Fridge/Freezer Repair advice

blond_bim_bow · 20 October 2011 at 3:26PM

I need advise. I have just changed the door on my fridge and in doing so i laid the fridge on it's back, when i stood it back up i noticed a puddle of oil on the floor, is this from the compressor? will the fridge catch fire if it runs with less oil? it is still working but i'm worried.

grizzly1911 · 20 October 2011 at 5:25PM

pjrouse wrote: »

Hi,

I have a Hotpoint fridge/freezer that was left in the house we moved into as part of the buying process. I would estimate it to be around 3 yrs old.

Recently it has started making more noise than usual when the motor/cooling mechanism starts up, sometimes this noise is only as it starts up - other times it's continuous.

When you open the freezer door (the mechanism is behind the ice compartment at the top) you can hear this noise - it's quite loud and sounds as if something is loose or rattling?

It doesnt happen all the time and has died down over the last few days and gone back to normal but it started again last night?

The performance of the fridge and freezer seems to be unaffected but I know it needs looking at before it stops altogether.

Has anyone got any experience of fixing such appliances? Any idea what it could possibly be and how much it's gonna cost me? (I know my technical explanation above may be lacking in detail - sorry)

Really I dont wanna fork out a 50 quid call out charge for someone to come and tell me it's gonna cost 100 quid+ to fix - I would rather put the 50 quid towards a new fully warranted fridge/freezer.

I have also seen on hotpoints site that their current range of fridge/freezers comes with a 5 yr parts warranty - I dont know if my current fridge/freezer came with a similar warranty but, would anyone know if

A) is this warranty transferable from the original purchaser of the appliance?

and

if it has to be an engineer from Hotpoint who comes out to make the diagnosis?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

Paul

If it is only that old would think it is something simple.

Sure there isn't anything vibrating against the inside, a bottle or jar reverberating?

Has it been moved, even slightly, for cleaning perhaps? Is it still level, usually adjustable feet on the front edge?

5 year guarantee is good marketing. It is parts only providing registered when new. You have to have one of their engineers do the job for a fixed price of around £100 a pop unless you prepay for their insurance.

grizzly1911 · 20 October 2011 at 5:27PM

fontmell wrote: »

Hi,

Followed this thread with interest.

I have a Hotpoint fridge freezer which works fine. However it is really noisy, occasionally sounding like falling rocks. Probably the sound of breaking & falling ice. I have tried to sneak up on it when the noise starts but haven't managed to pinpoint it.

Any ideas gratefully received - it's keeping th dog awake!.

Regards - Andy

Might be ice cracking on the autodefrost cycle?

grizzly1911 · 20 October 2011 at 5:29PM

yelloworb wrote: »

Hi we have a hotpoint f/f and have discovered a small tear in the inside of the freezer about half an inch- the temp is fine- can anyone tell me if this will affect the freezer in anyway. The damage was caused by the freezer draw, a piece had broken off and pierced the side- I do not want to replace the draws if the freezer is useless- thanks

Cover it with some gaffer tape(make sure it is thoroughly dry first) to stop the insulation getting damp and smelly. As long as it is freezing should be OK.

grizzly1911 · 20 October 2011 at 5:36PM

ttlo wrote: »

Hello Everyone.
I have also been reading this thread carefully to see if anyone has been having problems with horrible odours from their fridge freezers !

This is something i had never experienced in my life before and hence tried deepcleaning my entire kitchen before i finally concluded it was my fridge ( and specifically the back of my fridge ) that was letting out an absolutely vile smell.

I have read people are having trouble with noisy compressors.. and im guessing that might be the next problem i will face..

Has anyone here actually called over an engineer to look at their fridge freezer for noisy parts or vile smells ? how much does it cost to replace a compressor ?

Appreciate any tips and BTW i have a BEKO CDA 565FW and it is not even one year old..so disappointed and cannot even enter my kitchen !

Thanks

Courtesy of KWATT article

In almost all appliances of this type there is a drain hole below that wall, or plate, that the water runs into this goes to a tube that deposits the water in a tray on the compressor (motor). The heat from the motor evaporates the liquid into the air harmlessly. Often that drain hole can get blocked and this can lead to water in the fridge another fault caused by poor cleaning, check that first if you do have a problem as it may well not be a fault covered by warranty. If that drain is blocked, or partially blocked with spilled foodstuff then it can create a terrible smell

We had the same with a built in fridge, smell was coming from above units, the drain hole was clear but the tray the water runs into at the back was full of something like tar (decomposed something or other).

Thoroughly cleaned the tray, plastic spatula, warm soapy water and bleach. Dried it off, put fridge back, no problems since.

grizzly1911 · 20 October 2011 at 5:45PM

Zeerust wrote: »

Tried to find a solution to my Fridge Freezer problem.

Its a integrated (built in) unit which I have removed to see if anything obvious. Make PABL ... Model RFF 50/50 ... just over 2 years old.

Compressor working, but a little noisy ... don't think it's the thermostat as both fridge and freezer not working ... so I think it's the compressor/heat exchanger.

Some of the pipes behind are getting hot but none are cold.

If the was a leak of the gas, how could you tell? My guess that it's not economic to repair.

Tried to call the service number but out of use. Have PABL gone out of business?

Pete

The pipes get hot as they dissipate the heat the circulating refrigerant "sucks" out of the fridge. The cold bit is in the fridge.

Is the thermostat set high enough? Is there any trip/reset switch? Is there any quick freeze override?

grizzly1911 · 20 October 2011 at 5:53PM

A_Nice_Englishman wrote: »

My integrated fridge-freezer has recently stopped getting cold.

I suspect it may be the thermostat as it doesn't seem to be switching on/off as the control knob is turned so I'd like to try replacing it myself before paying a repair technician.

Looking on various spare suppliers' websites a genuine part seems to be upwards of £70 eg http://www.yourspares.co.uk/parts/gda/fridges-and-freezers/bm20/parts/ys10394/thermostat-C00215230.aspx

On the other hand, I see similar items for under £10 eg http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270789993655

Is it worth trying the cheap one? Is replacement simply a matter of pulling the capillary tube out and pushing the new one in?

Providing it is the right part I would try the ebay one. Have you checked out the video?

Some of the popular search results for spares stores are pretty steep for basic stuff IMO

kwatt · 22 October 2011 at 1:08AM

Just make sure you buy the correct stat.

Get it wrong and the temp range is out and you'll either have frozen tomatoes or food that is breeding bacteria and, that'll make you sick.

That's why, in commercial premises there's laws about this stuff. Domestic, nobody seems to care.

It's not worth the risk, either buy the correct one or get proper advice on which universal replacement to buy.

K.

Ventnorfan · 26 October 2011 at 2:00PM

I am trying to replace the temperature regulator and believe it is necessary to remove the temperature control knob first. There is a small slot in the side which would suggest there is either a small fixing screw or a tab to depress. However I cannot feel anything when poking around with a small electrical screwdriver!
How do I remove this knob?

wend2410 · 20 November 2011 at 11:32PM

We've had our Proline chest freezer for a couple of years and its always worked fine. However, one of the hinges on the lid recently broke so the lid doesn't stay up but does close. Then one day - about a couple of weeks after we first notice the lid broken, I opened my freezer and all the food had defrosted!!! Thankfully it wasn't full but we still wasted a lot! The power light was still on though so I couldn't work out what was wrong. After emptying the freezer we put it on boost to see if it would freeze again. it did and it stays frozen when like this. I know this is not economical but it seems to be the only way to keep it frozen. I have taken it off boost and it seems to stay frozen for a couple of days on the normal power but then I can see its starting to defrost so back on boost it goes. Any ideas why this is happening - could it be the lid gasket/seal or just a case of getting a new hinge for the lid? Or could it be something else. It wasn't a hugely expensive freezer brand new so don't want to have to pay a huge call out fee if I don't need to. Unfortunately with Xmas approaching, yes it is important to have the freezer, but could really do without the cost of a new one.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Fridge/Freezer Repair advice

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