From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C). At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display the
maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you forgot
and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information it
is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost
years ago.
--
Sam Plusnet

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C). At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you forgot
and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information it
is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost
years ago.

Makes and models?

Is it possible that different symbols are displayed for target temp and
actual temp, particularly if the latter was above the maximum limit at
any time?

If you require and old manual I've often found sites such as: <https://www.manualslib.com/><https://www.manuals.co.uk/>
can help.
--
Jeff
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost
years ago.

my first suggestion would be to find yourself a decent thermometer
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you forgot
and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information it
is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost
years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer (two separate units) - it also gives max and min temperatures since the unit
was cleared/reset.

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found them unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer. Totally
cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are specified down to -40C

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-aa-lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)
--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 10:21 21 Sep 2026, alan_m said:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display. At times the display tells you what the target temperature
is (e.g. -18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the
current actual temperature.

I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display
the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.

My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information
it is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was
lost years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer
(two separate units) - it also gives max and min temperatures since
the unit was cleared/reset.

I have the same unit and it is both good and cheap. Recommended. However
the instructions are in "Chinglish".

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found
them unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer.
Totally cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are specified
down to -40C

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-a a-lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)

I don't get problems using ordinary alkaline cells and they will last 6
months or more.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21/09/2026 10:21, alan_m wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual
temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display the
maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information it
is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost
years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer (two separate units)-a - it also gives max and min temperatures since the unit was cleared/reset.

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found them unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer. Totally
cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are specified down to -40C

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-aa- lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)

Thanks for that.

I had been looking for this type of device, and had concluded that the
two main drawbacks would be a) Alkaline batteries at the limit of their
low temperature range - and b) sensors sitting inside a metal box (the
fridge or Freezer) being able to transmit to a display unit some
distance away.

Lithium batteries solve that first point, whilst the second point will
have to be 'suck it and see'.

I'll risk -u13 on that device & also get some Lithium AA cells.

P.S. I note the seller has the following suggestions:

"Do not put the receiver near metal"
and
"The thermometer's digital display is magnet-mountable on a fridge"
--
Sam Plusnet
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 20:21 21 Sep 2026, Sam Plusnet said:

On 21/09/2026 10:21, alan_m wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.

At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current
actual temperature.

I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display
the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example)
you forgot and left the door open.

My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information
it is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was
lost years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer
(two separate units)a - it also gives max and min temperatures
since the unit was cleared/reset.

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found
them unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer.
Totally cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are
specified down to -40C

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-
lithium-aa-lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)

Thanks for that.

I had been looking for this type of device, and had concluded that
the two main drawbacks would be a) Alkaline batteries at the limit of
their low temperature range - and b) sensors sitting inside a metal
box (the fridge or Freezer) being able to transmit to a display unit
some distance away.

Lithium batteries solve that first point, whilst the second point
will have to be 'suck it and see'.

I'll risk u13 on that device & also get some Lithium AA cells.

P.S. I note the seller has the following suggestions:

"Do not put the receiver near metal"
and
"The thermometer's digital display is magnet-mountable on a fridge"

I have two sets of these (four senders and two displays) as I wanted to
monitor the temperature display from two locations. I use each
transmitter sender in a different freezer running at about -17 or -18C.

With alkalines after many months, both senders transmit reliably through
the freezer door(s) and then through two brick walls to a reciever 40
feet away with no problem. They have worked for years.

Chinese manufacturers copy one another, so I don't know if what I have is precisely the same as what's on sale now. Or whether another vendor has an equally good product. I bought both in 2018 and they are still on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07BNR1VJB "Fdit" https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07B9QZHLS "ORIA"

The only annoyance is pairing each sender, especially using the crummy instructions I got.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21/09/2026 20:21, Sam Plusnet wrote:

On 21/09/2026 10:21, alan_m wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual
temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display
the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information
it is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was
lost years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer
(two separate units)-a - it also gives max and min temperatures since
the unit was cleared/reset.

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found
them unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer.
Totally cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are specified
down to -40C

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-
aa- lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)

Thanks for that.

I had been looking for this type of device, and had concluded that the
two main drawbacks would be a) Alkaline batteries at the limit of their
low temperature range - and b) sensors sitting inside a metal box (the fridge or Freezer) being able to transmit to a display unit some
distance away.

Lithium batteries solve that first point, whilst the second point will
have to be 'suck it and see'.

I'll risk -u13 on that device & also get some Lithium AA cells.

P.S.-a I note the seller has the following suggestions:

"Do not put the receiver near metal"
and
"The thermometer's digital display is magnet-mountable on a fridge"

I have the display mounted around 1 metre away from freezer. The fridge
which is also being monitored is in an adjacent room separated by a
brick and tiled wall
--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21 Sep 2026 at 20:21:26 BST, Sam Plusnet wrote:

On 21/09/2026 10:21, alan_m wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C). At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual
temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display the
maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information it
is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost
years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer (two
separate units) - it also gives max and min temperatures since the unit
was cleared/reset.

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found them
unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer. Totally
cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are specified down to -40C >>
https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-aa-
lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)

Thanks for that.

I had been looking for this type of device, and had concluded that the
two main drawbacks would be a) Alkaline batteries at the limit of their
low temperature range - and b) sensors sitting inside a metal box (the
fridge or Freezer) being able to transmit to a display unit some
distance away.

Lithium batteries solve that first point, whilst the second point will
have to be 'suck it and see'.

I'll risk -u13 on that device & also get some Lithium AA cells.

I've bought a bunch of rechargable lithium 1.5V AAA and AAs to replace aging NiCads, branded EBL and Photolex. They are quite pricey, about -u2 each, but so far so good except for a couple of the AAAs - they only charge to about 1.3V. May well send those back at some point. And of course 1.5V - overcomes the issue of low voltage NiCads when pretty much everything needs multiples of 1.5V.

P.S. I note the seller has the following suggestions:

"Do not put the receiver near metal"
and
"The thermometer's digital display is magnet-mountable on a fridge"

Yes, I noticed that. And I'm surprised they transmit through a fridge/freezer. --
Cheers, Rob
Sheffield, UK
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21/09/2026 20:21, Sam Plusnet wrote:

On 21/09/2026 10:21, alan_m wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual
temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display
the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information
it is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was
lost years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer
(two separate units)-a - it also gives max and min temperatures since
the unit was cleared/reset.

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found
them unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer.
Totally cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are specified
down to -40C

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-
aa- lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)

Thanks for that.

I had been looking for this type of device, and had concluded that the
two main drawbacks would be a) Alkaline batteries at the limit of their
low temperature range - and b) sensors sitting inside a metal box (the fridge or Freezer) being able to transmit to a display unit some
distance away.

Lithium batteries solve that first point, whilst the second point will
have to be 'suck it and see'.

I'll risk -u13 on that device & also get some Lithium AA cells.

P.S.-a I note the seller has the following suggestions:

"Do not put the receiver near metal"
and
"The thermometer's digital display is magnet-mountable on a fridge"

I just use a digital room thermometer, leaving it in for about an hour
and switching it to display the minimum temperature after taking it out.
Then I put it in the freezer section and repeat.
--
Max Demian
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 22/09/2026 12:35, Max Demian wrote:

On 21/09/2026 20:21, Sam Plusnet wrote:

On 21/09/2026 10:21, alan_m wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual
temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display
the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information
it is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was
lost years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer
(two separate units)-a - it also gives max and min temperatures since
the unit was cleared/reset.

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found
them unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer.
Totally cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are specified
down to -40C

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-
aa- lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)

Thanks for that.

I had been looking for this type of device, and had concluded that the
two main drawbacks would be a) Alkaline batteries at the limit of
their low temperature range - and b) sensors sitting inside a metal
box (the fridge or Freezer) being able to transmit to a display unit
some distance away.

Lithium batteries solve that first point, whilst the second point will
have to be 'suck it and see'.

I'll risk -u13 on that device & also get some Lithium AA cells.

P.S.-a I note the seller has the following suggestions:

"Do not put the receiver near metal"
and
"The thermometer's digital display is magnet-mountable on a fridge"

I just use a digital room thermometer, leaving it in for about an hour
and switching it to display the minimum temperature after taking it out. Then I put it in the freezer section and repeat.

I wonder if my PI Pico W based boards would make it through the
metal...the kitchen wifi point is only 3' away
--
"Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They
always run out of other people's money. It's quite a characteristic of them"

Margaret Thatcher

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Max Demian wrote:

On 21/09/2026 20:21, Sam Plusnet wrote:

On 21/09/2026 10:21, alan_m wrote:

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-
aa- lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

I had been looking for this type of device, and had concluded that the
two main drawbacks would be a) Alkaline batteries at the limit of
their low temperature range - and b) sensors sitting inside a metal
box (the fridge or Freezer) being able to transmit to a display unit
some distance away.

Lithium batteries solve that first point, whilst the second point will
have to be 'suck it and see'.

I saw someone who'd produced a unit which attached externally by magnets
to the freezer, and had a flat-flex cable to the thermocouple inside the freezer, hooked to home assistant I think

He was selling them in "amateur JLCPCB" quantities, but not cheap as he
seemed to be clawing-back the costs of numerous prototypes over a short
run of devices ...

I'll risk -u13 on that device & also get some Lithium AA cells.

I run two coin-cell based min/max LCD thermomreters, one in the fride,
the other inn the freezer, over the course of 10 months the freezer has required one battery replacement, fridge not so far ... you never know
how shit the supplied battery is to start with.

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Andy Burns wrote:

He was selling them in "amateur JLCPCB" quantities, but not cheap

<https://youtu.be/nzpPNruYSMk>

-u47 but Etsy won't deliver to UK and you'd have to 3D print your own enclosure.



--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

He was selling them in "amateur JLCPCB" quantities, but not cheap

<https://youtu.be/nzpPNruYSMk>

-u47 but Etsy won't deliver to UK and you'd have to 3D print your own enclosure.

I think most of the commercial (Amazon/ebay/Ali/etc) temperature monitors
with an external probe use an NTC thermistor on the probe (typically 10K at some Beta value). So wouldn't be hard just to cut the probe cable and
splice in a flat flex cable for passing through the door seal.

Or just measure the sensor characteristics and solder your own micro
thermistor to the end of the flex cable - measure resistance of the original sensor at three temperatures and putting them into the Steinhart-Hart model gets you resistance and beta so you can source your own replacement:

https://www.thinksrs.com/downloads/programs/therm%20calc/ntccalibrator/ntccalculator.html

Then there's no battery inside the fridge and no wireless signal to worry about. Wouldn't be super robust but good enough if you take care with it.

Theo
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21/09/2026 23:16, alan_m wrote:

On 21/09/2026 20:21, Sam Plusnet wrote:

On 21/09/2026 10:21, alan_m wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual
temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display
the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information
it is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was
lost years ago.

I have one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388515253422

(not from this Ebay seller)

It works well giving the temperature in my fridge and in my freezer
(two separate units)-a - it also gives max and min temperatures since
the unit was cleared/reset.

Note alkaline batteries are only specified down to -20C and I found
them unreliable when fitted to the wireless sensor in the freezer.
Totally cured when fitted with 1.5V Lithium cells which are specified
down to -40C

https://www.batterystation.co.uk/products/energizer-ultimate-lithium-
aa- lr6-l91-batteries-10-pack

Smaller packs and other sellers are available :)

Thanks for that.

I had been looking for this type of device, and had concluded that the
two main drawbacks would be a) Alkaline batteries at the limit of
their low temperature range - and b) sensors sitting inside a metal
box (the fridge or Freezer) being able to transmit to a display unit
some distance away.

Lithium batteries solve that first point, whilst the second point will
have to be 'suck it and see'.

I'll risk -u13 on that device & also get some Lithium AA cells.

P.S.-a I note the seller has the following suggestions:

"Do not put the receiver near metal"
and
"The thermometer's digital display is magnet-mountable on a fridge"

I have the display mounted around 1 metre away from freezer. The fridge which is also being monitored is in an adjacent room separated by a
brick and tiled wall

In our case, both the freezers I want to monitor are in a utility room
with a 22 inch thick rubble stone wall between that and the kitchen.

I would _like_ to have the display in the kitchen, since we spend far
more time there and would thus notice an alarm or rising temperature.

Having the display in the utility room would still have value, but it
isn't ideal (but then, what is?).
--
Sam Plusnet
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 22/09/2026 12:56, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

I wonder if my PI Pico W based boards would make it through the
metal...the kitchen wifi point is only 3' away

The cheap remote sensors mentioned in this thread operate at 433M
--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display the maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you forgot
and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information it
is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost
years ago.

It's a great shame that there isn't a standard that all fridges/freezers
use, to display actual temperature at all times (so you can see if the temperature is rising when it shouldn't), with the target temperature displayed briefly when you press a button. And that display to be
visible at all times.

We have a Panasonic fridge and a freezer (separate units) which do just
that. Our Beko freezers (rated for below-freezing outdoor ambient
temperatures for a garage) all display the target temperature with no
way of seeing the actual, apart from a crude "temperature is above some unstated level" light. One of them displays all the time, but the other
has its display hidden by the top do the door and the display goes out
when the door is closed. Even the "power is on" light is hidden.

We lost a lot of food from that hidden display freezer because the wall
switch got accidentally turned off (a crate fell against the switch). It
is possible that we may have noticed the absence of a power-on light as
we were passing the freezer in the following days. Very poor design for
a freezer if you can't tell at all times whether its power is on.

The other freezers are monitored by Kasa/Tapo smart plugs which monitor
power usage over time and report it to an app on my Raspberry Pi, but we hadn't got round to setting up one of those for the Beko that got turned
off.

With so many modern devices like washing machines and driers being
monitored by internet these days, that ought to be a standard for all
devices - so you can see the usage graph (continuous usage suggests door
open or coolant leaked away [which happened on a brand new freezer which
was replaced under warranty]; no usage recorded suggests power failure
of freezer.

That freezer is jinxed. The first one lost its coolant, as I said. Its replacement lost power when one of our ring mains tripped for an unknown reason (never happened before or since) while we were away on holiday,
and then last week the switch got turned off.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On 22/09/2026 22:37, NY wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C).-a At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual
temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display the
maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information it
is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost
years ago.

It's a great shame that there isn't a standard that all fridges/freezers use, to display actual temperature at all times (so you can see if the temperature is rising when it shouldn't), with the target temperature displayed briefly when you press a button. And that display to be
visible at all times.

Agreed. I don't mind them always displaying the target reading - as
long as you can get an actual reading at the touch of a button. Maximum
temp reached during a power off/door open episode would be useful.>

We have a Panasonic fridge and a freezer (separate units) which do just that. Our Beko freezers (rated for below-freezing outdoor ambient temperatures for a garage) all display the target temperature with no
way of seeing the actual, apart from a crude "temperature is above some unstated level" light. One of them displays all the time, but the other
has its display hidden by the top do the door and the display goes out
when the door is closed. Even the "power is on" light is hidden.

Our small freezer has an LED display, but it's impossible to read since
the back light is off unless and until you open the door (and hard to
see even then).
On more than one occasion the "Superfreeze" button has been accidentally pressed, and the only way we discovered this was finding the ice cream
becomes incredibly hard @ -30C.>

We lost a lot of food from that hidden display freezer because the wall switch got accidentally turned off (a crate fell against the switch). It
is possible that we may have noticed the absence of a power-on light as
we were passing the freezer in the following days. Very poor design for
a freezer if you can't tell at all times whether its power is on.

The other freezers are monitored by Kasa/Tapo smart plugs which monitor power usage over time and report it to an app on my Raspberry Pi, but we hadn't got round to setting up one of those for the Beko that got turned off.

With so many modern devices like washing machines and driers being
monitored by internet these days, that ought to be a standard for all devices - so you can see the usage graph (continuous usage suggests door open or coolant leaked away [which happened on a brand new freezer which
was replaced under warranty]; no usage recorded suggests power failure
of freezer.

Our new(ish) washing machine is WiFi enabled, and they expect you to run
it from an 'App' on your phone. WiFi does not penetrate the super-thick
stone walls to that room, and I refuse to install a wireless access
point just for a $%^&* washing machine.>

That freezer is jinxed. The first one lost its coolant, as I said. Its replacement lost power when one of our ring mains tripped for an unknown reason (never happened before or since) while we were away on holiday,
and then last week the switch got turned off.

Our large, high efficiency freezer has a habit of freezing up (it is
supposed to self-defrost) around once every year or so. We have to
empty and manually defrost the thing.
This is a true PITA since it holds a lot of food and so it takes ages to
run the contents down.
--
Sam Plusnet
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

On Wed, 23 Sep 2026 09:06:49 +1000, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:

On 22/09/2026 22:37, NY wrote:

On 21/09/2026 00:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:

We have two freezers of different makes, each has a small digital
display.
At times the display tells you what the target temperature is (e.g.
-18C). At other times it seems to be displaying the current actual
temperature.
I suspect, but don't actually know, that sometimes it will display the >>> maximum temperature the freezer got up to when (for example) you
forgot and left the door open.
My problem is that I can't tell which of this pieces of information it >>> is displaying at any given moment.

Any suggestions?
The user manual for one freezer gives no hints, and the other was lost >>> years ago.

It's a great shame that there isn't a standard that all
fridges/freezers use, to display actual temperature at all times (so
you can see if the temperature is rising when it shouldn't), with the
target temperature displayed briefly when you press a button. And that
display to be visible at all times.

Agreed. I don't mind them always displaying the target reading - as
long as you can get an actual reading at the touch of a button. Maximum temp reached during a power off/door open episode would be useful.>

We have a Panasonic fridge and a freezer (separate units) which do just
that. Our Beko freezers (rated for below-freezing outdoor ambient
temperatures for a garage) all display the target temperature with no
way of seeing the actual, apart from a crude "temperature is above some
unstated level" light. One of them displays all the time, but the other
has its display hidden by the top do the door and the display goes out
when the door is closed. Even the "power is on" light is hidden.

Our small freezer has an LED display, but it's impossible to read since
the back light is off unless and until you open the door (and hard to
see even then).
On more than one occasion the "Superfreeze" button has been accidentally pressed, and the only way we discovered this was finding the ice cream becomes incredibly hard @ -30C.>

We lost a lot of food from that hidden display freezer because the wall
switch got accidentally turned off (a crate fell against the switch).
It is possible that we may have noticed the absence of a power-on light
as we were passing the freezer in the following days. Very poor design
for a freezer if you can't tell at all times whether its power is on.
The other freezers are monitored by Kasa/Tapo smart plugs which
monitor power usage over time and report it to an app on my Raspberry
Pi, but we hadn't got round to setting up one of those for the Beko
that got turned off.
With so many modern devices like washing machines and driers being
monitored by internet these days, that ought to be a standard for all
devices - so you can see the usage graph (continuous usage suggests
door open or coolant leaked away [which happened on a brand new freezer
which was replaced under warranty]; no usage recorded suggests power
failure of freezer.

Our new(ish) washing machine is WiFi enabled, and they expect you to run
it from an 'App' on your phone. WiFi does not penetrate the super-thick stone walls to that room, and I refuse to install a wireless access
point just for a $%^&* washing machine.>

That freezer is jinxed. The first one lost its coolant, as I said. Its
replacement lost power when one of our ring mains tripped for an
unknown reason (never happened before or since) while we were away on
holiday, and then last week the switch got turned off.

Our large, high efficiency freezer has a habit of freezing up (it is supposed to self-defrost) around once every year or so. We have to
empty and manually defrost the thing.

Mine never does that and doesn't self defrost, it just pumps
frigid air in and you never get any frost inside the freezer.

This is a true PITA since it holds a lot of food and so it takes ages to run the contents down.

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