refrigerator running all the time

[user]

I just moved into an apartment that has a 14 year old Gibson fridge. The refrigerator is running all the time. I told the landlord about it and he brought his repairman to look at it. At that time, the fridge was coming on every 5 minutes, running for

4 minutes, shutting off for 5 minutes and then back on again. I timed this fridge and wrote down the times which I explained to the landlord before he brought his repair guy in. Now, a few days later and the time of on/off running time has reduced to only 2 minutes between on and off and then 2.5 minutes between off and back on again.

The landlord says that there's nothing wrong with it the way it is and that it is an modern efficiency refrigerator. How efficient is an appliance that's running 12 hours out of every

24 hour day??? I tried to explain to him that when I moved out to his apartment that I brought exactly the same electrical fixtures that I had in my previous apartment( monthly bill's were $27/month average, also the same exact electrical company) and that my first 2 bills at this current landlords apartment were close to $100. Now admittedly in this current landlords apartment there is baseboard electrical heat which does cost a bit more. But this early move in period was prior to the real heating season kicking in which is kicking in now.

I've put a fridge thermometer in both the top freezer and the bottom fridge and the temps are barely acceptable with the freezer set to the coldest and the bottom fridge control seems to have no effect on the temp as I've turned it down until it nearly is in the off position. This bottom control seems not to be functioning properly as a control for setting temperatures. What is a tenant to do?? Help!!!!

[effi]

maybe it's running out of freon so the compressor comes on more and more often and the freezer doesn't get as cold as it should

maybe the apartments don't want to pay for a real appliance repair person to look at it so they send their repairman who's already on the clock anyway

[m Ransley]

A 14 yr old frige is not high efficiency, in fact it is only 25% as efficient as new friges that were mandated by gov standards that took effect in 2000 and 2004. Your lanlord is cheap tell him you want a new frige or you will call in your own repairman and deduct it from the rent. Electric heat in the midwest is almost 3x the cost of gas for my area.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

The refrigerator is crap and as long as it work, the cheap landlord is not going to replace it. Soon it will not be working at all.

Yeah, sure.

It isn't. Period. But he is not paying hte electric bill.

A lot more.

You know the landlord is a cheap SOB. Start looking for a new place as I doubt you will be changing his ways. Ed

[Noozer]

Hrm.. I wonder how soon until it completely breaks down

I wonder if it would run better with the thermostat set for coldest and the door left open...

...or a 100watt bulb left on inside...

etc.

[HaHaHa]

- If you've been using the electric heat, that explains *much* of your added electric consumption.

- A 12 year old fridge is NOT anywhere near as efficient as a brand new one. In electricity savings alone it would pay if YOU bought a new unit and told the LL to store the existing one until you vacate. [e-mail]

[Steve B.]

The fridge isn't right but I imagine most of your electric consumption is coming from the electric heat. Electric resistace heat doesn't cost a "bit" more to run.... It cost a "boatload" more to run.

Consider going and buying your own fridge and have the landlord take that one out. Even if the one you have dies he will probably come with some other ancient junker to get by with. Compared to moving again a new fridge will be cheap.

Steve B.

[Gary R. Lloyd]

Just wait until the real heating season kicks in. Electric heat doesn't cost "a bit more". It costs a helluva lot more. Your refrigerator is a drop in the ocean compared to that electric heater. I would be considering a window mounted heat pump.

Gary R. Lloyd CMS HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software

[nielloeb]

Look up temperature guidelines at the federal Department of Health and Human Services or somewhere similar. If they are outside the healthy range, tell the manager. If he doesn't fix it, tell him your will call the health department. Clean the coils thoroughly. I bet that will fix the problem.

[user]

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

50% as you say run time is not bad for a older type refrigerator. The run time can very from 90% down to 10% run time depending on the temperature of the room the refrigerator is in. So older models can have a 50% run time and be good and the newer models can have a 90% run time and still be good to go. The clocking of the run time to see if a refrigerator is working properly is not a very good test at all.

Now you said you was going to check the temperature of the freezer and refrigerator sections for the right temperature and that is a very good test to do. Get you a outdoor thermometer or a refrigerator themometer from Walmarts $2.99 and get the freezer temp. and the refrigerator temp. . You should maintain in the freezer area -5ºF to +5ºF and then in the refrigerator area

+33ºF to +39ºF . In the refrigerator area it it is Below 32ºF or +40ºF or above is not acceptiable at all. In the freezer area you should have -5ºF to +5ºF and could get to +10ºF in some cases during a defrost time and there is not too much product in the freezer area to hold the temp down while it defrost. If the freezer area is just about full, you should not see the +10ºF temp at all and should stay in the +5ºF to +5ºF range.

Now 99% of the time if you have a problem with the refrigerator you will see in the refrigerator area the temp. getting above the +40ºF range and mostly in the upper +40ºF range and maybe into the +50ºF range.

Post back with the temperature of these two area with door closed for a hour or so and no new product put in the refrigerator area in the last 12 hours. You can give the run times too if you like. Here is your true test and let use know the problem for the temp.s will show it all.

TURTLE