Currys C50TW20 just packed up

[HawkEye244]

Had this fridge freezer for about a year now and it's stopped working. I've defrosted what was in the freezer compartment and hope there will be signs of life but I've noticed the tray at the back which is labelled 'cyclopentane' has turned from a clear liquid to a discoloured black liquid as per the photo. The only change I've made recently is to stop using the central heating to save money and wondering whether this could have caused the fridge to malfunction. Any ideas?
It's just outside of the guarantee

 

[Rodders53]

No pics to be seen?

That Fridge freezer has Climate Class of N (Normal) +16°C to +32°C --- if the room gets a lot below that it won't work well (or perhaps at all?).

Where is it used? What temperature is that room?

Tray at rear usually collects condensate from fridge via hole through rear compartment to be evaporated via the compressor motor running... that black may simply be mould?

 

[HawkEye244]

That makes a lot of sense Rodders.
Yep the temperature in the kitchen and the house generally has dropped below 10 degrees or more at times. Blimey.
So have I broken the fridge trying to save money on my heating ? I really feel sometimes like life is out to get me.
Do you think it will start working again if I raise the temperature and can I empty out that tray in the back ? So it's not a chemical to be worried about ?

 

[Rodders53]

Only chemical in a fridge is the refrigerant gas that is in a closed loop. Cyclopentane is a highly flammable, colourless liquid and smells of petrol. It has a boiling point of 49C. It's main use is as a gas in making the insulation foam... but it could be used as a refrigerant? Not sure.

Many modern heat pumps use flammable refrigerant gasses, though, so it's nothing to be particularly concerned about. The fridge-freezer pipes would need to be badly mechanically damaged to leak any gas or liquid. That wouldn't happen due to UK temperatures in a dwelling or storage/transportation.

 

[winston1]

Had this fridge freezer for about a year now and it's stopped working. I've defrosted what was in the freezer compartment and hope there will be signs of life but I've noticed the tray at the back which is labelled 'cyclopentane' has turned from a clear liquid to a discoloured black liquid as per the photo. The only change I've made recently is to stop using the central heating to save money and wondering whether this could have caused the fridge to malfunction. Any ideas?
It's just outside of the guarantee

But not outside the protection provided by the Consumer Rights Act.

Nor is it outside the 2 year warranty provided by EU regulation that has not (yet) been repealed. Long read give better protection than Consumer Rights Act under 2 years.

Directive 1999/44/EC, May 1999 from the European Parliament stipulates that by 1st January 2002 all member states must have alt

 

[denso13]

Nor is it outside the 2 year warranty provided by EU regulation that has not (yet) been repealed. Long read give better protection than Consumer Rights Act under 2 years.

It has exactly the same provisions as the CRA. After 6 months the buyer has to prove the defect was there at the time of delivery.

 

[denso13]

Directive 1999/44/EC, May 1999 from the European Parliament stipulates that by 1st January 2002 all member states must have alt

That directive was actually repealed in December 2021 by the EU and no longer applies anywhere.

The new one is Directive (EU) 2019/771 and does not apply to sales within the UK.

 

[HawkEye244]

Just FYI the fridge returned to normal operation once the internal temperature of the property returned to more normal levels.
I basically let it get so cold inside the property that it caused the fridge to stop working.
It must have reached a point where it was colder inside the house than inside the fridge.