Please help, urgent advice needed.

I've just taken delivery of an ex-display Siemens fridge/freezer from Comet Clearance, that I bought for a very good price. Unfortunately as well as the missing water kit and the expected scratches and dents to the outside, there are two cracks to the inside of the freezer. Both run the full width of the freezer, one is just a hairline crack, but the other is 2mm wide. What I was wondering, does this mean that it is totally unusable, or can I try and seal it with some caulk, or something?

All advice very much appreciated.

This is a duplicate thread as I posted this in the wrong forum. I hope I've got it right now. :eek:

Crumbs you bought a real one there. If the fridge is running down to temperature then it should be fine. just seal the split with silicone

However with that amount of damage I suspect it's fallen off the back of a lorry

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Originally Posted by Daisy

I've just taken delivery of an ex-display Siemens fridge/freezer from Comet Clearance, that I bought for a very good price. Unfortunately as well as the missing water kit and the expected scratches and dents to the outside, there are two cracks to the inside of the freezer. Both run the full width of the freezer, one is just a hairline crack, but the other is 2mm wide. What I was wondering, does this mean that it is totally unusable, or can I try and seal it with some caulk, or something?

All advice very much appreciated.

This is a duplicate thread as I posted this in the wrong forum. I hope I've got it right now. :eek:

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I agree with Multi.

If you can seal it, seal it with silicone sealent and see what happens.

It does sound like it has been in the wars though :confused:

Cheers taz.

Thanks very much guys. Just another few questions, if you happen along again.

1. What's the best silicon sealant, or are they all the same and would putting cold weather metal tape over it, help it further?

2. You both think it has been in the wars, so do you think that mechanically there is likely to be problems as a result?

3. It only came with a 6 month guarantee, so I was thinking of taking out a five year extended warranty. Say something went wrong, would they refuse to repair it, because I didn't pre warn them that it had a crack and may have been dropped previously?

4. I paid £480, but the RRP was just over £2000, so knowing what you know, would you keep it if it was for yourself?

Thanks for helping. :cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daisy

Thanks very much guys. Just another few questions, if you happen along again.

1. What's the best silicon sealant, or are they all the same and would putting cold weather metal tape over it, help it further?

2. You both think it has been in the wars, so do you think that mechanically there is likely to be problems as a result?

3. It only came with a 6 month guarantee, so I was thinking of taking out a five year extended warranty. Say something went wrong, would they refuse to repair it, because I didn't pre warn them that it had a crack and may have been dropped previously?

4. I paid £480, but the RRP was just over £2000, so knowing what you know, would you keep it if it was for yourself?

Thanks for helping. :cool:

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Post some pictures of the cabinet and damage etc

Hi, Multi. I've just tried to post the picture using photo bucket but it wouldn't let me post it, saying 'You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more'.

Is there any other way to post the picture, or shall I just make 13 posts talking about the weather? ;)

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Originally Posted by Daisy

Hi, Multi. I've just tried to post the picture using photo bucket but it wouldn't let me post it, saying 'You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more'.

Is there any other way to post the picture, or shall I just make 13 posts talking about the weather? ;)

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I'll send you an email. if you send them to me I can upload them for you. Save you the hassle

I would put aluminum tape over the crack, then add a little RTV. They make RTV that is good at low temps.
As for the warranty, I wouldn't do it. If the unit runs fine for the 1st 6 months, chances are it will be fine for years to come. Hope this helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daisy

Hi, Multi. I've just tried to post the picture using photo bucket but it wouldn't let me post it, saying 'You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more'.

Is there any other way to post the picture, or shall I just make 13 posts talking about the weather? ;)

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Hello Daisy.

Re the silicone sealent go down to your local DIY and pick up sealent that is white in colour. All sealents should be good at the temp you need it to work at and yes if you do not mind the look of the tape put the metal tape over the top once the sealant has hardened, Just make sure you do it with the thing warm and dry.

There is no reason why it should not run and you may have no problem at all. When we see the photos we will be able to tell more, but it does sound like it was worth the gamble.
Forget the 5 year warrentee they would void it soon as they see that it was a shop second.
Keep them to the six month warentee though, if it lasts six months it could last 10 years, no-one knows.

taz

Multi, email sent.

Robo, what is RTV? Sorry I'm a DIY numpty.

Taz, thanks for all of the advice and you've saved me the price of the warranty. :cool:

Looks nasty but I would not use metal tape, just white bathroom grade silicone from screwfix etc

Have you got a silicone gun?

Hi again Multi. I haven't got one, but I can buy one when I get the silicon sealant. I've looked on the Screwfix website and will get the 'Dow Corning 791 white' as it's supposed to be 'all weather', not that there's much weather in a freezer. ;)

As an addendum, I switched on the FF this afternoon to test that it would work and have just checked it. Well it seems to be working fine, as it froze the container of water I put in there, but now both of the cracks have widened considerably, (I'll send the photo to Multi and hopefully he can put it up for you).

The bottom, narrower crack is running up to the larger crack, so I'm a little worried that the triangle between the two cracks could come loose altogether. Am I worrying uneccessarily and if so, do you still think the silicon will do the job, and do you think I should I apply it while the freezer is on so the cracks are at their largest, as I was initially intending to apply at room temperature?

Thanks again everyone.

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DIY repairs are all very well...... but.......

Have you considered why there is a continuous, unbroken plastic seal inside fridges? ..... Bacterial contamination, that's why.

If you were running a restaurant or the like under UK laws, the local environmental health officer would insist that a fridge with a crack like that were replaced, repaired properly or removed completely.

I hate to pour cold water on your refrigeration problem (sic), but it's a health hazard in the making.


However, as you appear to be a private individual, you can do anything that you wish with impunity...... but be aware of the fatal potential of food poisoning.



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Your retailers were irresponsible in selling it in that state in the first place.


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Hi Argus, thanks for your input. Do you not think the freezing temperature will go some way to stopping a build up of bacteria and if not, would a wipe with dettox every other days or so not keep it relatively bacteria free? You've got me worried now.

As for the cracks inside, the Comet's auction site made no mention of it. When I rang them yesterday to complain, the guy I spoke to, (sorry to say, a real jobsworth), said it must have happened 'in delivery'. He said he could arrange a refund, but not a repair and if I tried to effect a repair, it would nullify their 6 month guarantee, so with the information I had to hand then, I agreed for it to be collected.

Today, following the answers here saying that I could 'fix it' with some silicon sealant, I rang again to cancel the collection and pointed out that there were two missing items, only the bottle rack and egg container, but still they were supposed to be present, and the same guy once again blamed the poor delivery drivers, this despite the fact that they were gems and it had been wrapped in copious amounts of bubble wrap.

I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision in keeping it. Once I use the sealant on it, that's it, they'll wash their hands of it. I really don't know what to do. :(

In the U.S.A. I had the same type of problem but with an Ice maker when looking for a fix I found one that was when done its fixed for life it is small chips of white plastic an Acetone melts the chips and cleans the area use an ejector to fill all cracks and large holes.
small fix less then 20 min for job.
The Ice maker was a Hoshizaki Km 13oo I had a 2.5" hole in the trough I had to fill hole it look like there was a air bubble .
I had 3 large crack 3" to 6 " long, I got the repair kit from the oem Hoshizaki America when I was done it look like a weld.

I think you should phone comets and get them to come and collect it. The crack looks like it runs round the back and you won't be able to reach that part unless you start dismantling it.

Send it back and wait for the next one to come along..

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Daisy,

You have, in a way, answered your own questions.

There is a very real hazard from bacterial contamination, and anti bacterial cleaners available to the general public are probably not effective enough against many common pathogens and certainly would not be considered an effective solution if the problem were translated to the commercial world.

As far as regular cleaning is concerned, even if you remember to do it every day, do you want anti-bac cleaners in almost direct contact with your food?


The retailer offered you a way out with a refund - I'd have taken it if I were in your position.


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Originally Posted by Daisy

I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision in keeping it. Once I use the sealant on it, that's it, they'll wash their hands of it. I really don't know what to do. :(

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If that is the offer, then accept it.
You will be able to get another fridge somewhere.

They have told you the warentee will be void if you repair it so you would be silly to do that now.

All the best taz.

This unit should not be used and should never have been supplied in such a dangerous condition. Has it been electrically tested, it could be lethal.

A big thank you to everyone who kindly took the time to answer all of my queries, you may just have saved my being electrocuted or poisoned. I'm sure you'll not be surprised to hear that in light of all of your extra input advising me to send it back, that that is what I have arranged to do. I finally saw sense and realised that no matter how lovely it looked on the outside, if the inside was so compromised, then it wasn't really a viable keeper.

Now all I have to do is start looking again for another fridge/ freezer. Any recommendations of which manufacturers to consider and/or which to avoid? I like the look of Siemens, Miele and Liebherr but are they worth the extra money? And what about Maytag? I'm not sure I like the look of them but if they are reliable I could be persuaded. Any advice is truly appreciated. :)