Weird electrical find

[ageless]

Spent the day fishing yesterday and discovered the galley fridge was hot to the touch, not "this feels warmer then normal" but you couldn't touch it for more than a second or two. The heat was coming from the edges where the freezer and fridge doors meet as well as the entire top. After the find I checked it again about an hour later and found the same. Upon returning home (20 minutes later) I went to unplug the unit but found it was no longer hot, not even warm. The only thing that had changed from 20 minutes prior was swapping from generator to shorepower. Any thoughts where I should start investigating this?

 

[Pascal]

What kind of fridge? How old? You really braver than I am... I would have turned off the Fridge breaker Right away

Low voltage or running at the wrong frequency could cause issues. Any other symptoms? Gen surging... lights too bright or too dim? Did you check voltage and grew on your panel meters ?

 

[Captain Ralph]

Was it in frost free mode?

 

[ageless]

What kind of fridge? How old? You really braver than I am... I would have turned off the Fridge breaker Right away

Low voltage or running at the wrong frequency could cause issues. Any other symptoms? Gen surging... lights too bright or too dim? Did you check voltage and grew on your panel meters ?

The beer was in there. Whirlpool, 20 years, I flipped the breaker after I checked it at the dock.

No other symptoms, everything else has been operating as expected.

Update: I flipped the breaker back on to evaluate shore power vs generator again and after 3-4 minutes (on shore power)the fridge was untouchable hot again so breaker is off and I will be checking the outlet for proper voltage. I hate to separate from old appliances because they are so much better built then what you purchase now a days but we'll see

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

The beer was in there. Whirlpool, 20 years, I flipped the breaker after I checked it at the dock.

No other symptoms, everything else has been operating as expected.

Update: I flipped the breaker back on to evaluate shore power vs generator again and after 3-4 minutes (on shore power)the fridge was untouchable hot again so breaker is off and I will be checking the outlet for proper voltage. I hate to separate from old appliances because they are so much better built then what you purchase now a days but we'll see

Defrost cycle gone haywire. Warm is normal. Too hot to touch needs to be addressed ASAP.

 

[jrbrein]

A friend of mine who runs a busy appliance repair business tells me that he always recommends Whirlpool refrigerators to his customers.

20 years is a good run.

Jon

 

[Pascal]

A friend of mine who runs a busy appliance repair business tells me that he always recommends Whirlpool refrigerators to his customers.

20 years is a good run.

Jon

Got a new Whirlpool french door fridge freezer 3 years ago for the new galley even in the AC the stainless has to be polished every few months. It s assembled in the US but I think the Not So Stainless must be coming from red China.

 

[Jammin']

Got a new Whirlpool french door fridge freezer 3 years ago for the new galley even in the AC the stainless has to be polished every few months.

Woody Wax!

 

[ageless]

Woody Wax!

Fluid film, 1/2 the price

 

[Briankinley2004]

Woody Wax!

I would try rubbing Woody Wax onto the hot spot on the refrigerator. It should cool it down for a while sorta like muscle rub. You could also spray it into the outlet to correct any voltage issues.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

You know, it is pretty good stuff. I’ve been using it for years and can touch my fridge anytime without getting burned.

 

[jim rosenthal]

As the song says, I wait all night, for calls like these. LOL

 

[sixty]

A hot fridge exterior Is usually caused by a dead condenser fan. if left running in this state the compressor will die. I've replaced quite a few of the fans on different fridges and about 50% of the time the compressor dies in a few weeks or months. Its worth a shot though since the fans are usually less than $100. New fridges are $$$$ so it may be worth it to replace the compressor.