problem with fridge

[new-woman-2]

hello.im new to this forum. i have an oldish small beko firdge.it started to smell and when we moved it out from the unit the smell was coming quite strongly from the white tray above the compressor.is this the end for the fridge?

thanks kim

[Argus]

The purpose of the tray is to receive condensate water from the insides.

You may find a small loop of pipe inside it - if so, don't disturb this pipe. It gets hot when the unit runs and evaporates the water that collects.

Anything that remains can get a bit rancid with time.

I suggest that all the tray needs is a good swab out with some disinfectant.
________
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[MadApprentice]

Just make sure you clean it while its unplugged!!! (if you splash water onto the electrics you could hurt yourself

(and dont clean it straight away cpacitors take a while to lose their charge)

[new-woman-2]

thanks to you both.it did have alot of water not draining away on the inside for a while..its been unplugged for a day now so i may have a go later.thanks again

[MadApprentice]

i am at college at the moment (hence the name "MadApprentice" and some of the fridges there are older than me(i am 21) and they have never been cleaned out. They have nice build ups of slime and general yuckiness

[new-woman-2]

not sure id fancy that job!im just doing the clean now.am i right in thinking(or just a bit dim) that the water from the inside drops onto the white tray on top of the compressor?and does it evaporate? or is that just daft.im intrigued how the tray got so horrible.!

[MadApprentice]

i dont usually work with fridges so somone correct me if i am wrong

The fridge operates and ice builds up on the evaporator, after a period of time the fridge shuts off the compessor which therefore shuts off the cooling capacity and warms up the coil (called the defrost cycle) normally using electric heaters (there are other methods) to remove this ice build up off the coil. The unit directs this chilled water onto that the white pan to

a) cool the compressor and (or)
b) Remove the moisture through evaporation.

fridges dont have drains attached so that excess moisture has to go somewhere.


does that make sense? (anyone out there correct me if i am wrong (i call myself the mad apprentice for a reason))

So the tray got horrible because anymuck on the cooling coil would go down to the white pan and the moisture would boil off leaving the muck behind. Multiply this over a couple of years and you have a grotty pan.



Ps you say you would like to do this job, i disagree working on refrigeration and ac is FUN.(my gf thinks i am demented) i really enjoy, there is always somthing new to learn and you always go to interesting places.

(the company i work for we look after a strip club a/c and many of the local police stations(i have been in the special forces armouries to fix deumidifiers))

how many people can say they go to work in places like that

the worst thing about this job is college. YOu have supersmart tradies treating you like idiots while cramming a **** load of information ito your head and expecting you to remember it all. One of the teachers is a real smartmouth.

[leftjobrunning]

YOu have supersmart tradies treating you like idiots while cramming a **** load of information ito your head and expecting you to remember it all. One of the teachers is a real smartmouth.
I suggest you get used to this, it never stops, old fellas thinking that because you're just a young fella, sure what would you know??? Just ignore it, in a few years if you're as interested in the trade as you seem you'll not be caught out by the codgers too often.
Remember your manners though and respect your elders!

Note: Just realised you're an Aussie... scratch that manners bit! lol

[new-woman-2]

well im very glad you are doing this job..cos my fridge smells lovely! thanks again and good luck
k

[MadApprentice]

mannnners? (not in my dictionary!) :P

[ben2cool]

hi, the smell is probably due to the refrigerator being dirty, clean the condensate pan(the pan with the water)



The fridge operates and ice builds up on the evaporator, after a period of time the fridge shuts off the compessor which therefore shuts off the cooling capacity and warms up the coil (called the defrost cycle) normally using electric heaters (there are other methods) to remove this ice build up off the coil. The unit directs this chilled water onto that the white pan
MadApprentic is right, though some refrigerators have 2 Evaporator coils , one for freezer and 1 for cooler compartment, One refrigerator with freezers the frost(not ice) is melted off during defrost using electric heaters.

also if you have not cleaned the condenser coil recently, which is at the back, or bottom behind cover, you should do so vacuum off the dust, or in the case of a chinese resturant the grease lol, eww. and you may want to take the cover off the back on the inside sometime and clean there too. (I never have tho, but Im somewhat of a lazy 19 yr old.)

check out hvac-talk.com/vbb for more stuff(A/c & refrigeration site)

[MadApprentice]

Dont talk to me about chinese restaurants, (they have great food so no offense)

These guys were wondering why the unit in their cold room stopped working. Found a dozen plastic bags, stuck fast by grease to the coil. Yuck, took some serious coil cleaner to get that muck off

[dogma]

hello.im new to this forum. i have an oldish small beko firdge.it started to smell and when we moved it out from the unit the smell was coming quite strongly from the white tray above the compressor.is this the end for the fridge?

thanks kim


Hi Kim.

Yeah they can go like that. I was in the country where there was a mouse plauge.

Had the truty beer fridge turn off all winter. turned it back on and the stink was unbearable. Found two dead mice.
One in the tray and one nicely broiling in its own juices stuck in the condenser.


I think you'll find on many domestics, the tray can be removed. they can be a little tight but they are merely clipped onto the compressor.

Adrop of vanilla in the tray works wonders.





regards

\
dogma