What Is Happening To My Chest Freezers?

[stux]

The 442L fridge is also interesting, if you can fit 5 kegs in that may be ideal. Any chance you could post photos of how the kegs fit in, or confirm the model number so I can have a look at dimensions etc.

And I was hoping to finish the fridge and tidy it up before posting in the keg setup thread



Full size kegs do fit where the 9.5L kegs are, at least this makes it easy to see all 5 kegs, and some room at the front for carbonator cap beverages.

Will confirm model number later

 

[stew.w]

the other thing with turning a freezer into a fridge is it will make the compressor short cycle because the whole system will be oversized for that temperature.
ive got one at home too i bought new from aldi and it been going well for about 2 years i think but it wont last as long being used as a fridge as if it were a freezer.
for your freezer its probably either short of gas or the compressor valves are worn out and you're not getting enough compression which might explain why the side of the freezer doesnt get hot anymore as thats your condensor.

Cheers,

Stewart

 

[Parks]

I had 2 freezers die within weeks of each other. Same thing, would only get down to 5-10 degrees.

One was a 30 year old freezer which hadn't faulted in 30 years. This one I had running as a kegerator for 2 years and this only happened after moving it and a big storm.

The other was a dirt cheap $300 KMart job which ran perfectly for 3 years and really wasn't handled carefully. It went on the back of a trailer to a wedding and several engagement parties. I think this one I killed breaking ice off the inside, it had only thin aluminium inside walls.

I have now bought a brand new fisher and paykel chest freezer from appliances online with 5 years warranty (LINKY) which fits 7 corneys and a 9L easily.

 

[stux]

And I was hoping to finish the fridge and tidy it up before posting in the keg setup thread

View attachment 48015

Full size kegs do fit where the 9.5L kegs are, at least this makes it easy to see all 5 kegs, and some room at the front for carbonator cap beverages.

Will confirm model number later

Fisher & Paykel E442B

 

[remi]

Thanks- same as this one I guess?

http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/442l-fi...ge-e442bre.aspx

The width looks ok for my tight space. By the way, where is your gas bottle/ how do you run the gas line?

Remi

 

[brettprevans]

fellas, dont buy F&P. its chinese? crap now. no longer made in NZ and tends to fail quickly. your paying extra for brand name and getting nothing in return

 

[drsmurto]

I use an all fridge that i bought 5 years ago from a second hand fridge/freezer place.

$300. Not sure of the brand.

Fits 4 kegs (2 on the bump above the compressor, 2 on the floor) and a shelf above them for the glasses. If i built a shelf (and the local boys would laugh at any implication i would build somehting) to lift the kegs at the front up to the same height as the kegs on the back bump i could easily fit 3/4 of a carton of beer underneath. I've been 'thinking' about doing that for 5 years now. Somehow i don't think it will ever happen!

My thinking when i bought this was i wanted a fridge, not a freezer for a few reasons.

The main one being i wasn't convinced about using a freezer at fridge temps. The response from Burghbrewer is the high tech version of my low tech thinking. They are desinged to run at very different temps so the way they cool is different.

The other reason was i run my keg fridge at 7-8C (nice ale temperature) using a fridgemate so a freezer section wouldn't be as cool as if running the fridge normally.

Worthwhile checking out an all fridge option, either 2nd hand or brand new.

Another reason is not having to lift a full keg into a freezer.

 

[brettprevans]

but smurts, then you cant have this

 

[ThatKiwiFella]

:icon_offtopic:

Just to clear something up... F&P fridges are NOT made in China. They do have a manufacturing plant in Thailand, which is a state of the art facility with lower warranty rates than the NZ assembled fridges. What you are getting is a well supported (often 24 month warranty), well known and usually very good product from a company known for design innovation.

They do have an arrangement with Haier in China, whereby they are using each others distribution networks and F&P are supplying some technology and parts (dishdrawer tech, some motors, etc) to Haier for their units. I don't want to get into a debate about brands, etc but just thought it was worth mentioning as wouldn't hesitate to buy another F&P fridge or freezer - plenty of old ones are still going strong.

:beer:

 

[stux]

Thanks- same as this one I guess?

http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/442l-fi...ge-e442bre.aspx

The width looks ok for my tight space. By the way, where is your gas bottle/ how do you run the gas line?

Remi

Mine is a few years older of course, i think about 5, but as far as I know, the design has only changed cosmetically on the outside...

If you can get a flat fronted one that would be better than a rounded door like mine because its easier to mount the drip dray then! but you get what you can

I drilled a hole in the side of the fridge for the gas line. I used two airlock grommets to protect the line... and provide a nice seal. You can see where my gas line enters below the manifold. I use two john guest right angles to get a neat line to the manifold

The actual c02 bottle is in my laundry and with a bungie cord holding it to the wall. The gas line then runs along my balcony railing to where the keg fridge is

If you wanted to preserve warranty, the seals are soft enough that you could pass the line through the door seal. I'm not sure of any way to thread the line in through the body.

Alternatively, there is probably enough room to put a small bottle where I have the two L growler in the picture.

 

[punkin]

I thought i researched this pretty well before convincing the missus i needed to get rid of my perfectly good keg fridge and go for a freezerator :unsure:

Now i find this when i'm halfway through the bloody project....

 

[reVoxAHB]

I thought i researched this pretty well before convincing the missus i needed to get rid of my perfectly good keg fridge and go for a freezerator :unsure:

Now i find this when i'm halfway through the bloody project....

I wouldn't sweat it despite this thread demonstrating some logical reasons why converted chest freezers can fail.

I reckon if you started a very simple survey thread called, "How long has your keezer lasted?" (or similar) with selections like 6mo. or under, 6-12 mo. 12mo-2 year etc. you'd see the majority of guys having a good run, or good luck over bad. While not scientific and the variable of new vs. used and luck of the draw presenting it's variable, it would be interesting nonetheless. Not sure if the survey can address a radio button of NEW or USED and have data correspond to answer? I've never started a survey on AHB.

Point is, stay the course and may luck be on your side.

reVox

 

[brettprevans]

:icon_offtopic:

Just to clear something up... F&P fridges are NOT made in China. They do have a manufacturing plant in Thailand, which is a state of the art facility with lower warranty rates than the NZ assembled fridges. What you are getting is a well supported (often 24 month warranty), well known and usually very good product from a company known for design innovation.

They do have an arrangement with Haier in China, whereby they are using each others distribution networks and F&P are supplying some technology and parts (dishdrawer tech, some motors, etc) to Haier for their units. I don't want to get into a debate about brands, etc but just thought it was worth mentioning as wouldn't hesitate to buy another F&P fridge or freezer - plenty of old ones are still going strong.

:beer:

F&p are now utter rubbish. We have nothing but issues eith them at work and previous personal experiance. Even the electrical stores day that they are crap comoated to what they used to be. Jump on whirlpool and have a read. Pretty much a clean sweep of 'f&p is crap'. But to each their own

 

[stux]

Last white good's repairer who came to my place did mention that they were crap now too...

 

[ThatKiwiFella]

fellas, dont buy F&P. its chinese? crap now. no longer made in NZ and tends to fail quickly. your paying extra for brand name and getting nothing in return

F&p are now utter rubbish. We have nothing but issues eith them at work and previous personal experiance. Even the electrical stores day that they are crap comoated to what they used to be. Jump on whirlpool and have a read. Pretty much a clean sweep of 'f&p is crap'. But to each their own

I wasn't trying to say they are problem free (or even the best option) but to brand them as Made in China crap is perhaps a bit harsh. Same old story, someone with a bad experience will tell 10+ people (these days it's probably 100-1000+ care of the interweb), those with a good experience have nothing to moan about but generally don't become 'brand ambassadors' online or elsewhere...

Last white good's repairer who came to my place did mention that they were crap now too...

Is it possible there is a slightly bitter and perhaps bigoted approach to F&P given they firstly closed manufacturing here and then moved to Thailand for it? I don't know but no doubt there are some service techs out there whom had to go looking for other employment as a result...

And maybe they are just rubbish now... Not a very good business model/decision for F&P if they are.

 

[reVoxAHB]

I was down at CostCo yesterday and they do stock a smaller Haier 208L chestie. Same lifetime warranty.
Internal pic is of 208L to demonstrate hump.

Cheers
reVox

 

[Cocko]

If you wanna hold warranty:

Check the 'strap down' method!

B)

 

[yum beer]

I have worked as a warehouse manager with a big national for a while now and I wouldnt buy Haier in a pink fit.

75% of their product returns not working....doesnt fire up or dies within 2 months....absolute rubbish, but a little better than F & P.

Best option second hand(10years old or more) kelvinator,westinghouse,hoover---quality that should last.
I am using a hoover fridge that is about 12 years old and had sat outside in the weather for six months before I grabbed it.

 

[WitWonder]

Hi,

The failure on both occasions was fairly sudden. I noticed that each time I walked past the freezer- it was on, which is unusual as when working correctly it is off the vast majority of the time. Also- when touching the front of the freezer while on- the exterior wall was cool, as opposed to hot when working well.

On the first occasion, the freezer cacked itself fairly quickly from the day I first became aware of the change. On this occasion, the freezer is still holding 4-5C, although to do this it is running the majority of the time. I suspect if it was summer, I'd have warm beer by now. Don't use a fan.

Remi

Well, coincidentally I noticed the same issue with my F&P freezer recently (280L job). I have it set at 6 degrees and going past a few times noticed it was sitting at 8 degrees. Upon opening the lid, I noticed some frost around the top which is highly unusual. I relocated the probe and this morning it was down at 6 degrees and I thought problem solved. Tonight, same issue. Changed probes on my fridgemate and used another thermometer - same deal, 8 degrees measured on both. &*))!

I bought this unit NEW in January last year. Not happy. I assume the warranty is 12 months, too. I want the space that comes with a freezer but not if I have to replace it every 1-2 years.

Hi Remi
Im a Domestic fridge repairer, this is what I think happens when a Chest Freezers thermostat is changed to cycle as a Fridge.
A Fridge known as a Cyclic/Moist Cold, which means its not a Frost Free and has in the Food Cabinet a cooling plate against the back wall, which when running or [Cycling] turns frosty, when this plate becomes cold enough the thermostat sensor that is attached to it, turns the compressor off and the plate that has a thin film of frost on it turns to water, and runs into a drain at the bottom of that plate.
Now in the case of a chest freezer, it is designed to hold its temp. at around -18 to-20 or there abouts, everything including its insulation stays frozen, if you now change the opperating temperature to run at say +4 or there abouts, it will then still freeze a section of the pipework internally behind the lining or all of it, but it will then defrost like it would in the case of a cooling plate, then that water soaks up into the insulation over and over again, then owing to that tube being mild steel with a very thin coating of copper, and sitting in moisture, it forms pit holes untill it is too thin to hold the pressure, and out blows the gas.
While they work there a great thing, but in my opinion not designed to do so for many years.
Thats my long winded opinion, but I hope it helps
Chris :icon_cheers:

Have you pulled one apart and discovered this? I know little of fridge mechanics but I'd imagine the gas used to cool the thing freezes at far lower temps than the compressor is able to get it too, even if it was on 24/7 - unless I have misread your post.

 

[user 384]

owing to that tube being mild steel with a very thin coating of copper, and sitting in moisture, it forms pit holes untill it is too thin to hold the pressure, and out blows the gas.

This explanation doesn't seem right to me. Tubes to be used for refrigeration must comply with AS/NZS 1571. This standard specifies requirements for round, seamless copper tubes manufactured from phosphorus-deoxidized copper containing high residual phosphorus (UNS alloy C12200). Requirements including chemical composition, hardness, grain size and manufacturing tolerances are specified.

I doubt mild steel with a thin copper inner tube is used.