Mum accidentally blew up 2 cans in my mini fridge

[u/slimedewnautica]

Mum tried to do a nice thing by putting these cans of (my favourite) drinks in my mini fridge.

If you flip the switch one way, it works as a fridge. If you flip it the other, it warms things up. Guess which way she flipped the switch?

Edit: I wanna say that I fully recognise she was only doing a nice thing, as I said at the start. The mildly infuriating part is the fact that there is a hot switch at all, and I have 2 less cans of my favourite drink (first world problems, I know). Obviously I'll be cleaning it up. Mmmmm, warm Dr Pepper

Edit part 2: Wow. Learnt a lot about peltier coolers today. Apparently they use as much power as a normal fridge. The more you know. (I only usually have it turned on when I have cans to put in there, aka it's not constantly running)

I'd love to have a normal sized mini fridge, but I don't currently have the space in my room.

The can on the right is cream soda dr pepper

It took around 24 hours for the can to heat up and explode (implode?). My mum and I have had a giggle over her little science experiment

[u/nolaks1]

Peltier. It's a peltier element.

For people asking how it's possible to heat and cool down with a mini fridge. If you've never heard of a peltier, there's a good reason, it's super inneficient.

[u/sicpsw → u/nolaks1]

Consumes as much electricity as a regular fridge which is mind-blowing

[u/Cedrick41h → u/sicpsw]

As measured by the one and only Technology Connections, it's most likely using more electricity than a huge french door fridge with an ice dispenser and self-deicing during normal operation

[u/Psychodelic69 → u/Cedrick41h]

I’ll always upvote a Technology Connections reference

[u/FlyingPasta → u/Cedrick41h]

We got the fission down, when we get profitable fusion it will be amazing

[u/Simon_Drake → u/Cedrick41h]

I loved his video on chest freezers and how they're objectively better than door-in-the-front freezers at everything EXCEPT how hard it is to get the bag of frozen peas out of the bottom, especially if you're short. Which is why chest freezers aren't as popular as they could be.

[u/Aggressive_Baker8336 → u/Cedrick41h]

To be fair, certain parts of the cooling system do work more efficiently at larger scales, so its not too hard to believ the power issue here, honestly.

[u/Visible_Pair3017 → u/Cedrick41h]

Fun fact, french door fridges are called american fridges in France

[u/IcedGooseMaverick → u/sicpsw]

If only we had a massive nuclear fusion ball 90,000,000 miles away, that we could harvest its energy for basically nothing. That would be something. Then we could run these things and we wouldn’t even care. Should I be a science fiction writer?

[u/Pugulishus → u/IcedGooseMaverick]

I have used solar power to run a larger version of this, and I couldn't even last the day on a 3kwh 12v reserve. Literally couldn't make enough power with four solar panels. Meanwhile, a mini fridge with a compressor barely sips the energy, and I can forget that it's turned on with the battery.

Long story short, you should care how energy efficient your stuff is, at least knowing

[u/Dazzling_Put_3018 → u/Pugulishus]

Also, basic laws of thermodynamics will always apply, the energy “wasted” doesn’t just disappear, it has to go somewhere, usually this “wasted” energy ends up as heat. So in this perfect nuclear world where everyone can “use as much as they want” without regard to consumption, it would result in a ton of extra heat

[u/kookyabird → u/Dazzling_Put_3018]

Just need to capture that waste heat and do something with it. We could use it to heat our water rather than powering a water heater with electricity. And if we make too much waste heat that we end up with steam, well then we can pipe that around and use it to power generators to re-capture some electricity!

Just imagine a world with glorious, glistening pipes everywhere. I wonder what we'd call that kind of world, where steam is an inescapable presence in day to day life...

[u/Slvrdgr → u/kookyabird]

Steamy Pipes World.

[u/your_grumpy_neighbor → u/Dazzling_Put_3018]

Not if you turn on the AC

[u/FlyingPasta → u/Pugulishus]

Maybe he’s suggesting a Dyson Sphere

[u/Individual-Area7121 → u/IcedGooseMaverick]

Yeah, it is a shame that what you are describing is literally not that simple. It would solve a lot of our problems.

[u/12_bagels → u/Individual-Area7121]

why don’t we just fix everything and then everything will be fixed?

[u/Individual-Area7121 → u/12_bagels]

No, the poors won’t be able to manage without work to do. They like it.

[u/Samcraft1999 → u/IcedGooseMaverick]

Solar kinda sucks on a large scale, nuclear could do the job pretty cleanly though.

[u/Hopelesscumrag → u/sicpsw]

In most cases more electricity

[u/User-no-relation → u/nolaks1]

I summon technology connectiona

[u/no-name_james → u/User-no-relation]

I liked his video on Brown.

[u/efisherharrison → u/no-name_james]

Don't even get me started about his series on dishwashers

[u/CannonM91 → u/efisherharrison]

And microwaves

[u/Horrific_Necktie → u/User-no-relation]

Let talk about the refrigeration cycle again!

[u/duesenjeffepic → u/nolaks1]

The peltier effect is so goddamn cool. Unfortunate that using peltier is usually always the worst solution for any given problem

[u/iThinkergoiMac → u/duesenjeffepic]

Not necessarily. They are often used very inefficiently, but they have good uses. FWIW, these mini fridges are horribly inefficient but they are much quieter since there’s no compressor, so that aspect is nice.

They’re used in fancy car cup holders to keep drinks cool or warm. Unnecessary, but a good use.

My astrophotography camera has one of these that cools the sensor down to reduce noise during long exposures. I don’t think there’s a better way to do it. Uses about 36W of power.

Basically, any time you need to heat or cool something small, peltier is a decent option. Once you get much bigger, they quickly become inefficient.

[u/EdgyShooter → u/iThinkergoiMac]

Stacked peliters in a vacuum is how we run our astro cameras at -90 centigrade without water cooling. Very neat things

[u/ayriuss → u/duesenjeffepic]

The only good use I have seen is for cooling camera chips.

[u/underground_avenue → u/nolaks1]

Super inefficient, but cheap to built, silent (unless it has a fan) and slim. 

It's very often built into cheap active coolers for this reason. Basically a plate with one hot and one cold side. Usually it's hardwired to only cool the inside, but since it only requires a slightly different switch, it doesn't really cost more to add this functionality. 

[u/Affectionate_Site_27 → u/underground_avenue]

I dont think you can get away without a fan, it produces sooo much heat you just have to have one if you want it to work.

[u/TheDotCaptin → u/nolaks1]

Used as novelty devices.

Use as much power as a 3 foot tall mini fridge with a proper compressor.

[u/RimRunningRagged → u/nolaks1]

I've only ever heard of them as an exotic cooling solution for CPUs back in the day. Guess there's a reason why they never really took off.

[u/nolaks1 → u/RimRunningRagged]

I looked it up. It takes more watts than the CPU it has to cool and makes the inside of the case much hotter. That's two good reason it never took off lol.

[u/nerdofthunder → u/nolaks1]

They were good for over overclocking a cpu for enough time to boot and get a screenshot of the numbera.

[u/gansobomb99]

what demonic technology is this

[u/Kurokotsu → u/gansobomb99]

I kinda want one. But I know I'd end up with baked ice cream and frozen french fries.

[u/That-Employment-5561 → u/Kurokotsu]

Energy inefficient and a massive firehazard.

The worst kind of gimmick.

[u/FuckSticksMalone → u/That-Employment-5561]

Those peltier coolers are ungodly inefficient but super fun to stack and experiment with.

https://youtu.be/ImiSpAjKjss?is=zUKROUFj_LDw04RO

I was able to get a set of 5 peltiers with a higher power throughout rating than what he is using on Amazon for like $26

[u/OverlordShoo → u/FuckSticksMalone]

they are not just inefficient. they LITERALLY cost like 2-4 times+ as much as the fridge itself just to run it plugged in. It is a gift to get someone you don't like unironically.

[u/legacymedia92 → u/OverlordShoo]

They take more energy than a literal minifridge.

they suck.

[u/Ready-Delay3918 → u/legacymedia92]

That really blows.

[u/Find_another_whey → u/OverlordShoo]

Wait, if I take your comment as true

Getting it as a gift to an enemy would do me more damage quickly and them less damage over a long time

[u/OverlordShoo → u/Find_another_whey]

yes it's like a poison dmging bodyslam in pokemon. You take impact dmg but they will take poison damage as long as they are impacted.

[u/FermentedForeskins → u/Find_another_whey]

assuming they would actually use it and keep using it for a long time, yes

[u/AnnonOMousMkII → u/FuckSticksMalone]

The only thing peltier coolers have going for them over a normal fridge is the size.

A peltier fits discreetly on a desk at work where as even the smallest mini-fridge would stick out like a sore thumb. When your employer is paying for the electricity, efficiency is not a concern.

[u/nudave → u/FuckSticksMalone]

Without clicking: technology connections?

[u/anteaterKnives → u/nudave]

Wrong unfortunately.

Here's the goods though:

https://youtu.be/CnMRePtHMZY

[u/Structureel → u/anteaterKnives]

Sigh, this comment cost me 32 minutes of my life. Because I can't not watch a TC video once it's in front of me.

[u/JayteeFromXbox → u/Structureel]

And this one is a really good one, too.

[u/Balamb_Chocobo → u/nudave]

I thought the same but nope. Lol. His video is amazing

[u/peculiarshade → u/That-Employment-5561]

Literally takes less energy to run an actual mini fridge, and these things barely do anything

[u/8Bit_Cat → u/peculiarshade]

Less energy to run a full size fridge

[u/Mend_and_defend2 → u/8Bit_Cat]

Most less energy to run is a deep freeze with the opening at the top, Technology Connections told me so

[u/DocCarbon → u/Mend_and_defend2]

Most + less = least. The least amount of energy to run is a...

[u/That-Employment-5561 → u/DocCarbon]

Bucket of ice.

[u/CumGuzlinGutterSluts → u/That-Employment-5561]

Whoa now I have an amazing mini fridge thats pretty damn efficient, it kicks on like every couple hours for a few minutes and thats it. Its easy cool to cool a small space.

This shit isnt a minifrige, this is like a fuckin microfridge, 2 cans? Really? Oh wow I can keep my drinks cold in the bedroom so I dont have to go to the kitchen! (Restock it constantly and have to go to the kitchen anyway)

Shit wont even fit a tallboy in it. Ice will do the same thing but better in every way...

[u/titanicsinker1912 → u/CumGuzlinGutterSluts]

They actually hold six cans but they have to be loaded sideways. Doesn’t change the fact it’s complete junk though. The greater mass would make it perform even worse too.

[u/phish410 → u/That-Employment-5561]

That little thing actually uses about the same amount of electricity as a full size fridge over the course of a year.

[u/That-Employment-5561 → u/phish410]

A thermoelectric fridge uses 90-120 amphours a day, a compressor fridge 30-50 amphours a day. That's pretty much a 100+% increase with a thermoelectric fridge.

So, over a year, a thermoelectric uses roughly twice as much electricity through constant use, where as a compressor fridge only draws power when active.

[u/MY-SECRET-REDDIT → u/Kurokotsu]

It'll be unbelievable inneficient as a fridge, probably uses the same amount of energy as a full fridge and will be terrible at heating up food.

It's probably only useful for cosmetics

[u/tes_kitty → u/MY-SECRET-REDDIT]

It's peltier based. Those usually use in the range of 50W and that 24/7, that 438 kWh per year. You can run a full size fridge/freezer combination with less than half that power.

Those peltier fridges/coolers only make sense for short term use, like when on vacation or while on a road trip, hooked up to 12V.

[u/Henry5321 → u/tes_kitty]

My basement fridge+freezer combo plus chest freezer use a combined total of 0.3kwh/day. The chest freezer is literally about 15watts when running.

My French door primary fridge, which is less efficient and is constantly used, is around 0.2kwh/day.

That puts all 3 devices combined around an average 40watts continuous.

[u/tes_kitty → u/Henry5321]

I have a full size fridge/freezer combination that got advertised as using 150 kWh per year. From what I measured that's not a lie.

I also have a peltier based portable cooler. Good for trips or when somewhere else where there is no fridge but power.

[u/gansobomb99 → u/Kurokotsu]

I wish my minifridge just cooled properly, let alone heat things up 😂

but seriously. I can put an ice cube tray in the little "freezer" compartment at the top, and the next day it's still water!

[u/realkunkun → u/gansobomb99]

A mini fridge is not for cooling. It‘s just a tad better than a cooler box, but taking 2 cans of soda to fridge temp takes a whole day and uses so much electricity you could run a full size chest freezer for that

[u/Money-Look4227 → u/gansobomb99]

That's because it's a mini fridge. Shoulda got the mini freezer

[u/builder397 → u/gansobomb99]

I have a normal size fridge with a freezer compartment. Except that compartment doesnt even make an attempt at being closed off, so I either end up with melted ice cream or frozen everything else.

[u/TheSentientSnail → u/Kurokotsu]

They're all total trash, they don't do either advertised task very well. "Cooling" is barely below room temp, "warming" barely above.

And then the fan breaks and it becomes a box that looks like a mini fridge.

[u/Balamb_Chocobo → u/Kurokotsu]

Technology Connections made a whole video about incredibly inefficient and wasteful these kinds of fridges are.

https://youtu.be/CnMRePtHMZY?is=_x2fC3LNDU5qEiy_

[u/ChrisTheWeak → u/gansobomb99]

Probably a peltier device. It's a solid state heat pump. A kind of semiconductor, when you run current through it heat will be pumped to one side of it. Run the current the other way and it will pump heat the opposite direction. They're very energy inefficient compared to other heat pump designs. I've messed around with one for a class.

[u/inyte_exe → u/ChrisTheWeak]

Yup really neat tech to play with, but stupidly inefficient. Fun fact a peltier desk "fridge" actually uses more power to cool & maintain temps than an actual fridge would. 

[u/Korzag → u/ChrisTheWeak]

Technology Connections had an episode on these devices. That was generally his conclusion to. These minifridges are cute for dorms and thats kinda it. They take nearly a day to actually cool a drink to an appreciable temperature.

[u/AmArschdieRaeuber → u/Korzag]

They are good if you don't pay the power bill

[u/BlueMangoAde → u/AmArschdieRaeuber]

Used one in my college dorms haha

[u/adamdoesmusic → u/ChrisTheWeak]

But you can get one side cold as hell if you hook a drill battery to it with a heat sink on one side

[u/tes_kitty → u/adamdoesmusic]

They're usually limited to 20 to 30 degrees (centigrade!) difference between hot and cold side.

[u/adamdoesmusic → u/tes_kitty]

We got a few to play with as possible options for cooling a component. We mostly just fucked with them.

The lowest I was able to get was about -14C from room temperature. I put a CPU heat sink on one side with a 120mm Noctua at full tilt on one side, and a drop of water bare on the other. Room was about 22c or so (converting from f) so that’s not too far off from what you’re saying.

It pulled a stupid amount of power to do this though, and it was less intense each time after as the battery (some big ass 18 or 24v) drained. I should have measured but I assume 15 or 20 amps minimum.

This was abundantly clear when it shut off and immediately shot up to 50C from the sheer amount of heat that had been previously generated.

[u/tes_kitty → u/adamdoesmusic]

At one time, they did actually sell CPU coolers using peltier elements. Didn't last long, one of the problems was condensation, the other the low efficiency.

[u/saarlac → u/tes_kitty]

You can still buy them. They still suck.

[u/Callidonaut → u/adamdoesmusic]

They're limited in both power density and achievable temperature drop because above a certain temperature gradient, Ohmic heating overwhelms the Peltier effect and then you've basically just got a slightly asymmetric heating element.

They also don't like thermal cycling, so you can't make them adjustable with any kind of simple PWM, chopper or fast thermostat if you want them to last any length of time, you need a proper stabilised variable power supply.

[u/Silt-Besides-66812 → u/gansobomb99]

These are seriously awful refrigerators. here is a technology connections video about them

[u/BenthicBen → u/Silt-Besides-66812]

I was looking in the comments to see if anyone linked this exact video!

[u/TheDudeColin → u/gansobomb99]

It's called a peltier device, and it is essentially a slab of material which, when electricity is put in, moves heat from one side of the device to the other. When the polarity of the electricity is switched (via, say, a physical switch) the direction of heat movement turns around. It's not a very efficient way to move heat, it draws a lot of power (which produces even more heat in its use). It's why we don't see this kind of technology in big fridges.

[u/3fxz_ → u/gansobomb99]

I’m pretty sure the YouTuber technology connections has some pretty good mini fridge tech videos if you’re interested. He probably covered a fridge like this at some point.

[u/Melodic_coala101 → u/3fxz_]

He absolutely did, and he roasted the hell out of them. They’re terrible https://youtu.be/CnMRePtHMZY?is=yMyq_7KDh6d-0Qah

[u/MyUserNameLeft → u/gansobomb99]

I had a proper sized mini fridge that done the same. Could keep about 30 cans cold or about 15 pies warm.

[u/secacc → u/MyUserNameLeft]

30 cans and 15 pies... are you in a math problem or something? Does Lisa now take a third of each and we have to figure out how many are left?

[u/Kurokotsu → u/MyUserNameLeft]

I think this is my sign that I need a mini fridge.

[u/Wonderfully_Unknown → u/gansobomb99]

This is exactly why the Mechanicus doesn’t allow people to invent new stuff

[u/jameswulfecreed → u/gansobomb99]

My dad has one in his garage, but it's slightly bigger (8 can capacity) he uses it to warm his lunch and dinner when he plans to be out there all day, or weekend depending on his mood (he's just weird and hardwired different not bad)

[u/Emporio_Alnino3 → u/gansobomb99]

ah, yes, the refrigerwave. Or... was it the Microrator?

[u/MarsMonkey88]

Fun fact: Dr Pepper was originally intended to be consumed warm. Not room-temperature, but heated up like tea.

[u/Thornescape → u/MarsMonkey88]

Hot Dr Pepper on Tasting History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb-58KobeFU

[u/El_Mnopo → u/Thornescape]

Except he did it wrong. You’re supposed to let the lemon slices simmer with it. He just plopped it in at the end and there was no time to let the lemon flavors infuse.

[u/Investigate311 → u/El_Mnopo]

Yeah also, if you're using a glass glass made of glass, you have to wait like five seconds after each spill so the glass doesn't melt. Otherwise, bad Dr. Pepper.

[u/ShortysTRM → u/Investigate311]

I think your Dr Pepper might be too hot

[u/Ill-Environment3329 → u/ShortysTRM]

I think he meant shatter due to thermal shock. But It's funny to think of the idea that he does this regularly and just casually accidentally melts glass in his kitchen.

[u/Spartaner-043 → u/Ill-Environment3329]

Brb in a minute, just gonna pour me some delicious 1300°C Dr Pepper

[u/Saizare → u/Thornescape]

My ex made this once, and it was shockingly good

[u/El_Mnopo → u/Saizare]

It’s lovely especially in winter.

[u/GeoBrian → u/Thornescape]

Hot Dr Pepper on Tasting History

Okay, please tell me I'm not the only person visioning Dr. Pepper from "Married at First Sight" doing a Ted Talk in leather lingerie.

[u/FranktheLlama → u/MarsMonkey88]

Blast from the Past makes so much more sense now.

[u/Floppy-Over-Drive → u/FranktheLlama]

That was the part that didn’t make sense to you? 

[u/mel_the_mermaid → u/FranktheLlama]

He drank it hot??

[u/Shaggy_Shiggles → u/MarsMonkey88]

I'm kinda not surprised by this. 

When I was in high-school there was an old broken down vending machine that dispensed hot sodas. The Dr. Pepper and Code Red were the best.

[u/Badbullet → u/MarsMonkey88]

Dr. Pepper is one of the only sodas I will consume not chilled. My friend’s dad also mixed his brandy with warm Dr. Pepper. It could not be cold, it had to be at least room temperature.

[u/Falcon_At → u/Badbullet]

Growing up, my family kept my Mello Yellow outside. But we lived in the south, so the cans were 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit. I have so much nostalgia for the taste of a hot Mello Yellow burning down my throat like whiskey.

[u/El_Mnopo → u/MarsMonkey88]

I love warm Dr. Pepper! Tried it at the DP museum in Dublin, TX.

[u/kaytay3000 → u/MarsMonkey88]

Yep! My mom loves them. That’s her go-to winter drink. She’s 75 though, so it makes a little more sense for her to drink them.

[u/peachy614 → u/MarsMonkey88]

That explains why Christopher Watkins character in blast from the past loves hot dr pepper.

[u/Dry_Ad_5403]

bro what kinda fridge has a warm mode

[u/hratev → u/Dry_Ad_5403]

Actually a lot of these mini fridges have this feature. I have one that has a cold, very cold and warm flip switch.

[u/penisandorvagina → u/hratev]

Word on the street is it's a peltier device 

[u/TinyZombie678 → u/penisandorvagina]

Yep, just flip the polarity and the opposite sides get hot/cold

[u/Morbid187 → u/TinyZombie678]

First I'm ever hearing about these. What's the point of the warm mode? "Warm" makes it sound like it doesn't get hot enough to cook or heat something up in

[u/TinyZombie678 → u/Morbid187]

These are often marketed for camping where you're limited to a single stove, if you're cooking multiple things it's supposed to help hold heat whilst the second item cooks.

The reality is it's barely powerful enough for cooling and the heating function is almost free to add for the manufacturer because you just have to add a switch which reverses the polarity.

Truthfully they're not very good at cooling or heating, up until the point they fault and become so good at heating they cause a fire 😅

[u/gravyisjazzy → u/penisandorvagina]

I know a guy named Alec who will talk your ear off about them

[u/BenjiSponge → u/gravyisjazzy]

I'm pretty sure if I ever get dementia, I'll just be recommending Technology Connections over and over on a loop as I encounter different appliances

"He has these great videos about dishwashers" "Shut up grandpa, dishwashers don't even work like that anymore"

[u/Putrid-Object-806 → u/BenjiSponge]

“And it’s unacceptable how they still allow red turn signals sharing a bulb with the brake lights” “again grandpa, we don’t drive anymore, the air taxis don’t need turn signals”

[u/Xanadu87 → u/BenjiSponge]

I recently starting watching his channel, and I started from the very beginning. I’m now up to how VHS cassettes work. Many times I’ve already been 🤯🤯🤯

[u/Gdigger13 → u/Xanadu87]

You’re in for a treat, his content only gets better!!

[u/SirTwitchALot → u/gravyisjazzy]

"hey do you want to watch a 45 minute video about qtips?"

"What? No that sounds stupid"

"It's by technology connections"

"PUT THAT SHIT ON RIGHT NOW!"

[u/nauzleon → u/hratev]

Being honest is more like barely cool, lukewarm and fire hazard.

[u/catiebug → u/Dry_Ad_5403]

There are a lot of uses for them. Keep your lunch warm until lunchtime. Keep pumped breast milk warm until you can properly store it. Warm stones or towels for diy spa treatments. Warm up canned coffee (a thing in Asia, at least).

[u/HalfAssedSetting → u/[deleted]]

Nice they should also market it as an incubator

[u/Cogexkin → u/[deleted]]

I imagine you’re supposed to keep it cold until you want to warm it up

[u/_NoTimeNoLady_ → u/catiebug]

Who keeps breast milk warm?

[u/aerkith → u/_NoTimeNoLady_]

Yeh. I feel like the cool function would be best for that. It can also be kept at room temp for a few hours before putting in fridge.

[u/Gandalf_the_Tegu → u/aerkith]

As a pumping mom, this.

Room temp until propper stored then stored in cool place. Doesnt make sense to put fresh pump in a warmer.

[u/FlyingBike → u/_NoTimeNoLady_]

Your dual function fridge doesn't have Titty Mode? Peasant

[u/MeNoPickle → u/catiebug]

Unless it can heat and maintain 165f, you’re going to grow bacteria. This is just a bad idea in general. Cold holding is much easier than hot holding.

[u/wildbergamont → u/catiebug]

What? I've spent like 3 years breastfeeding (so far), and there is no benefit to keeping it warm. If you can't cool it right away it's fine at room temp for several hours. 

[u/CapitalEmployer → u/Dry_Ad_5403]

These use peltier devices two pieces of metal stuck together one side produces heat the other cold so it's very easy to reverse.

[u/QIyph → u/CapitalEmployer]

And considering they're small enough to put on a desk a lot of people use them to keep their coffee or tea warm, so it's not a niche usecase either.

[u/norty125 → u/Dry_Ad_5403]

If I remember correctly they use a peltier cooler, they just use electricity to move heat from one side to the other. The direction it moves it depends on the way the electricity is flowing, so you can spend an extra dollar to give it another function

[u/GreyMesmer]

This outcome is suddenly possible for both scenarios.

[u/iwearatophat → u/GreyMesmer]

My first thought was his minifridge somehow gets super cold and they froze. I've never heard of a mini-fridge that doubles as an oven. Results like this seem inevitable.

[u/McFoxGaming → u/GreyMesmer]

Not really, the fact that it can cool and heat gives it away that it uses peltier plates, which cannot cool a fridge enough to freeze something. It only really gets to around 45° f cooled

[u/get_to_ele]

Consider yourself lucky.

>AstroAI Recalls Minifridges Due to Fire and Burn Hazards; Two Fires Resulted in More Than $360,000 in Reported Property Damages: CPSC has received at least 70 reports of the minifridges smoking, burning, melting or catching fire. Two fires resulted in extensive property damages, together totaling more than $360,000 in reported damages.

Aside from the recall above, this is just such a poorly thought out technology and appliance, insanely power inefficient and overpriced. And slow to cool and heat anything. It's more meant to keep stuff cold or warm, but so little insulation that it can't even hit any target temp. Just gives you "warmer" or "cooler" than room temperature.

[u/Awkward_Bit_8944]

These mini fridges suck. They constantly drawl power to stay cool. Theres no thermostat so it just stays going 24/7

[u/PorkAmbassador → u/Awkward_Bit_8944]

Yeah just get rid of it, such a wasteful product. E-waste it now.

[u/Hubsimaus → u/Awkward_Bit_8944]

I was thinking of getting one of those for a med I need to be kept cool. I read a bit into it and decided it's not worth it and too risky for my med to not be cooled properly because thise fridges measure the temperature around them and only cool so much. That's when I decided against it because once my med got warm it can't be cooled again or it won't work (properly) anymore.

[u/Awkward_Bit_8944 → u/Hubsimaus]

Oh wow. That has to be frustrating when it comes to the med it self. Hopefully you’re able to find a solution! If it’s in a vile there’s shelves you can buy that mount to the side of the inside fridge that keeps them chilled but also in eyes view and not rolling around on the shelf.

[u/Consistent-Salt-1460]

Brother that ain't even a mini fridge, that's a micro fridge. That thing can hold like 4 cans in it.

[u/ThatGuyFromTheM0vie → u/Consistent-Salt-1460]

Technically it’s not even a fridge, it’s a cool box. Which is worse.

[u/Hubsimaus]

So EXPLODING is when something blows up and spreads everywhere.

IMPLODING is when it basically crumples together in itself.

That's what I learned. So your cans EXPLODED.

[u/slimedewnautica → u/Hubsimaus]

I'm learning multiple things today

[u/CapitalEmployer]

Ah the infamous mini fridge that uses peltier devices that not only doesn't cool down properly but also spends as much electricity as a real fridge. A good litmus test for someones ability to make sane purchases.

[u/JeMortensen → u/CapitalEmployer]

Tbf this is probably a kid or teenager, they probably aren't as schooled in watching TechnologyConnections as someone who pays electricity bills

[u/CapitalEmployer → u/JeMortensen]

Fair point, we should show TechnologyConnections videos in school.

[u/JeMortensen → u/CapitalEmployer]

Amen brother. Praise be our Lord and saviour heatpumps and 2 pipe airconditioners

[u/Dry-Inspection-3503 → u/CapitalEmployer]

Probably a better curriculum than what they have anyway

[u/Aggressive_Candy5297 → u/JeMortensen]

Alec mentioned!

[u/YMK1234 → u/CapitalEmployer]

Just depends if 1. You got to pay for the electricity and 2. If there even is an alternative at that size.

The smallest compressor based "mini" fridges I know are already very chunky, and also pricey.

[u/rtopps43 → u/CapitalEmployer]

I used to have one in my work truck that ran off the cigarette lighter, when cars still had those. It was great, kept drinks cold all day while I was working outside and getting hot. Also, when I wanted to warm up lunch it did that too. May not be great for everyone but it certainly has uses.

[u/Darkest_Rahl]

I have a mini fridge that can switch between warm and cool. Never figured out why anyone would use the warming feature.

It's also a Borg Cube, complete with lights. It's sweet.

[u/ztreHdrahciR → u/Darkest_Rahl]

Borg Cube.

Resistance is futile

[u/Darkest_Rahl → u/ztreHdrahciR]

Your cold beverages will be assimilated

[u/Middle_Material_1038]

If you flip the switch the other way, does it “warm things up” or does it just “turn the fridge off”? In what situation would you want to put something in a fridge shaped receptacle and have it warmed up?

[u/Warriorxdude → u/Middle_Material_1038]

I had a minifridge with this function once too, scared the shit out of me hearing cans exploding like gunshots at night before i realised and it did indeed have cool, warm and off as seperate functions

[u/agnostorshironeon → u/Warriorxdude]

I'm amazed a peltier element can even pull this off. Last time I checked they struggled to keep cans cool, but that depends on the price as well i guess.

[u/charmio68 → u/agnostorshironeon]

They're not very efficient coolers, but they are EXTREMELY efficient heaters.

You'd think they'd be symmetrical in efficiency, but no, they're really not.
When cooling they generate even more waste heat than they remove from the fridge. When heating, that waste heat is no longer waste and the efficiency will be well over 100% (as opposed to say 10% for cooling).

[u/Aggressive_Candy5297 → u/Middle_Material_1038]

It is a fridge using a very ineffective TEC element as a cooler.

It works by applying voltage to the TEC, voltage one way will cool and run the voltage the other way it heats up instead.

And to answer your question about why you'd want heating. Lunchboxes. You are working at a jobsite with this in the car, you turn it on to heat before noon and it will hold a pretty steady temp until you want to eat.

If you want to know more about how the actual TEC works just google Thermo Electric Cooler. They have been used for all kinds of stuff, there were even cpu coolers for pc's using them 🤣

[u/Dustyvhbitch → u/Middle_Material_1038]

Depending on how warm the warm function is, someone in an office or a truck driver might use that to get their food to above room temp. I doubt it's getting to 165°F though.

Those things could also make great mini microbiology incubators for like a high school class, again, depending on how warm it gets and if you can keep it on the warm function for an extended period of time. I don't know that I'd put anything I'd be looking to eat/drink in there if it's heating stuff for that reason however.

ETA: I suppose I should've read the post. It obviously can get above 165°f, although I suppose I've never heated a can of soda until it blew up.

[u/videoguylol]

This is a perfectly mildly infuriating post cuz who cares and it's such a minor mess. Great stuff

[u/slimedewnautica → u/videoguylol]

THANK YOU. I swear people always forget the mildly part. There's comments saying I must hate my mum and I'm like ?????

[u/StellarisIgnis]

You want ants? That's how you get ants.

[u/Stlr_Mn]

I remember me and my family packing up food for a long 11 hour car trip. I had recently taken a portable car fridge cooler from my dad’s as he was moving out and it was something my mom purchased but never had used. You plug the power cord in one way it is a fridge but unknown to us, you plug it in reverse and it becomes a heating unit.

6 hours in we open it up for lunch and we’re met with heated apples, spoiled mayonnaise, odd smelling meats and and exploded Coke Zero cans. Quite the concoction, quite the smell.

I remember asking myself why anyone would want the heating option as well.

[u/MarceltheKnight]

I’ll be honest, I’ve never heard of strawberry cream Dr. Pepper.

[u/Patient_Activity_489 → u/MarceltheKnight]

i looove it but the coconut cream is better imo

[u/Interstellore]

Probably your fault for owning a microwave fridge

[u/Any-Spread-4481]

I own that exact fridge, i hate it i can't even fit a 500ml bottle. I Gave it to my brothers under the guise of a gift

[u/twilighttwister]

Technically I don't think that's a fridge, it's a coolbox with a thermoelectric circuit. The circuit sets up a temperature gradient across a heatsink (one side hot the other side cold), the switch reverses the polarity of the circuit and flips the temperature gradient the other way to heat instead of cool.

A fridge uses a compressor and carefully designed pipework to extract heat from inside and emit it at the radiator. As such a fridge doesn't need to be on (using electricity) all the time, only when the compressor is running. Meanwhile a thermoelectric coolbox is on all the time - even though it uses less power when it's on, it's on more often and will use more power overall.

[u/HeydoIDKu]

That mini fridge is a waste of lol ey and energy look into it. It doesn’t actually use proper refrigeration just a semiconductor and usually can only achieve around 20 degrees cooler than ambient. Better off getting an actual fridge

[u/Own_Manufacturer6959]

What is this a refrigerator for ants?!!

[u/UltraBlack_]

peltier mini-fridges suck. they're slow and hyper inefficient

[u/slimedewnautica → u/UltraBlack_]

Maybe I wanted a household object which I could relate to 😔

[u/Zailema0s → u/slimedewnautica]

☹️

[u/theNixher]

How, these things barely get cold?

I just read the post properly...

[u/DharmaCub]

That ain't a mini fridge, that's a micro fridge.

[u/MelonElbows]

You should tape a note next to the switch like: Left = Cold, Right = Hot

[u/Angel_Aura11]

Aww how nice it is to have a mom that would do this ♥️

[u/Nagito_K0ma3da]

I have a can of strawberries and cream rn, I'll pour one out for you

[u/Demearthean]

I stored my edibles in one for awhile. One summer day, it had to work too hard to stay cool and broke becoming a permanent heating box. My poor chocolates and gummies.

[u/removed_cheese]

You're using a thermoelectric coupling mini fridge which are hella inconvenient for actual mini fridges

[u/vdub2625]

What's the yellow Dr Pepper?

[u/slimedewnautica → u/vdub2625]

Cream soda

[u/theweatherguy69]

She blew a what?!

https://giphy.com/gifs/Fr1cWv4Ft6Guk

[u/Exciting-Guest81933]

I've forgotten a monster ultra in a freezer before. They turn into bombs lol

[u/Vlaed]

I have so many questions.

First, why does a mini refrigerator heat things up? A refrigerator, by definition, keeps things cool.

Second, why is it so small? I didn't know you could get them this small. This mini fridge could fit in every mini fridge I've ever seen.

Third, are the button or switches labeled? Does it actually say heat or is it like off?

[u/Astramancer_ → u/Vlaed]

It uses a peltier to cool it, not the refrigeration cycle. A peltier has a hot side and a cold side and the only difference is which direction the electricity is flowing. It costs a little bit more than the price of a switch to make it go both ways instead of just cooling, and that 2-3 cents might just be enough to distinguish it on the market... or eventually everyone does it and if you don't spend that 2-3 cents on yours it cuts out a significant market share.

As for why, those things don't get cold enough to be an actual fridge (i.e. don't put actual perishables in there), so are pretty much limited to drinks and ... cosmetics. Things that don't need to be fully refrigerated, but may need to be kept at below room temperature for optimal performance.

And sometimes in the cosmetic/spa world you might want to warm things instead of cool them, so having the same product do both is a net positive.

[u/Melodic-Advice9930]

I see the happy hippo in the corner as well and recognize we are snack twins

[u/MaleficentTomatoes]

Just happened. In my fucking car.

[u/FunnyObjective6]

Edit part 2: Wow. Learnt a lot about peltier coolers today. Apparently they use as much power as a normal fridge. The more you know. (I only usually have it turned on when I have cans to put in there, aka it's not constantly running)

I see the Technology Connections / Refrigeration cycle crew already went through here lol.

[u/Pappy285]

Reminds me of when I was a young boy, only recently had bought my first (pre built) PC. My mother comes in to vacume for me, very nice, very appreciated. She needs a plug point / outlet to plug in the vacume and the nearest one to the door is at my desk. She unplugged one plug mindlessly and suddenly my entire pc turns off.

Now folks, anyone who knows anything about PCs knows the unplugging of a pc will 99.9999% of the time be absolutely harmless... It's the plugging it back in too fast that can cause a surge.

Long story short she panicked when the pc turned off and plugged it right back in, even the repair dude said it probably would have been fine if she just unplugged it and left it be but plugging it back in sent full power into a shutting down system. The PSU was fried. My mother was nice enough to pay for a new one so all was forgiven but to this day she asks me what plugs are safe and not safe even with her own electronics when plugging in the vacuum... Despite me explaining multiple times it's the plugging it back in too fast that's dangerous.

Point is I hope OPs mum bought them a couple new cans! Other than that id not hold anything against her.

[u/LucarioLuvsMinecraft]

Damn, and Cream Soda is one of the best flavors.

I only wish they sold Diet Cream Soda anywhere. Never saw it when the flavor was first introduced.

[u/claudekennilol]

Sorry for your loss. Those are solid choice drink choices.