Are fridge/freezers firebomb?

[woolyhead]

The user manual of my new fridge/freezer, made by LG, tells me the refrigerant is butane. They say this is used because Freon is not good for the environment. Fair enough. We don't want to get the hole back in the ozone layer. Also the thermal insulation is probably made of some foamed up plastic and although they don't say as much, I bet it's highly inflammable, just like the butane. So providing nothing goes wrong I should be able to relax and enjoy having my food kept fresh. But I can't stop thinking about that butane and the probably inflammable plastic foam. Does anyone else have this sort of worry?

What type of fire extinguisher is best for dealing with this sort of fire? I think CO2. On another aspect of the machine, it has a linear compressor, whatever that is. What are the advantages of a linear compressor over a (digital?) one?

Edited July 2, 2017 by woolyhead

[silentP]

The user manual of my new fridge/freezer, made by LG, tells me the refrigerant is butane. They say this is used because Freon is not good for the environment. Fair enough. We don't want to get the hole back in the ozone layer. Also the thermal insulation is probably made of some foamed up plastic and although they don't say as much, I bet it's highly inflammable, just like the butane. So providing nothing goes wrong I should be able to relax and enjoy having my food kept fresh. But I can't stop thinking about that butane and the probably inflammable plastic foam. Does anyone else have this sort of worry?

What type of fire extinguisher is best for dealing with this sort of fire? I think CO2. On another aspect of the machine, it has a linear compressor, whatever that is. What are the advantages of a linear compressor over a (digital?) one?

 

Nope! I'm good thanks

[taxman]

Never had a fridge/ fridge freezer ever blow up. So it doesn't bother me whatsoever.

[OPEN BORDERS]

The user manual of my new fridge/freezer, made by LG, tells me the refrigerant is butane. They say this is used because Freon is not good for the environment. Fair enough. We don't want to get the hole back in the ozone layer. Also the thermal insulation is probably made of some foamed up plastic and although they don't say as much, I bet it's highly inflammable, just like the butane. So providing nothing goes wrong I should be able to relax and enjoy having my food kept fresh. But I can't stop thinking about that butane and the probably inflammable plastic foam. Does anyone else have this sort of worry?

What type of fire extinguisher is best for dealing with this sort of fire? I think CO2. On another aspect of the machine, it has a linear compressor, whatever that is. What are the advantages of a linear compressor over a (digital?) one?

 

Grenfell Tower ?

[carosio]

On another aspect of the machine, it has a linear compressor, whatever that is. What are the advantages of a linear compressor over a (digital?) one?

 

Some answers here- it seems this type uses quiet, variable speed DC motors controlled by (digital) electronics. Could be good, possibly safer, although if it went wrong..........£££££?

 

https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-digital-inverter-compressor-in-a-refrigerator

[muddycoffee]

The user manual of my new fridge/freezer, made by LG, tells me the refrigerant is butane. They say this is used because Freon is not good for the environment. ..

 

Freon was banned decades ago !

 

In my view the only reason a fridge is likely to overheat and catch fire is if there is not enough ventilation at the back. Just make sure there is some space behind it and any ventilation holes in a fitted kitchen are not covered up.

 

that's all. nothing else to worry about.

[Guest sibon]

I think I'll take the slight risk of my fridge exploding over the near certainty that unrefrigerated food will cause me some serious harm.

[woolyhead]

Open Borders, yes it was a fridge freezer that started the Grenfell tower fire, wasn't it? But are you saying a linear compressor is less dangerous than digital one?

 

---------- Post added 02-07-2017 at 19:42 ----------

 

I think I'll take the slight risk of my fridge exploding over the near certainty that unrefrigerated food will cause me some serious harm.

I was talking about fridge freezers, Sibon. What are the statistics of fridge freezers catching fire?

Edited July 23, 2017 by woolyhead

[carosio]

Freon was banned decades ago !

 

In my view the only reason a fridge is likely to overheat and catch fire is if there is not enough ventilation at the back. Just make sure there is some space behind it and any ventilation holes in a fitted kitchen are not covered up.

 

that's all. nothing else to worry about.

 

In rare cases, the compressor pump can seize then overheat and ignite excess fluff, paper etc that might be around.

[Alcoblog]

The user manual of my new fridge/freezer, made by LG, tells me the refrigerant is butane. They say this is used because Freon is not good for the environment. Fair enough. We don't want to get the hole back in the ozone layer. Also the thermal insulation is probably made of some foamed up plastic and although they don't say as much, I bet it's highly inflammable, just like the butane. So providing nothing goes wrong I should be able to relax and enjoy having my food kept fresh. But I can't stop thinking about that butane and the probably inflammable plastic foam. Does anyone else have this sort of worry?

What type of fire extinguisher is best for dealing with this sort of fire? I think CO2. On another aspect of the machine, it has a linear compressor, whatever that is. What are the advantages of a linear compressor over a (digital?) one?

 

Eeek! … I have butane in my blowtorch as well as all the cigarette lighters I have knocking about for various things! :gag:

Thanks for this warning about butane being a flammable gas … I shall go henceforth to empty these items (in a responsible manner, you understand), and refill them with non-phlogisticatable carbon dioxide. (9982)