6yo freezer running most of the time / struggling to keep
Discussion
- cool!
However lately I've noticed it's been running more often than not, and having turned it off most of a day it then took half a week to pull back down to temperature.
I've now cleaned the wall of dog hair off the condenser which has helped a little, but it still doesn't appear to be a happy freezer.
If it was a car I would have it leak tested and regassed, but white good are usually brazed up sealed systems?
Thoughts welcome? Repair options?
Edited by dhutch on Tuesday 17th September 12:40
A fridge is fairly straightforward - your symptoms sound like low refrigerant.
Regassing is not the answer, without fixing the leak.
Leak detection can be very difficult (means expensive) and may not be successful (more cost).
Generally best to buy a new unit - but check with manufacturers/suppliers first.
Rough101 said:
dhutch said:
Got a 6yo 185mm tall Liebherr. ?
These tiny fridges are a nightmare….Specifically a GNP 4355 , sat next to a matching K 4310 fridge.
Seems they have changed the handle design since, which is annoying if we have to replace it.
caziques said:
A fridge is fairly straightforward - your symptoms sound like low refrigerant.
Regassing is not the answer, without fixing the leak.
Leak detection can be very difficult (means expensive) and may not be successful (more cost).
Generally best to buy a new unit - but check with manufacturers/suppliers first.
Yeah, I sort of realise the overall prognosis is not good. Regassing is not the answer, without fixing the leak.
Leak detection can be very difficult (means expensive) and may not be successful (more cost).
Generally best to buy a new unit - but check with manufacturers/suppliers first.
Looking around here appears to be three basic reasons for a leak.
- Manufacturing defect, which tends to show itself fairly quickly.
- Stabbing a knife into it while defrosting it, which is fairly sudden loss.
- Corrosion of the pipework, which makes any repair unlikely!
My only other thought, if there has been something jammed in it and the draw has been forced open/closed in such that its caught a pipe.
But even so, I would expect a leak would go from fine to knackered pretty fast, like hours not weeks? Maybe not?
Presumably there will be no UV dye in the refrigerant from new, and find and repairing a leak depends highly on how much its buried within foam!
Given it a grands worth of freezer, plus matches the fridge, the willingness to repair would be significant so may still find someone to take a look.
I do also wonder if something somewhere has blocked causing it to ice up worse than usual, like the door being left ajar.
Although typically in the past when has happened its got on with itself ok and we have never had to defrost it.
Currently its down to temp (-21c) , does stop running from time to time, and am watching it very closely!
I've turned the 'indicator light' on which appears to show blue when normal, and flash red when too warm, so a good visual check.
Bit tricky if you don't have another freezer but we had one (a proper American Side by Side unit) that needed to be defrosted every couple of years as its defrost cycle wasn't clearing airways that it blew cold air through and the evaporator coil drip tray would gradually ice up.
Might be worth searching / asking on UK WhiteGoods although it's not very active these days.
It annoys me when these "posh" name appliances don't have long warranties.
Might be worth searching / asking on UK WhiteGoods although it's not very active these days.
It annoys me when these "posh" name appliances don't have long warranties.
Sheepshanks said:
It annoys me when these "posh" name appliances don't have long warranties.
Yeah it is a shame, because its an absolutely lovely thing to use, as is the fridge, and they have a great reputation for lasting.But clearly if on occasion they don't, you are only covered for the first two years, which is nothing for something that should last 10+ if not 20.
The fridge has been flawless, but the freezer had to have a new control board fitted 18 months in (right in the middle of covid) as it was giving a error code BT041 which I believe was to do with temperature sensor reading.
I might look locally for a cheap used freezer, both and insurance for sudden death on this one, and to allow it to do a full defrost.
gareth h said:
Does it need defrosting?
Pulling the top drawer out it does look more frozen up than I've ever seen it before. Which is actually a promising development.I've also stuck a low offer in on an under counter freezer that's going cheap locally which can be a buffer store for a day or two!
Currently don't get much control or consistency to my free time with a bossy 2.5yo lady.
After many years of involvement with heat pumps, I am the world's leading expert on tiny leaks!
Some holes are so small, they only leak refrigerant when the compressor is running, ie when the refrigerant pressure is high.
A brazed joint in a copper pipe is a possibility, high pressure refrigerant can go through the braze.
Any heat pump low on refrigerant will not work properly - taking longer and longer to do its job - and eventually not working at all.
An all too common leaking point in a hot water heat pump is the heat exchanger, easy to find when water is pumped through and there are bubbles.
Super Sonic said:
Can you not swap the handles?
Well it's more than just a handle design, the door shape has been changed to suit, and there is some changes to the main body/vent details.However if we ended up going to down that route, I would certainly be looking at the scope to swap the doors if the hinge arrangement is sufficiently common.
119 said:
Looks like you could be blocking the air flow.
It might be this has contributed, although there are no vents or whatever at the top of the draw.The rear ones are behind it and the front ones are in front of the draw front when its closed.
That said, I have never really noticed the cutouts in the back of the top draw, and its possible that's got a bit covered as a fortnight ago we bought a months supply of frozen fruit as its was on 3 for 2 the other day.
I don't suppose you have a local Farm shop or business you deal with regularly.
I ran a Farm Shop up to retiring, maybe 2 or 3 times a year customers would come asking for help with a broken Fridge or freezer, we offered to keep their stuff in out storage until they could get a new one or get a repair or do a defrost.
I ran a Farm Shop up to retiring, maybe 2 or 3 times a year customers would come asking for help with a broken Fridge or freezer, we offered to keep their stuff in out storage until they could get a new one or get a repair or do a defrost.
netherfield said:
I don't suppose you have a local Farm shop or business you deal with regularly.
No, but fair play for helping out people in need!gotoPzero said:
Is it possible the fridge is causing an issue?
No it's not a side condenser model, the condenser is at the bottom with a fan to draw in air at floor level and vent it up the back of the unit. Plus its in the same place its been for the past 6 years working without issue.
Just bought a £50 2yo under counter fridge from 10 mins up the road, so will collect that tonight and do a defrost routine!
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