Tips to repair fridge (ghetto fix)

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Here is another one of my ghetto fixes which will enable you to renew your fridge in a short time (free).
Symptoms:
Your fridge's compressor is on all the time, yet your fridge is not getting cold in the fridge section (not freezer). Freezer works fine yet the fridge section is barely cold. You electric bill goes up yet you don't have a fridge working properly. Sometimes you will see the frost-free freezer, frosting up with ice.
So you would ask: What the hell is going on?
Ok, here is the deal. The frost-free fridge also has frost build up but behind the plastic panels in the fridge (freezer section), the fan in the fridge section throws cold air from the freezer coils inside the fridge to maintain the temps. once the fridge reaches the desired temp. the compressor turns off. This on/off cycle goes on 24/7. Then everyone once in a while, the compressor turns off to defrost the fridge and thus, no frost forms in the freezer section.
Now in dominican republic, we may have long blackouts. This alone is sufficient enough to disrupt the de-frosting cylce and frost begins to build up inside the fridge but behind the plastic panels (walls) of the fridge. You will not see any frost or ice but its there behind the plastic. This will, eventually, block the airflow to the fridge section and fridge will become less and less cooler down below. Your compressor will stay on all day to try to lower the temperature but it will never reach the desired temp and you will only burn out your compressor one day, not to mention the high electric cost will break your back first.
Fix:
just freeze enough ice cubes to fill up a cooler and then put all your perishable items (meats, cheese, milk etc) in the cooler and put it away. open up the fridge doors and unplug the fridge. leave it there whole night. In the morning, you will have a puddle of water down below. The fridge is all defrosted from inside and now you are good to go. Now the fridge will become super cool and the compressor will turn off when it reaches the desired temperature. Your electric bill goes down and you can buy more beers.
Enjoy.
AZB
 

POP Bad Boy

Bronze
Jun 27, 2004
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Same problem...........

we have had the EXACT same problem for 8 years and do exactly the same thing.............We throw a little hot water on the coils to get rid of the ice faster...........

...............we've replaced the timer, the heating element etc (MANY TIMES) and still ...........same problem.............

I'd REALLY like to know WHY?????????
........even though we know what to do.....:ermm::ermm::ermm:
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
we have had the EXACT same problem for 8 years and do exactly the same thing.............We throw a little hot water on the coils to get rid of the ice faster...........

...............we've replaced the timer, the heating element etc (MANY TIMES) and still ...........same problem.............

I'd REALLY like to know WHY?????????
........even though we know what to do.....:ermm::ermm::ermm:
you really want to know why? you want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!!!
hehehehe, just kidding.
its the black outs which disrupt the defrosting cycle.
AZB

P.S: we are talking about frost-free fridge not the 1960's fridge with ice build-up.
AZB
 

POP Bad Boy

Bronze
Jun 27, 2004
984
30
0
Ok,

you really want to know why? you want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!!!
hehehehe, just kidding.
its the black outs which disrupt the defrosting cycle.
AZB

so, basically, even if the timer and the heating element are perfect, there is just no way around this................

.........cause it has been driving me crazy!.........(along with many other things!):bunny::bunny:
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
the way rich, well to do and educated people do it

step one:
buy a nice fridge
step two:
connect your fridge to the inversor so no blackout can touch it
step three:
enjoy ice cold drinks

:) :) :)

now seriously: AZB's advice is great, i am sure. we are the only people i know who connected fridge to the inversor and it was only because i caught five different types of salmonella/proteus bacteria from eating the food that was slightly off. the previous fridge too had exactly the problem described by AZB so after getting a new one (amana) we decided to put it to work with inversor.
this can be an alternative, especially if your stomach is sensitive or you have kids.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
step one:
buy a nice fridge
step two:
connect your fridge to the inversor so no blackout can touch it
step three:
enjoy ice cold drinks

:) :) :)

now seriously: AZB's advice is great, i am sure. we are the only people i know who connected fridge to the inversor and it was only because i caught five different types of salmonella/proteus bacteria from eating the food that was slightly off. the previous fridge too had exactly the problem described by AZB so after getting a new one (amana) we decided to put it to work with inversor.
this can be an alternative, especially if your stomach is sensitive or you have kids.

Good idea and it works for DV8 because she is rich enough to buy 8+ batteries for inversor and most likely has a 3.6kw inversor. If you have the bucks, go that way and you will be trouble free. The problem is, the compressor eats up power and can drain your batteries fast, especially if you have an old fridge which is a current hog. So do what DV8 suggests but buy a new energy efficient fridge which is inverter friendly. This means the compressor will not burn out from the modified square-wave output of the inverter.
please folks, don't even mention the sine-wave inverters here. too expensive for this type of load.
AZB (now the electrical engineer).
 

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
5,050
458
83
Or you have a Dominican in the House! For some reason, it's necessary to leave the door open the entire time your fooling around with something in there.

Need the cold water pitcher, get it, close the door, fill the glass, open the door, put the pitcher back. close the door. Better yet long black out leave the pitcher out and drink warmer water. keep the fridge colder longer.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
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:) our fridge is A class energy efficient, inversor has 8 batteries and is 3.5kw. AZB got it right.
i mentioned our fix because i know most gringos have inversors or even generators and most do need their A/C at night. yet somehow they do not connect the basic household item like fridge to work with inversor...
before anyone asks: our power bill is about 2k pesos amonth (with daily blackouts 4-10hrs). fridge, water pump, all lights, gate, computers, modem, tv and entartainment - all are connected 24/7. batteries last about 24hrs. twice in a space of one year we had a blackout long enought to discharge batteries dead.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
I have a cheap Westinhouse that I paid RD20k for in 2006. It still works fine even although the switch to cut on the compressor burnt out. I had a technicien fix it for me for like RD500 and it hasn't failed since.

We leave it connected to the inverter. I have a 3.5 with 8 Trojan blacks. We normally have a daily outage for an hour or two. We also have like 27 light bulbs in our house (not all on at the same time) and our monthly electric bill is around RD1900 and change.
 
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SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
948
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We usually only have the freeze over problem when the In-laws take care of the house when we travel. (Hint hint)

We have kept ours on the Inversor for 12 years, still using the same refrigerator.

We also always fill unused freezer space with water filled bottles.
Less cold air escapes when the freezer door is opened.

It's also a nice safety back-up if we ever do have to take it off power, then it becomes like the original "Ice Boxes" with the ice filled bottles.


Don
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Similar system here with 8 batteries and an old 3.6KW Trace square wave inverter with a Sharp refrigerator that is moderately efficient. Blackouts are 50% or more of every day. From time to time I need to run the generator when there is an extended blackout.
Because the batteries are so heavily used, they last in the range of one year. I have found it doesn't matter what brand I purchase, they all fail in about a year.

That same inverter also runs an apartment with a smaller and older refrigerator. Power bills are between 2,000 and 3,000 pesos per month.

I never had the issue AZB has the fix for, but it is good to know.

windguy, treat your batteries with EDTA and you will get 3 yrs plus out of your batteries.
AZB
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
windguy, I have been using edta for many years and has worked on all of my batteries and made them brand new again and again.
AZB
 

pkaide1

Bronze
Aug 10, 2005
539
40
48
step one:
buy a nice fridge
step two:
connect your fridge to the inversor so no blackout can touch it
step three:
enjoy ice cold drinks

:) :) :)

now seriously: AZB's advice is great, i am sure. we are the only people i know who connected fridge to the inversor and it was only because i caught five different types of salmonella/proteus bacteria from eating the food that was slightly off. the previous fridge too had exactly the problem described by AZB so after getting a new one (amana) we decided to put it to work with inversor.
this can be an alternative, especially if your stomach is sensitive or you have kids.

Or buy a gas fridge.
 
May 29, 2006
10,265
200
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Also if the defrost doesn't work and it's the same deal--with cold freezer, not cold enough fridge, it's likely the fan has kicked(possibly from getting jammed with ice). You can often replace the fan instead of the whole fridge esp if it is a US brand. You may have to have sent FEDEX to the DR but even then, it's cheaper than a new fridge. It's kind of dumb to put the fan where they do is since it could just as well be in the fridge part of the unit.
 

andy_089

New member
Mar 23, 2003
201
22
0
From time to time the bottom of my fridge gets full of water, although I live in an area with no power outages and the fridge is refrigerating well. Who knows what's the problem?
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
948
113
From time to time the bottom of my fridge gets full of water, although I live in an area with no power outages and the fridge is refrigerating well. Who knows what's the problem?
The drain in the freezer may be plugged either with ice, crap or both.

We had that problem last time the freezer froze over and I used a wire (Like they use to tie re-bar) to push through the drain from the top in the back of the freezer. Amazing the crap that came out of the hose in the back.

If the drain hole is filled with frozen water, you must defrost the freezer first.
I used hot water to help un-freeze the drain hole.

Bend the end of the wire you are going to insert into the drain hole and flatten it, so that there is no sharp edge to damage the plastic/rubber tubing.


Don