quick conpressor hot question.

[adiwillow]

Hi all, I've noticed recently that the bottom half of my fridge(indesit TLA 1S) is much colder than the top . The bottom half can freeze things up such as salad etc, the top half doesn't seem cold enough by normal standards.

I pulled it out earlier, and the compressor is very hot, too hot to touch really, at least for more than three seconds or so. condenser coil thing was very hot earlier as well, but has now cooled down, as has the compressor a bit.

I know I have a problem of sorts, but is it safe to leave on overnight if the compressor is getting this hot?

 

[Jackrae]

Assuming the unit has a finned panel condenser on the fridge back wall, you should check that it is not coated in a film of dust or fluff and has a free flow of air. It is essential that the condenser unit is permitted to condense.

 

[adiwillow]

there was a bit of fluff on it.. nothing I'd say major. Its only two years old and in a new build house.. so perhaps couldn't accumulate that much. However, I have given it a bit of a wipe over.

The compressor gets red hot when it kicks in, as does the pipe leading to the condenser.. but the condenser panel itself is only warm.

Is it safe to leave on for now?

 

[adiwillow]

Okay, checked temperatures inside fridge. The top is about 5 degrees hotter than the bottom. I know heat rises etc, but is this about normal? The bottom is 3 degrees, and the top is about 8.

Even if this is normal, is the compressor casing being so hot normal? It cools down when its not operating, but after a few minutes of kicking in the casing it too hot to touch.

Thanks...

 

[Jackrae]

defective compressor ? or loss of gas

 

[adiwillow]

I assume that 5 degrees difference between the top and the bottom, and a red hot compressor casing isn't normal then ??

 

[ericmark]

My first thought would be thermal insulation failure.

My Hotpoint fridge/freezer was condemned due to thermal insulation failure identified by the fact there was ice build up at bottom of fridge. According to Hotpoint man ice all over means a control problem but ice at bottom means insulation gone and it can't be fixed only option was new fridge/freezer so insurance paid out.

What annoyed me was soon after buying I tested with a plug in efficiency meter which measured kWh over a set time and I had noted readings and this was repeated every so often so should the insulation fail I would see a rise in the power used.

However the power used had not increased but when replaced the power required was half that used before so clearly my fridge/freezer had been faulty for years in fact within two years of buying but used it for another 10 years without realising there was a fault.

Clearly if the motor runs for longer than normally it will also get hotter than normal. My fridge/freezer had to have a new control panel and also sensors fitted but before calling out Hotpoint we had always tried cleaning first so when the guy arrived there was no ice build up we had already cleaned that off. Now and with hind sight it's easy I think all the other faults were caused by the insulation problem.

New Samsung has 10 year warranty bet that never goes wrong. As a ball park figure a fridge/freezer should use around 300 kWh per annum to 400 kWh per annum. So around 1 kWh per day. So with a 150W motor it should run around 6 hours per day so should be off around 3 times the period it is on for. That however would not work with my new Samsung as inverter control.