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Post by OziRiS on Jun 27, 2013 21:15:52 GMT
Don't know if this is the right place to post this, but I couldn't find a better place for it, since it's a technical question, so mods: If you think this should be somewhere else, feel free to move it. {Well, this wasn't quite the sort of thing I had in mind for this section when I created it...but I have no problems with this as the 'Technical Help' board states it is for computer questions/problems. So we're *ahem* cool - CM}I have a refrigerator at home that's making so much noise that it's becoming unbearable. I know absolutely NOTHING about how these things work, so I'm hoping one of you do and can possibly help me figure out what's wrong and if something can be done about it. I'd rather not have to go out and buy a new one since it's only 4 years old and, you know... I think I have better things to spend my money on  Quick description of the problem: It's a loud humming sound that comes on and off all the time (thinking compressor) and it's been getting progressively worse over the past couple of months. It comes on more often and stays on longer than it used to and it's louder than it's ever been before. Any ideas? |
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Post by GTCGreg on Jun 27, 2013 21:52:18 GMT
Only one of three things that will make noise in a refrigerator. The compressor, condenser fan (not all have them) and the evaporator fan if it's a frost free model. The evaporator fan is inside the freezer and you normally wouldn't hear it without opening the door. Some models will turn the fan off when the door is opened, some don't. All models don't have condenser fans. It yours does, it will be underneath towards the back near the compressor. You will have to pull the fridge away from the wall and try to see what's making the noise.
The compressor is a softball size black thing with two copper tubes and some wires going into it. If that's what's making the noise there's not much you can do about as having it replaced it will cost a couple of hundred dollars. If it's the fan making the noise, that's something that most homeowners should be able to replace on their own.Check that something isn't stuck in the fan.
If it's the compressor and the unit is still cooling ok, you may want to just live with it. These compressors will often run for years making a lot of noise. If the refrigerator is only 4 years old, it should not need a new compressor. The compressors are the most reliable part and often last 20 to 30 years.
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Post by watcher56 on Jun 28, 2013 3:42:59 GMT
Our refrigerator make it's loudest noise (a buzz) when filling the automatic ice maker. Apparently the solenoid that opens the water valve.
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Post by silverdragon on Jun 28, 2013 6:37:34 GMT
Turn it off, then get underneath.
You may find a collection of dust bunnies.... not just normal dust bunnies, but relatives of the wabbits from the ESM....
These may be blocking the airflow around the compressor, making it more difficult to cool, thus it will be doing overtime....
A good clean "Underneath" may improve things a little?...
It may not, but its worth the check.
However, ours started doing that, and eventually, we replaced it, as it wasnt actually keeping temp inside.
We now have Samsung, that are so quiet, we aint sure they are working sometimes?.... and double "AA" rated as well for efficiency?...
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Post by OziRiS on Jun 28, 2013 19:14:58 GMT
Thanks Greg and SD. I was actually hoping that either you two or c64 would pick this up. I know you guys do a lot of tinkering at home |
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Post by silverdragon on Jul 1, 2013 6:21:08 GMT
Tinkering for tinkering sake, no.....
Its just before we throw stuff out, we have a look to see if its fixable until we can afford a replacement?.....
Sometimes it works, sometimes not....
And sometimes its still working now after a good few more years?....
The case on my PC is about 15 yrs old...
The insides are all less than three years old, but I never upgrade the whole lot at one time.
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Post by c64 on Jul 6, 2013 21:31:16 GMT
I know absolutely NOTHING about how these things work It's a loud humming sound that comes on and off all the time (thinking compressor) and it's been getting progressively worse over the past couple of months. It comes on more often and stays on longer than it used to and it's louder than it's ever been before. This is evidence of the ever reducing efficiency from overwear. You pay more and more money to keep your food cold while increasing the risk that the food will spoil. Simply buy a new one. Those things become greener and greener. A new one will save you a lot of money on the utility bill. |
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Post by c64 on Jul 6, 2013 23:03:04 GMT
By the way, the film is from the late 80s. In the late 90s, they have switched to camping gas as a refrigerant. If you mix Propane and Butane in the correct ratio, the result can be compressed to a liquid with a reasonable pressure suitable to store this gas in thin walled aerosol cans and camping gas cartridges. Even if it's highly flammable and lacks the lubricating abilities of the old FCKW based refrigerants, it's perfect to be used in "green" refrigerators which not only save a lot of electricity but can be recycled without environmental hazards. The trouble is that without the lubricating properties of the refrigerants, a common "green" fridge wears down within 15 years while the old ozone layer killers could last up to 40 years!
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ronbo6
Demi-Minion
Survivor: End of the World. 12/21/2012
Posts: 91
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Post by ronbo6 on Oct 10, 2013 4:52:19 GMT
I get a buzz from the fan that circulates the air through the freezer. It is an intermittent thing when the tip of the fan blades come in contact with the fan housing.
This buzzing can be heard at a significant distance from the fridge, and when it starts to bug me, I need to unload the freezer and pry around the fan housing a bit. A month or two later, it usually comes back, though.
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Post by OziRiS on Oct 10, 2013 17:53:34 GMT
Update on the fridge:
Did the whole cleanup thing and DAAAAMMN there was a lot of stuff back there! It did something but it didn't solve the problem, so I'm probably going to have to go with c64's advice and buy a new one. I think the door is leaky and is causing the temperature to rise faster, which makes the compressor have to work harder to keep everything cold.
Thanks for the advice everyone
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Post by c64 on Oct 10, 2013 18:53:35 GMT
I think the door is leaky In the "Secret life of the machines" video, Rex explains how you can chek the door for leaks and how to fix it. If the door is leaky, you get a lot of condensate, the absorber in the back must be really wet or even iced up badly. |
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Post by OziRiS on Oct 11, 2013 18:22:55 GMT
Never got that far with the video, but I'll check it out. Thanks |
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Post by c64 on Oct 11, 2013 18:37:12 GMT
Never got that far with the video, but I'll check it out. Thanks Step #1 is to make the owner of the fridge leave the room…  |
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Post by OziRiS on Oct 11, 2013 18:39:40 GMT
If it were only that easy Our kitchen is very central in our house and you can hear the damn thing in every room except the bathroom. |
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Post by Cybermortis on Oct 11, 2013 22:34:34 GMT
A simple way to check the seal on a fridge door is to close the door with a piece of paper between the door and the frame. If there is a gap there you will have no problem pulling the paper out.
Even better is that if there is a gap it is easy to deal with - pull the door outwards while pushing on the section where the gap is. With modern fridges, which have very thin metal, this will bend the door enough to create a much better seal.
*Shrugs* If you were planning on replacing the fridge anyway you don't really have anything to loose by trying do you?
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Post by OziRiS on Oct 12, 2013 14:59:22 GMT
I wasn't actually planning that. If there's any chance of wringing more life out of it, I'd rather do that than have to pay the $500/£250 it's gonna cost for the cheapest piece of crap I can find that's even half decent.
I don't think your advice is gonna work though. Our fridge door has kind of a weird shape to it. Pushing on the door would only make the "shell" bend, not the entire door and the effect would just be a leaky fridge with dents in the door. Thinking about replacing the seal though.
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Post by oldcodger on Oct 13, 2013 2:04:03 GMT
Try replacing the door gaskets first before buying a new one.
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Post by Cybermortis on Oct 13, 2013 12:24:56 GMT
I wasn't actually planning that. If there's any chance of wringing more life out of it, I'd rather do that than have to pay the $500/£250 it's gonna cost for the cheapest piece of crap I can find that's even half decent. I don't think your advice is gonna work though. Our fridge door has kind of a weird shape to it. Pushing on the door would only make the "shell" bend, not the entire door and the effect would just be a leaky fridge with dents in the door. Thinking about replacing the seal though. My bad, I'm having one of those weeks where descriptive writing seems to be alien to me - apart from an interesting bit of writing I did about a flying coach... The trick is to push on the edge of the door, where its internal frame is. The technique I've seen used in a fridge was to put a foot on the lower corner of the door and try and open it. (Not too hard of course). Btw, if your fridge door is a 'weird shape' I'm wondering if the problem is just that the door is warped slightly, and as such isn't creating an airtight seal. The technique I've described might sort this out if this is the case. If nothing else you should probably test to see if the seal around the door has any gaps using a strip of paper. If the seal is tight it should trap the paper in the door, if there is any gap you will be able to slide the paper out or around. |
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Post by OziRiS on Oct 13, 2013 12:28:25 GMT
While I may not be able to "bend" the door back into place, your paper method of testing the seal seems like a good idea. I'll try that out. Thanks EDIT: Well there's your problem! Paper test done and it turns out the gaskets that line the door aren't sealing properly in the corners. Just need to replace those then. Thanks for all your help and suggestions |
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Post by Cybermortis on Oct 13, 2013 12:46:47 GMT
No problem.
Btw, you might want to make sure that there is no gap between the gasket and the frame before looking to replace the gaskets. If there is a gap it is likely to be caused by the door being slightly warped, and simply replacing the seal is not going to help as the gap will still be there.
Try putting a flashlight in the fridge and closing the door, then look closely at the problem area. This should allow you to see if there is a gap or no - if there is try the technique I described above on one corner and test with the paper again. If it is caused by a warped door this should solve the problem (and save you a lot of money).
Note; Pushing on the door requires gentle pressure for a second or two. Not hauling outwards on the door with all your might while trying to kick-push it through the wall.
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