Fridge freezer on the blink

[Dave Baker]

Woke up today to find the fridge a tad warm inside - like 15c. Checked the freezer section and that's thawing out too. Every 30 seconds or so there's a click from down below which I surmised was the cutout on the compressor. Pulled it out and had a look underneath and the compressor is too hot to touch. I'm guessing it's seized.

Other than switch it off and see what happens when it cools down (in progress at the moment) is there anything else worth checking? A quick google suggests it's probably terminal though.

Can compressor bearings be fixed without losing all the coolant? Are they even accessible or will it be a sealed unit you can't get into easily? I might have a firkle around inside if it's possible to strip it down.

[Andrew Mawson]

Checked the

compressor.

easily? I

Dave,

There is probably a start capacitor somewhere that is worth checking.

AWEM

[Dave Baker]

If a start capacitor was broken wouldn't the compressor be cold?

[news]

I had exactly the same thing happen earlier this year with mine. It's not a Hotpoint is it?

Start capacitors can fail open or short-circuit, if it shorts it will behave exactly as you describe. It's probably academic anyway as every fridge compressor I've seen recently has all the start and control gear sealed inside - there's no way of getting at it without letting all the refrigerant out.

[Andrew Mawson]

message

change

checking.

More often than not they fail short circuit.

AWEM

[Peter Parry]

If it's the standard black sealed unit it is impossible to get into it _and_ put it back together afterwards. The damn thing is 3mm steel with a folded and sealed joint. Opening needs a hacksaw all the way around. It takes for ever and you lose all the refrigerant in the process (the case is part of the pressure circuit). Once open you have a large motor with a tiny compressor on top, inside everything tends to be riveted or welded. Even if you sort it out you can't then put it back together (it can't be welded as it has to be completely clean inside) and would still need to get it re-gassed and lubrication added. It is one device where "no user serviceable parts inside" really does mean that.

[Dave Baker]

Zanussi DF62/21FF

Hmmm. Ah well.