Runaway fridge?

[Bill_Walker]

I've got a small Haier fridge in the garage, for beer and soft drinks, that I've had for years.  This evening I went out to grab a beer and found that nearly everything in the fridge was frozen!  Have you ever heard of a fridge thermostat failing in such a way that the fridge got too cold?  I found one high-ABV IPA that wasn't frozen, poured it in a glass and checked its temperature: 31.5 degrees Fahrenheit!  That brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "a frosty cold one"!

 

The fridge is in need of defrosting, but in my experience, that usually makes a fridge less efficient, not more so, so I'm thinking I might have a failure on my hands.

[ESokoloff]

Sounds like a bad thermostat (perhaps welded contacts). 

This should help

 

google "replace Haier refrigerator model# (insert yours) thermostat YouTube"

& likely you will find a helpful video on how to replace it. 

 

Know on that when the compressor runs it creates a pressure differential across it.

This difference in pressure makes it hard (if not impossible) for the compressor to restart if it's stoped/restarted.

The compressor MUST remain off for upwards of 5 min. to allow the pressures to equalize.

If not, the compressor current draw will be at its maximum (Locked Rotor current) which is approximately 6-7 times that of it's Full Load current rating. 

If/when (excessive) Locked Rotor is experienced the compressors current/thermal overload will trip & give the pressures time to equalize before it cools off & auto resets.  

This/these hi current events can't be good for the refrigerators thermostat. 

 

 

[Paul De]

I have a frig in the garage that every winter when the ambient temperature in that space falls to 50F or lower, I need to set the temp warmer to stop it freezing everything in it.  Not likely your issue given your location. Hair now owns GE appliances, so availability to a replacement thermostat should be pretty good

[elkroeger]

Well, you probably don't need to keep that much cold beer around the house anyway.  ;-)

[szurszewski]

That used to happen periodically to my dad's garage fridge when I was a kid. The colas would burst and then if the fridge temp went down enough to thaw them before someone figured it out it was a real mess!

[Bill_Walker]

I figured I'd give the fridge another try after defrosting it.  I just put a glass of water in for testing.  Even on setting 1, it still got progressively colder.  But what surprised me a bit was that the compressor still cycled off occasionally.  I dunno, maybe there's some run-time limit on it.  Otherwise, I would have thought that a failed thermostat would have led to it running continuously.  But it seems perfectly happy to be a freezer.  As it turns out, it's made me realize that I don't really need a fridge in the garage for beverages.  There's room for that stuff in the kitchen.  So I may not bother to fix it.

[elkroeger]

I recall someone telling me once, that he and his wife argued about what exactly was the meaning of the phrase "turn the fridge up"  or "turn the fridge down".  Turning it up, some argue, would make it warmer inside.  Others would say that makes it colder.  No offense, but turn that knob the wrong way around.  See what happens.....

[Paul De]

Haha...You could do a Rube Goldberg machine fix and put a heavy duty (20 Amp) timer switch on the frig. Figure out the the on off cycle needed and then its all good for your beer.  It also solves the turn it up/down debate

 

If you are going to replace it you better hurry or you'll get clipped by the next round of tariff taxes

[Paul De]

22 hours ago, elkroeger said:

Well, you probably don't need to keep that much cold beer around the house anyway.  ;-)

 

That is heretical talk in these parts!

[Bill_Walker]

16 hours ago, elkroeger said:

I recall someone telling me once, that he and his wife argued about what exactly was the meaning of the phrase "turn the fridge up"  or "turn the fridge down".  Turning it up, some argue, would make it warmer inside.  Others would say that makes it colder.  No offense, but turn that knob the wrong way around.  See what happens.....

 

Could be, but since "1" is next to "OFF", it seems pretty clear.  Also, it worked fine for many years without freezing anything, and the freezing started without a setting change.