Rob Klein did a short paper on this, but I can't put my finger on it. If left unopened, he found that a minus 80 freezer maintains a sufficiently low temperature for 24 hours after it loses power. So that's our rule of thumb for all research freezers here at Yale.
Pete Reinhardt, Yale EHS
-----Original Message-----
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU] On Behalf Of Stuart, Ralph
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2017 8:41 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Freezers and power outages
Does anyone have a planning rule of thumb for how long a scientific freezer can be expected to maintain temperature for biological sample storage during a power outage?
I recognize that there are many details being overlooked in such a broad brush question, but I believe that if they are undisturbed, well-maintained freezers should be able to maintain temperatures without power for a a day or two. I recognize that "well-maintained" may not describe all freezers found in laboratories. And that older freezers may not come back on after power restored. And many other factors are involved... but for practical planning purposes, am I off-base?
Thanks for any information on this.
- Ralph
Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
Environmental Safety Manager
Keene State College
603 358-2859
ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu
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