on the first trip when I set the dial to 2+ This was when I first learned that I need to keep it below 2 on the dial.

I wonder if this efficiency changes as the fridge gets older?

 

[Martyn]

When dialed all the up the Engel 45 will go down to -11'F / -24'C

Let me know if you find that happy fridge freezer setting.

 

[Honu]

from my experience what you want wont happen cause the fridge is pretty good from top to bottom

I was curious and did some sloppy testing by laying water bottles on their side and brought the temp down to see what froze first ?
well as I thought the outside a bit then the inside as I would think since the plates are on the outside
I lowered the fridge temp and everything thawed out a bit to super cold I did the dial a touch till it froze then left it and sure enough everything froze
so if anything make a hole in the middle and insulate it and keep the frozen on the outside and fridge on the inside MIGHT work but I really think its going to be more a sneak up on you kind of thing

I have heard people freeze the stuff you want then figure out where its about freezing on your setup and then pack that bottom frozen stuff on the bottom with a thin insulator on the top and figure you have a few days ?

what I found works really well is to have two one is a freezer one is a fridge or get one of the split fridge/freeze that is setup that way


last trip our frozen stuff stayed pretty close to frozen hard for about 2 days while the milk and eggs did not freeze after 3 days it was getting soft on the outside parts of the frozen stuff this was in a 60L fridge though