Thread: Boo Hoo

A common problem that causes the safety switch to trip is the heater strip in the drip tray (used to evaporate water). The join in the heater strip plastic breaks down and causes electrical leakage. With the fridge unplugged remove the heater strip from the metal tray and disconnect/replace it. Could be the fridge is still OK. DON'T remove the plastic heater strip with the fridge plugged in as the heater strip may be electrically 'leaky'. Touching the fridge metal frame whilst holding a leaky heater strip could result in a 'shocking experience'.

Deano

Originally Posted by DeanoH

A common problem that causes the safety switch to trip is the heater strip in the drip tray (used to evaporate water). The join in the heater strip plastic breaks down and causes electrical leakage. With the fridge unplugged remove the heater strip from the metal tray and disconnect/replace it. Could be the fridge is still OK. DON'T remove the plastic heater strip with the fridge plugged in as the heater strip may be electrically 'leaky'. Touching the fridge metal frame whilst holding a leaky heater strip could result in a 'shocking experience'.

Deano

'shocking experience'. you talking from experience Deano?

Originally Posted by Roverlord off road spares

'shocking experience'. you talking from experience Deano?

You got it in one Mario

Happened to me a long time ago on my mums old Westinghouse fridge.
Replaced the heater unit and the fridge is still going in my shed.


Deano

Originally Posted by DeanoH

You got it in one Mario

Happened to me a long time ago on my mums old Westinghouse fridge.
Replaced the heater unit and the fridge is still going in my shed.


Deano

And all the times I've told you not to play with electrical stuff and you don't listen, at least you know what it's like to be tazered

Originally Posted by scarry

Those Fridgdaires were very good fridges,like the Aussie made whirlpool(not the Chinese crap Whirlpool you get today)

Build like a HQ holden,solid and easy to fix.



The early Fridgidaire has a little rotary compresser that swings in two spring mounts.



Nothing wrong with the old Westy or Kelly either.The Kelvinator frost free had a very well designed reverse cycle type of defrost system.



My parents had a 1966 model 2 door Westinghouse for over 35yrs,replaced a couple of thermostats,that was all that ever went wrong with it.I think it was the first model two door cyclic defrost released.



Over the years i would have fixed thousands of those old fridges,we would often fix eight to ten a day in the hot weather.



Today they are basically a throw away item and not worth repairing,particularly with the cost of labour.

You know your stuff. What brand of fridge would you buy today were the need to arise? German? Japanese?

Originally Posted by catch-22

You know your stuff. What brand of fridge would you buy today were the need to arise? German? Japanese?

Sorry mate,can't answer you.

Haven't fixed one for the last 5 yrs,and then it was only one or two a year,do only commercial these days.

SWMBO wanted an ice maker,so we have the American GE,if that helps.....

It is around 10 yrs old now,don't know what I would do if it needed replacing.

I used to tell people Westinghouse or Kelvinater,but they aren't made here any more,and the other stuff I have seen is cheap and nasty.And make sure you take out the 5 yrs warranty.

Originally Posted by 3toes

Throw away us unfortunately too common even not being subtle in it. Had a Beko upright freezer which needed to live in the garage which means has to be able to operate at below zero. Only 2 models on UK market to choose from both similar price and size. At 4 years young the compressor started to make noises and was not keeping right temperature so called out repairman who was able to diagnose problem on the phone. Pull it away from the wall and inspect where the insulated line that goes over the cooling fins. Any holes where it touches? Sure enough a couple where the material used to insulate had reacted with the metal. Throw away and buy a new one. Bought the other brand this time after inspecting the back of the unit in the store. Sales person was not keen on pulling the shop floor example out of the line up but relented in end as wanted the sale.

Have a Kelvinator fridge in Australia which is 25 years old and never given any problems. Product life cycle too long for the factory to remain viable. Depending on brand and to a certain extent price point white goods gave a designed life of 3 to 10 years.

I am trying to work out how the throw away and don't fix mentality is saving the world...........

Samsung?

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