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  1. #1
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    Domestic, is it worth the time and money?



    Hello everyone,

    Just want some of your opinions on domestic refrigeration.

    Recently i have had neighbors and friends of neighbors asking if i would take a look at the fridge/freezer and i have always turned it down due to thinking the cost of parts/refrigerant would out weigh the cost of buying a new unit.

    I have seen a few white goods companies who will look at the fridge/freezer but always seem to say the compressor has failed, either domestic compressors are not very good or the companies are only interested in the initial callout fee and diagnostics rather than the hassle of fixing the unit?

    so my question to you all is, in your honest opinion is repairing domestic units worth the time and money? with the prices of refrigerant increasing it would feel like daylight robbery to the client/customer in my eyes.

    Any feedback is welcome.



  2. #2
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    Not that I would really know but unless it’s a door seal, blocked drain or fan & you want to do someone a favour,

  3. #3
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    I only get involved in domestic stuff for close family not from a business point of view,its a loser full stop because a replacement is cheaper than my timr and effortmwho repairs an iron ?

  4. #4
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    Today's white products are low quality and high price.
    OEM parts are not always available and their cost is very high.
    Thaking off the back of a fridge and look inside is not easy.
    If you are experienced enough, you can tell the problem by a quick check. If it goes down to replacing parts, you just might find yourself with a broken piece of plastic that you cant put back and you only wanted to help....
    Even at my home I replace a fridge when it breaks down without even checking.
    I don't think it worth it apart from what RANGER1 wrote.

  5. #5
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    Thanks everyone, it seems I was on the right track of thinking about steering clear, I just wanted opinions as I see alot of white goods companies "servicing" domestic fridge.
    Thanks all hope your all still living the dream

  6. #6
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    Quote Originally Posted by TrickyRikki View Post
    Thanks everyone, it seems I was on the right track of thinking about steering clear, I just wanted opinions as I see alot of white goods companies "servicing" domestic fridge.
    Thanks all hope your all still living the dream
    Most households have either One or Two Refrigerators. ( Australia) Refrigerators these days have Dual PCB's. One for VFD and the other controls all functions. ANY Communication fault will cause a shutdown. Dual PCB'S = nightmare.
    To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty.

  7. #7
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    Quote Originally Posted by mikeref View Post
    Most households have either One or Two Refrigerators. ( Australia) Refrigerators these days have Dual PCB's. One for VFD and the other controls all functions. ANY Communication fault will cause a shutdown. Dual PCB'S = nightmare.
    Thanks for the reply Mike, in answer to your reply in my eyes any PCB=Nightmare lol.

    I just wondered what peoples views were on the domestic side as i kept getting asked to look at domestic refrigeration and i always turned it down and passed on someones number who would have a look for them, and it got me thinking if people are out there making money from fixing domestic units was i missing out.

    But looking at all the reply's im going to stick to commercial units lol!

  8. #8
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    .

    I spent a good 10 years working with domestics but that was in the days when they used a VT9 or a VC1 stat. All mechanical and not many pc boards and I would not touch one with a bargepole. I would not even work on my own fridge :-)

    If anyone ever asks my opinion I always tell them to buy a simple fridge, freezer or fridge-freezer with basic control and no electronic jiggery pokery. I tell my wife that also but we still have an all singing all dancing, all the bells and whistles electronic jobby that cost nigh on £900 and screams blue murder if you leave the door open for a few minutes.

    Shows what influence I have nowadays :-)

    Rob

    .
    .. ... -. .----. - / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / --. --- --- -..

  9. #9
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    I really don't like lot of electronics involvement in ref and air conditioning but we have no choice.
    Still remember good old days when you can at least do some work on unit to run it in a fault condition, but now you are useless if you don't have a same type of PC Board or a part and its instructions, one example is an EXV (electronic expansion valve), if its board or assembly becomes defective no way to run the unit.. Manufacturers are happy to put more and more PCB to make money, even though they can make it with electro-mechanical controls.

  10. #10
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    The more electronics - The shorter life span.
    Companies do not train their techs fault find but PCB replacing.

    Looks like manufacturers are competing each other who will make the fridge with the most PCB's
    Last edited by chemi-cool; 23-09-2018 at 03:49 PM.

  11. #11
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    paragon.jpg

    Over 40 years old, works like new. From the time that manufacturers had pride of their products.

  12. #12
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    Re: Domestic, is it worth the time and money?

    I started in the trade doing domestics in the early seventies after several other jobs and it was easy then stat, comp or relay you could at least check things not now, last year my own Beko fridge freezer started freezing stuff up in the fridge, first I changed the potentiometer ( cheapest thing ) then the pcb only to find the problem was a sensor on the back of the evap.which was foamed in, at least I fixed it.
    But to answer the original question leave well alone.

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