Freezer temperature problem with Beko, any advice ?

BensonBooga

I am 99% these temps are not good, but I just wanted to double check before I replace the fridge freezer. A person elsewhere, who seems very knowledgeable, has said it shouldn't go as warm as it is going or swing more than 3 degrees, but I just wanted a 2nd opinion. I put a temp logger in the freezer so it shows/records what the temps are every 5 minutes. It bounces from minus 25 degrees Celsius, up to minus 7 degrees. Below is a copy and paste of the temps. Fridge Freezer is a 2008 Beko, I have had it since 2009, model CDA563FW/1. Been serviced once in that time. It is a free standing fridge freezer frost-free model. I realise a lot of the temps are correct, but the massive swing is what concerns me. I have tried multiple different numbers on the dial knob (between 1 to 6), the only difference was when I put it on 6 the freezer went as cold as minus 29 Celsius, but it still went back to minus 7 occasionally. The fridge part is around 5 degrees which is perfect. 

Basically I just wanted double confirmation these temps are wrong before I get a new one. Food is staying frozen, but I realise the taste might be ruined. Beko won't help as it is 11 years old. Thanks all. (because the image is so wide, depending on device viewing, you may need to "open image in a new tab" to see it clearly, I have put another underneath with only half the width to make it easier to see). 


Below is a clearer view of half of the above scale............


Below are the dates, times, and then temp every 5 minutes............

16/02/2020 06:20:02 -14.7

16/02/2020 06:25:02 -16.6

16/02/2020 06:30:02 -17.6

16/02/2020 06:35:02 -17.6

16/02/2020 06:40:02 -18.2

16/02/2020 06:45:02 -18.5

16/02/2020 06:50:02 -18.8

16/02/2020 06:55:02 -19.4

16/02/2020 07:00:02 -20

16/02/2020 07:05:02 -20.6

16/02/2020 07:10:02 -21.2

16/02/2020 07:15:02 -21.7

16/02/2020 07:20:02 -22.1

16/02/2020 07:25:02 -22.5

16/02/2020 07:30:02 -22.9

16/02/2020 07:35:02 -23.2

16/02/2020 07:40:02 -23.6

16/02/2020 07:45:02 -23.8

16/02/2020 07:50:02 -24.1

16/02/2020 07:55:02 -24.4

16/02/2020 08:00:02 -24.6

16/02/2020 08:05:02 -24.9

16/02/2020 08:10:02 -24.8

16/02/2020 08:15:02 -24.3

16/02/2020 08:20:02 -23.8

16/02/2020 08:25:02 -23.2

16/02/2020 08:30:02 -22.8

16/02/2020 08:35:02 -22.4

16/02/2020 08:40:02 -22

16/02/2020 08:45:02 -21.5

16/02/2020 08:50:02 -21.1

16/02/2020 08:55:02 -20.7

16/02/2020 09:00:02 -19.7

16/02/2020 09:05:02 -19

16/02/2020 09:10:02 -18.2

16/02/2020 09:15:02 -17.3

16/02/2020 09:20:02 -16.8

16/02/2020 09:25:02 -16.6

16/02/2020 09:30:02 -16.3

16/02/2020 09:35:02 -16

16/02/2020 09:40:02 -15.9

16/02/2020 09:45:02 -15.6

16/02/2020 09:50:02 -15.4

16/02/2020 09:55:02 -15.1

16/02/2020 10:00:02 -14.9

16/02/2020 10:05:02 -14.6

16/02/2020 10:10:02 -14.2

16/02/2020 10:15:02 -13.8

16/02/2020 10:20:02 -13.5

16/02/2020 10:25:02 -13.3

16/02/2020 10:30:02 -13

16/02/2020 10:35:02 -12.8

16/02/2020 10:40:02 -13.1

16/02/2020 10:45:02 -15.3

16/02/2020 10:50:02 -16.9

16/02/2020 10:55:02 -17.8

16/02/2020 11:00:02 -18.4

16/02/2020 11:05:02 -18.4

16/02/2020 11:10:02 -18.1

16/02/2020 11:15:02 -17.8

16/02/2020 11:20:02 -17.4

16/02/2020 11:25:02 -17

16/02/2020 11:30:02 -16.6

16/02/2020 11:35:02 -16.3

16/02/2020 11:40:02 -15.9

16/02/2020 11:45:02 -15.6

16/02/2020 11:50:02 -14.6

16/02/2020 11:55:02 -14.1

16/02/2020 12:00:02 -13.6

16/02/2020 12:05:02 -13.3

16/02/2020 12:10:02 -13

16/02/2020 12:15:02 -12.8

16/02/2020 12:20:02 -12.5

16/02/2020 12:25:02 -12.4

16/02/2020 12:30:02 -12.1

16/02/2020 12:35:02 -11.9

16/02/2020 12:40:02 -11.8

16/02/2020 12:45:02 -11.5

16/02/2020 12:50:02 -11.3

16/02/2020 12:55:02 -11.1

16/02/2020 13:00:02 -10.9

16/02/2020 13:05:02 -10.7

16/02/2020 13:10:02 -10.5

16/02/2020 13:15:02 -10.3

16/02/2020 13:20:02 -10.1

16/02/2020 13:25:02 -9.9

16/02/2020 13:30:02 -9.7

16/02/2020 13:35:02 -9.9

16/02/2020 13:40:02 -12.1

16/02/2020 13:45:02 -14.4

16/02/2020 13:50:02 -15.7

16/02/2020 13:55:02 -15.2

16/02/2020 14:00:02 -15.7

16/02/2020 14:05:02 -15.6

16/02/2020 14:10:02 -15.3

16/02/2020 14:15:02 -15

16/02/2020 14:20:02 -14.5

16/02/2020 14:25:02 -13.6

16/02/2020 14:30:02 -13.1

16/02/2020 14:35:02 -12.7

16/02/2020 14:40:02 -12.3

16/02/2020 14:45:02 -11.8

16/02/2020 14:50:02 -11.4

16/02/2020 14:55:02 -11.1

16/02/2020 15:00:02 -10.8

16/02/2020 15:05:02 -10.6

16/02/2020 15:10:02 -10.4

16/02/2020 15:15:02 -10.2

16/02/2020 15:20:02 -10

16/02/2020 15:25:02 -10.1

16/02/2020 15:30:02 -12.2

16/02/2020 15:35:02 -14.3

16/02/2020 15:40:02 -15.8

16/02/2020 15:45:02 -16.7

16/02/2020 15:50:02 -17.4

16/02/2020 15:55:02 -18

16/02/2020 16:00:02 -18.6

16/02/2020 16:05:02 -19.2

16/02/2020 16:10:02 -17.3

16/02/2020 16:15:02 -18.8

16/02/2020 16:20:02 -19.8

16/02/2020 16:25:02 -20.4

16/02/2020 16:30:02 -20.8

16/02/2020 16:35:02 -21.2

16/02/2020 16:40:02 -21.7

16/02/2020 16:45:02 -22.1

16/02/2020 16:50:02 -22.5

16/02/2020 16:55:02 -22.7

16/02/2020 17:00:02 -22.1

16/02/2020 17:05:02 -21.2

16/02/2020 17:10:02 -20.5

16/02/2020 17:15:02 -20

16/02/2020 17:20:02 -19.5

16/02/2020 17:25:02 -19.1

16/02/2020 17:30:02 -18.5

16/02/2020 17:35:02 -17.3

16/02/2020 17:40:02 -16.7

16/02/2020 17:45:02 -16.3

16/02/2020 17:50:02 -16

16/02/2020 17:55:02 -15.7

16/02/2020 18:00:02 -15.5

16/02/2020 18:05:02 -15.2

16/02/2020 18:10:02 -14.7

16/02/2020 18:15:02 -14.4

16/02/2020 18:20:02 -14.1

16/02/2020 18:25:02 -13.8

16/02/2020 18:30:02 -13.6

16/02/2020 18:35:02 -13.4

16/02/2020 18:40:02 -13.1

16/02/2020 18:45:02 -12.9

16/02/2020 18:50:02 -12.7

16/02/2020 18:55:02 -12.4

16/02/2020 19:00:02 -12.2

16/02/2020 19:05:02 -11.5

16/02/2020 19:10:02 -10.9

16/02/2020 19:15:02 -10.5

16/02/2020 19:20:02 -10.3

16/02/2020 19:25:02 -9.9

16/02/2020 19:30:02 -11.8

16/02/2020 19:35:02 -13.9

16/02/2020 19:40:02 -15.2

16/02/2020 19:45:02 -16.2

16/02/2020 19:50:02 -16.9

16/02/2020 19:55:02 -16.7

16/02/2020 20:00:02 -14.2

16/02/2020 20:05:02 -13.3

16/02/2020 20:10:02 -13

16/02/2020 20:15:02 -12.7

16/02/2020 20:20:02 -12.5

16/02/2020 20:25:02 -12.4

16/02/2020 20:30:02 -12.1

16/02/2020 20:35:02 -11.9

16/02/2020 20:40:02 -11.7

16/02/2020 20:45:02 -11.5

16/02/2020 20:50:02 -11.1

16/02/2020 20:55:02 -10.6

16/02/2020 21:00:02 -10.3

16/02/2020 21:05:02 -10

16/02/2020 21:10:02 -9.8

16/02/2020 21:15:02 -9.6

16/02/2020 21:20:02 -9.5

16/02/2020 21:25:02 -9.3

16/02/2020 21:30:02 -9.1

16/02/2020 21:35:02 -8.9

16/02/2020 21:40:02 -8.7

16/02/2020 21:45:02 -8.5

16/02/2020 21:50:02 -8.4

16/02/2020 21:55:02 -8.1

16/02/2020 22:00:02 -8

16/02/2020 22:05:02 -7.9

16/02/2020 22:10:02 -7.6

16/02/2020 22:15:02 -7.5

16/02/2020 22:20:02 -7.2

16/02/2020 22:25:02 -9.1

16/02/2020 22:30:02 -11.5

16/02/2020 22:35:02 -13.7

16/02/2020 22:40:02 -15

16/02/2020 22:45:02 -16

16/02/2020 22:50:02 -16

etc etc.

 

neilmcl

Can you tell us what the overall average temp is over 24hrs?
A frost free freezer works by constantly warming and then freezing to prevent a build-up of frost, and depending where you've placed your temp logger then this can be quite noticeable. What's important is the average temp you getting in the freezer over a specific period.

Edit: Ok, so a quick check of that data set you posted shows the average in that period of 16hrs or so is a little over -15C, which is too warm.

BensonBooga

Thanks. Yeah, on the above one it was -15 on average (on the PDF report it says exactly -15 as average), but some times when I test it is as warm as -12 average in 24 hours. I was told a freezer shouldn't vary more than about 3 degrees, but not sure if that was for frost frees. What concerns me is there are about 4 or 5 hours in a row where it is -12 or -11, etc, and this just seems too low for that length. I could maybe understand a cycle once a day that lowers for 20 minutes or so, but multiple hours in a row at high temps just seems wrong. It is also worrying that it goes down to -25, as that is a massive swing on a multiple times a day basis. I placed the logger in the 2nd drawer down on some bags of food. At the moment I have only that 1 drawer full as I was worried about my food spoiling so I have just left in non-meat products, but I got similar results with a full freezer when I first noticed and tested a month back. 

I tested my parents Hotpoint freezer too, which is frost free, and that seems to keep a fairly steady minus 16 to minus 19 at all times. 

neilmcl

Maybe it's time to change it then, you've had a good run with it, 11 years isn't too bad. I would turn the temp down a bit though, 5C for your fridge is at the upper limit, you'd really want it nearer 3C and this will help with the overall freezer temp as well.

Jackmydad

What are the variables though? 
Room temperature, fridge / freezer door being opened for a couple of things.
What state are the door seals in? 
Do they pass the "sheet of paper grip" test all the way around the seal?
I'd also wonder what the temperature fluctuations are in a good fridge / freezer.
Might be worth checking what the energy consumption is as well. Our previous one was using considerably more than the replacement unit.

Mutton_Geoff

Maybe as a budget brand, Beko use cheap thermostats with a wide hysteresis? Also, what is the quality/accuracy of your measuring device?

neilmcl

TBH, I got a new £300 Beko FF back in June and that's never really managed a stable temperature in either fridge or freezer, If you set it so that the fridge should be around 3-5C then the freezer gets too warm (-16C and above) and if you drop the temp for the freezer the fridge can often drop to around 1 degree or less and ice builds up on the back. They're not particularly that great, my old non-frost free Indesit was much better.

Jackmydad

neilmcl said:

TBH, I got a new £300 Beko FF back in June and that's never really managed a stable temperature in either fridge or freezer, If you set it so that the fridge should be around 3-5C then the freezer gets too warm (-16C and above) and if you drop the temp for the freezer the fridge can often drop to around 1 degree or less and ice builds up on the back. They're not particularly that great, my old non-frost free Indesit was much better.

Always been some sort of problem with single compressor fridge freezers. AFAIK
Our Beko isn't too bad.

BensonBooga

Thanks. I used my laser temp device to check the seals, and the temp didn't change when I point it all around it, so I presume they are okay. Supposedly the temp swing is just too much to be normal, from what I am hearing from people, going from minus 23 to minus 7 multiple times a day. It keeps the food frozen but won't help long term taste. I just have to worry if I get another one, from the same brand, if I end up with the same issues or if this is abnormal for Beko. When I contacted them they just sent me to Domestic & General due to being out of warranty without saying if the fluctuations were wrong for their brand, as I know some auto defrosts do fluctuate. It is kept in the kitchen by the way. Changing the dial temp doesn't seem to change much, the fridge stays the same temp and the freezer still jumps about, maybe there is something wrong with the dial.

Regarding the measuring device, I have 3 in there, only 1 that logs/records though, and when I check all 3 seem to give a similar temperature.