Refrigerator stopped working-HELP!

[Steve Carlton]

Damn it. You posted again before I got to ask if your refrigerator was running.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by URY914

How about you provide a reason for why you believe this?

I believe it, and here's why.
I had a warranty on my furnace. Called the insurance company to get it fixed. Turned out the place they called wasn't even a repair shop - just a guy who had some contractors on the line that he could sub the job out to. He sent out a guy from 60 miles away because he was the lowest bidder. He got here, looked at the furnace, and declared that the problem was with the vent and vents aren't covered under the policy. I had to pay the $100 minimum charge and then find a local guy to come and fix it. Turned out the problem was a cracked heat exchanger.
A friend of mine had a water pump put in his VW Scirocco under warranty. They paid for the pump and labor to put it in, but would not pay for a broken stud, gasket, antifreeze, shop supplies or shop supplies. He saved some money, but they didn't "cover" the repair.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by URY914

How about you provide a reason for why you believe this?

Most people who buy an extended warranty would end up with more $$$ in the long run if they didn't buy one.
An extended warranty is basically an insurance policy, with an unbelievable mark-up and a large portion going to commission. Almost pure profit.
Like double or better. Crazy expensive if you buy from the seller.

Iffn you are nervous about being in the very small percentage of people who would benefit from buying an extended warranty, you can buy a much, much cheaper version if you look around.
At credit union fer example.
On a used car you can usually get the same extended warranty from a credit union fer about half of what a stealer would charge.

[speeder]

Fwiw, the evaporator and fan were not under the freezer floor on this one but behind the rear wall of freezer. I did still have to remove the freezer floor, though, to defrost it. It was iced solid where it is supposed to have air passages(?), large baffles going front-to-rear.

Here is a photo of it, (before cleaning but after defrost), it was frozen solid everywhere under floor and up the back wall to the bottom of the evaporator. You can see the floor section on the kitchen floor in second photo:



And a shot of the lake, just for the why not:

[Sooner or later]

Good news is that it you can't fix it you can always use it as a boat anchor.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by speeder

Fwiw, the evaporator and fan were not under the freezer floor on this one but behind the rear wall of freezer. I did still have to remove the freezer floor, though, to defrost it. It was iced solid where it is supposed to have air passages(?), large baffles going front-to-rear.

Here is a photo of it, (before cleaning but after defrost), it was frozen solid everywhere under floor and up the back wall to the bottom of the evaporator. You can see the floor

Check the defrost drain. It drains the water that is generated by the defrosting process out of the freezer and into a pan under the fridge. It's possible it is clogged with slime. A slimy kind of mold can grow in them and clog the drain. When this happens the frozen stuff in the evaporator area is ICE (as in frozen liquid water) as opposed to frosty stuff that looks like packed snow, which is what develops when the defrosting system isn't working.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Check the defrost drain. It's possible it is clogged with slime. A slimy kind of mold can grow in them and clog the drain. When this happens the frozen stuff in the evaporator area is ICE (as in frozen liquid water) and opposed to frosty stuff that looks like packed snow.

You are right again! The drain was frozen solid...I did not know exactly what its function was until now. I poked around in it and chipped some of the ice out but I need to take it apart again and make sure that it's completely clear. I need a heated clothes hanger wire or something.

Thanks again.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

Good news is that it you can't fix it you can always use it as a boat anchor.

That's true. Always looking for more boat anchors up here.

[URY914]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I believe it, and here's why.
I had a warranty on my furnace. Called the insurance company to get it fixed. Turned out the place they called wasn't even a repair shop - just a guy who had some contractors on the line that he could sub the job out to. He sent out a guy from 60 miles away because he was the lowest bidder. He got here, looked at the furnace, and declared that the problem was with the vent and vents aren't covered under the policy. I had to pay the $100 minimum charge and then find a local guy to come and fix it. Turned out the problem was a cracked heat exchanger.
A friend of mine had a water pump put in his VW Scirocco under warranty. They paid for the pump and labor to put it in, but would not pay for a broken stud, gasket, antifreeze, shop supplies or shop supplies. He saved some money, but they didn't "cover" the repair.

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Most people who buy an extended warranty would end up with more $$$ in the long run if they didn't buy one.
An extended warranty is basically an insurance policy, with an unbelievable mark-up and a large portion going to commission. Almost pure profit.
Like double or better. Crazy expensive if you buy from the seller.

Iffn you are nervous about being in the very small percentage of people who would benefit from buying an extended warranty, you can buy a much, much cheaper version if you look around.
At credit union fer example.
On a used car you can usually get the same extended warranty from a credit union fer about half of what a stealer would charge.

You guys gave two or more examples that have nothing to do with a kitchen appliance. Good try but your reasons don't fit the problem.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by speeder

You are right again! The drain was frozen solid...I did not know exactly what its function was until now. I poked around in it and chipped some of the ice out but I need to take it apart again and make sure that it's completely clear. I need a heated clothes hanger wire or something.

Thanks again.

It's a rubber tube, so I would't jam a coathanger down it. I used a turkey baster to put hot water down it until it ran clear, then mix a teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of hot water and pour it down. There is a J-trap at the bottom and that is where the mold accumulates.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

You should NEVER (almost) buy extended warranty when buying new.

Yep, extended warranties, (really insurance policies), are almost never a good deal on consumer products. You would need to be a lawyer w mouse vision who can speed read 10k words a minute to even determine what most of them cover before hitting the *yes button* on the key pad when you're paying at the register and they are always a sucker bet in favor of the retailer.

Most so-called extended warranties on vehicles would require a complete engine or transmission grenade w proof of perfect maintenance to break even.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by URY914

You guys gave two or more examples that have nothing to do with a kitchen appliance. Good try but your reasons don't fit the problem.

If a service policy on an appliance is reasonably priced and covers likely repairs without some hidden deductible or worm terms that exclude things that might break, then I say go for it. It all depends on the details. Most are a scam, at the end of the day. Just additional profit for retailers, pure and simple.

[Ziggythecat]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

A new fridge is a joy. Automatic defrost etc. And they use a lot less electricity than that one.

Maybe.
I have a 5-6 year old Samsung that had the same problem as Speeder, except the ice forms around the fan on top, stops the fan, and the fridge gets warm..

Seems like it's a very common occurrence.

[Steve Carlton]

Appliance and electronic warranties are hit and miss and usually overpriced and not worth it. I go case by case, though. At Magnolia (in Best Buy) they have an all-encompassing warranty with Best Buy's reputation behind it. I took it on my 4K TV setup because it wasn't expensive and I like the idea of the Geek Squad coming to my house to troubleshoot and replace as necessary. Some credit card benefits will double your warranty- I got a complete refund on a an early HD TV through that.

On cars it gets complicated. A lot of them are aftermarket "extended service contracts" that dealers sell with huge markups. I'm a fan of factory warranties if you know you're getting a good deal, which isn't easy to know. It is a form of insurance, of course. Just because somebody makes money on it doesn't mean it's not a good deal for you. What if Porsche offered an IMSB warranty for 10 years for $1,000, hypothetically? CPO warranties on cars are good deals. The dealer does it up front for a reasonable price, the cars tend to qualify for low APR financing as well. With Volvos, you can extend them, too. You can wind up with a car that has warranty for 10 years from the original sale date with either 100,000 miles or unlimited miles. They sell for about $3,500-4,000 including a healthy markup. For what they cover, plus peace of mind over a $15,000 engine or $7,000 transmission, I think they're a good deal. You will recover a big chunk of what you put in, anyway on some repairs.

[Sooner or later]

Originally Posted by URY914

How about you provide a reason for why you believe this?

They are a business. They have expenses and turn a profit. For every $100 they pay out they take in $120 in revenue.

For every person that receives more benefit than they paid it there are 10 that pay in more than they receive in benefits.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by URY914

You guys gave two or more examples that have nothing to do with a kitchen appliance. Good try but your reasons don't fit the problem.

Fine, buy extended warranties. Buy lots of em, spend all the money you want.
Is that what you wanted to hear?

[URY914]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

They are a business. They have expenses and turn a profit. For every $100 they pay out they take in $120 in revenue.

For every person that receives more benefit than they paid it there are 10 that pay in more than they receive in benefits.

Don't buy one because the company makes a lot of profit from it. Sure seems like a good reason.

[URY914]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Fine, buy extended warranties. Buy lots of em, spend all the money you want.
Is that what you wanted to hear?

I wanted to hear a reason other than the company makes money from them. Which is not a reason not to buy one.

Like anything it depends on the details; the product and the coverage. Blanket answer of no, never buy doesn't really address the issue.

[Baz]

[Halm]

We have a similar refrigerator in the garage. It is about 18 years old. Same problem as OP’s 3 years ago. Watched a repair guy do the defrost. I now do it proactively each spring. No other problems since the.