Coldzone 200172045

DEFROST HEATER DRAIN PAN

The defrost mechanism in a refrigerator heats the cooling element (evaporator coil) for a short period of time and melts the frost that has formed on it. The resulting water drains through a duct at the back of the unit. Defrosting is controlled by an electric or electronic timer: For every 6, 8, 10, 12 or 24 hours of compressor operation it turns on a defrost heater for 15 minutes to half an hour.

A defrost thermostat opens the heater circuit when the evaporator temperature rises above a preset temperature, 40°F (5°C) or more, thereby preventing excessive heating of the freezer compartment. The defrost timer is such that either the compressor or the defrost heater is on, but not both at the same time.

A drain is a channel, conduit, or pipe designed to carry away or channel superflous liquids for disposal or reclamation. A drain assembly is one or more components of a larger mechanism that facilitates as a drain. A drain assembly component may be a pipe, stopper, pan, basket, valve, filter, plug, hose etc.

A drip pan or drain pan is a container for catching material such as water or grease that drips from above (as from the burners of a gas range or condensation from an evaporator).  It is usually a shallow rectangular metal or plastic pan used especially for baking and roasting, frying, and water containment and may be connected to a drain or drain pipe.

A heating element converts electrical energy into heat through the process of Joule heating. Electric current through the element encounters resistance, resulting in heating of the element. This process is independent of the direction of current.