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We have a Frigidaire ME-56 fridge purchased in 1968 (!) that has been giving sterling service until recently. For the past few years it has been used as an “overflow” fridge in our utility room. As such the frozen food compartment is seldom used and it tends to ice up, until eventually we defrost it. I have the impression that in recent months the thermostat has not been cutting out properly and its “dead band” has got wider, so that the compressor runs continuously, and it has not been as cold as before.
I defrosted before Christmas. Since then the machine has been running properly but not getting cold enough. The cabinet won’t go below 12 deg C. In the past I would expect to get a frost burn (almost) from the surface of the frozen food compartment, but no more.
Has the compressor finally had it? I have read here that oil may get into the system from the compressor. Is there a way of reviving it by leaving it after defrosting for a certain time? I would like to get it going again, not least because no fridges now seem to be available built to the old 21 in wide format.
Many thanks,
JohnHi
Wow 1968 that was the year I came into this trade!!! I don’t think it will be repairable, spares have long disappeared as has the brand as it was known back then. The type of gas used back then is no longer available to use either so I think you are going to have to start again.
There is still a reasonable amount of 55cm wide refrigeration about, the old ME56 is it an under counter fridge with a freezer compartment or is it a fridge freezer?
Don
Hi
Thanks for your quick response. No, the ME56 is/was a tallish free-standing fridge only (with ice-cream compartment) 117cm high. It squeezes between a washing machine and a dishwasher (just!) and an adjacent door, so ideally I would be looking for 53cm or less.
Obviously it’s not worth spending money on the m/c, I just wondered if there was a procedure that would (say) allow the oil to return, if that was the problem. I will pull it out to have a hoover round the back, in case it makes any difference.
John
So the space is less than 55cm which is a nuisance, however there is one which I have found which will fit nicely the IceKing FF139W and it fits most of your criteria.
Don
Sorry, I didn’t spot your reply before. Thanks for the suggestion. It’s not a possibility I had considered. The fridge part is approx. 83 cm high, which is the same as the under-the-counter models I have been looking at, with the addition of the extra freezer if we needed it.
Ice-King is not a brand I know. I cannot find specified anywhere the construction of the back, e.g. should be metal, and it does not appear in the Which? list.
John
Hi
You are really restricted as to what will fit and your criteria is tight as well which makes your choice limited to one I’m afraid. I have checked all known brands and names I know of and I cannot find anything else.
Ice King is only distributed through the independent channel, all products come with a two year warranty. As far as construction is concerned it should have a metal back web page for that model is here and the contact details also.
Don
Hi,
A month on and I thought I would provide an update. After researching various replacement machines, none quite we wanted, I thought I would give the fridge one last chance. I defrosted again, but this time by powering off completely, rather than by setting to the “def” or “off” position, which leaves the circuitry active and the interior light on (a source of heat in the chiller). Nor did I provide any heat by bowls of hot water.
Once defrosted I left it for a while. This procedure seems to have achieved the object I asked about above and allowed the refrigerant and compressor to “reset” themselves. Result: on switching on, the fridge went down to temperature after a few hours and now happily stays at 4 deg C.
The fridge is now into its second half-century and (fingers crossed!) I hope it will see me out!
Thanks you for your interest
John
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