your the first person that's has actually explained it clearly and showing how through each stage making it very easy to understand. spot on thank you.👌👍
Greetings from India. I had learnt about the compression/expansion/throttling in a thermodynamic refrigeration cycle. But it was a great experience to watch how that thermodynamic cycle is realised in a real refrigerator. Thank you,espares!!!!!
Thank you, I now know why my fridge has been leaking! The drainage hole is not blocked but I couldn't understand where the pipe was meant to go, as there is one in the back of our fridge (we bought it second hand!) there is NO plastic holder either, thanks again for such a very very helpful review :) I like to know how things work!!
Thanks again I managed to get into it so will get the part ordered up for it and hopefully this will solve the problem. If you could post the part number that would be great. Thanks Chris
Great Video, Clear Explaination Of Fridge Workings, I Paid Very Close Attention. Pardon Me For Being A Smart Ass. I Noticed The Word PENTANE Written On The Fridge, Iso-Butane Was Mentioned. Q: Is Pentane Also Good For Fridges/Freezers.
Excellent video! I was curious as to how this worked and attempted to watch a 3d model with a voiceover and it was a bit more difficult to understand. having a human face point and touch while talking was easier to follow along and learn. Thank you for your work!
Thanks for the comments Timothy, we also have a number of 'Diagnosis videos' which can be a great help to explain how appliances work and identify any problems.
The first fridge with a compressor was invented 100 years ago and essentially they are the same. The gas has changed a few times for safety and the environment but nearly all fridges continue to use a sealed system with a compressor and a gas.
Thank you very much. In your short video clip you could explain the full cycle of the refrigeration cycle. It is so easy to understand. I learned a lot by watching your presentaion. Again, thank you. I will contact you if possible to buy parts for my hoppy projects.
Thanks for the quick reply. It definitely sounds like the thermostat then as it does not run continually, only problem is I can't seem to work out how to remove the cover to get into the thermostat as there is no screws and pulling at it looks like the hole casing would be ripped right off the wall. The model no is smeg CR 325 A1. I can't seem to find out how to remove the part to get into the thermostat. 8 degrees is the coolest it will go if I move the thermometer to the top it is a good bit higher but I suppose that is to be expected. If u know how this part is attached or how it can be removed it would be a great help. Thanks Chris
Place your thermometer in a glass of water and leave for 24 hours to get a accurate reading and check the thermometer reads accurately as some are not so good. To remove the thermostat cover ( www.espares.co.uk/product/es1597055 ) it appears there are two 'hooks' that lock into the lining when the assembly was pushed back from the front. There is likely to be a screw at the front that may be covered by the switch push that will need removing before pulling the assembly towards you and removing.
Yes u are correct.... If i could get the technical specs of the switch...that would resolve the issue of where i need to put probe but searching online comes up with nothing
well originally i put the probe end in the freezer as far down as i could go from the fan which was only a few inches...and freezer wouldnt get cold enough...i then put the probe in the refrig side and now the freezer is too cold and the refrig sides freezes so i have to assume from this that the temp control switch is for freezer side...but i think i need to somehow get the probe away from the cold air fan in the freezer ..may have to add wire to the connections to get the probe to go through the hole in the bottom of fridge to bottom of freezer and then test again...
Great job explaining. Thank you so much. How does a combination fridge/freezer differ the temperatures between the two boxes? Do they share a compressor and have in line valves that shut off liquid flow?
Hi Brian, thanks for your comments. We think you will find our advice centre article useful below: www.espares.co.uk/advice/careandmaintenance/how-fridges-and-freezers-work
The best advice we can give is to dismantle and examine where the smoke is coming from to see how extensive the damage is. However if the lining of the fridge wall is damaged then you will need to buy a new appliance!
Thanks again, will give this a try. I take it that if it does confirm that it's a compressor problem this would be a more costly repair as a would need to get an engineer to fix/replace the faulty compressor. If this is the case I will Prob opt for a new fridge freezer as I would imagine this would be quite costly as some places charge around £70 just to look at it before they charge for parts and labour.
Certainly if it looks like a compressor problem get a quote as to how much this would cost to replace. The cost of the part alone without the 'fittings' could well be over two hundred pounds.
This video is proof that you don't need to know how things work to be able to repair them. The throttling device, in this case the capillary coil, does NOT create pressure. On the contrary, passing through a narrow section greatly reduces the pressure on a fluid (Bernoulli's principle). The drop in temperature happens THROUGHOUT the coil (as is explained by the Joule-Thompson effect), not at its exit. What comes out of it is very cold, low pressure, partially evaporated refrigerant. As it circulates through the heat exchanger inside the fridge it absorbs heat from the stored food, which further evaporates the refrigerant. The rest of the circuit --the compressor and the heat exchanger at the back of the fridge (condenser)-- exist to return the refrigerant to a state of high pressure liquid before it enters the coil again. So these are the 4 steps of the process: 1) The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant: it goes from low to high pressure gas. This increase in pressure causes a big (unwanted, but inevitable) increase in temperature, as molecules of the gas are forced closer together. 2) To get rid of some of that heat and turn it into a liquid, the refrigerant goes through the condenser. The pressure doesn't change during this step. 3) The high pressure liquid refrigerant then goes through the capillary coil, which causes an opposite effect to the compressor: both the pressure and the temperature drop sharply. 4) Now we have what we need: cold refrigerant, which we can circulate through the interior of the fridge to cool its contents. The temperature of the refrigerant should remain constant during its travel through the evaporator, since all the heat it absorbs goes towards changing phase from liquid to gas (hence the name evaporator). Pressure affects the evaporation points of fluids. That is why the refrigerant enters the compressor in a gaseous state even though it's cold, while it goes inside the coil as a liquid hot to the touch.
Thanks for your comments, While we agree with some parts of your explanation can we just point out that evaporation only starts as the gas exits the capillary into the evaporator. This can easily be confirmed by touching and feeling the temperature along the capillary, and comparing with the evaporator where the gas starts evaporating and cooling absorbing any heat from the surrounding area.
There will be a label inside and on the compressor stating what gas (R600A or R134) but to replace the gas you first need to seal the system and then remove ALL the air with a vacuum pump and then measure the exact quantity of gas. This is a job for a refrigeration systems engineer or it is very unlikely to be successful and in most countries you have to be licensed to use R134 as as it damages the Ozone layer.
Sorry for the news Ricardo but if its any guide I used to do this type of repair regularly but am unable to do it even for my own appliances as I no longer have access to the specialist equipment.:-(
Thanks. Excellent explanation. One thing I dont understand is the relationship between the defrost sensor and the Fridge/freezer thermostat. Are they the same thing? My Fridge/Freezer get too cold, it's in fact become a freezer. When I took the panel off exposing the defroster the drain hole beneath it was blocked by ice. Is that a problem with the Thermostat or the defrost sensor?
Thanks for the comments Fred. If there is a 'defrosting fault' the evaporator would be blocked with ice. Some machines can build up ice away from the defrost heater and some machines may have modifications to try and prevent this (Hotpoint/Samsung to name two). Clear the ice and ensure the drain is not restricted and confirm if too cold with a thermometer before checking if it will adjust.
Hi Matt, I'm Siva from India. Your explanations were simple and easy to understand. It is really helping me to pursue project. Thanks dude! Subscribed!
The main difference between 'solar' refrigerators and normal ones is a solar fridge is designed to run on relatively low power. This is achieved by extra insulation and by using a chest cavity instead of upright the cold air does not fall out every time it is opened. In addition many solar refrigerators are designed to run on power from solar panels or other power sources.
this is cool! I am wondering tho, you know the small box that comes in a mini fridge? it freezes but there are no connections to it to make it any colder than the fridge itself. I'm wondering how this works. How the little box can freeze while the rest of the fridge doesn't?
Reyna Elisaia Most 'under the counter' fridges have an ice box. If you look closely they are made of metal and typically have a zig zag raised portion on the surface. This is the evaporator and has the refrigeration gas flowing through it to cool the fridge. Its a bit like the reverse of a central heating radiator which will get a lot hotter than the room it is heating the ice box acts as a cold radiator for the fridge. It will be 'plumbed' directly to the condenser and the compressor.
Hi I have the same fridge freezer although it's a smeg but everything looks the exact same as Ur hotpoint. Am having trouble with the fridge compartment as it Dosnt seem to cool down below 8 degrees, the freezer works fine although and has slight build up of frost due to it being a manual defrost freezer. I have defrosted it before but it didn't help the fridge temp. Any ideas what might be causing it? The thermostat is set to 7 which is as cold as I can get it. The housing for the thermostat seems impossible to get off to have a look or replace. Any guidance would be great as to weather it's better to get a new appliance or if u think it may be a simple repair. Thanks Chris
Hi Chris, If your appliance has lost some of its gas or the compressor is not running efficiently this problem can occur. The clue to this would be the machine not cutting off but running continually and if this is happening you would require a Refrigeration Systems Engineer to re-gas or replace the compressor. If the thermostat where out of range the appliance would be regularly stopping running when it thought it was down to temperature.
My fridge (which looks exactly like the one in this video - a 50:50 split, same coils, compressor layout, shelves etc) stopped cooling down at all in last few weeks. I can hear noise of fridge turning on (compressor?) but it does NOT cool at all in fridge or freezer section (the coil shelves in freezer section get cold but not freezing). But in fridge section in the back just above the drain hole (sticker in video) the back plastic feels hot (and this is heating inside of fridge). So what is it that's behind this area that is heating up? In video it mentioned nothing behind the radiator but on my fridge I can see a pipe going into back of fridge in back middle behind radiator. The actual radiator on back is not warm or hot at all. Does this mean coolant is gone or compressor is not pumping?
Hi Geogan2, can you check if the compressor is running (slight humming and vibrating continuously) as opposed to trying to start (occasional click noise on with slight buzz then click off and silence for about a minute). The first would suggest a loss of refrigeration gas the second a failed compressor. Both these faults would require a refrigeration systems engineer to regas the appliance. If the compressor is not running at all it may be the thermostat or PCB if fitted. The heat by the drain tube is to stop the tube freezing.
eSpares Yes it sounds and feels like the compressor is running, whether it sounds normal running or not I don't know. What I did notice was after a few hours running, it got very hot to touch, but only the first about 20cm of pipe going to radiator was warm, the rest of radiator was room temp so does this mean a lack of fluid circulating? I did notice when I turned it on first I could hear bubbling liquid sounds in part of the radiator. I am able to regas the AC system in my car myself using pressurised canisters but there doesn't appear to be any input valves on a fridge (looks like sealed or melted copper pipe ends) - I presume not easy or cheap to regas it - I just don't really have €330 for a replacement fridge at the moment,
geogan2 A systems engineer would cut off the 'stub' pipe and fit a shraeder valve allowing him to connect a vacuum pump and evacuate the system before measuring the correct amount of gas as shown on the ratings plate. Without a Vac pump you cannot do this.
Hi I had a further look into this problem just trying to make sure I replace the right part. When I open the fridge door I can here the thermostat clicking every 10 seconds or so but the compressor wasn't switching on. However as soon as I opened the freezer door the compressor came on within a few seconds. Is this another thing pointing to a faulty thermostat or could this mean something else? Thanks Chris
If a compressor is failing it may stall, then because it is taking a high current it has a cut out that prevents damage. This results in the compressor clicking and humming slightly for about 5 seconds, clicking again and silence for about a minute when it will repeat. If this is occurring the freezer will be defrosting until the compressor restarts but if well frozen you may not notice. Examine a bit more before making a diagnosis.
I have that Hotpoint refrigerator you’re using in the vid. I have a problem with it where my fridge is warm and my freezer works fine! Could you shed some light on a possible cause? You didn’t really cover his the refrigerator is cooled...only how water is drained away. Could you help?
Check your fridge freezer is not different to this one, if you look at 2:40 you will see it has 'evaporator' shelves. If your appliance has a fan ond no shelves the problem is likely to be ice built up behind the panel in the freezer. For information on that problem watch another video: ruclips.net/video/duTWh83nVdA/видео.html
eSpares hi thanks for the reply. It is the exact same fridge freezer. Hotpoint RFA52 with the same evaporator shelves in the freezer (same as in the vid). I defrosted it last night (turned the dial to “•” as per the manual) then restarted it once complete. Checked this mornin and the freezer hasn’t reached optimum temp and the fridge is still warm. I can still hear the compressor etc making the same noises it always has. Baffled! Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks for the model number now we can be more specific with our advice. On fridge freezers the 'cold' enters the freezer and then on to the fridge until 'all used up' in laymans terms. So this suggests insufficient cooling in the first place. As you have already defrosted this only leaves a problem with the refrigeration circuit. In practise this can only be due to low gas due to a leak or perhaps more likely a worn compressor. Both these problems would require a refrigeration systems engineer and both are likely to be expensive. Get a quote before anyone comes to see the applaicne and consider if this is worth pursuing or is it time to replace?. PS, sorry for the bad news.
eSpares hi, again, thanks for the reply! I’m sure you have better things to do on a Monday than second guess my problems lol I’m pretty technically minded and this is the answer I was expecting so no worries about the bad news. They can’t last forever. I don’t think I’ll look into a repair. I may as well shop for a replacement. At least you helped me clear that up. Many thanks and cheers for the advice 👍 good video too.
Hi again. I bypassed the thermostat and the fridge cooled down as the compressor ran continually and took the fridge down to 3 degrees where as when the thermostat is on it would not go below 7 degrees. I took the bypass back out to prevent it from over freezing. I take it that this definitely proves that it's the thermostat that is causing the problem as the compressor runs fine when it has been bypassed?
If that is the case and when switched off for a few minuted the compressor will restart when turned back on then it certainly looks like a thermostat problem.
hello, i have just bought NEW larder fridge under-counter model; but it is making a POP noise every-time only when the compressor starts during day and night. is it that considered normal operation? thanks,
Often during transport the compressor pipework can get bent a little and may catch the cabinet when it starts. If this is a 'clunk' then it may be worth contacting the supplier to get an engineer to check and adjust if required.
hello! i have a question here! why there is so much difference in temperature of freezer apartment and fridge apartment? And does a normal fridge which consists of freezing apartment as well has one throttling device or both have different throttling device! i mean for freezer and fridge both?
+marko marin Good question!. Generally it is down to surface area of the cooling radiator, the amount of passing air and the volume of the chamber being cooled. The greater the surface area and the more air passing the cooler the chamber will be. :-)
hi i was wondering if you would know if temp settings would be same or diff on a single door manual defrost mini fridge/freezer dorm style vs normal 2 door home refrigerator/freezer...i think they would be diff cut in cutt off temps becausue in a mini fridge/freezer the temp probe is mounted underneath the freezer compartment and the temp probe in a standard home refrigertaor /freezer is inside the refrigerator section....my temp control went bad... compressor woud not turn off unless temp cpontrol was in off position only........i just installed a mini fridge one in my regualr fridge (cant afford a direct replacement) and it does seem to work now ....prior to this the compressor would not shut off....now its turning on and off as temp reeaches bur like i said i believe the temp on off is diff in a mini manual defrost fridge than a normal home fridge...if i used a mini fridge/freezer temp controller in a reg refrigerator freezer should i put the probe in the freezer or fridge side? i guess what im trying to say is that is a temp control in both of these have basically the same cut in cutt off temps?
Capillary type thermostats can be designed for different types of refrigeration equipment. If attached to the 'cold box' depending on the design of the fridge it may shut off at near freezing if it is a 'chiller' or even up to -18C depending on the cold box *** rating. In addition some fridges have 'air monitoring' capillaries whilst others as you say attach either directly to the evaporator or to the 'wet wall' on auto defrost models. This could explain why the replacement thermostat is regulating differently.
Thanks. This plus the article I found it on explained where the heck all that water was going. (Had what looks like a heating element failure with my fridge and was wondering why I wasn't drenched in water to mop-up when the components were covered in an inch of ice or more. >.< )
***** ^ahem^ Perhaps I should've been clearer. All that liquid water only existed after taking a hair dryer and blowing some warm air on the components. Before that the evaporator coils (and anything nearby) were covered in about an inch of water in very much a solid state.
***** I rechecked the heater and it reads 0 Ohms. Seems to me that's rather odd for a heating element that's supposed to have *some* resistance...though that is certainly the opposite of an open circuit. >.< (I've head these JAZZ boards are infamous for defrost failures.)
Whats the coldest temperature an average refrigeration freon or iso. compression system get? (Thinking about using a mini compressor to keep my new pc rig cool, without it cold locking any components mainly the cpu)
Hi MajorisMons, I faulty freezer when running continuously can go down to -30C but the temperature would build as there is no heat source inside a insulated cabinet. To create a refrigeration system you would need to vacuum out the 'plumbing' when complete and measure in a precise amount of gas into the system and this is well above the skills and equipment available to most. I have heard of purpose build cooling systems but these are generally on commercial equipment.
Just wondering if this would work to confirm if it is the thermostat that is the problem. Would I be able to temporary bypass the thermostat by joining the 2 connections connected to the thermostat? Would be an electrician carrying this out just. My thinking is if I run it like this for a hour or so and the temperature drops below the usual fridge temp or about 8 degrees then I know that it's the thermostat that's faulty causing the high temp within the fridge section. Is my thinking right in this.
Thermostats can stick either on or off and they can go 'out of range' but usually that would cause the machine to run continually. If you open the fridge and warm it with a hairdryer when it has switched off the thermostat should turn the appliance back on. You could bypass the thermostat temporary to prove a compressor problem.
The dryer is a copper tube containing silica gel pellets that naturally absorb any moisture. If any small amount of water is absorbed by the refrigerant gas it is passed over these pellets and the moisture is absorbed. If the compressor was replaced or the system was ruptured and air drawn in the systems engineer would replace the dryer before using a vacuum pump to evacuate the pipework prior to recharging with refrigerant.
+Sean Genutis The evaporation coils in the freezer are shown at 2:29 (they are in the shelves) The gas that has been compressed is allowed to evaporate as it escapes from the fine bore of the capillary into the wider tubing. The evaporation takes heat away from their surface reducing the temperature.
+Sean Genutis they work thanks to the laws of thermodynamics. Air particles inside of the fridge will contact the coils and heat will be transferred from the air particles to the coil which in turn transfers heat to the gas inside the coil.
+Leonso Medina The key to this is the fact that by using a gas with a low boiling point when it evaporates inside the tubing it lowers the temperature to well below freezing. Air then contacting the surface of the tubing will be chilled as the warmth is transferred.
+2phalanges Not effectively. for air conditioning you realy want to remove heat from inside and pass that heat out so you need a radiator inside to absorb the heat and a radiator outside to disperse it away.
The air in the condensor coils are hot because they have absorbed heat from th inside of th fridge during the previous cycle, not because it is compressed, right?
If you wished to make some type of air conditioner from a fridge you would have to take the two heat exchangers and ensure they transfer heat from one area to another. It simple terms the condenser on the back of the fridge would need to be outside the room and the evaporator inside the room to be cooled. For the amount of cooling available in most fridges you would not get a great amount of cooling in a hot room.
Hi Wayne, it would normally depend on the brand and model as the control vary but if it has a thermostat controlling the fridge it will either work continually or not work at all.
Check your machine does not have a frost free freezer as this can get blocked by ice and stop the fridge from receiving any cold air. If this is the case see another video: ruclips.net/video/duTWh83nVdA/видео.html
Look for an explanation on RUclips on things ...Hhhhhhhhh useless then go look for a British one and the result is a quality well explained understandable explanation.....Liquid on skin blow it.................Excellent .
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
We are a British company but employ many nationalities and thank you very much!
your the first person that's has actually explained it clearly and showing how through each stage making it very easy to understand. spot on thank you.👌👍
Thanks for the comments Baza. :-)
your most welcome thank you.
definitely gets my thumbs up! makes all the other confusing videos on refrigeration easy to understand once you've watch this video.
Greetings from India. I had learnt about the compression/expansion/throttling in a thermodynamic refrigeration cycle. But it was a great experience to watch how that thermodynamic cycle is realised in a real refrigerator. Thank you,espares!!!!!
Great explanation! I embedded this on my junior high physical science class website. I always like make science "real" for the kids. Thanks!
This helped me so much for my own personal knowledge of machines. Thanks!
Thanks. This really helped me with my Physics Homework.
Dilan Alexander same
Thank you, I now know why my fridge has been leaking! The drainage hole is not blocked but I couldn't understand where the pipe was meant to go, as there is one in the back of our fridge (we bought it second hand!) there is NO plastic holder either, thanks again for such a very very helpful review :) I like to know how things work!!
This helped me so much for my physical science course. Thanks!
Glad to be of use!
Thanks.
Nice clear explanation. Thank you.
Good video great job, keep posting such content.
Good video and explanation. Thumbs up!
A very good explanation. Thank you :)
+Thivyan Mu :-)
You are most welcome.
Nice video. It helped me a lot to understand my Thermodynamics lesson
This helped me so much for my college physics class. Thanks!
thanks!this will really help for a report i need to do!
this really helped with my school task thanks man
Hi Keyan, good luck with the school work and remember us when anyone has a problem with their Home Appliances.:-)
very informing, helped me with my science assesment :-)
Hi Annika, thank you for your post and glad our video helped.
Thank you very much, really helped me with my ICT homework!
+Mister J Thanks for the comment and glad you enjoyed our video.
My pleasure.
Fridges are my favorite household appliance.
Thanks again
I managed to get into it so will get the part ordered up for it and hopefully this will solve the problem.
If you could post the part number that would be great.
Thanks
Chris
Very good video, top marks. Very informative:)
superb explanation
Nice video, very informative. I understood the basic concept and with this video I got to verify it and also learn a bit.
+Mark Steven Luber Thanks Mark glad you enjoyed the video.
That is a very nice watch you are wearing Matt.
Explained very well!
Hi Shibon, thank you for the nice comment and remember to like the video.
eSpares Sure why not 👍🏼
Great Video, Clear Explaination Of Fridge Workings, I Paid Very Close Attention. Pardon Me For Being A Smart Ass. I Noticed The Word PENTANE Written On The Fridge, Iso-Butane Was Mentioned. Q: Is Pentane Also Good For Fridges/Freezers.
Excellent video! I was curious as to how this worked and attempted to watch a 3d model with a voiceover and it was a bit more difficult to understand. having a human face point and touch while talking was easier to follow along and learn. Thank you for your work!
Thanks for the comments Timothy, we also have a number of 'Diagnosis videos' which can be a great help to explain how appliances work and identify any problems.
Great video, well explained, really helped thanx.
Thanks for the comments Marlon. 😊
Excellent work
Thanks Rahul.
Well that was simple. Thank you sir!
+Guillaume Duchesne :-)
We certainly will! Thanks!
Surprising how simple it is really.
The first fridge with a compressor was invented 100 years ago and essentially they are the same. The gas has changed a few times for safety and the environment but nearly all fridges continue to use a sealed system with a compressor and a gas.
Thanks , very informing
In a word, yes. Isobutane is the most common refrigerant used since 94. Which in many tests is utterly harmless to humans.
Hope that helps.
This is great thank u!!
very very good explanation dude,very useful for my presentation
Thanks Chirudeep, check out some of our diagnosis videos as we try and explain how the appliances work.
Thank you very much. In your short video clip you could explain the full cycle of the refrigeration cycle. It is so easy to understand. I learned a lot by watching your presentaion. Again, thank you. I will contact you if possible to buy parts for my hoppy projects.
Thanks for the comments M L, good luck with your 'projects'.
Thanks for the quick reply.
It definitely sounds like the thermostat then as it does not run continually, only problem is I can't seem to work out how to remove the cover to get into the thermostat as there is no screws and pulling at it looks like the hole casing would be ripped right off the wall.
The model no is smeg CR 325 A1.
I can't seem to find out how to remove the part to get into the thermostat.
8 degrees is the coolest it will go if I move the thermometer to the top it is a good bit higher but I suppose that is to be expected.
If u know how this part is attached or how it can be removed it would be a great help.
Thanks Chris
Place your thermometer in a glass of water and leave for 24 hours to get a accurate reading and check the thermometer reads accurately as some are not so good.
To remove the thermostat cover ( www.espares.co.uk/product/es1597055 )
it appears there are two 'hooks' that lock into the lining when the assembly was pushed back from the front. There is likely to be a screw at the front that may be covered by the switch push that will need removing before pulling the assembly towards you and removing.
Yes u are correct.... If i could get the technical specs of the switch...that would resolve the issue of where i need to put probe but searching online comes up with nothing
Appliance manufacturers do not supply this amount of detail with their parts they just confirm the correct part for their models.
well originally i put the probe end in the freezer as far down as i could go from the fan which was only a few inches...and freezer wouldnt get cold enough...i then put the probe in the refrig side and now the freezer is too cold and the refrig sides freezes so i have to assume from this that the temp control switch is for freezer side...but i think i need to somehow get the probe away from the cold air fan in the freezer ..may have to add wire to the connections to get the probe to go through the hole in the bottom of fridge to bottom of freezer and then test again...
Great job explaining. Thank you so much. How does a combination fridge/freezer differ the temperatures between the two boxes? Do they share a compressor and have in line valves that shut off liquid flow?
Hi Brian, thanks for your comments. We think you will find our advice centre article useful below:
www.espares.co.uk/advice/careandmaintenance/how-fridges-and-freezers-work
well explained ! why isn't everything like this?
The best advice we can give is to dismantle and examine where the smoke is coming from to see how extensive the damage is. However if the lining of the fridge wall is damaged then you will need to buy a new appliance!
This is well done
Hi Pacman, glad you enjoyed the video, remember to like it and subscribe for more useful videos.
You're welcome.
Thanks again, will give this a try.
I take it that if it does confirm that it's a compressor problem this would be a more costly repair as a would need to get an engineer to fix/replace the faulty compressor.
If this is the case I will Prob opt for a new fridge freezer as I would imagine this would be quite costly as some places charge around £70 just to look at it before they charge for parts and labour.
Certainly if it looks like a compressor problem get a quote as to how much this would cost to replace. The cost of the part alone without the 'fittings' could well be over two hundred pounds.
V nice explanation, thanks
Hi Suresh, thank you for the comment and hoped the video helped.
Thank u for giving us the knowledge..
You are welcome, for more useful general information watch this playlist:
ruclips.net/video/0AnLPqcQAmA/видео.html
Thanks for your reply and I will definitely watch it.
😊
very informative
+صالح المسكري Thanks, hope it helped.
thank you the hand is the thing i understand most but would it make sense to be able to turn the heat into electricity since heat is energy
@Greenstead Thanks. It's a Tissot PRS200.
This video is proof that you don't need to know how things work to be able to repair them. The throttling device, in this case the capillary coil, does NOT create pressure. On the contrary, passing through a narrow section greatly reduces the pressure on a fluid (Bernoulli's principle). The drop in temperature happens THROUGHOUT the coil (as is explained by the Joule-Thompson effect), not at its exit. What comes out of it is very cold, low pressure, partially evaporated refrigerant. As it circulates through the heat exchanger inside the fridge it absorbs heat from the stored food, which further evaporates the refrigerant. The rest of the circuit --the compressor and the heat exchanger at the back of the fridge (condenser)-- exist to return the refrigerant to a state of high pressure liquid before it enters the coil again.
So these are the 4 steps of the process:
1) The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant: it goes from low to high pressure gas. This increase in pressure causes a big (unwanted, but inevitable) increase in temperature, as molecules of the gas are forced closer together.
2) To get rid of some of that heat and turn it into a liquid, the refrigerant goes through the condenser. The pressure doesn't change during this step.
3) The high pressure liquid refrigerant then goes through the capillary coil, which causes an opposite effect to the compressor: both the pressure and the temperature drop sharply.
4) Now we have what we need: cold refrigerant, which we can circulate through the interior of the fridge to cool its contents. The temperature of the refrigerant should remain constant during its travel through the evaporator, since all the heat it absorbs goes towards changing phase from liquid to gas (hence the name evaporator).
Pressure affects the evaporation points of fluids. That is why the refrigerant enters the compressor in a gaseous state even though it's cold, while it goes inside the coil as a liquid hot to the touch.
Thanks for your comments, While we agree with some parts of your explanation can we just point out that evaporation only starts as the gas exits the capillary into the evaporator. This can easily be confirmed by touching and feeling the temperature along the capillary, and comparing with the evaporator where the gas starts evaporating and cooling absorbing any heat from the surrounding area.
Great explanation. I accidentally pierced my fridge internal coil recently. With what kind of gas should I refill it?
There will be a label inside and on the compressor stating what gas (R600A or R134) but to replace the gas you first need to seal the system and then remove ALL the air with a vacuum pump and then measure the exact quantity of gas. This is a job for a refrigeration systems engineer or it is very unlikely to be successful and in most countries you have to be licensed to use R134 as as it damages the Ozone layer.
eSpares Oh, so, I guess I cannot handle it myself since a vacuum pumper is needed. But thanks for your reply.
Sorry for the news Ricardo but if its any guide I used to do this type of repair regularly but am unable to do it even for my own appliances as I no longer have access to the specialist equipment.:-(
Thanks. Excellent explanation. One thing I dont understand is the relationship between the defrost sensor and the Fridge/freezer thermostat. Are they the same thing? My Fridge/Freezer get too cold, it's in fact become a freezer. When I took the panel off exposing the defroster the drain hole beneath it was blocked by ice. Is that a problem with the Thermostat or the defrost sensor?
Thanks for the comments Fred. If there is a 'defrosting fault' the evaporator would be blocked with ice. Some machines can build up ice away from the defrost heater and some machines may have modifications to try and prevent this (Hotpoint/Samsung to name two). Clear the ice and ensure the drain is not restricted and confirm if too cold with a thermometer before checking if it will adjust.
Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated.
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Hi Matt,
I'm Siva from India. Your explanations were simple and easy to understand. It is really helping me to pursue project. Thanks dude! Subscribed!
siva ultimate Thanks for your comments. We hope you enjoy some of our other videos now you have subscribed. :-)
Thank you
Would something like this work for overclocking ?
Thank you very much for letting me know. I will ltry and get an identical one.
Too Good..I learned something..I wanna know how a solar refrigerator works..Thanks.
The main difference between 'solar' refrigerators and normal ones is a solar fridge is designed to run on relatively low power. This is achieved by extra insulation and by using a chest cavity instead of upright the cold air does not fall out every time it is opened. In addition many solar refrigerators are designed to run on power from solar panels or other power sources.
+eSpares Thanks :) I got it.
:-)
this is cool!
I am wondering tho, you know the small box that comes in a mini fridge? it freezes but there are no connections to it to make it any colder than the fridge itself. I'm wondering how this works. How the little box can freeze while the rest of the fridge doesn't?
Reyna Elisaia Most 'under the counter' fridges have an ice box. If you look closely they are made of metal and typically have a zig zag raised portion on the surface. This is the evaporator and has the refrigeration gas flowing through it to cool the fridge. Its a bit like the reverse of a central heating radiator which will get a lot hotter than the room it is heating the ice box acts as a cold radiator for the fridge. It will be 'plumbed' directly to the condenser and the compressor.
Hi I have the same fridge freezer although it's a smeg but everything looks the exact same as Ur hotpoint.
Am having trouble with the fridge compartment as it Dosnt seem to cool down below 8 degrees, the freezer works fine although and has slight build up of frost due to it being a manual defrost freezer.
I have defrosted it before but it didn't help the fridge temp.
Any ideas what might be causing it?
The thermostat is set to 7 which is as cold as I can get it.
The housing for the thermostat seems impossible to get off to have a look or replace.
Any guidance would be great as to weather it's better to get a new appliance or if u think it may be a simple repair.
Thanks Chris
Hi Chris, If your appliance has lost some of its gas or the compressor is not running efficiently this problem can occur. The clue to this would be the machine not cutting off but running continually and if this is happening you would require a Refrigeration Systems Engineer to re-gas or replace the compressor.
If the thermostat where out of range the appliance would be regularly stopping running when it thought it was down to temperature.
Could the same concept be used for a custom icemaker?
Most ice makers use a similar system with a motorised tray that loads and freezes before dispensing.
My fridge (which looks exactly like the one in this video - a 50:50 split, same coils, compressor layout, shelves etc) stopped cooling down at all in last few weeks. I can hear noise of fridge turning on (compressor?) but it does NOT cool at all in fridge or freezer section (the coil shelves in freezer section get cold but not freezing). But in fridge section in the back just above the drain hole (sticker in video) the back plastic feels hot (and this is heating inside of fridge). So what is it that's behind this area that is heating up? In video it mentioned nothing behind the radiator but on my fridge I can see a pipe going into back of fridge in back middle behind radiator. The actual radiator on back is not warm or hot at all. Does this mean coolant is gone or compressor is not pumping?
Hi Geogan2, can you check if the compressor is running (slight humming and vibrating continuously) as opposed to trying to start (occasional click noise on with slight buzz then click off and silence for about a minute). The first would suggest a loss of refrigeration gas the second a failed compressor. Both these faults would require a refrigeration systems engineer to regas the appliance.
If the compressor is not running at all it may be the thermostat or PCB if fitted.
The heat by the drain tube is to stop the tube freezing.
eSpares Yes it sounds and feels like the compressor is running, whether it sounds normal running or not I don't know. What I did notice was after a few hours running, it got very hot to touch, but only the first about 20cm of pipe going to radiator was warm, the rest of radiator was room temp so does this mean a lack of fluid circulating? I did notice when I turned it on first I could hear bubbling liquid sounds in part of the radiator. I am able to regas the AC system in my car myself using pressurised canisters but there doesn't appear to be any input valves on a fridge (looks like sealed or melted copper pipe ends) - I presume not easy or cheap to regas it - I just don't really have €330 for a replacement fridge at the moment,
geogan2 A systems engineer would cut off the 'stub' pipe and fit a shraeder valve allowing him to connect a vacuum pump and evacuate the system before measuring the correct amount of gas as shown on the ratings plate. Without a Vac pump you cannot do this.
Hi I had a further look into this problem just trying to make sure I replace the right part.
When I open the fridge door I can here the thermostat clicking every 10 seconds or so but the compressor wasn't switching on.
However as soon as I opened the freezer door the compressor came on within a few seconds.
Is this another thing pointing to a faulty thermostat or could this mean something else?
Thanks
Chris
If a compressor is failing it may stall, then because it is taking a high current it has a cut out that prevents damage. This results in the compressor clicking and humming slightly for about 5 seconds, clicking again and silence for about a minute when it will repeat. If this is occurring the freezer will be defrosting until the compressor restarts but if well frozen you may not notice.
Examine a bit more before making a diagnosis.
thank you!
Karen Vardanyan :-)
I have that Hotpoint refrigerator you’re using in the vid. I have a problem with it where my fridge is warm and my freezer works fine! Could you shed some light on a possible cause? You didn’t really cover his the refrigerator is cooled...only how water is drained away. Could you help?
Check your fridge freezer is not different to this one, if you look at 2:40 you will see it has 'evaporator' shelves. If your appliance has a fan ond no shelves the problem is likely to be ice built up behind the panel in the freezer. For information on that problem watch another video: ruclips.net/video/duTWh83nVdA/видео.html
eSpares hi thanks for the reply. It is the exact same fridge freezer. Hotpoint RFA52 with the same evaporator shelves in the freezer (same as in the vid). I defrosted it last night (turned the dial to “•” as per the manual) then restarted it once complete. Checked this mornin and the freezer hasn’t reached optimum temp and the fridge is still warm. I can still hear the compressor etc making the same noises it always has. Baffled! Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks for the model number now we can be more specific with our advice. On fridge freezers the 'cold' enters the freezer and then on to the fridge until 'all used up' in laymans terms. So this suggests insufficient cooling in the first place. As you have already defrosted this only leaves a problem with the refrigeration circuit. In practise this can only be due to low gas due to a leak or perhaps more likely a worn compressor.
Both these problems would require a refrigeration systems engineer and both are likely to be expensive. Get a quote before anyone comes to see the applaicne and consider if this is worth pursuing or is it time to replace?. PS, sorry for the bad news.
eSpares hi, again, thanks for the reply! I’m sure you have better things to do on a Monday than second guess my problems lol
I’m pretty technically minded and this is the answer I was expecting so no worries about the bad news. They can’t last forever. I don’t think I’ll look into a repair. I may as well shop for a replacement. At least you helped me clear that up. Many thanks and cheers for the advice 👍 good video too.
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Never thought one day I'd be licking my hand in my office! That is fascinating, thanx @mat_henton !
Thanks!
Thank you! :)
Hi again.
I bypassed the thermostat and the fridge cooled down as the compressor ran continually and took the fridge down to 3 degrees where as when the thermostat is on it would not go below 7 degrees.
I took the bypass back out to prevent it from over freezing.
I take it that this definitely proves that it's the thermostat that is causing the problem as the compressor runs fine when it has been bypassed?
If that is the case and when switched off for a few minuted the compressor will restart when turned back on then it certainly looks like a thermostat problem.
great..work
good video , but tell what is throttling process here
thank u 💗💗💗
Hi khelifa, thank you for the lovely comment :)
😀😀😀
hello, i have just bought NEW larder fridge under-counter model; but it is making a POP noise every-time only when the compressor starts during day and night. is it that considered normal operation?
thanks,
Often during transport the compressor pipework can get bent a little and may catch the cabinet when it starts. If this is a 'clunk' then it may be worth contacting the supplier to get an engineer to check and adjust if required.
hello! i have a question here! why there is so much difference in temperature of freezer apartment and fridge apartment? And does a normal fridge which consists of freezing apartment as well has one throttling device or both have different throttling device! i mean for freezer and fridge both?
+marko marin Good question!. Generally it is down to surface area of the cooling radiator, the amount of passing air and the volume of the chamber being cooled. The greater the surface area and the more air passing the cooler the chamber will be. :-)
ok so it means the cooling radiator having more surface area will pass more air hence it would be cool! thanks a lot sir :)
:-)
hi i was wondering if you would know if temp settings would be same or diff on a single door manual defrost mini fridge/freezer dorm style vs normal 2 door home refrigerator/freezer...i think they would be diff cut in cutt off temps becausue in a mini fridge/freezer the temp probe is mounted underneath the freezer compartment and the temp probe in a standard home refrigertaor /freezer is inside the refrigerator section....my temp control went bad... compressor woud not turn off unless temp cpontrol was in off position only........i just installed a mini fridge one in my regualr fridge (cant afford a direct replacement) and it does seem to work now ....prior to this the compressor would not shut off....now its turning on and off as temp reeaches bur like i said i believe the temp on off is diff in a mini manual defrost fridge than a normal home fridge...if i used a mini fridge/freezer temp controller in a reg refrigerator freezer should i put the probe in the freezer or fridge side? i guess what im trying to say is that is a temp control in both of these have basically the same cut in cutt off temps?
Capillary type thermostats can be designed for different types of refrigeration equipment. If attached to the 'cold box' depending on the design of the fridge it may shut off at near freezing if it is a 'chiller' or even up to -18C depending on the cold box *** rating. In addition some fridges have 'air monitoring' capillaries whilst others as you say attach either directly to the evaporator or to the 'wet wall' on auto defrost models. This could explain why the replacement thermostat is regulating differently.
Thanks. This plus the article I found it on explained where the heck all that water was going. (Had what looks like a heating element failure with my fridge and was wondering why I wasn't drenched in water to mop-up when the components were covered in an inch of ice or more. >.< )
***** ^ahem^ Perhaps I should've been clearer. All that liquid water only existed after taking a hair dryer and blowing some warm air on the components. Before that the evaporator coils (and anything nearby) were covered in about an inch of water in very much a solid state.
*****
That said, the compressor does turn off when in forced defrost mode, so I'm betting the control board is fine.
***** I rechecked the heater and it reads 0 Ohms. Seems to me that's rather odd for a heating element that's supposed to have *some* resistance...though that is certainly the opposite of an open circuit. >.< (I've head these JAZZ boards are infamous for defrost failures.)
Whats the coldest temperature an average refrigeration freon or iso. compression system get?
(Thinking about using a mini compressor to keep my new pc rig cool, without it cold locking any components mainly the cpu)
Hi MajorisMons, I faulty freezer when running continuously can go down to -30C but the temperature would build as there is no heat source inside a insulated cabinet.
To create a refrigeration system you would need to vacuum out the 'plumbing' when complete and measure in a precise amount of gas into the system and this is well above the skills and equipment available to most.
I have heard of purpose build cooling systems but these are generally on commercial equipment.
Just wondering if this would work to confirm if it is the thermostat that is the problem.
Would I be able to temporary bypass the thermostat by joining the 2 connections connected to the thermostat?
Would be an electrician carrying this out just.
My thinking is if I run it like this for a hour or so and the temperature drops below the usual fridge temp or about 8 degrees then I know that it's the thermostat that's faulty causing the high temp within the fridge section.
Is my thinking right in this.
Thermostats can stick either on or off and they can go 'out of range' but usually that would cause the machine to run continually. If you open the fridge and warm it with a hairdryer when it has switched off the thermostat should turn the appliance back on.
You could bypass the thermostat temporary to prove a compressor problem.
how does the filter drier pick up the refrigerant?
The dryer is a copper tube containing silica gel pellets that naturally absorb any moisture. If any small amount of water is absorbed by the refrigerant gas it is passed over these pellets and the moisture is absorbed. If the compressor was replaced or the system was ruptured and air drawn in the systems engineer would replace the dryer before using a vacuum pump to evacuate the pipework prior to recharging with refrigerant.
What do the evaporation coils work and look like?
+Sean Genutis The evaporation coils in the freezer are shown at 2:29 (they are in the shelves) The gas that has been compressed is allowed to evaporate as it escapes from the fine bore of the capillary into the wider tubing. The evaporation takes heat away from their surface reducing the temperature.
+Sean Genutis they work thanks to the laws of thermodynamics. Air particles inside of the fridge will contact the coils and heat will be transferred from the air particles to the coil which in turn transfers heat to the gas inside the coil.
+Leonso Medina The key to this is the fact that by using a gas with a low boiling point when it evaporates inside the tubing it lowers the temperature to well below freezing. Air then contacting the surface of the tubing will be chilled as the warmth is transferred.
+eSpares Yep, thanks for confirming what I said :)
Are you Australian ? or British maybe... I love your videos. Subscribed !
i cut part of the inside when clearing ice in the freezer section...some gas is coming out,is that dangerous/do i need a new fridge?thanks
Why waist the heat? If you put it at the top, you could make a slow cooker compartment and save electricity...
can a small 5 cubic frige be turned into a small air conditioner unit for a rv?
+2phalanges Not effectively. for air conditioning you realy want to remove heat from inside and pass that heat out so you need a radiator inside to absorb the heat and a radiator outside to disperse it away.
well played thank you kanye very cool!
Hi Jacob, thank you for your post and glad you liked the video.
I watched his in my science class, it's for an assignment, thanks? I guess...
Hope you found our explanation at least a little interesting. :)
i didnt hear any mention of a thermostat?
The air in the condensor coils are hot because they have absorbed heat from th inside of th fridge during the previous cycle, not because it is compressed, right?
If you listen properly you will find you are wrong
hmm, using endothermic gas forming to cool food? interresting
How do fridges control humidity?
Freezers are better at the bottom because you access them less than the fridge, and so if the fridge is at the top it's more convenient to access.
hey... explanation was good but i have a problem .
Thanks Darpan, what is your problem?.
how can use this concept in air cooler ..... can u give me some imp tipe ...plzz its an a rqst
If you wished to make some type of air conditioner from a fridge you would have to take the two heat exchangers and ensure they transfer heat from one area to another. It simple terms the condenser on the back of the fridge would need to be outside the room and the evaporator inside the room to be cooled. For the amount of cooling available in most fridges you would not get a great amount of cooling in a hot room.
How do I know when the control is not working
Hi Wayne, it would normally depend on the brand and model as the control vary but if it has a thermostat controlling the fridge it will either work continually or not work at all.
@@eSpares it is a mabe frigde
I have the hot point fridge freezer in the video and it the fridge won't get cold. Does anyone know what the problem is?
Check your machine does not have a frost free freezer as this can get blocked by ice and stop the fridge from receiving any cold air. If this is the case see another video:
ruclips.net/video/duTWh83nVdA/видео.html
Look for an explanation on RUclips on things ...Hhhhhhhhh useless then go look for a British one and the result is a quality well explained understandable explanation.....Liquid on skin blow it.................Excellent .
Thanks for the comments Harry, glad you liked the video.
where is the expansion valve?
so we have gases mixed in with our food? Sorry trying to understand
No it's only going through the fridge and freezer compartment not the food
It's more convenient to have it at the bottom when you want to defrost it. :P