Freezer Working When I Got It

[Mantis]

Picked up a Kelvinator 240lt freezer secondhand from just around the corner.
The guy I got it off helped me lift it into my trailor and I took it real slow taking it home.
Had a lot of trouble getting it off the trailor, and the wife and I got it into the shed by putting one of the kids scooters under the front, and me lifting and pushing from behind .

The damn thing trys to work but then cuts out. And now it hasnt cut in for hours and I think its dead.

Any ideas as to what I may have done to kill it.

 

[schooey]

Sure to be corrected by a fridgie...... but if you agitated it too much due to transport and lifting into situ it does something to the gas and/or liquid in the compressor and when you turn it on the compressor is trying to compress liquid rather than gas and it overloads and kills it... something along those lines anyway. Always a good idea to let them sit for an hour or two before plugging them in after moving them.

edit: I'm pretty sure this is only for older models as well, I think newer models you can leave for 15mins or so and then go for it... but like I said, open for correction

 

[Screwtop]

Always a good idea to let them sit for an hour or two before plugging them in after moving them.

Definitely, probably the starter coil is deceased.

 

[Mantis]

I've turned it off and will try it in the morning.
Starter coil??? Is this expensive to repair

 

[wambesi]

I've turned it off and will try it in the morning.
Starter coil??? Is this expensive to repair

And if it's too expensive etc to fix, use as a fermenter coolroom by changing a frozen bottle of water every day.
Works a treat.

Pi$*ed of though if it was for kegs....

 

[Mantis]

And if it's too expensive etc to fix, use as a fermenter coolroom by changing a frozen bottle of water every day.
Works a treat.

Pi$*ed of though if it was for kegs....

It was for fermenters but down the track I was thinking kegs. Good size for it.

 

[NickB]

Sounds like the free 500L freezer I picked up - compressor kicks in for anywhere up to an hour, then shuts off. Compressor feels hot. I'm gonna get a quote for repair after it arrives at our new place next week... Figure the fact that I got it for free will mean even if it's a new compressor that's needed, I should come out in front as opposed to buying a new unit!

Cheers

 

[tribalfish]

I have a kelvinator 240L aswell. It is now fitted with an external thermostat for temp control.
When I am adjusting the temp and if the motor has just cut out and I try and drop the temp even more, the motor tries to kick in but just makes a humming noise. If I turn it off at the plug and leave for 5 mins or so, It's right as rain.
Maybe just unplug and leave for a little bit. :unsure:

Tribalfish

 

[mika]

Generally the problems occur when moving them if they are laid down, or in a postion where the oil runs out of the compressor and into the lines, hence why you should always transport upright and still try and leave it for an hour or two before plugging it in.
I bought a chest freezer that I witnessed as working OK. Got it home, left it for several weeks before I had the chance to fire it up again, compressor didn't want to run and when it did run it just got hot and the freezer never dropped in temp. Can only think that when we strapped it to the rollbar on the ute, distorted a casing and popped a gas line. Put it down to experience and walked away from it. The gas line runs throughout the body of the freezer, so you'd have to pull it to bits to find where the leak is, repair it, pressure test it and hope the piece of tube next to it is not going to fail in 5 minutes time. I was told by one fridge repair joint that certain models have particular weaknesses, so sometimes it can be easy to track down. Other times, it's better to cut your losses and move on.

 

[fergi]

you cant lay a fridge or freezer on its side, always has to be standing upright when its moved, however if you leave it for a day or two the oil will probably run back down to where its supposed to be, also nick B sounds like your running short on gas, when it starts to run like that then the compressor gets too hot it switches itself off when the head pressure gets too high
fergi

 

[justsomeguy]

you cant lay a fridge or freezer on its side, always has to be standing upright when its moved, however if you leave it for a day or two the oil will probably run back down to where its supposed to be, also nick B sounds like your running short on gas, when it starts to run like that then the compressor gets too hot it switches itself off when the head pressure gets too high
fergi



Err nope. Depends on the fridge/freezer. Just moved a fridge today. Laid it in the back of the station wagon and transported it around 10 klicks. Fired it up late this afternoon and its working a treat. The compressor on this particular model has both lines coming out the same side of the compressor so I just made sure that when we laid the thing down that those lines were uppermost meaning that oil wouldn't drain into the lines.

There's a lot of different opinions on this thing and your mileage will vary. A common thought appears to be that if you have to lay it down then have to larger of the two lines into the compressor uppermost and wait 24 hours before turning it back on to allow time for any liquids to drain properly.

gary

 

[fergi]



Err nope. Depends on the fridge/freezer. Just moved a fridge today. Laid it in the back of the station wagon and transported it around 10 klicks. Fired it up late this afternoon and its working a treat. The compressor on this particular model has both lines coming out the same side of the compressor so I just made sure that when we laid the thing down that those lines were uppermost meaning that oil wouldn't drain into the lines.

There's a lot of different opinions on this thing and your mileage will vary. A common thought appears to be that if you have to lay it down then have to larger of the two lines into the compressor uppermost and wait 24 hours before turning it back on to allow time for any liquids to drain properly.

gary

so this is still the same principal. you SHOULDNT LAY it on its side for that exact reason . you were lucky, the priciple remains the same for that reason as to not allow the oil to run out of the compressor and get into the evaporator,even the way you did it the refrigerant and oil can mix and your in trouble, you were dead lucky, DONT LAY your fridge on its side or back
cheers
fergi

 

[staggalee]

so this is still the same principal. you SHOULDNT LAY it on its side for that exact reason . you were lucky, the priciple remains the same for that reason as to not allow the oil to run out of the compressor and get into the evaporator,even the way you did it the refrigerant and oil can mix and your in trouble, you were dead lucky, DONT LAY your fridge on its side or back
cheers
fergi

Bugger it........just when you are convinced there`s the answer to an age old problem, what happens?.........someone comes along and pulls the rug out from underneath again :lol:

stagga.

 

[Screwtop]

Transported mine upright 100 odd K in a trailer. Lifted it off put it in place and turned in on, still warm 2 days later. Checked what I could with a multimeter and all looked ok. Paid a fridgie to have a look, this what he said: "Any time you move a fridge or freezer, leave it off for an hour or so after the move. Sometimes just tipping them and moving them around on a barrow is enough to end up with too much pressure for the compresor to start, there is a motor starter coil which provides a bit more oomph when starting and this burns out". Being a sealed unit a new one is required, he said around $500 to supply, fit and gas. A bit much for a freezer that originally cost $80 on ebay.

Screwy

 

[Peteoz77]

I haved moved dozens of fridges and freezers in my life and nearly all of them were transported lying on their back or side. As a matter of fact, I moved 3 of them in the past year... all laying down. Stand them back up, leave them as long as you can... at least a few hours, and then plug them in and turn them on. Never had one quit working that I have transported. I'm not saying should lay them down unless absolutely necessary, but I know for a fact that it doesn't actually harm the fridge.....at least none of the dozens of them that I have moved.

 

[Batz]

I haved moved dozens of fridges and freezers in my life and nearly all of them were transported lying on their back or side. As a matter of fact, I moved 3 of them in the past year... all laying down. Stand them back up, leave them as long as you can... at least a few hours, and then plug them in and turn them on. Never had one quit working that I have transported. I'm not saying should lay them down unless absolutely necessary, but I know for a fact that it doesn't actually harm the fridge.....at least none of the dozens of them that I have moved.

+1
Every fridge I have I've transported in a trailer on it side.
Leave them till the next day,never had a problem.

Batz

 

[oldbugman]

so this is still the same principal. you SHOULDNT LAY it on its side for that exact reason . you were lucky, the priciple remains the same for that reason as to not allow the oil to run out of the compressor and get into the evaporator,even the way you did it the refrigerant and oil can mix and your in trouble, you were dead lucky, DONT LAY your fridge on its side or back
cheers
fergi

Maybe you should write to most of the major appliance importers. Half of them are on their sides when coming in by ship.

Oil mixing in evap etc.

it mixes with the refrigerant all the time and will always be in the evaporator. actually it'll be all around the refrigeration circuit and if it isnt then your in for problem.

 

[justsomeguy]

so this is still the same principal. you SHOULDNT LAY it on its side for that exact reason . you were lucky, the priciple remains the same for that reason as to not allow the oil to run out of the compressor and get into the evaporator,even the way you did it the refrigerant and oil can mix and your in trouble, you were dead lucky, DONT LAY your fridge on its side or back
cheers
fergi

Aww, rubbish ! As you can see there are heaps of people who have, and still will, move fridges in their sides. Actually the most common reason that they fail after a move is that springs inside the compressor break causing the thing to rattle when starting up.

Not lucky either, I just did a little research then looked at the back of the fridge to see what the lines into the compressor looked like. 'Yes' don't lay a fridge on its back, you will more than likely wreck the cooling coils due to the weight of the fridge.

I say, move the bloody thing any way you want as long as you stay safe and don't get squashed by the thing. I've even seen someone move a fridge laying on the back of a large bicycle trailer !

gary

 

[fergi]

Maybe you should write to most of the major appliance importers. Half of them are on their sides when coming in by ship.

Oil mixing in evap etc.

it mixes with the refrigerant all the time and will always be in the evaporator. actually it'll be all around the refrigeration circuit and if it isnt then your in for problem.

well maybe you should try giving the correct advice,, if you lay a fridge on its side it CAN mix all the gas and oil into the system and when it is turned on it can cause damage, thats like telling people you dont have to sanitise any thing when you do your home brew, sure you will get away with it at times but its bad advice, just like saying you can lay a fridge on its side/back, you can get away with it but it can cause damage , why do you think this thread was started, because someone did this and had a problem. anyway its up to whoever wants to do it that way, i am just telling you what can happen and does happen
.
cheers
fergi

 

[staggalee]

That forum member Timmy the fridge guy is never bloody here when you want him!

stagga.