Appliance Hacks!

[skittles]

I didn't know where to post this, but it is all in the spirit of saving money so I'll post it here.

I've owned various refrigerators for a number of years, one fridge that I owned for a long time was a 25cf fridge/freezer combo with top freezer. Then we owned a 30 year old side by side that was practically given to us. Both of those were good fridges, but lets not forget about 4-6 more that we've had that cost $50-200 each and either completely failed or started doing weird stuff including freezing the refrigerator compartment etc, necessitating emergency replacement.

Got fed up with fridge/freezers that don't work properly or keep either side the right temp, so I went with a large upright fridge and a 5cf chest freezer. Has been the best setup yet and rock-solid reliable after 3 years. We never have to worry about anything in the fridge freezing nor anything in the freezer thawing. I haven't done any energy usage comparisons but I do have reason to believe that my setup performs more reliably and at a lower cost than anything comparable as my freezer isn't the frost free type and the fridge just doesn't have the warming crap a combo does.

If it had been up to me entirely I would have gone with 2 chest freezers and converted one to a fridge. I even bought the kit to do so, but haven't done that yet. The other advantage to the chest freezer is that it's also the counter top next to my stove.

Got any good tips for saving money with various appliances?

 

[Redbeard]

I didn't know where to post this, but it is all in the spirit of saving money so I'll post it here.

I've owned various refrigerators for a number of years, one fridge that I owned for a long time was a 25cf fridge/freezer combo with top freezer. Then we owned a 30 year old side by side that was practically given to us. Both of those were good fridges, but lets not forget about 4-6 more that we've had that cost $50-200 each and either completely failed or started doing weird stuff including freezing the refrigerator compartment etc, necessitating emergency replacement.

Got fed up with fridge/freezers that don't work properly or keep either side the right temp, so I went with a large upright fridge and a 5cf chest freezer. Has been the best setup yet and rock-solid reliable after 3 years. We never have to worry about anything in the fridge freezing nor anything in the freezer thawing. I haven't done any energy usage comparisons but I do have reason to believe that my setup performs more reliably and at a lower cost than anything comparable as my freezer isn't the frost free type and the fridge just doesn't have the warming crap a combo does.

If it had been up to me entirely I would have gone with 2 chest freezers and converted one to a fridge. I even bought the kit to do so, but haven't done that yet. The other advantage to the chest freezer is that it's also the counter top next to my stove.

Got any good tips for saving money with various appliances?

The savings on the freezer to fridge conversion is awesome. Wife will only let me do it to a standup freezer witch isn't as efficient as the chest style but is still way more efficient than a regular fridge. Also i have seen the kits. You don't need all that. All you need it the thermostat from a fridge. In fact you can wire both in and install a toggle switch so you can go from fridge to deep freezer mode with the flick of a switch. I make meat lockers for butchering that way for people. They work great and in fridge mode are very very energy efficient.

 

[Caribou]

A friend of mine had two propane refrigerators. He cut the stop off the dial on one and turned it down so he could use it as a freezer.

 

[WVDragonlady]

from the title of the topic I thought this had to do with the "hacking" of the new "smart" appliances.


we have a fridge with the freezer on the bottom, one upright freezer and a chest type freezer. they all seem to be working well after years of use *shrugs*

 

[Tirediron]

most fridge/ freezer failures are due to loosing their refrigerant charge, a inexpensive piercing valve and a vacuum and recharge most often gets them functional for several more years,

 

[backlash]

Regular cleaning of the coils will help a lot.
I was shocked at how dirty the cooling coils were.
I bought a long brush that is made to clean the coils and it works great.
The refer cooled so much better after cleaning that I turned up the temperature a notch.

 

[Tirediron]

Regular cleaning of the coils will help a lot.
I was shocked at how dirty the cooling coils were.
I bought a long brush that is made to clean the coils and it works great.
The refer cooled so much better after cleaning that I turned up the temperature a notch.

that and making sure that the recommended (at minimum) clearances are maintained, many cooling appliances use their skin as radiant surface

 

[BBQJoe]

If you want a fridge or freezer that will never go out, the only solid option is propane.
No motors, no electricity used, no moving parts.
A thermostat will fail eventually someday, but they're easy to replace.

Once in a while a propane fridge will appear to quit working.

There is a rust inhibitor that is mixed in the ammonia coolant. Sometimes it crystalizes and blocks some of the flow.
All you have to do is stand the fridge upside down for a 1/2 hour or so, while gently rapping on the coils with a rubber mallet.
Stand it up, for awhile, and flip it over again. Do this for an hour or two, and the fridge will start working again.

I bought a Crystal Cold fridge, 18CF, it's been running now for over two years without so much as a hiccup.
I expect it to be my last fridge ever.

More fun tips:
Never use a toaster to heat your bath water.
You can tightly wrap or ziplock bag up some fish, and cook it in your dish machine while washing dishes.
You can use your microwave to dry a small dog or cat, once.
No matter how cold your freezer is, it takes 3 days to freeze otter pops.
Always turn the mixer off before licking the frosting off the blades.
You can cook a steak with a waffle iron.
A bunch of towels, and a mess of clean bullet cases can be thrown in the dry for polishing. It works real well, but just make sure the wife isn't home when you do it. It's also quite noisy.
Dryers also make excellent heated gerbil wheels, but don't pop popcorn very well.

I think it's either time to take more meds, or maybe just stop altogether.

 

[Meerkat]

Good info , we just give them to the used appliance man who comes and picks them up. Too bad we didn't know about this back then.

 

[Terri9630]

If you want a fridge or freezer that will never go out, the only solid option is propane.
No motors, no electricity used, no moving parts.
A thermostat will fail eventually someday, but they're easy to replace.

Once in a while a propane fridge will appear to quit working.

There is a rust inhibitor that is mixed in the ammonia coolant. Sometimes it crystalizes and blocks some of the flow.
All you have to do is stand the fridge upside down for a 1/2 hour or so, while gently rapping on the coils with a rubber mallet.
Stand it up, for awhile, and flip it over again. Do this for an hour or two, and the fridge will start working again.

I bought a Crystal Cold fridge, 18CF, it's been running now for over two years without so much as a hiccup.
I expect it to be my last fridge ever.

More fun tips:
Never use a toaster to heat your bath water.
You can tightly wrap or ziplock bag up some fish, and cook it in your dish machine while washing dishes.
You can use your microwave to dry a small dog or cat, once.
No matter how cold your freezer is, it takes 3 days to freeze otter pops.
Always turn the mixer off before licking the frosting off the blades.
You can cook a steak with a waffle iron.
A bunch of towels, and a mess of clean bullet cases can be thrown in the dry for polishing. It works real well, but just make sure the wife isn't home when you do it. It's also quite noisy.
Dryers also make excellent heated gerbil wheels, but don't pop popcorn very well.

I think it's either time to take more meds, or maybe just stop altogether.

Really? The frig in my horse trailer quit cooling. Well, the freezer gets cool while the frig stays warm.

 

[BBQJoe]

Yeah. Take it out, and roll it around the yard for awhile, while tapping with a rubber mallet on the coils, or a piece of wood and a hammer.
It will come back to life.

 

[Redbeard]

Really? The frig in my horse trailer quit cooling. Well, the freezer gets cool while the frig stays warm.

Brand, model number? Propane or combo electric? Before you go flipping it around the yard im very familiar with propane fridges, worked on lots if campers.. When was it serviced last? How old is it?

 

[Redbeard]

Could be as simple as a dirty burner tube, or even a spider web in the orifice.

 

[BBQJoe]

Brand, model number? Propane or combo electric? Before you go flipping it around the yard im very familiar with propane fridges, worked on lots if campers.. When was it serviced last? How old is it?

I've had a number of these, all brands.
Chances are if it is cooling at all, the gases have not escaped, and there's just a blockage somewhere.

 

[Terri9630]

Brand, model number? Propane or combo electric? Before you go flipping it around the yard im very familiar with propane fridges, worked on lots if campers.. When was it serviced last? How old is it?

I think it's a 3 way dometic. I'll have to go out in the morning to get the into off it. It hasn't worked for a few years but I've used it on propane and elect. Haven't tried the 12 volt and don't think that's connected since I had the trailer wiring re-done. I've only had this trailer 4 or5 years and don't know if its ever been serviced. The LQ is after market so I have no idea how old the frig is.

 

[Redbeard]

I've had a number of these, all brands.
Chances are if it is cooling at all, the gases have not escaped, and there's just a blockage somewhere.

You could be right. But in all the years i have worked on them i have only ever seen two that got blocked up. There are a good number of other things it might be.

 

[Redbeard]

I think it's a 3 way dometic. I'll have to go out in the morning to get the into off it. It hasn't worked for a few years but I've used it on propane and elect. Haven't tried the 12 volt and don't think that's connected since I had the trailer wiring re-done. I've only had this trailer 4 or5 years and don't know if its ever been serviced. The LQ is after market so I have no idea how old the frig is.

Ok when you get a chance grab me the info. Dometic makes a good unit and i should be able to help you out.

 

[The Innkeeper]

No matter how cold your freezer is, it takes 3 days to freeze otter pops.

I had to look up otter pops ... up here we call them freezies.

 

[BBQJoe]

Most times if the fridge is in a travel trailer, and it's used regularly, the bumping going down the road keeps things loosened up.
I had a Norcold threeway, that just keep blocking up wheter it was in an RV or used as an inside home unit.
There is one connection in the plumbing that for some reason has no support. I've had two of them crack right there and lose the ammonia.
Man oh man, there's just no mistaking when this happens, the gases are powerfully strong, and I think almost fatal.

After replacing the entire cooling unit twice (professionally) I took the RV to the fridge manufacturing plant in (I believe) Sidney Nebraska. They pulled the unit, and I showed the tech the spot where it kept failing. I had him beef it up, and add some support, and never had that problem again.
I used to use the RV for a chase vehicle, and we'd put 500 miles a day on it, day in and day out for years, until the whole thing just about fell apart from traveling on crappy highways in certain crappy states.

 

[hiwall]

Just after we were married our used refrigerator had the thermostat go out so it would never shut off. Froze everything solid. We were poor so I bought a timer with multiple settings. I set the timer for one hour on and two hours off and plugged the frig into it. We used it that way for a couple years until we bought a new frig.

 

[Terri9630]

Ok when you get a chance grab me the info. Dometic makes a good unit and i should be able to help you out.

Thanks! I'll go out in the morning. Its currently 33 degrees and too cold for me, you'd probably be wearing shorts.

 

[NannyPatty]

Regular cleaning of the coils will help a lot.
I was shocked at how dirty the cooling coils were.
I bought a long brush that is made to clean the coils and it works great.
The refer cooled so much better after cleaning that I turned up the temperature a notch.

I found a tiny vac hose and attachments with an adapter for my reg vac. This works really well, too.

 

[Terri9630]

Thanks! I'll go out in the morning. Its currently 33 degrees and too cold for me, you'd probably be wearing shorts.

The only markings I could find are. Dometic. RM 2401 gas/electric.

 

[Country Living]

We've had a propane fueled 19cf EZ Freeze Refrigerator with a top freezer for about four years. We use these thermometers with all of our refrigerators and freezers since none of them have an actual thermometer in them. I have to put a plug in for the WarehouseAppliance website guy who patiently answered all of my questions and took the time to educate me on the ins-and-outs of owning a propane refrigerator. Yes, they do appear to be a bit pricey; however, food safety is paramount during an event, especially when there is no electricity. The 19cf has an interior light in the fridge section powered by D batteries. It sits about ten feet from our electric fridge and you can't tell which one is propane.

When it came time to buy the unit, our propane dealer had it drop-shipped to them at no charge to us and they brought it out when they came out to run a line for the fridge. This is definitely one of the benefits of living in a small town.

Right now we consider it our backup fridge and it will turn into our primary in case of an extended power outage. We bought an extra thermocoupler just in case the one on the fridge ever goes out because we always keep critical spare parts on hand for anything that's important to our survival/comfort. Once or twice a year, whenever the fins freeze, I defrost the fridge. It brings me back to my younger years when there weren't any frost-free refrigerators. I use a small fan to defrost the freezer section and then I move the fan to blow on the fins in the refrigerator section. I set the fan on a 4"x4"x6" board so it doesn't get wet. It takes about an hour to get the unit defrosted and dried. However.... it takes about 9 hours to get the fridge back to 40 degrees which is why I move all temperature sensitive food to our electric fridge during the defrost.

I just noticed the Warehouse Appliance website now has 18cf freezers. I'll have to keep that in mind as a future purchase.

 

[LastO]

The savings on the freezer to fridge conversion is awesome. Wife will only let me do it to a standup freezer witch isn't as efficient as the chest style but is still way more efficient than a regular fridge. Also i have seen the kits. You don't need all that. All you need it the thermostat from a fridge. In fact you can wire both in and install a toggle switch so you can go from fridge to deep freezer mode with the flick of a switch. I make meat lockers for butchering that way for people. They work great and in fridge mode are very very energy efficient.

I have a chest freezer conversion to a fridge that I use in an off grid cabin. It is awesome. It was killing me to try to figure out how to keep my food cool for a week at a time when I was there. I toiled with the price of those expensive $300 coolers but still would have to drive a 2 hour round trip to civilization for ice. I bought a small chest freezer for $75 and added a Johnson controller (Thermostat) for about $30 at the time and plugged it in to my battery bank. It uses around 30 watts per day and will make ice in the bottom and keep frozen food. In the top it keeps all my food good and cools drinks in about an hour or less. I empty my cooler into it when I arrive and put the melting bag of ice in the bottom. It freezes right back up solid right away. I am so happy with it!