Freezer thermostat

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Freezer thermostat

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NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 22 2:20 pm Post subject: Freezer thermostat

My old faithful upright freezer has decided that -38C is the correct and proper temperature

This feels a little excessive!
Is there anything DIY-able that I can check or even replace?
The temperature display is moving (dial, not digital) and the contents are solid, so I do believe the displayed temperature is correct. So it's the control or setting of the desired temp that has gone wonky. There is a dial for min/max but this seems to have no effect.

Any thoughts?

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 22 8:55 pm Post subject:
I know nothing about thermastats - but my first thought would be to look at what it was doing to my electric meter.... can you put a thermometer inside to see what temp it is in there?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 22 3:41 am Post subject:

it seems that either the control thermostat or the gauge thermostat is broken, they may be a single unit or separate ones

what is the temp of the contents? if it is -38 the thermostat is broken, if it is what you had it set for the gauge is broken
does the freezer switch itself off and on to maintain a temp or is it always on? on and off probably temp gauge but check contents temp as it could be the main thermostat has "slipped" down the temp scale, always on definitely main thermostat control system

are parts still available for that model? some can be fixed with generic parts others require specific bits unique to the model
some are not mendable, with some it is cheaper to replace the freezer than to mend it

a generic thermostat is cheap and as easy as changing a lightswitch if you can get access to the junction box and thermostat position etc and a route between them

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16005

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 22 7:42 am Post subject:

Would agree with Dpack on that. You can get quite cheap and cheerful freezer thermometers to check the actual temperature if you don't have one. If a part does need replacing, and you don't feel confident to do it yourself, there will probably be a local person that can do the job for you. We have a chest freezer that we have had for over 40 years. The insulation isn't what it should be and it did give up once, but we still have it and use it in emergencies.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Wed Sep 28, 22 8:09 am Post subject:

Good call on thermometer, I will try to find one.

I tell a slight lie - setting the controls to "min" gets -38, setting to "max" gets -42. Although some google results suggest that -38 is correct? Hmm.
The compressor does come off/on .

I think if it's truly defunct I'll swap it for a chest freezer anyway for efficiency.

Would there be any benefit to trying to insulate the sides better?

I'm moving house again shortly so running down the contents and planning to fully defrost - good chance to take it to pieces

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Sep 28, 22 8:53 am Post subject:
worth looking at the freecycle and for sale pages - locally there seem to be a lot of freezers available, people are getting rid of spare freezers due to energy costs

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Sep 28, 22 9:19 am Post subject:

Would there be any benefit to trying to insulate the sides better?

no is the simple answer

the complicated one would be maybe, probably not to any significant gains

if you are going to replace it, sooner might be better than later, the sunny unicorn fields are lovely but finding good white goods to store unicorns is rapidly getting harder and more expensive

liebherr, solid, efficient and quiet, good value

vestfrost, solid, efficient, fairly quiet, ace chest freezers in the larger sizes
, good value

a new, top efficiency, one will cover its outlay in energy savings in a few years running time

the choices in the uk are far reduced from ten years ago, but good stuff is still available at last week's price

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