Freezer on the fritz...

Ravenlost · #1 07/15/06, 01:21 PM

I've been noticing an odd clicking coming from the utility room. Kept going in there to make sure the washing machine was turned off, dryer door was closed, etc. Finally realized the sound was coming from the freezer. Opened the door and it was defrosting (not a self-defrosting freezer) and stuff was thawing out.

Hubby pulled it out and unplugged it yesterday. I emptied it out and let it completely defrost. Last night hubby plugged it up, but this morning it's just "cool" and still making that clicking sound.

What could be wrong with it? I know something has burnt out. Should I see about getting it repaired, or should I just buy a new one? This one is 15-16 years old.

suitcase_sally · #2 07/15/06, 01:48 PM

You might want to get a new one. I understand they only last about 15 years. At 15-16 years old you've got your money's worth.

You could compare the cost of a new compressor (plus service call) to a new one. It would probably be better to replace. If it's a chest freezer, you can use the old one as a potato bin.

Ravenlost · #3 07/15/06, 02:02 PM

It's a small upright. I noticed last night that one corner of the seal isn't sealing when the door is shut. Not sure what we're going to do. I'll sure miss this one though...it's been with me through a lot and has made a lot of moves with us (Alabama...Virginia...Texas...Mississippi). It's like losing an old friend!

uncle Will in In. · #4 07/15/06, 02:33 PM

If it has been to all those states it's just been Over Hauled!

via media · #5 07/15/06, 03:16 PM

A new one will probably be more energy efficient, too.

While I was gone on my last trip, DH said he went to get something out of our 5 year old chest freezer and everything had defrosted. We hadn't lost power or anything but I had chicken and other meat in there that had to be tossed.

It seems to be running fine now

but from now on, I'm going to keep an ice cube in a cup in there so I'll know if it's not working properly. Freezers are great but it's bad when they go south.

/VM

Ravenlost · #6 07/15/06, 03:39 PM

LOL...yeah, it's definitely been overhauled!

suitcase_sally · #7 07/15/06, 04:04 PM

If you have a freezer that dies and you can catch things before they spoil...get that canner out!!!

Shepherd · #8 07/15/06, 04:10 PM

Oh Ravenlost - sorry to hear that. That would be a real crisis for us, since we have so much meat in ours. I've got to try and reallocate the meat from one of our freezers to the other two so I can unplug it and put it back in storage until we need it again.

I just bought a used frig from a neighbor we have to get moved home and set up. My frig has been making some awful noises... so I'm hoping it's nothing serious.

Hopefully yours won't cost much to repair.

Ravenlost · #9 07/15/06, 04:19 PM

Luckily, I had enough room in the two refrigerator freezers to get almost everything in them. Some old meat we found buried in the back is being fed to the dogs.

Our fridge that is only two years old quit on us over the 4th of July weekend. Took two service calls to finally get it working and now the freezer quits. If bad things come in threes then we should be finished...first the tractor, then the fridge, now the freezer.

Pony · #10 07/15/06, 07:52 PM

Glad to hear you are able to save the meat, Ravenlost!

I was just thinking about how much meat I've been putting in to the small chest freezer we have, and how bad I'd feel if I had to either pitch a lot of food, or put it all up in one marathon canning session.

So I'm debating about whether I should just start gradually canning what's in there, or just take my chances.

Or both?

Pony!

ninny · #11 07/16/06, 11:19 AM

Before I went the new route, I'd check out a few things first. There's a relay on the compressor that could possibly be bad, might have a bad condenser fan motor if it's a forced air condenser, might be a bad t-stat. Do a little process of elimination before just buying a new one. Might save a bunch of money. I've seen refrigerators/freezers last 35, 40 even 45 years. Do a little checking before junking it out. Most people I've talked to aren't as happy with their new units as they were the old ones. Most common complaint is "they don't get as cold as the old one did."

deb · #12 07/16/06, 01:03 PM

It does sound like the compressor is broken. We had a fridge making that sound and luckily we had bought an extended warranty so we didn't have to
pay for a new compressor.

Most folks would say you don't need an extended warranty for a fridge or freezer, but this was several years ago when the manufacturers had just stopped using Freon. Our salesman warned us that he was seeing a lot of problems with the compressor not working as well because the manufacturers had switched to a new gas coolant..

Cost of the extended warranty was minimal compared to the cost of the repairs needed.

Deb
in wi

Siryet · #13 07/16/06, 01:55 PM

We just had our freezer (18 yrs) die.

Fortunately my wife went to get something out and noticed some of the veggies seemed not frozen as much.
Switched food to other freezer so we didn't loose anything.
To make a long story short,$609.00 later a new freezer sits in place of the old, the old now houses pig feed at the pen and all is well again. But wait this 20.3 cu in freezer was on sale for $548.00. Wait again, freezer wasn't delivered to store on time sooooooooooo they gave us another $50.00 off the price of $548.10 PLUS a free extended warranty.
Things went well this time.

GE freezer has a 5 year factory warranty on the freezing system.