Fridge Problems

[DocGlock86]

Okay not a gun problem but hopefully I can get someone on here who knows a little about this.

I live in apartments and have been in same for about 1 1/2 years. In this time frame I have been through 3 fridges (2 old and 1 right off the shelf, new). It's always the same problem, sounds like the motor burns out. The lights in the fridge comes on. It always has space all around the fridge, so it's not like it's cramped in the corner and I always keep the temp settings at the recommend. I don't know what the heck is wrong. But my landlord swears I'm breaking it and seems everytime it's the day after I buy a couple hundred dollars of groceries (like this time), which I always end up loosing.

Any ideas what could be causing it? I was thinking maybe a power outlet problem, but there is power to the fridge.

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

Electrical fluctuations to the outlet?

 

[DocGlock86]

Electrical fluctuations to the outlet?

It's the only thing I can think of but wouldn't it cause the whole fridge to burn out causing it to completely shut down. Like I said the lights work just not the motor.

 

[JR50]

Blue Tile may have hit it! With a weak circuit breaker, the extra load from the motor running for longer periods due to cooling down your new bunch of groceries may be causing an interruption without actually tripping the breaker. I saw something similar with an old Bulldog breaker but never with a newer Square D. I'd ask the landlord to replace the breaker to the fridge -- just in case

 

[jayincville]

It's the only thing I can think of but wouldn't it cause the whole fridge to burn out causing it to completely shut down. Like I said the lights work just not the motor.

When you say "the motor", do you mean the compressor, or the fan motor? What brand of refrigerator?

 

[Bigboy47834]

I had the same prolblem once,,, it was the disconnect outside below the meter that was corroded on one side and caused an imbalance on the load. Replaced the disconnect and problem was solved.... look for corrossion on the terminals outside.

 

[LeeStreet]

I think you are calling the compressor the motor. If there is low voltage to the compressor for an extended period of time, it can burn up the compressor. If you have a voltage meter, you could check the voltage. I would check it with the fridge running.

 

[DocGlock86]

When you say "the motor", do you mean the compressor, or the fan motor? What brand of refrigerator?

I'm not a fridge savy person so let's just say you don't hear anything running and it's getting warmer by the minute. And that's the same thing that happend with the last two. This is a brand new fridge, maybe 5 months if that. Brand name is Frigidaire

I had the same prolblem once,,, it was the disconnect outside below the meter that was corroded on one side and caused an imbalance on the load. Replaced the disconnect and problem was solved.... look for corrossion on the terminals outside.

You might as well told me to go perform brain surgery. There shouldn't be anything wrong with the fridge. Again it's only a few months old and the fact that it's the same problem as the last 2 makes me think there is another problem besides the fridge.

 

[jayincville]

These guys have hit on the problem already, most likely. It's probably the breaker. Please, if you are not qualified, don't mess with it. Call your landlord and have their maintenance men handle it.
By all means, suggest they replace the breaker. If it was the outside disconnect you would experience problems with your (electric) furnace, central air, (electric) range.
I am in property maintenance, I handle HVAC, appliances, painting drywall, and plumbing, etc.... I have an AAS degree in HVAC.

 

[LeeStreet]

The fridge might be in the defrost mode. It does warm up to sum degree, then should start cooling. Is the compressor warm or hot ?

 

[jayincville]

The fridge might be in the defrost mode. It does warm up to sum degree, then should start cooling. Is the compressor warm or hot ?

Not likely since his food is going bad. Three refrigerators going out doesn't suggest it is only in defrost.

 

[DocGlock86]

I'm going to go with ya'lls theory that it's a electrical problem than a fridge.

Okay here's the second part of the problem.

Like I said in the orginal post, I have about 100$ worth of groceries in the fridge right now that's about to go bad. There is no emergency number to get a hold of the landlord on the weekends, pretty much you leave a voicemail on the office number and hope he gets it before sometime Monday. Last time this happend it happend on a Saturday. I got lucky and when I called the office he answered. I explained to him that I just bought groceries and they were going bad by the minute, thinking that he would help me out ASAP. His response was, "well can't do anything for ya till monday sometime." and guess what??? Didn't get a new fridge till Monday night and lost a whole bunch of groceries.

Is there any possible way that he could be held responsible for my food? If this was the first time, it wouldn't be a big deal happens but this is the 3rd time in a year I've had to pretty much flush money down the toliet. Last time I asked if he would knock off a few dollars off of my rent to kinda help me out and he laughed and walked out the door.

 

[jayincville]

I'm going to go with ya'lls theory that it's a electrical problem than a fridge.

Okay here's the second part of the problem.

Like I said in the orginal post, I have about 100$ worth of groceries in the fridge right now that's about to go bad. There is no emergency number to get a hold of the landlord on the weekends, pretty much you leave a voicemail on the office number and hope he gets it before sometime Monday. Last time this happend it happend on a Saturday. I got lucky and when I called the office he answered. I explained to him that I just bought groceries and they were going bad by the minute, thinking that he would help me out ASAP. His response was, "well can't do anything for ya till monday sometime." and guess what??? Didn't get a new fridge till Monday night and lost a whole bunch of groceries.

Is there any possible way that he could be held responsible for my food? If this was the first time, it wouldn't be a big deal happens but this is the 3rd time in a year I've had to pretty much flush money down the toliet. Last time I asked if he would knock off a few dollars off of my rent to kinda help me out and he laughed and walked out the door.

Is this place small enough that they have no full time maintenance? No emergency number?
It's possible you could hold the landlord responsible for your loss. But, is it really worth the bad relationship you will set yourself up for? There are different rules for multi-family housing vs. single family housing. Different rules for government funded housing vs. strictly market rate housing.
I would ask for them to make it right but i wouldn't push it unless you are receiving HUD assistance.


JMHO, YMMV, I am not a lawyer...

 

[DocGlock86]

Is this place small enough that they have no full time maintenance? No emergency number?
It's possible you could hold the landlord responsible for your loss. But, is it really worth the bad relationship you will set yourself up for? There are different rules for multi-family housing vs. single family housing. Different rules for government funded housing vs. strictly market rate housing.
I would ask for them to make it right but i wouldn't push it unless you are receiving HUD assistance.


JMHO, YMMV, I am not a lawyer...

I'd venture to say its 100-150 tentants. Medium sized apartment complex. The thing is he is the new manager, came in about 2 years ago and the place has went to hell. Grounds keeping, maintenance, even crime has sky rocketed. I know a friend who works for Plainfield PD and they said the calls have more than tripled in the last year for our complex, it's nothing for me to come home from work in the early AM and see the whole force sitting in our complex. It's not a government housing but only a few steps from becoming one in my opinion.

All in all I wasn't upset the first round, second round sorta but I hinted around for him to help me and nothing, now my third time.......common. I'm usually extremely patient and probably allow people to tread on me a little too often but I'm about to my boiling point.