Fridge experts?

[dsr]

My fridge is (a) freezing stuff at the bottom even when it's turned down to 2 out of 5; and (b ) leaking dribbles of water from the bottom, and putting water into the bottom tray.

Is it knackered? Or is there a simple fix or a fix that an electrician could do?

[Commy]

Might be a silly question but have you checked the drain hole? It can cause problems if it is bunged up.

[dsr]

Might be a silly question but have you checked the drain hole? It can cause problems if it is bunged up.

Where electrics are concerned, with me there are no silly questions! I didn't know there was a drain hole. Presumably it's somewhere at the bottom?

[ICL]

Definitely sounds like a blocked drain hole. They get blocked with gunk that then freezes. Lots of info on t’internet on how to unblock it.

[Herts Clarets]

Where electrics are concerned, with me there are no silly questions! I didn't know there was a drain hole. Presumably it's somewhere at the bottom?

Usually at the bottom of the back wall of the fridge. Can get blocked and from experience leads to what you are describing. If this is the problem, the good news is that it is a simple, quick and easy fix.

[dsr]

Definitely sounds like a blocked drain hole. They get blocked with gunk that then freezes. Lots of info on t’internet on how to unblock it.

Thanks. That'll be tonight's fun job then.

[Commy]

Funnily enough, I have cleaned my fridge today and my drain hole was starting to block. That's why I thought of it .

[HahaYeah]

Ours has a drip tray at the back of the fridge which screws off at the bottom, if you have to keep emptying it then it may be a repair/new fridge required.

[claret2018]

Sounds like your soil pipe needs a good rodding

[Leon_C]

Paging distortiondave

[jos]

One tip I can give you is never try and scrape ice off from the freezer compartment with a sharp knife or spatula, as this can easily puncture the embedded plastic piping. It only takes a small nick and you’ve ruined your fridge/freezer.

Also it’s more economical to keep a fridge or freezer full, if you haven’t enough food to do that, put in bottles of water.

[Masham Ale]

What make/type of fridge is it?

[ChrisG]

Real do, I had same issue with mine and I've just seen the drain was completely clogged. Hopefully will now be reyt.

Thanks everyone!

[Clovius Boofus]

Also it’s more economical to keep a fridge or freezer full, if you haven’t enough food to do that, put in bottles of water.

I've always thought this to be the case, too. I recently read somewhere that it is more economical with a freezer, but not with a full fridge. Three quarters full was supposed to be the optimum (economically) for a fridge, or so they said. Could be a load of bullshit, though.

[Volvoclaret]

You spouting bullshit, don't believe it!

[jos]

I've always thought this to be the case, too. I recently read somewhere that it is more economical with a freezer, but not with a full fridge. Three quarters full was supposed to be the optimum (economically) for a fridge, or so they said. Could be a load of bullshit, though.

They are heat exchangers, the less heat there is to get rid of then that’s less work (energy) they will need to perform to do it.

[ClaretsPadiham]

Mines started buzzing quite loudly the other day, isn’t constant goes on and off, if I move the fridge ever so slightly it stops. Any ideas ?

[Clovius Boofus]

A trapped mosquito?

[IanMcL]

What make/type of fridge is it?

A white one?

[IanMcL]

If it still freezes, one of those wee fan heaters may help.

[dsr]

Thanks to all the fridge magnates. I found the hole at the bottom of the fridge and it was definitely bunged up, so I've cleared it and hopefully it's good for the next 20 years!

[Tw@]

Thanks to all the fridge magnates. I found the hole at the bottom of the fridge and it was definitely bunged up, so I've cleared it and hopefully it's good for the next 20 years!

What did you poke in the hole to clear it ?

[dsr]

What did you poke in the hole to clear it ?

A knitting needle.

[Tw@]

What fridge magnets do you recommend?

[dsr]

What fridge magnets do you recommend?

None at all on my fridge. It has a wood finish door, and they don't work very well.

[Tw@]

I’ve got one from Corfu and one from Tenerife

[Tw@]

A knitting needle.

I don’t do knitting

[IanMcL]

A knitting needle.

Sounds like a dodgy backstreet job.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

Mines started buzzing quite loudly the other day, isn’t constant goes on and off, if I move the fridge ever so slightly it stops. Any ideas ?

My little drinks one does that. Needs balancing I was told. (Yes, in NM, it’s helpful to have a separate small fridge for drinks / water / beer and one for food.

[Bobzuruncle]

I can’t answer the original question but I can pass on a snippet of info that I learned the hard way - Most new fridge/freezers only work properly at room temp. or higher (due I believe to the designing in of energy efficiency as a priority). Hence if you are buying one for the garage you have to make sure that it is stated to work at low temps. (Beko have a range that do this). At temperatures below 10degC normal FFs lose the freeze ability which is Ok if it is really subzero I suppose but defrosts everything above 0 to 10 degC. It is not something that is highlighted in features but always there in the technical spec. if searched.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

I can’t answer the original question but I can pass on a snippet of info that I learned the hard way - Most new fridge/freezers only work properly at room temp. or higher (due I believe to the designing in of energy efficiency as a priority). Hence if you are buying one for the garage you have to make sure that it is stated to work at low temps. (Beko have a range that do this). At temperatures below 10degC normal FFs lose the freeze ability which is Ok if it is really subzero I suppose but defrosts everything above 0 to 10 degC. It is not something that is highlighted in features but always there in the technical spec. if searched.

What if your ave kitchen temp is 90f+ ? Does it work the other way?

[Hipper]

What if your ave kitchen temp is 90f+ ? Does it work the other way?

Let me see if I do this correctly. 90F is (90-32) x 5/9 = 32C.

https://www.beko.co.uk/lifestyle/tips-f ... -heat-wave

[Bosscat]

What fridge magnets do you recommend?

Grandaughters prezzie "Iceland" fridge mag but not on Fridge (as a its built in with a wood door cover) so put it on ectractor fan shroud.

[Commy]

What fridge magnets do you recommend?

Bottle opener magnet is the most important one

[Bosscat]

Grandaughters prezzie "Iceland" fridge mag but not on Fridge (as a its built in with a wood door cover) so put it on extractor fan shroud.

Edited (before the typo police knock on my door )

[distortiondave]

I've always thought this to be the case, too. I recently read somewhere that it is more economical with a freezer, but not with a full fridge. Three quarters full was supposed to be the optimum (economically) for a fridge, or so they said. Could be a load of bullshit, though.

This is broadly true now because most machines are frost free.
Most frost free machines work by freezing in the freezer, blowing cold air up in to the fridge cabinet and circulating frozen air around. You'll often notice little frozen droplets of ice on the back wall. These melt and go down the drain hole (and cause the problems identified in this thread). If the fridge is too full then the air cannot circulate properly and in order to keep temperature the freezer works harder thereby overcooling in the fridge section leading to frozen veg in the salad crispers.

The freezer doesn't give a monkeys though. Cram that stuff in there and as long as the door seals properly then you're good to go.

[AfloatinClaret]

My fridge is freezing stuff at the bottom and leaking dribbles of water...

That's not a problem! A fridge problem is when your fridge's controller burns out in the far east of Polynesia in mid July and you're unable to source the part or a man who can fix it until you reach Tahiti the following January; given six months you can develop a taste, or at least a tolerance, for warm lager.

[Bobzuruncle]

What if your ave kitchen temp is 90f+ ? Does it work the other way?

I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work the way , the fridge just uses more energy to keep cool. The point is it is counterintuitive for a freezer to start to defrost at low temp but that is unfortunately what happens unless you research properly (I didn’t and literally paid the price with a freezer full of meat and a more appropriate freezer to buy)

[Clovius Boofus]

This is broadly true now because most machines are frost free.
Most frost free machines work by freezing in the freezer, blowing cold air up in to the fridge cabinet and circulating frozen air around. You'll often notice little frozen droplets of ice on the back wall. These melt and go down the drain hole (and cause the problems identified in this thread). If the fridge is too full then the air cannot circulate properly and in order to keep temperature the freezer works harder thereby overcooling in the fridge section leading to frozen veg in the salad crispers.

The freezer doesn't give a monkeys though. Cram that stuff in there and as long as the door seals properly then you're good to go.

Cheers for that, Dave.