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It’s a big, American style stainless steel fridge/freezer, that’s approximately two and a half years old.
I am in Chester.
Yesterday, the freezer developed a fault – the appliance has two identical metal ‘drums’ at the rear (compressors?), so I assume one is responsible for the fridge and the other for the freezer.
The ‘fridge one’ is hot to the touch, which I assume to be a good thing, meaning it is transferring heat from the interior.
The ‘freezer one’ (I am assuming here, by the way – they are not marked as such) is not cold, but is only mildly warmer than skin temperature to touch. The freezer has ‘defrosted’, and the in-built freezer thermometer at the top of the fridge is showing zero degrees (perhaps minus one half degree) – which matches what our own thermometer says from inside the freezer itself.
This seems to me to suggest a problem with a thermostat, but I don’t know enough (anything, actually) to progress any closer to a fix – have you any suggestions? – or preferably, a cheap replacement part, delivered urgently, that is easy and safe to fit and will have my freezer up and running again quickly?
Re: Smeg FC40RX fridge/freezer
It’s more likely that it is the other way round Carl.
The fridge compressor would normally have a tray on top of it to collect the defrost water.
Neither compressor should run hot, the one that is warm is working correcty, the hot one is not and there is a problem either with the compressor itself or some other system failure.
I would suggest you call an engineer to check for you, you could try here in repairs@ and the directories for one.
Dave.
Re: Smeg FC40RX fridge/freezer
Thanks Dave (I think – I don’t like the sound of either diagnosis, cost wise!).
You are right that it is the ‘tepid’ compressor that has the plastic drip-tray around it’s top – making the left-hand (hot) one the faulty one.
Currently, Smeg UK are being a bit useless (they gave me the number of a service engineer who doesn’t deal with Smegs and didn’t know how Smeg UK got their number), and the service engineer who I have used successfully previously (dishwasher) can’t come out until Monday at the earliest!
Should I be concerned that the hot compressor will be further damaged by running that way for at least another 6 days?
Is there a way to disable the compressor to reduce any risk of damage?
Given that the appliance has two identical compressors, is there a short-cut to my testing the failed one to confirm ‘compression’ operation, so that i can eliminate the possibility of that (expensive?) repair?
Re: Smeg FC40RX fridge/freezer
I would suggest you switch the freezer off altogether, the thermostat for the freezer compartment should have an off position normally.
No you can’t test them, they are sealed units, wait for an engineer please;)
Pop up your postcode and I’ll check the directory for you, there may be someone here who can get there more quickly.
Dave.
Re: Smeg FC40RX fridge/freezer
Thank you again – I’ve tried your postcode thingy and it had no suggestions, but you are welcome to try again: CH3 7BL (chester)
Re: Smeg FC40RX fridge/freezer
Try these:
Paterson Quality Services Ltd 0161 4773725
If you decide to use them, please let them know where you got the number.
Dave.
Re: Smeg FC40RX fridge/freezer
Hello again Dave (and everyone),
as you were so helpful, I thought I would update you with my two pieces of good news:
firstly, i was put it touch with a local engineer who was recommended by a company in Deeside called Sigma, who i have used for dishwasher parts in the past, but who don’t deal with Smeg. i now have a collection/repair/return process arranged, and a ‘worst case’ quote to work from.
secondly (and very importantly) i contacted my credit card issuer as they offer extended warranty cover on purchases made with their card. i told them the situation, and they immediately offered to honour a claim for repairs, even though the smeg was purchased 2 years and 3 weeks previously, with a one year manufacturer warranty.
when my smeg is returned (fixed) to me next week, i just need to pay the invoice and send a copy to them, and they will credit my card to the same value!
So many thanks for helping me to understand what i felt i needed to about my problem, in order to hold sensible conversations with repairers – it was a great help.
I don’t want to give the name of my repairer (yet) as i haven’t seen the proof of the quality of his work, but if it all (as i think it will) turns out well, i’ll ask him about getting his details up on this site, as you seem to have a shortage of companies local to me to choose from.
Regards,
Carl
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