Question for home appliance experts

[AcuraTech]

I've been monitoring my fridge internal temp lately with a fridge/freezer thermometer.

I started doing this because: 1. I want to make sure food is at a safe temp and 2. I have a boatload of rare/hard to find/expensive beer inside! If that stuff freezes I'm hosed.

Basically the problem is that I have to keep adjusting the knob up and down to try to maintain above freezing temps. I have to keep messing with it everyday, and the adjustment knob numbers seem to have NO temperature correspondence.

Brand is Tappan (Fridgidaire), regular freezer on top type, made in 1993.

I would imagine the thermostat is faulty? Is this something that would go bad commonly?

 

[SuperDave456]

I am not a refrigarator repair guy, but my best friend just bought a used fridge from a neighbor down the street. The neighbor said that it ran constanly and he was going to just go buy another. The neighbor swore the compressor had an issue and didn't want to pay for the repair.

My friend got it, hosed off the back of the fridge with compressed air (extremely nasty stuff collects back there), and within 2 hours of the time he plugged it in it had reached it's optimum temp and the compressor turned off.

If you have an old fridge I would try cleaning the back and underside first. A shop vac and a can of air can go a long way.

If that didn't work try a smaller fridge, mini fridge, that is of good quality but wont break the bank. Perhaps, if it is quiet enough, you can place it by your recliner and you will never have to get up to go to the fridge again.

 

[greenaccord02]

Superdave is right, my uncle is an appliance repair man and he recommends using a light vinegar solution to clean the fins. That should make all the difference.

 

[kingrob]

When volunteering at the goodwill store years back, whenever we got old refrigerators we'd spray the back done with Gunk engine degreaser and pressure spray it off. If you can find a cleaner and easier method of doing this, go for it (assuming you're not willing to take it outside and get at it with the hose). Gunked up cooling fins are more than likely the culprit. If not, then the T-stat is acting up. Sometimes unplugging the fridge for a couple of days can be the cause (AND solution) to a schitzo thermostat. But I would try cleaning the fins first, 9 times out of 10 this is the culprit. You don't have the back of it too close to the wall do you?

 

[AcuraTech]

Coils are CLEAN. I pulled the fridge out and cleaned all the dust off last week. (Coils are on the rear for the one I have)

I'm thinking thermometer since it acts goofy by cycling on again 2 mins after it just shut off, without opening the door.

I'm gonna have to give my step-dad (The Maytag man) a call and see what he says. Just wanted to check and see if anybody had any quick and dirty advice.

 

[Turk]

Ok, now list the rare/hard to find/expensive beer.

 

[duaneb9729]

i vote for the thermostat replacement

 

[John K]

Want any help using up the beer before it goes bad?

 

[Papa Bear]

I vote for new fridge......


Why trust $500.00 worth of beer to a $50.00 fridge.

 

[another Todd]

Quit messing with the thermostat. You cannot determine what it is really doing by adjusting the thermstat up and down every day. The temperature does not stay in one place always, it fluctuates within a range, i.e. you may set it to keep food at 10 degrees (freezer), well, it may kick on at 15 and run until it gets to 5. This example is exagerated, but you get the point. If the fridge is empty the swings will be larger than if it has stuff in it.

 

[mechtech2]

If you have freezing internally, this will make temp control futile.
A full defrost may be in order.
If not, it's the thermostat.

 

[Turk]

AcuraTech - I drive within 10 miles of your place about every day - I can come over with a calibrated thermocouple for a couple of those beers..............

 

[tom slick]

If it is just a defective thermostat you can buy an external thermostat. You'd be better off with a new fridge, 15 years is a plenty long lifespan for a fridge that was inexpensive to begin with.

 

[JustinH]

I agree.

Just bought a regular Tappan fridge at Lowes. I think it was 349 or 399.

We had a 10 percent off coupon on top of that.

These things are pretty disposable..