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| Thread ID: 77128 | 2007-02-27 19:17:00 | A fridge thread - insulation problem | sam m (517) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 528754 | 2007-02-27 19:17:00 | Hi I have an F&P fridge / freezer roughly about 10 years old. Over the last couple of months the performance has been poor. With the temp turned all the way down the freezer wont freeze any meat although it does stay cold, and the fridge keeps food cool, not cold. Solution - bought a new fridge as the old one was too small for growing family. However just wondering if there is a simple way to fix the old fridge. I was told it is an insulation problem. I immediately thought that just might mean new seals but wonder if there is more to this. I dont want to shell out money for seals if this wont fix it. |
sam m (517) | ||
| 528755 | 2007-02-27 19:22:00 | Bad door seals affected our old machine's chilling - it resulted in a strange mix of excessive moisture and ice in the interior. The cost to replace the seals wasn't worth it... it's an expensive job if you get a pro company to do it. | Greg (193) | ||
| 528756 | 2007-02-27 20:58:00 | Bad door seals affected our old machine's chilling - it resulted in a strange mix of excessive moisture and ice in the interior. The cost to replace the seals wasn't worth it... it's an expensive job if you get a pro company to do it. Thanks. You described the symptoms accurately and yes the quote over the phone was $400 hence another reason why we bought a new fridge. I was more curious as to what 'insulation problem' acutally referred to. I assumed it was seals but wondered if insulation problem could be elsewhere on the fridge. I didnt think changing door seals on a fridge could be any harder than changing door rubbers on a car but I have used this analogy before and been caught out. Might have to forget that idea and send it to recycle station. Sam |
sam m (517) | ||
| 528757 | 2007-02-27 21:11:00 | I have heard of this problem several times over the last 50 or so years and occasionally it has been because of the confusing way some makers designated the controls on the fridge. Turning DOWN the temperature may have been turning down the freezing of the unit. I know it sounds daft but as I say its not the first time I have come across this. Try the opposite setting. Tom |
Thomas01 (317) | ||
| 528758 | 2007-02-27 21:33:00 | It may well be the fridge just needs re-gassing. Over time, the stuff they use to pump through the compressor (used to be CFCs) which caused the fridge to chill food, leaked out which diminished the efficiency of the cooling process. Replacement of the gas could make the machine just like new. If the problem was the seals, there would be condensation/ice build-up where the leak(s) was/were. |
johcar (6283) | ||
| 528759 | 2007-02-27 21:53:00 | sam could you describe the symptoms your fridge/freezer is displaying? Is there ice building up horizontally around the center of the rear liner? Is there ice building up around the door? Visually inspect the seal, are there any gaps between the seal and the frame? If the seal seems visually fine and its merely a temperature problem its more likely to need re-gassing. Whoever quoted you $400 has no idea what they're talking about. To reseal both doors on a fridge/freezer is more like $185~. |
Pete O'Neil (6584) | ||
| 528760 | 2007-02-28 00:00:00 | If the diagnosis of "insulation problem" came from the same person who said $400 (so may be less than expert?), you could consider another possibility. I once assumed a fridge-freezer needed expensive re-gassing, only to find the problem was much cheaper to fix. It needed a new thermostat. |
Laura (43) | ||
| 528761 | 2007-02-28 02:02:00 | sam could you describe the symptoms your fridge/freezer is displaying? Is there ice building up horizontally around the center of the rear liner? Is there ice building up around the door? Visually inspect the seal, are there any gaps between the seal and the frame? If the seal seems visually fine and its merely a temperature problem its more likely to need re-gassing. Whoever quoted you $400 has no idea what they're talking about. To reseal both doors on a fridge/freezer is more like $185~. Basically on the back of the fridge (inside) there was ice build up. There was no ice build up around the inside of the doors. I have old fridge in garage now so might put a torch inside and close doors to see if there is any gaps. I agree the quote sounded ridiculously high at the time for replaced seals. I might ring that number advertised on TV for quote. |
sam m (517) | ||
| 528762 | 2007-02-28 03:24:00 | Check the recirc fan inside the unit first to make sure it works . Ice build-up on a wall is a dead give away . Unless mice ate the insulation, nothing there is the problem . Door gaskets MIGHT make a diff . . . and if it has low freon charge, it will run almost constantly . Freezing can be a sign of LOW freon load . . . quite the opposite of what one might suspect . Thermostats DO fail . . . but check that fan then the thermostat . |
SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
| 528763 | 2007-02-28 04:26:00 | Check the recirc fan inside the unit first to make sure it works . Ice build-up on a wall is a dead give away . Unless mice ate the insulation, nothing there is the problem . Door gaskets MIGHT make a diff . . . and if it has low freon charge, it will run almost constantly . Freezing can be a sign of LOW freon load . . . quite the opposite of what one might suspect . Thermostats DO fail . . . but check that fan then the thermostat . I suspect that, in Jacinto, this time of the year, one does not need a fridge . PJ :rolleyes: :rolleyes: |
Poppa John (284) | ||
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