Could my Fridge/Freezer explode.?

[vivandorron]

At present the kitchen appliance is still functioning; albeit unsatisfactorily. The Fridge is OK but quite often there is a strange sound which appears to come from the Freezer section and the internal temperature no longer goes below minus 10 degrees centigrade. The sound is similar to mail being delivered through my front door letterbox or that something has fallen within the Freezer cabinet.

I am not too bothered about the temperatures because it is so very rarely that I keep frozen meat or fish. At present there are only vegetables within the cabinet.(Chips, peas, peppers, sweetcorn, etc.)

No doubt the best advice would be to buy a new appliance to replace an item which is over 28yr old. However, I am endeavoring to delay matters for as long as is safely possible. Consequently, I would welcome comments on the basis of what is the worst that can now happen to what has been a remarkable item over the years for which I have had it.

Ron.

[McMouse]

The worst thing to happen would be the food going off and poisoning you.

[carrust]

I would be very concerned over the fire risk! Sounds as though the motor's on the blink

[jno]

what happens when a freezer goes into meltdown, I wonder?

[craft1948]

I wouldn't delay getting a new one..............it's good to have money in the bank but its even better to have peace of mind.

[jomifl]

It sounds as if it has lost most of its coolant and is slowly dying. It is possible that the motor windings that are used for continuous running have packed up and it keeps trying to start using the starter windings. Is the motor gettig hot? Does it have a separate compressor for the freezer?

[wildwood]

The clanging sound may also be a defective solenoid that keeps trying to switch the motor on/off.

I've never heard of a freezer exploding and everything can be fixed but it would make more sense, financially, functionally and for appearance, to think about replacing your trusty old unit.

[Canary42]

It's probably costing far more to run than a modern appliance would, and not doing such a good job either.

Bite the bullet.

[Old_Geezer]

Personally I can not see it exploding, well not unless you let the Brainiacs at it. But on the other hand I can't see much value in letting it struggle on slowly dying. If you don't use it much why waste power on it ? Go get yourself a new efficient model with a fridge / freezer of a suitable size for yourselves. Get the same brand if you have been impressed by the existing one.

[Hopkirk]

Explode? No

Cause a fire? Possibly

[vivandorron]

My thanks to all who have responded to my question.

Viv and I have agreed that we get a new appliance and, whilst it doesn't appear that the present item will explode, I am concerned about the possible fire risk. Hopefully, the existing item will continue safely for another week, as it has for the past five days.

My problem now is to get one that will fit snugly into a recessed cupboard corner in the kitchen and to find one that doesn't have glass shelves; which I dislike from a safety point of view.

Thanks again.....Ron.

[rowanwitch]

Beko do some narrow ones with wire racking shelves

[vivandorron]

Thanks rowanwitch for the info. It is important that I get one to fit into what is really a cupboard space; which I 'doctored' so that the appliance is hidden behind what looks like a plastered and timber wall in a country style kitchen.

http://www.flickr.com...08249/in/photostream/

Ron.

[craft1948]

I hope you don't keep that door closed and cover up the vent.............

[vivandorron]

Yes craft. The vent I made above the appliance and is only to allow air to circulate around and underneath the top cupboard. It's been like that for the 28yrs which I have had the fridge/freezer. The door when closed is approx 4inches from the vent with air getting in at bottom of the cupboard.

Ron.

[rowanwitch]

Be careful of fridge freezers with the cooling unit on top rather than at the back they need a much higher clearance

[craft1948]

Jolly good.............

[jomifl]

Glass shelves in modern fridges should be made from toughened glass, you would really have to try to break them.

[heathfield]

"The sound is similar to mail being delivered through my front door letterbox". In 'frost-free' freezers, a heater switches on at regular intervals to remove ice from the cooling coils. When this happens, the sound of falling ice can often be exactly like the noise you describe. If yours isn't a 'frost-free', I wonder if your freezer temperature is getting above zero from time to time, and ice is falling from the cooling coil? If it is a 'frost-free', could it simply be a faulty thermostat preventing proper cooling? Hmmm.

[vivandorron]

I appreciate that glass shelves are made from toughened glass, but they are not easy things to wash in a kitchen sink.

It's not a 'frost free freezer' and I now feel sure that there is definitely something wrong with the cooling mechanism, because the temperature doesn't drop low enough. The loud noise seems to happen when the motor switches on, so it could be, as suggested by wildwood, a defective solenoid.

Ron.

[vivandorron]

My thanks to you all for replying to this thread.

I had been hoping to tell you that I have a new appliance, as that is now my intention to get one asap.

Ron.

Ron