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BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything
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Subject: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:08 PM I sure hope someone can help me to solve this problem. Everything I put in my fridge, no matter where, freezes. Milk, Juis, Beer ,eggs,Things in Jars, like jam, mustard , beets..ALL OF IT. Since I have had this problem I have discovered that it is not uncommon but what makes it happen. I Have asked appliance repair people but they seem to think it is only a summer problem {why would that be ?} Anyway, if anyone can help me out I would be most grateful as I cannot afford a new fridge right now. Thanks |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:13 PM You sure there isn't a control dial in there that might have been accidentally knocked to maximum? |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:16 PM Has a naughty imp turned it upside down and you are filling the freezer? Or maybe the thermostat is knackered and trying to compensate too much in summer? |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:22 PM The control dial was my first thought but that is not the problem and is it is now bleak winter, the season cannot be blamed either, but thanks for the suggestions. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:28 PM I googled on this, and this came up Appliance Repair Wisdom for the Ages - Refrigerator Freezing Everything It might be worth chasing up some specialised site and asking. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: jeffp Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:32 PM The Samurai Appliance Repair Man is great! I repaired a dryer with his advice. Saved beaucoup bucks in the process. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:50 PM Thank you so much, I'll suss that out and let you know what happens..it looks like an interesting and informative site. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST,Marion Date: 10 Jan 07 - 02:47 PM Hi Guest. Somebody gave me this advice when I had the same problem, and it worked for me... it's simpler than the Samurai's suggestion, so might as well try it first. My fridge had separate temperature control dials in the fridge and freezer. Although I had the fridge dial at minimum power (i.e., max temperature), everything was still freezing until somebody suggested I turn down the FREEZER's power. That worked. Good luck, Marion |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Cluin Date: 11 Jan 07 - 12:07 AM My downstairs fridge freezes everything When it is overloaded. Usually happens over the Xmas holidays when there is extra stuff in there... beer, wine, cider, eggnog, bread, leftovers... |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 11 Jan 07 - 12:38 AM 1) I have had this experience when fridges get old - the thermostat needs replacing. Often the cost of repair is not economic these days. Use it for beer - which freezes at well below the normal freezing point of ice. Hence the practice of many Aussies to not throw out the old fridge, but keep it as 'the beer fridge'. 2) "My downstairs fridge freezes everything When it is overloaded." The cause of this is usually insufficient air circulation space. Many people forget that domestic fridges and freezers rely solely on internal air circulation to move the heat (in the contents) from the contents to the mechanism to expel the heat outside - so things will start to freeze right next to where the coldest spot is. The thermostat is usually not right next to this spot, and so detects that thigs are still warmer than they should be, and so the cycle will continue till the whole bloody thing is frozen solid! For an appliance in 'good order' (not as in 1 above) this means that you are overfilling it, and obviating that is the only solution. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: JohnInKansas Date: 11 Jan 07 - 12:40 AM Many refrigerators have a single control, usually in the "fridge" compartment, that controls how often the compressor runs. A separate control, that may be in either the fridge or freezer compartment simply opens a "convection hole" to let a little air pass between the two compartments. If the hole is blocked, by too much "stuff" in either compartment, by icing up (usually in the freezer), or in rare cases by accumulated "crud" in the slots, the whole refrigerator likely will drop to where everything freezes in both compartments. Some newer-than-mine refrigerators have a small fan to blow air through the connecting vent, and failure of the fan can cause the same effect, although simple "overstuffing" is the most common cause. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 11 Jan 07 - 12:43 AM Ah John - 'The Wise all think alike' or should that be 'Fools never differ' ... :-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: JohnInKansas Date: 11 Jan 07 - 12:59 AM Foolestroupe - I was leaving the "opening the freezer door too often" bit for you. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 11 Jan 07 - 01:16 AM :-P |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Scrump Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:03 AM We had a similar problem a while back. If your fridge is "self defrosting", it should have a small hole somewhere in the bottom, that leads to a pipe, which usually ends on top of the compressor (this is usually at the bottom of the fridge, at the back). Moisture inside the fridge is supposed to condense and run down the tube onto the compressor, where is evaporates due to the heat from the compressor. If the tube gets blocked, usually by tiny bits of food etc. that get washed down into it over a period of time, the fridge stops working properly. We just used a bit of thin wire to poke down the hole and clear the blockage. This may not be your problem but it's worth checking before you do anything more expensive. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 11 Jan 07 - 07:26 AM I must admit that my freezer is packed, so maybe that is the problem, poor circulation. I'll clear it out a bit and see if that helps. You have all been so helpful and I thank you all for the advice. I never cease to be amazed at what people here at the mudcat know. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST,jOhn Date: 11 Jan 07 - 08:44 AM Maybe its busted? anyway=you spelled jooce wrong. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Scrump Date: 11 Jan 07 - 08:47 AM I thought that fridges and freezers were supposed to work better if they were full? I thought having a half-empty fridge or freezer meant you were wasting energy cooling air, which escapes every time you open the door? But maybe if it's really tightly packed so there's no room for any air to circulate, that's different? |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 11 Jan 07 - 08:50 AM Gee John, knew you could be counted on for sarcasim and a touch of rudeness. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST,jOhn Date: 11 Jan 07 - 08:53 AM sarcasm. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 11 Jan 07 - 10:27 AM rudeness |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 11 Jan 07 - 11:10 AM Get a new fridge. Sounds like it is an old energy waster anyway. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Richard Bridge Date: 11 Jan 07 - 11:46 AM If you can identify the thermostat, percussive persuasion may separate the contacts. Do not try this unless you can replace the thermostat (or fridge) if you break the esisting thermostat. Otherwise, you could try buying a timer, and let it turn the fridge on and off every 15 minutes..... |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: JohnInKansas Date: 11 Jan 07 - 08:41 PM GUEST's wittlessism about sarcasim is true to form, but perhaps the explanation is needed: I assumed that Foolsetroupe would recognize, and expect that he did, that neither of us would wish to introduce the explanation about "opening the door too often," since that ultimately and invariably leads to the question of "how much is too much?" - which HAS NO ANSWER. We did that (sort of) in another thread. So don't ask. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 12 Jan 07 - 03:50 AM You can borrow my whip and chains to use on GUEST, JiK... :-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: JohnInKansas Date: 12 Jan 07 - 04:44 AM Foolestroupe - I could have just suggested he ASK YOU how often is too often to open the door, just to see if you could work your way out of it. He/she might have caught on that it was a joke while watchin' you try to come up with an answer, and I wouldn't have needed to explain. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST,Shimrod Date: 12 Jan 07 - 05:07 AM As I have recently found, to my cost, fridges don't last forever. My old appliance used to: - Ice up at the back, then dribble melt water all over the floor in warm weather. - Occasionally freeze everything, like yours, then mysteriously right itself. Finally, last summer, the little light, in the roof of the fridge compartment, decided to stay on permanently and the contents of the compartment warmed up and spoiled (luckily I worked out what was happening before I got food poisoning!). Frustratingly, as far as I could see, the door catch, which was supposed to turn off the light when the door was closed, appeared to be working perfectly ... In the end I threw the damn thing away and bought a new one. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 12 Jan 07 - 08:32 AM John I am not worried about being asked the question "how often is too often to open the door" Well, now you see, being truly creative, I would respond to that question by turning it around, and dealing with just how often it is really necessary to open the door, to which there is a very elegant answer "only as often as is truly necessary"! Shimrod, at my age, I have been experienceing much of the same symptoms, for purely medical reasons. But your option is, alas, not one I am prepared to consider, for various practical reasons... |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST, Topsie Date: 12 Jan 07 - 09:25 AM When my fridge light started to stay on when the door was shut, melting the plastic around it, I found I could simply unscrew the bulb slightly before closing the door, and screw it in again enough to make it light up, while the door was open - cheaper than getting a new fridge. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: kendall Date: 12 Jan 07 - 10:34 AM Most refigerators have a life of about 15 years, and the later models are not repairable. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Scrump Date: 12 Jan 07 - 10:38 AM OP GUEST, any news on the health of your fridge? Have you tried unblocking the tube, etc.? Enquiring minds etc. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Cluin Date: 12 Jan 07 - 09:38 PM John (in Kansas), I think GUEST was referring to GUEST,jOhn's (as in from Hull) post above about spelling "juice" wrong. Not you. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Cluin Date: 12 Jan 07 - 09:39 PM By the way, why do I hear the title of this thread uttered with a whine? |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 13 Jan 07 - 01:23 AM Cluin, is your hard drive on the way out? :-P |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Cluin Date: 13 Jan 07 - 02:15 AM Mind your own business. Nothing to see here. Move along. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 13 Jan 07 - 08:16 AM Well, I like that! It could at least take you with it... |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: Cluin Date: 13 Jan 07 - 06:41 PM It may yet. |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: John J Date: 14 Jan 07 - 04:33 AM It is almost certainly the thermostat. The thermostat assembly consists of a rotary control with a couple of wires coming out to control the compressor, plus a long, thin and flexible metallic tube with a large-ish 'blob' on the end. This tube and it's blob is (are?) the sensor. The whole lot should be removed and replaced, not too difficult if you're handy. Cost in UK is around £20 for a 'universal' fridge thermostat which should do the job nicely. PM me if you need to. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: My Fridge Freezes Everything From: GUEST Date: 16 Jan 07 - 12:51 PM Thank you all for your suggestions....it now works better. I took everything from the freezer end ensured that the air circulation was ok, then I reduced the heat in the freezer and..........waited. This do seem much better now. It is an old fridge but I just cannot afford a new so I really do thank all of you who responded to my question. |
