My Fridge is knocking out all my electrics

byb3

Hi everyone, I've been living in my current home for about 18 months and it took me and my partner a few months before we realised the fridge was the culprit.

Basically every 15-30mins the fridge motor will kick in, and all digital equipment which depends on a signal, ie Freeview and the Internet just die. It only lasts for about 10 seconds, sometimes up to 30 seconds so we have just let it go.

I was just wondering what actually causes it? The fridge/freezer is majorly old, so old in fact that it's made in Italy (not China!). I'd say at least 10 years old. It's a ProLine model.

I'm just concerned if I do replace the fridge, will the next one do the same because of the poor electrics in the house? I imagine they're old as well, but they seem to cope with everything else apart from the fridge.

Thanks for anyone who can shine some light on this matter!

Regards,

rmg1

It sounds like the motor is giving out some sort of RF signal so is probably on its way out. I would think it's nothing to do with the electrics in the house, just the fact the motor has almost had it. Quick test - get a radio tuned into a MW (not FM) signal and see if it gets interference when the fridge kicks in. If it does then the motor is the culprit. Then try it again with an FM signal and repeat.

jd87

This sounds very weird! When you say it's "all digital equipment which depends on a signal", are you sure it's not just because they are all plugged into the same electric circuit. For example if you unplugged the freeview box and plugged a lamp in instead, would the lamp go off?

If so then it's probably just a dodgy wire in the fridge, and a new one won't cause the problem.

fiddiwebb

Oh wow!....an NNEMP generator :eek:

byb3

Cheers for the responses guys.

I too thought that the fridge was on the way out, but it's been going on like this for 18 months! I kept saying to the OH that i'll replace it when it finally dies, but it just keeps on going.

I recall we did have a normal 40W lamp that flickered at the same time the fridge motor kicked in. But we also have a lamp upstairs which is energy saving that doesn't have any problems. It was just less obvious and less annoying than the freeview/internet dying.

Ive thought about buying some sort of circuit to isolate the problem, but then I think to myself that this is a waste of money and I may as well put it towards the cost of a nice new fridge! A decent one can be had for £150 these days.

It's good to know I'm not the only one with this weird problem!

Cheers!

kwikbreaks

byb3 wrote: »

I too thought that the fridge was on the way out, but it's been going on like this for 18 months!

It will probably continue indefinitely too. Where the brushes contact the armature in electric motors there will be some sparking (you can see this with most electric drills). There is supposed to be some circuitry inside the equipment to suppress the electrical interference this sparking causes and it sounds like either your fridge wasn't fitted with any or it has failed - it will probably look something like http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOTPOINT-MAINS-SUPPRESSOR-FOR-WM-WMA-SERIES_W0QQitemZ300394139622QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_Washing_Machines_Dryers_Parts_Accessories_ET?hash=item45f0e2cfe6 - just a fairly anonymous little block which the mains wires go to.

The only place this is likely to cause you real annoyance is with your internet as apart from the connection dropping if you are on a BTw based product (ie non-LLU) then their Dynamic Line Management routines will have already penalised you for this instability by increasing your target noise margin which will reduce your sync rate. Every so often you may suffer a much lower sync which even if corrected will give the abysmal BTw DLM routines an excuse to slow you down to a crawl for several days. If you are not on LLU then you need to either research removing the ring wire or fit an iPlate. Alternately look at getting a replacement mains suppressor for your fridge.

Richie-from-the-Boro

byb3 wrote: »

Cheers for the responses guys.

I too thought that the fridge was on the way out, but it's been going on like this for 18 months! I kept saying to the OH that i'll replace it when it finally dies, but it just keeps on going.

I recall we did have a normal 40W lamp that flickered at the same time the fridge motor kicked in. But we also have a lamp upstairs which is energy saving that doesn't have any problems. It was just less obvious and less annoying than the freeview/internet dying.

Ive thought about buying some sort of circuit to isolate the problem, but then I think to myself that this is a waste of money and I may as well put it towards the cost of a nice new fridge! A decent one can be had for £150 these days.

It's good to know I'm not the only one with this weird problem!

Cheers!

- ebay, search not by ending time but by closest distance to your postcode, you can pick up good clean appliances for nothing, they can't be posted.

- good scrub with bicarb and you are sorted for £50 !

- borrow a three pin socket tester first in case it's an earth / return problem not the fridge