AEG OKO ARCTIS 3383 User manual

ADVANCED
ENGINEERING
FROM
GERMANY
6K0_ARCTIS 3383
2682 GT
Chest Freezers
Operating Instructions

Contents
Page
Illustration pages 3/4
General instructions 6
Industrial use, Choice of location, Before
starting up. Fitting of basket handles 6/7
Starting up. Temperature regulation 8
Energy-saving during half or part-loading.
Freezing fresh food. The do's and don'ts of
storing frozen food 8/9
Desfrosting and cleaning 9/10
Faults and servicing. When not in use.
Hints on energy-saving. Special accessories 10/11
2

IMPORTANTl
If your new appliance has been bought to replace an older
model, please make the old appliance unusable at once: pull
the plug out of the socket, cut the connecting lead off, and
dispose of the plug, together with the remaining lead in an en¬
vironmentally friendly manner.
Any snap catch or lock on your old appliance should also be
made unusable before you put the appliance away or hand it
over to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
In this way you can prevent children from locking themselves
in when playing and thus endangering their lives.
Please make sure that the pipelines of your fridgefreezer ara
not damaged before collection for environment-friendly dis¬
posal.
If your new chest freezer Is fitted with a lock, the key should
not be kept within reach of children or in the vicinity of your
freezer so that children cannot be locked inside the chest.
Appliance Packaging Information
All used materials are environmetally compatible! They can be
safely disposed of or burnt in a refuse incineratorl
Regarding the materials; The plastics can also be recycled
and are marked as follwos:
>PE< for polyethylene e.g. as used in the outer wrapping and
bags Inside
>PS< for polystyrene foam e.g. as used in the packing; this
material is basically CFC-free
5

General instructions
You have just purchased a home freezer which has
been produced according to the standards appiic-
able to these appliances. During manufacture, the
necessary measures have been taken as required
by the Appliance Safety Act, the Accident Preven¬
tion Regulations for Refrigerating Installations
(VBG 20), and the Requirements of the Association
of German Electrical Engineers (VDE).
The refrigeration circuit has been checked for leak¬
age.
C € This appliance complies with the following EC
Directives;
- 73/23/EEC of 19.02.1973 - Low-Voltage Direct¬
ive
- 89/336/EEC of 03. 05. 1989 (including Amend¬
ment Directive 92/31/EEC) - EMC Directive.
Before starting up, we recommend you to read the
following Instructions for Use, since only by doing
so can you benefit from all the advantages offered
by your chest freezer.
These Instructions for Use are intended for several
comparable models with different equipment.
Please note only the instructions which refer to your
chest freezer version.
Industrial use
Should you use your home freezer for industrial
purposes, please note the legal requirements valid
in your area.
Choice of location
If possible, your freezer should be installed in a dry,
well-ventilated room. Please make sure that your
chest freezer or its electrical components are not
exposed to any spraying or splashing water.
The refrigerating unit needs a good supply of air and
proper ventilation in order to function perfectly.
Please make sure that the external walls of the app¬
liance are not covered over or blocked.
Ambient temperature has an effect on the power
consumption of the refrigerating system. The app¬
liance should therefore:
- not stand in the direct sunshine, next to a radiator,
or close to the oven
- stand in a position where the ambient tempera¬
ture corresponds with the climate category for
which the appliance was designed.
You will find data on this on the rating plate, which is
in the irjlerior of the appliance. It will consist of one
of the following:
Climate Ambient temperature
category from... to
SN +10to+32°C
N +16to + 32°C
ST +18to+38°C
T +18to+43°C
The appliance should be installed horizontally on a
firm surface. Correct any floor irregularities with
suitable packing pieces.
When your chest freezer is in use, you will find that
the outside is warm to touch. This is caused by the
special cooling system, integrated cooling circuit
(shell-and-tube condenser) whose heat prevents
formation of condensation and thereby rust on the
external housing.
Ensure that all surfaces (sides) of your chest freezer
receive sufficient air so that the heat can be dissi¬
pated.
Thermometer/
temperature indicator
On some models there is a thermometer fitted into
the dividing wall between the large and the small
freezer space.
It shows the temperature of the items at the same
level as the upper filling mark. If your freezer is not
full, please remove the thermometer from its holder
and place it on the frozen food.
You can remove the thermometer by withdrawing it
laterally from its holder (Fig. 1).
If the lid is open for long periods, the temperature in¬
dication will be affected by room air.
Fig. 10
On some models there is a digital temperature in¬
dicator integrated into the handle of the freezer. It
normally shows the temperature at which your food
is being kept, in degrees centigrade. However, there
are exceptions:
- For a short time after you switch on you will see
two dashes.
- If the storage temperature is above zero you will
see “+”.
- If there has been a breakdown and the tempera¬
ture cannot be measured, you will see or
“-36" on the indicator. At the same time you will
see the warning on the red light diode and hear
the audible warning sound - please refer to
“Breakdowns and Customer Service".
Note: The temperature indicator shows the temper¬
ature of the food in store and therefore only changes
6

very slowly, for instance if you place fresh food in¬
side. If you leave the lid open for any length of time,
it can happen that the temperature warning is set off
although the indicator still shows the same tem¬
perature. In this instance there has not been a
breakdown; press the relevant button (Fig. 2/ar-
row) to switch the audible warning off, and the visi¬
ble red warning diode will go out automatically after
Ensure that the storage temperature is at least
-18'C.
Audible alarm
Your chest freezer is fitted with an audible alarm.
This will emit an acoustic warning tone at the same
time as the red LEO (light-emitting diode) flashes.
The audible alarm can be switched off by pressing
the corresponding button (Fig. 2/arrow). The red
LED continues to flash until suitable low-tempera¬
ture conditions are re-established inside the freezer
compartment. When the red LEO goes out. the aud¬
ible alarm function is re-activated.
The audible alarm sounds if the storage tempera¬
ture inside the appliance is too high or too warm.
Before starting up
In common with all new appliances, your chest
freezer will emit a specific odour when new.
It is advisable to clean the interior of the freezer and
all accessories before use (see also “Defrosting and
cleaning”).
Fitting of basket handles
Insert handles as shown In Fig. 3 if the basket is to
be suspended on the plastic cover frame on the up¬
per edge of your chest freezer.
If baskets are to be placed in the chest freezer and
stacked above each other, the handles are to be
folded inwards as shown in Fig. 4.
The handles then serve as a support for the basket
to be placed on top.
Voltage and current
Please ensure that the voltage and current indicated
on the rating plate agrees with the voltage of your
electricity supply.
220/240 volts ~ (i.e. 220/240 V a. c.).
The rating plate is located on the inside of the
freezer lid.
Electrical connection
WARNING - THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE
EARTHED
If your appliance has been equipped with a mains
lead with a moulded-on type plug, you must comply
with the following regulations; The plug moulded on
to the cord incorporates a fuse. For replacement,
use a 13 amp BS1362 fuse. Only ASTA approved or
certified fuses should be used. The fuse cover/car-
rier must be replaced in the event of changing the
fuse. The plug must not be used if the fuse cover/
carrier is lost. A replacement cover/carrier must be
obtained from an electrical goods retailer. If the
socket outlets in your home are not suitable for the
plug fitted to the appliance, then the plug must be
cut off and an appropriate one fitted. When fitting
the plug please note the following points:
Important
The wires in the mains lead are coloured in accord¬
ance with the following code:
Green and Yellow Earth
Blue Neutral
Brown Live
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this
appliance may not correspond with the coloured
markings identifying the terminals in your plug, pro¬
ceed as follows:
1. The wire which is coloured green and yeHow must
be connected to the earth terminal in your plug,
which is marked with the letter E or by the earth
symbol i or coloured green, or green and yel-
2. The wire which is coloured brown must be con¬
nected to the live terminal which is marked with
the letter L or coloured red.
3. The wire which is coloured blue must be con¬
nected to the neutral terminal which is marked
with the letter N or coloured black.
When wiring the plug, ensure that all strands of wire
are securely retained in each terminal. Do not forget
to tighten the mains lead clamp on the plug.
Warning! A cut off plug inserted into a 13 amp
socket is a serious safety (shock) hazard. Ensure
that the cut off plug is disposed of safely.
Voltage 220/240 VAC
Fuse rating 13 amps
See rating plate for further information.

Earthing contact socket
The earthing contact socket outlet necessary tor
connection of the freezer to the electricity supply
should be positioned so that it is possible to pull out
the appliance plug.
Operating and indicator lamps
Fig. 10
O Symbol for the energy-saving area when app¬
liance is only half full or less (not on all models).
O Temperature regulator
O Green LED to check the mains
O Frostmatic fast-freeze button
0 Amber LED for Frostmatic indication
O Button to switch off the audible alarm
O Red LED to check the temperature (warning)
O Temperature indicator (not on all models).
Starting up
Insert the mains plug of your chest freezer into a
socket fitted as prescribed with a protective contact
(Schuko socket). Your appliance is then operatio¬
nal.
Fig. 10
The green light diode (3) comes on and the red
warning diode (7) flashes. The audible warning
will also be heard, and the temperature indicator (if
one is fitted) will show “+” so long as the storage
temperature is above 0 °C.
The green LED indicates operation and must con¬
tinuously show.
The flashing red LED tells you that the storage tem¬
perature has not yet been attained.
Switch off the audible alarm by pressing the button
(6).
The red LED (7) and audible alarm alert you to the
following:
- the storage temperature has not yet been re¬
ached (starting up);
- the minimum storage temperature is no longer
being maintained (fault);
- if large quantities of fresh food close to the max¬
imum storage capacity of your chest freezer have
been placed inside;
- the chest lid has been
The red LED (7) and audible alarm give no alarm:
- if the power supply is interrupted; and
- if the electronic thermostat is defective.
Note: Check the red light diode and the thermome¬
ter or temperature indicator regularly to see that the
storage temperature is being maintained.
Temperature regufation
The temperature regulator (electronic themiostat)
is located beside the pilot lights and controls on the
front of your freezer. It can be used for continuous
setting of the most economical storage temperature
for your frozen food (figure 5). It has settings from 1
to 4:
Setting "1” means; highest temperature =
warmest setting;
Setting “4" means: lowest temperature =
coldest setting.
Recommended regulator setting: 2 to 3.
Since the ambient temperature, type and quantity of
stored frozen food, and frequency and duration of
lid opening are decisive for the optimum storage
conditions of -18 “C or colder, you should check the
internal temperature on the thermometer or temper¬
ature indicator.
Set the temperature regulator so that the indicated
temperature is-18 °C.
Important; If you operate the Frostmatic fast freeze
button or adjust the temperature regulator, it may
happen that the refrigerating unit of your chest
freezer starts, not immediately, but with some delay.
In this case, your appliance has no fault.
Energy-saving during
half- or part-ioading
On some models you can save power when the
freezer is only half full or even less if you store the
food in the lower region, below the green stacking
mark on the dividing wall (Fig. 6).
Turn the temperature controller in the green storage
area (Fig. 7) and monitor the storage temperature
with a thermometer placed on the frozen food. The
minimum storage temperature should be-18 "C.
When storing frozen food above the green stacking
mark, please never forget to reset the temperature
controller to a colder setting; settings 2 to 4.
8
I open for too long.

Maximum loading/filling mark
Please note that you should store frozen food only
as far as the lower edge of the plastic cover frame
(figure 8/arrow).
Freezing fresh food
Your freezer can be used for storage of frozen food
and for freezing of fresh food.
Before filling the freezer for the first time with frozen
food (deep-frozen food), the optimum storage tem¬
perature of -18 °C must have been attained at the
filling mark.
If you intend to freeze food yourself, press the Frost-
matic button 4 to 24 hours beforehand (according to
quantity).
. Freeze only sound fresh food.
Please make sure that as far as possible airtight
packaged food has good contact with the side
refrigerating panels during freezing. In this man¬
ner, the food will freeze right through more quickly.
After around 24 hours (or less for smaller quantity),
the fast freezing sequence can be ended by press¬
ing again the Frostmatic button.
If you intend to freeze more food, retain the fast
freezesetting.
Only place the food in the baskets after freezing is
completed!
Attention:
Your chest freezer has an automatic freezing sys¬
tem. Unless the fast-freeze cycle is manually
switched off, this automatically switches off after 48
hours. The refrigerating unit then reverts to normal
controlled operation.
It is particularly important to keep the freshly in¬
serted food separate from the already frozen
food.
For this reason, we recommend using the small
freezing compartment on the internal right-hand
side for freezing purposes. Only when freezing
larger quantities (e. g. a quantity corresponding to
the daily freezing capacity) must you freeze part of
the food having proper contact with the side walls in
the large freezing compartment.
The daily freezing capacity of your chest freezer is
shown on the rating plate. This quantity should not
be exceeded. If freezing is carried out every day, it is
advisable to reduce this maximum figure to obtain
improved frozen food quality. That is to say, if you
want to carry out freezing on several consecutive
days, only utilize ’A to “A of the maximum capacity.
Hint for test centres
Filling plans for determination of freezing capacity
and warm-up time according to DIN Standard con¬
ditions may be ordered direct from the manufac-
Storing deep-frozen food and
the do’s and don’ts of storing
frozen food
Once the freezing process is completed, deep-
frozen storage takes place in the temperature range
below -18 °C, the freezer system being regulated
automatically (fast freeze button switched off).
For storage of already frozen food, it is imperative to
note the storage time specified by the manufacturer
on the packing.
Make sure that only packed food is stored in the
freezer, since unpacked food will soon dry out when
exposed to the extreme cold.
For safety reasons (such as the risk of an explosion!)
containers containing inflammable gases, e. g.
aerosol cans or cigarette lighter refills, must never
be placed in fridge-freezers.
With the exception of spirits and drinks containing a
higher percentage of alcohol, beverages in glass
bottles, particularly soft drinks containing carbon
dioxide, juices, beer, wine, etc. should not be stored
in the freezer. When the contents freeze, the glass
bottles will crack or even burst.
Ice-cream and fatty foods should be kept near the
Never handle deep-frozen food with wet hands.
Your hands could easily become frozen to the
food.
Never use the freezer as a means of cooling hot
meals, since this causes heavy frost formation on
the evaporators and an increase in electricity con¬
sumption.
If you want to utilize fully the effective capacity of
your appliance and need to store an especially large
quantity of deep-frozen food, you can remove all
storage baskets. Even when food is loaded in this
manner, the functional safety of your appliance is
assured.
Defrosting and cleaning
The moisture in the air entering the freezer when the
lid is opened condenses in the freezer in the form of
frost.

This should be removed from time to time wfith a pla¬
stic scraper, e.g. pastry scraper (not with a knife or
the like). It is not necessary to switch off the freezer
when doing so. To prevent heavy frost formation,
keep the freezer lid closed as much as possible.
This also saves electricity, since heavy frost incm-
station impairs refrigerating efficiency.
Your freezer should be defrosted at least once a
year or as soon as a thick layer of frost has formed.
This is best done when your chest freezer is com¬
pletely or partly empty.
Freezer chests with the “minimum-frost” sy¬
stem do not need to be defrosted so often, as on
these models the ice and frost build up far more
slowly inside the freezer. The “minimum-frost”
system does not need any maintenance at any
time during the service life of the freezer.
Any temperature rise in the frozen food will reduce
the time for which it can be kept. Before defrosting
therefore, switch over your freezer with the Frost-
matic button to "Fast Freeze” for around 12 hours to
build up sufficient low-tempierature reserve.
All food packages remaining in the freezer, hermeti¬
cally packed if possible, should then be
wrapped in several layers of newspaper and stored
in a cool place (e.g. refrigerator).
To defrost, the chest freezer is switched off: pull out
mains plug or remove fuse. The green LED to check
the mains goes out.
You can accelerate the defrosting process by pla¬
cing a bowl of hot water in the freezer and removing
the lumps of ice before they are completely melted.
For safety reasons, this appliance must never be
cleaned with steam-cleaning equipment. Moisture
could find its way into the electronic components,
and steam could cause damage to the plastic
parts.
Never attempt to accelerate defrosting by means of
electric heating or wanning appliances, candles, or
the like.
This may place you at risk of a serious accident and
may also damage your chest freezer.
Make sure when cleaning your chest freezer that no
liquids penetrate inside the operating and monito¬
ring devices and inside the electrical components.
Draining off after defrosting into removabie se¬
parating wall (depending on appliance design):
To drain off the water after defrosting, remove the
plug from the defrosting outlet in the floor of the in¬
ternal compartment. Before doing so, do not forget
to place the removed separating wall or a flat dish
under the outlet to collect the water (Fig. 9).
When defrosting is completed, refit the sealing
plug.
After defrosting the freezer, wash inside and out as
well as accessories with lukewane water to which a
mild detergent can be added. Then rinse with clean
water arKi wipe dry. Finally, switch the freezer back
on.
The frozen food can be placed back inside after
around 10 minutes (see also “Starting up”).
Faults and servicing
To mainteun the safety of your appliance, you should
only have repairs, especially on live parts, perfor¬
med by a trained electrician. If your chest freezer
has a fault, you should therefore approach your re¬
tailer or the service centre direct.
Before approaching our service centre, check whe¬
ther the LEDs are showing, the refrigerating unit is
operational, and the internal temperature is still
being maintained.
If, for example, the green LED goes out virtiile your
chest freezer is operational, press the Frostmatic
button. If the amber LED now comes on, the green
LED is defective.
If the amber light does not come on when set to
“Fast Freeze", but the refrigerating unit is operatio¬
nal, this means that the amber LED must be repla-
If none of the LEDs is on. first check that the power
supply has not been cut off (mains plug, house fuse,
overall power failure in the supply system, etc.). If
necessary, contact your electrician immediately.
If the red LED flashes and the audible alarm sounds,
or the temperature inside the freezer has risen shar¬
ply without fresh food having been inserted or the lid
having been open for any length of time, this means
that there is a fault. Press the Frostmatic button,
keep your freezer closed, and notify our service
centre immediately (see list of service centres).
If both the red and amber LEDs flashes and the refri¬
gerating unit continuously operates, this also
means that there is a fault.
In this case, do not carry out repairs yourself, espe¬
cially in the electrical parts of your chest freezer.
When doing so, please quote
- E.-number, and
- F.-number of your chest freezer.
The rating plate bearing this information is located
inside the lid.
Keep your chest freezer closed and inform the ser¬
vice centre whether the refrigeration system is still
10

operating. If the refrigeration system fails, the cold
retained in frozen food stored in a full freezer will re¬
main effective for at least two days.
N. B.l Unjustified after-sales service calls must be
paid for even during the guarantee period.
Wote: Check the red light diode and the thermome¬
ter or temperature indicator regularly to see that the
storage temperature is being maintained.
When not in use
If your freezer is to remain unused for any length of
time, it must be disconnected (unplugged) from the
electricity supply. It should then be defrosted,
cleaned thoroughly, and the lid left open to prevent
any odours from forming.
Hints on energy-saving
One or two additional hints on energy-saving are
given below:
- Do not install your freezer next to a radiator or
oven or in direct sunlight.
- Do not place any hot food in the freezer.
- Do not open the lid unnecessarily and close it
again as quickly as possible.
- Check the storage temperature in the freezer
compartment with a themiometer.
- Do not set the storage temperature lower than
-18 “C.
- Ensure good ventilation of all surfaces (sides) of
your chest freezer.
If you ever move house
If your freezer is not fully loaded, pack all the frozen
food in concentrated fashion at a few storage
levels.
■ Push the Frostmatic button 24 hours before the re¬
moval van leaves to create a low-temperature re¬
serve in the frozen food.
Secure the chest freezer lid against opening during
transport.
Place the chest freezer on the removal van last so
that you can unload it first and replug it into the
mains supply.
Special accessories
For full equipment of your chest freezer, universal
storage baskets, available only in sets of 2, can be
ordered from your supplier.
Your chest freezer can be made lockable by a retro¬
fit set.
Cover lock
If your chest freezer is equipped with a lock, the key
should not be kept within reach of children or near
the appliance so that children cannot lock them¬
selves inside.
11

C € This appliance complies with the following EC Directives :
73/23EEC of 19.02.1973 ■ Low-Voltage Directive.
89/336/EEC of 03.05.1989 (including Amendment Directive
92/3f/EEC) - EMC Directive.
AEG Hausgerate AG
Postfach 1036
D-90327 Nurnberg 1
© Copyright by AEG
H 271 277 800 - 0795/03 -159
AEG Domestic Appliances Ltd
Customer Care Department
PO Box 47, Newbury
Berkshire, RG14 5XL
Telephone: [phone]
Fax; 01635 42970