Freezer Qs

[RJH]

My Beko FXS5403 freezer is too cold on its lowest setting, staying at about

-23C. This has happened since it was defrosted a few months ago. I've tried the temperature control in a range of positions, verified with 2 thermometers, it's not especially frosted, and the compressor is cycling. Any ideas on things to try before I swap out the thermostat?

I've got some left over bits of 50mm celotex. Any views on cladding the top, bottom and sides? Any ventilation seems to be needed on the back, and appearance doesn't matter (it's in a cellar).

[alan_m]

Not directly answering your question..

After a recommendation on this group a few years back I purchased a fridge/freezer thermometer that has remote transmitters fitted in my fridge and in my freezer and monitors the temperatures - showing a minimum and maximum value since last reset.

Random Ebay listing so not a recommendation about the seller

One point to note that the transmitter fitted in the freezer is working at approx -20C so needs decent batteries rated to that temperature. Each remote transmitter takes 2 AA batteries and I've fitted Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA Batteries LR6/L91/FR6 which are specified to -40C operational. Although some alkaline batteries are specified to -20C operational I found that in the freezer they were unreliable whereas I've had zero problems with the lithium batteries.

This morning the temperature in my freezer is reported at -19C but over the past 3 months max = -15C, min = -23C. Even where loading up the freezer the door hasn't been open for more than 5 minutes at a time and each shelf has a door or is a box container.

[Chris J Dixon]

I can see that adding insulation might slightly reduce the cooling requirement, but I'm not sure I understand what you hope this will achieve.

Is it the power consumption that concerns you? Have you measured this?

Chris

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

on 09/07/2022, Chris J Dixon supposed :

A reduction in power consumption in keeping the contents cool?

[Pancho]

I bought a new freezer yesterday, so far it runs at 1/3 ( 0.386 kWh/day as opposed 1.2 kWh/day) the energy of the 25 year old freezer it replaces. It should pay for itself in 3 years.

As an aside, my old freezer's bottom plastic tray has been broken for years. I thought myself a slob for putting up with it. When I took the old freezer to the dump, I was amused to see all the other dumped freezers had the same problem.

I wonder, can you buy replacement trays?

[RJH]

Thanks - that looks nifty. The ones I've got have a trailing wire with a sensor on the end. They're not the last word in accuracy, but within a degree or so of each other.

>

[RJH]

Yes, that.

[RJH]

Almost certainly - at least in the case of Beko, who have diagrams and part numbers for pretty much every component on their web site. Not cheap though - things like baskets about £30, compressor £80 . . .

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

Pancho submitted this idea :

They all do that. All but one of my freezer tray see through front has cracked with the strain of pulling them out to access the heavy contents. I reinforced their handle/lips with that A4 U shaped plastic binders you can buy for holding loose sheets of printed paper into a sort of book.

Likewise the fridge door shelves, I refixed them with the tough, clear,

3M wide tape.

I checked my upright freezer consumption back in December, with one of those plug in adaptors. In the cool utility room, it was averaging

850wh per day and probably more now in the summer.

[SteveW]

Mine lasted a number of years on our previous freezer. When the first one broke at the handle area, I looked at replacing it, but them wanting around £70 + p&p + VAT dissuaded me! No way would I pay that to replace a simple drawer, made of the wrong sort of plastic, with another just the same.

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

RJH formulated on Saturday :

I have one similar, not particularly made for a freezer, but it seems very accurate. I bought it following failure to close the freezer door a couple of times, which is out of sight in the utility. Presettable on rise or fall in temperature, if the temperature rises above 13C, it begins beeping - series of beeps, a minutes silence, then more beeps. It's more noticeable than continuous series of beeps and just audible in the kitchen, through two doors, when they are closed in winter. The sensor deep inside the freezer, it still manages to trigger when you spend a little too long looking through the freezer contents.

[Andy Burns]

I tried Polyweld which is supposed to work on hard polystyrene, but I found it was to brittle and soon re-broke.

Bostik hard plastics clear glue, may look a bit messy but it works, leave the drawer out of the freezer a few hours before and after gluing.

[jkn]

On a previous freezer, I reinforced the broken door with a sheet of ... FR4 PCB I think, having drilled some holes in the door and matching ones in the sheet. Not pretty, but worked well. I'd have thought 'stitch wiring' to a polypropylene sheet (old chopping board?) would also work.

Like others I baulked at the upwards of 50 quid they were asking for the replacement of a badly-specced part.

J^n

[zaq]

My Fisher and Paykel hasnt.

Haven't had that either and the bottom one of mine often had 6 full sized full beer bottles in it.

[alan_m]

At 9 grand for a fridge and another 9 grand for a freezer I would expect the plastic bits to be a bit more robust.

[alan_m]

I've just been to their web page and that's the prices they quote.

[alan_m]