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DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> Dodgy Freezer
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Message started by squiggle on May 22nd, 2004, 11:13am

Title: Dodgy Freezer
Post by squiggle on May 22nd, 2004, 11:13am

We have an old freezer (bought second hand) that is tripping the main power switch (RCD I think).

I don't intend doing anything other than considering the appliance dangerous and writing it off but can any one explain to me in laymans terms what sort of thing goes wrong to cause this? I can't see a broken or badly connected wire or anything like that.

Jon

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by Lectrician on May 22nd, 2004, 11:47am

The motor (compressor) is a prime suspect.

The slightest bit of damp in it can cause an RCD to trip.


Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by HandyMac on May 22nd, 2004, 12:39pm


wrote on May 22nd, 2004, 11:47am:
The motor (compressor) is a prime suspect.

The slightest bit of damp in it can cause an RCD to trip.

If that is the case then pointing a fan heater at it for an hour or two might relieve the dampness within. Then if the problem goes away and comes back later you'll know you are onto the right cause.

Mind you, probably wouldn't help the freezer contents whilst this was going on!

Andrew

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by squiggle on May 22nd, 2004, 12:51pm

LOL HM.

It went on Thu and we have already lost stuff. Bad time too as we had a musical contact of mine stopping with us (packed her of to Yorkshire for her next leg yesterday). Priority was really to find what was killing the power in the house and at least restore that - to me that was a case of unplug everything and then see what device did the damage, and to get power back.

It's only a small freezer and there is another combi fridge/freezer in the kitchen (the one that went is in the porch area) and we were able to cram at least some more stuff in that.  Priority there in our case was mostly veg - produce from the garden - not as good as fresh from the garden maybe, but still more important than say a pack of frozen peas to us.

Jon

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by HandyMac on May 22nd, 2004, 3:11pm


wrote on May 22nd, 2004, 12:51pm:
LOL HM

I was actually being serious. A small fan heater directed at something which is damp (in this case perhaps the freezer motor) can work wonders with drying out.

The fan heater can also be useful during defrosting of a fridge or freezer - open the door and point the warm air towards it. Helps to defrost that little bit quicker.

However if doing the defrosting it's a good idea not to have the fan heater too close or too high. You just need some gentle warmth breezing in.

Andrew

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by squiggle on May 22nd, 2004, 4:53pm

Sorry, my fault, HM. I should have quoted

"Mind you, probably wouldn't help the freezer contents whilst this was going on! ".

What I was responding to was that in that sense, the damage is already done, not the idea that perhaps a fan heater could cure a problem.

Jon

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by HandyMac on May 22nd, 2004, 7:02pm


wrote on May 22nd, 2004, 4:53pm:
Sorry, my fault, HM. I should have quoted

No problem. I only get worried when there's a rabbit on the other end of the conversation..... ;)

Andrew

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 22nd, 2004, 10:24pm

Now there's a  coincidence!

About 2 months ago I was called out on a Sunday to investigate why main RCD was tripping. No probs say me, the eejit, £45 call out fee.

Anyway, arrive at this enormous house. OK (1) turn off all MCB's until RCD can be reset. (2) Having found which circuit is source of problem isolate everything on that cct.
(3) Three days later and having run some 20 miles up and down stairs (I jest) turns out to be a - FREEZER -insulation breaking down. In the bin, new freezer all OK ever since.

Invoice value = £45.00
Costs = £15,567.00
Profit/(Loss) = (£15,522)

The only good news tax = £0.00

RR




Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by HandyMac on May 22nd, 2004, 10:45pm

Are you saying you charged a callout fee and nothing else?

Sounds like the customer got a good deal! Where I'm concerned it's £25 callout, then £15 an hour after that.

Andrew

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 22nd, 2004, 11:15pm

No, no Andrew it was not really a big mansion and it did not really take me 3 days and I did not really run 20 miles and I did not really make a loss of £15,522

It did take me about 45 minutes to find it was the freezer and I did charge £45 call out.


RR

PS. Sighs...mornin' Andrew

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by HandyMac on May 23rd, 2004, 7:14am

So how come grasper Brown gets no tax on this job then mate, or shouldn't I be asking leading questions like that?

I'd have thought that 40% of £25 meant that grasper got £10.

Andrew

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 23rd, 2004, 9:36am

Brown, tax, grasper, 40% ?? All strange words to me mate.

RR

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by HandyMac on May 23rd, 2004, 9:39am

Sorry, forgot you weren't a plumber so I guess I'll have to let you off the 40% :)

Andrew

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by big_all on May 23rd, 2004, 9:41am

just a thought

youve normaly got a little tank on a fridge
to evapourate the water that comes from
the inside the fridge[attached to the motor]

now it may not have one of these but if it
has could it be leaking causing dampness
on the electrics ??? ??? ???

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 23rd, 2004, 1:33pm

Without a doubt that could be a major cause Big_All. You dont think for one second that anyone who actually understands electrics checks the design of freezers, fridges, washing machines, tumbler dryers etc. for safety do ya?

RR

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by squiggle on May 23rd, 2004, 2:05pm


wrote on May 23rd, 2004, 1:33pm:
Without a doubt that could be a major cause Big_All. You dont think for one second that anyone who actually understands electrics checks the design of freezers, fridges, washing machines, tumbler dryers etc. for safety do ya?

RR


Well RR, sometimes I did cover for the Design Change Controller (sort of admin for production contol who co-ordinated getting new designs in - lots of considerations and departments - our side material but also QA, maybe production engineering to sort out a new job on the lines, etc) and I can assure you that a DCN (design change notification) marked as a safety change, also had a priority of urgent....

Jon

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by squiggle on May 23rd, 2004, 2:20pm

PS, they do make mistakes and I once picked one up while loading the bill of materials up that no one in design had spotted.

I can't remember exactly but the washing machines used 3 wiring harness - something along the lines of red, green and white - pump, heater and motor. Whatever, their planned design the way it came to me on paper (not a drawing just a list) did something along the lines of using 2 heater harnesses and no pump harness.

I suppose that was one advantage I had there. I worked as a material handler (labourer) on the section where the consoles were assembled (amongst other things) before getting promoted and having a position in the offices. I'd not understand the wiring but I had seen loads of units assembled...

Jon

Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by Dr_Who on May 25th, 2004, 12:13pm


Big_all may have hit the nail on the head with this one, but the fault could still be elsewhere on the system! You would need to test the system following the disconnection of some of the major electrical functions of the system in turn. (i.e. compressor, light, thermostat, electronic controls). Can you remember any external influence may may have attributed to this fault - eg any spillages inside or outside the fridge (even on the plug), has the fridge been moved recently.......?

Remember though that the 'motor' is integrated inside the compressor (sealed) and is very very very unlikely to be damp! Check the connections that enter the compressor for 'dampness'!!


Title: Re: Dodgy Freezer
Post by squiggle on May 27th, 2004, 8:16pm

Again, thanks for the advice. The old freezer was crammed anyway so rather consider possible causes for damp we got a new and larger model.

Looking through the instruction book, I find one bit that intrigues me:

"Never use continuous operation unless unnecessarily required"

It sort of reads to me as "Only use continuous operation when you don't need to"

Jon

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