Another Hotpoint Mistral Plus Frost Free problem

[John Ward]

Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this subject as I am a Financial Adviser so my skills lie elsewhere. I have never done fridges before. It sort of packed in today. Both departments have gone warm. I have looked at other threads and have cleaned out the condensor compartment at the bottom front of the fridge-freezer. It was absolutely full of fluff and dust and muck after 8 years use. I have taken the bottom back panel off and cleaned it all out too. At the moment the bottom fan is working, spinning round. The big black steel ball thing next to it is vibrating / humming as if it is doing something. The fridge-freezer is making the typical humming / gurgling noise. The fan at the top back of the inside of the freezer compartment is not spinning (I don't know if it should be). I have just checked and the freezer has gone from -3 to -9, but the fridge is still +23. The freezer compartment is now empty.

Would any of you have any ideas as to what it could be please?

By the way, I know it's cheeky asking you for help like this, but I give everybody free advice all the time, never ever charge fees.

Thank you

John.

[chillin out]

Replace the evaporator sensor and the chances are that it will start working again.

Also make sure the fridge door is pushing the door switch if one is fitted.

Chillin

[John Ward]

Thank you. I have got up this morning and the freezer compartment is on -19. The fridge is still +23. Am I right in thinking the fan in the freezer compartment should be on all the time to help circulate cold air?

I am off soon to buy a new evaporator sensor, and anything else they suggest I have!

[slingblade]

Thank you. I have got up this morning and the freezer compartment is on -19. The fridge is still +23. Am I right in thinking the fan in the freezer compartment should be on all the time to help circulate cold air?

I am off soon to buy a new evaporator sensor, and anything else they suggest I have!

You are indeed correct in the assumption that the fan in the freezer compartment should be running. it circulates cold air around the freezer and also the fridge through a small flap which opens and closes dependant on temperature. will it turn by hand or is it siezed?
you may need to measure the voltage to and the resistance of the windings of the afore mentioned motor.
this may even be defrost timer/controller problems as that will hold the fan off. what is a hotpoint mistral? ive never seen one. is it a side by side or an upright 1/2 and 1/2.

Who is doing cheap mortgages at the moment as my 5 year capped is about to expire?

[John Ward]

Fixed! Thank you for your help and guidance.

As I had the freezer part in bits I replaced both sensors at a cost of £23.50 for both. The fridge freezer is now running perfectly again. Now, about the door seals... I have been told I have to buy a complete door as the seals are not available by themselves. True??


For those who want free mortgage figures (I would put advice but that causes loads of compliance problems) my e-mail address is johnwardsnr@btopenworld.com . Send me your mortgage figures - amount, term left, repayment / interest only - and I will send you options back. It's the least I can do for you.

Thanks again.

John.

[chillin out]

Now, about the door seals... I have been told I have to buy a complete door as the seals are not available by themselves. True??

Yes, true.

Not really worth it. Unless they are totally ruined then I would live with it.

Nice to see you giving help back, thanks.

Chillin

[tyneham]

Hello. Just joined to find solution to a problem. I have a combinded Bosch KGU3201 fridge-freezer since 1997. The fridge section is still working perfectly. However, over the last four years, the freezer temperature is rising or getting less cool/chill from -23 in 2007 to -2 in 2011. Recently discovered and cleaned the internal fan that was jammed with ice/frost in the freezer section. Even with the freezer now fan running/working, the temperature continued to rise to -2 by 2011. So, what are the suspect component failures? Thanks for help and advice.

[chemi-cool]

This thread is 4 years old, I believe the problem have been sorted out by now................

[chillerman2006]

Hello. Just joined to find solution to a problem. I have a combinded Bosch KGU3201 fridge-freezer since 1997. The fridge section is still working perfectly. However, over the last four years, the freezer temperature is rising or getting less cool/chill from -23 in 2007 to -2 in 2011. Recently discovered and cleaned the internal fan that was jammed with ice/frost in the freezer section. Even with the freezer now fan running/working, the temperature continued to rise to -2 by 2011. So, what are the suspect component failures? Thanks for help and advice.

Tyneham

sounds like your thermistors, this explains it and you can order them online

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/f...ermistors.html

probaly need defrost thermistor, but may as well change both

R's chillerman

[install monkey]

do the hotpoints have a timed delay to self destruct!!!! they all seem to fail at the same time

Tyneham

sounds like your thermistors, this explains it and you can order them online

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/f...ermistors.html

probaly need defrost thermistor, but may as well change both

R's chillerman

[chillerman2006]

do the hotpoints have a timed delay to self destruct!!!! they all seem to fail at the same time

I think they do mate

By the looks of it, reliability has fallen through the floor since they gone digital

I wonder if the commercial units are having as many issues

Or maybe its just teething problems or lesser quality on domestics

Either way I will be asking for spares kit (board and a few thermistors) before any shop gets my dollars for a new one

R's chillerman

[install monkey]

spares kit from an electrical appliance shop would be dearer than buying a spare fridge

I think they do mate

By the looks of it, reliability has fallen through the floor since they gone digital

I wonder if the commercial units are having as many issues

Or maybe its just teething problems or lesser quality on domestics

Either way I will be asking for spares kit (board and a few thermistors) before any shop gets my dollars for a new one

R's chillerman

[chillerman2006]

spares kit from an electrical appliance shop would be dearer than buying a spare fridge

I'm not paying for spares, my powers of persuasion will ensure free spares kit

[install monkey]

is that vulcan mind control or is it them neutrino pills youve been taking???

I'm not paying for spares, my powers of persuasion will ensure free spares kit

[paul_h]

What do you mean CM?
They got the reliability perfect.
Only need to last as long as the warranty.
Too unreliable, costs the manufacturer money under warranty repair ; too reliable, well then they don't sell any new ones. Can't have people keeping fridges for more than 10 years these days can we?

It's not like they are commercial equipment where there's money to be made in service and parts.
Replacement of the whole fridge is often more economically viable because fridges are cheap but labour and call out costs high, so why make them easy to fix if they do break down after 3 years?
So perfect balance met.


Probably spent more money on research designing components just good enough to be cheap as possible but still likely to get through the warranty period, than they have worried about anything else.

Thanks for the post new 1 post guy.
It was a look into the past how this forum used to be. People helping others out.
Guess most others got bored of one posters coming here for domestic stuff, as most of us don't keep up to date with domestics, got sick of the same questions or attitudes etc etc.

CM I agree, RE shouldn't have a domestic section at all. Let them all got to UK whitegoods.
Helpful posters for the original OP don't post here anymore, I think me and a few others used to help for a while, but it's pretty much only tonto that knows his stuff in this area anymore. The rest of us just have old info or are disinterested with one post wonders that can't search or read.
Maybe the boss man can think about that, maybe he can ask tonto ( I don't want to tread on his toes or anything if he likes the subforum?) Maybe if you keep the forum have a cleanout so it doesn't show high up on google to get so many one post wonders bumping old threads ?

[tyneham]

This thread is 4 years old, I believe the problem have been sorted out by now................

Thank you, Chillerman2006, for prompt response. According to ukwhitegoods, when Bosch-Siemens Fridge Thermistor 168766 (priced £28 today) goes faulty the digital control display panel will flash with E1. But in my case there are no error messages on the display. However, there is red alarm light flashing, and the alarm audio which is often turned off a few times a day. Because there is no E1 error, I am not entirely sure the thermistor is faulty. What else?

[paul_h]

Yeah, you're better of asking UK whitegoods, as said above there's not many whitegood repairers here, just tonto mainly.
I'd love to help, and would if I could, but hotpoint isn't a brand in Australia. I mainly helped out here for samsungs as you lot over there had the same frequent problems us us down here.

[chillerman2006]

Thank you, Chillerman2006, for prompt response. According to ukwhitegoods, when Bosch-Siemens Fridge Thermistor 168766 (priced £28 today) goes faulty the digital control display panel will flash with E1. But in my case there are no error messages on the display. However, there is red alarm light flashing, and the alarm audio which is often turned off a few times a day. Because there is no E1 error, I am not entirely sure the thermistor is faulty. What else?

Hi

I would still expect it to be your thermistor

The control panel does not have secondary thermistors to decide if one is reading wrong

You would only get an error if one went open circuit

the only other option is the board and then its bin it time and buy a new fridge/freezer

R's chillerman

[chillerman2006]

What do you mean CM?
They got the reliability perfect.
Only need to last as long as the warranty.
Too unreliable, costs the manufacturer money under warranty repair ; too reliable, well then they don't sell any new ones. Can't have people keeping fridges for more than 10 years these days can we?

It's not like they are commercial equipment where there's money to be made in service and parts.
Replacement of the whole fridge is often more economically viable because fridges are cheap but labour and call out costs high, so why make them easy to fix if they do break down after 3 years?
So perfect balance met.


Probably spent more money on research designing components just good enough to be cheap as possible but still likely to get through the warranty period, than they have worried about anything else.

Thanks for the post new 1 post guy.
It was a look into the past how this forum used to be. People helping others out.
Guess most others got bored of one posters coming here for domestic stuff, as most of us don't keep up to date with domestics, got sick of the same questions or attitudes etc etc.

CM I agree, RE shouldn't have a domestic section at all. Let them all got to UK whitegoods.
Helpful posters for the original OP don't post here anymore, I think me and a few others used to help for a while, but it's pretty much only tonto that knows his stuff in this area anymore. The rest of us just have old info or are disinterested with one post wonders that can't search or read.
Maybe the boss man can think about that, maybe he can ask tonto ( I don't want to tread on his toes or anything if he likes the subforum?) Maybe if you keep the forum have a cleanout so it doesn't show high up on google to get so many one post wonders bumping old threads ?

Or maybe doms should be renamed ''Tonto's''

Sounds about right what you say mate....keep them running long enough for warranty to expire haha

R's chillerman

[tonto33]

as been asked by few people for error codes for these fridges thought put it on here...

E1 - Freezer thermistor open circuit.

E2 - Freezer thermistor short circuit.

E3 - Fridge thermistor open circuit.

E4 - Fridge thermistor short circuit.

E7 - Evaporator thermistor open circuit.

E8 - Evaporator thermistor short circuit.

E9 - Temperature set switch open circuit

EA - No feedback from Baffle

EB - Fridge Baffle motor operating continuously

EE - Defrost time out

[tyneham]

Thanks again for another prompt response. The board is even more costly (£90 or so). I think it is time to bin it. Thank you all for the time and the tips.

[tonto33]

board can be sent to www.qer.biz who will test it for a fiver. if red light flashing will need regas