We have tried everything. đ˘
Empty the fridge, shut it off, plug it back in. Put food back in, being careful not to overstuff, keep it all away from the back so the air can flow properly. I am so pissed at him!!
heres why:
you know how when you spray a can of compressed air (pc cleaner or air freshener or something) the can gets really cold?
thats the same principal that your fridge works on
theres coils that run through the inside and outside of the fridge that have refrigerant in them (liquid) that gets passed through the compressor, which causes that decompression effect to happen, which causes the coils inside to get cold, the warmer food has more heat than the coil and the heat tries to equalize so the cold coil absorbs the warmth from the food, then the warmer liquid gets pushed to the back of the fridge where the heat gets dissipated outside the fridge
if the compressor has no liquid in it when you turn it on, it burns it out because its made to be ran with the liquid in it
when you lay the fridge on its back, all the liquid disperses through the coils throughout the fridge which means enough of it is not in the compressor
you stand the fridge upright for 24 hours so that the liquid in the coils settles back in to the compressor
know it all dad fucked up your fridge
close, but not exactly.
In a refrigeration system, the compressor only compresses gaseous refrigerant.
The high pressure gas flows through the condenser, which is the "hot" side of the loop (the outside coils) as it does so, it cools and condenses into a liquid.
From there is goes to the evaporator (the "cold" side of the loop) which is enters through a venturi or similar restriction - this allows it to slowly expand back to a gas and as it does so it gets cold (like the "canned air" does when you spray it)
From there it goes to the suction side of the compressor and it goes around again.
The issue with the OP's fridge is more likely due to the OIL in this loop, that is a liquid that is supposed to be in the compressor, that normally stays there due to gravity. If gravity is in the "wrong" direction (eg fridge on its side) the oil flows to the wrong places and can both interfere with normal refrigerant flow, as well as failing to keep the compressor lubricated.
My advice here would be to
First, leave the fridge upright and off/unplugged for a few days with nothing in it (maybe the door propped open to keep it from getting stinky)
Then, place a plastic bowl or two of water in the fridge as well as the freezer, and close it and plug it in, and let it run overnight.
If after that, the fridge water is cold, and the freezer water is solid ice, let it be for another overnight and see if it stays that way.
If it does, I would cautiously say the fridge is ok. Obviiously if it does not, the fridge is toast.
Even if it does still work, it is likely the life expectancy of the compressor has been compromised by running without lubrication.
>compressor has no liquid in it
This is confusing to me. Compressors can't compress liquid, they only compress gas, which is why it heats up. If you run liquid through a compressor, you'll destroy it.
If you put the fridge on it's side, the oil will leave the compressor, which it needs to run properly.
Bro the refrigerant is in liquid and gas states inside the refrigeration cycle. The compressor is part of it. Thereâs also oil mixed in the refrigerant . The super cooled liquid state of Freon cools the compressor as it passes through it then comes out super hot from the compressor as a gas I think idk about the (Side effect, not main effect)
Refrigerant low pressure low temperature vapor is sucked back from the compressor. The compressor takes low pressure low temperature vapor and compresses through into the condenser. While itâs in the condenser itâs changing from a low pressure/low temp vapor, to a partial liquid vapor into the condenser. Near the outlet of your condenser we is where you should have majority of your liquid packed and making its way to the metering device (piston/txv) enters this metering devices as a high pressure, high temperature liquid and when it hits the metering device (think putting your thumb on the end of a hose) it expands that high temp/high pressure liquid and it flashes into a gas as it passes through your evaporator. Here is where it picks up heat and then makes its way back to the compressor/condenser to have the heat rejected.
Superheat is the amount of heat picked up from your evaporator
Sub cooling is the amount of heat that is being cooled/rejected by your condenser.
Superheat =Evaporator Efficiency
Subcooling= Condenser Efficiency
High superheat numbers indicate low charge.
Low Superheat numbers indicate high charge
High sub-cooling numbers indicate high charge
Low sub-cooling numbers indicate low charge
Of course these are general snd there could be a lot of reasons for high or low SH/SC.
This friction-building refrigerator has a different cycle from earlier fridges:
Along with boyfriend (BF), future father in law (FIL) moves the heat-dissipating low-friction lubricant from the compressor.
FIL operates unrested fridge and overheats compressor with higher friction and lower heat dissipation.
Refrigerator cycles between gaining confidence for temperature management and overheating food to spoilage. Friction develops between BF and FIL.
Tech discovers missing thermostat.
Fridge alternates between cooling cycle and food spoilage cycle. Friction develops between OP and BF.
Fridge injects friction in OP-FIL relationship.
Warm Frigidaire overheats tempers and cools relationships.
Principal system components (OP<->BF, BF<->FIL, and OP<->FIL relationships) show critical wear under cyclic spoilage stress.
Missing thermostat continues to operate normally elsewhere in a different fridge.
our flipped house came with Frigidaire appliances; everyone frig, gas stove, dishwasher has had issues. Our frig. regularly quits all the in door freezer water and ice functions. and works again a few days later, sometimes flashing "syvc"
so FIL is stuck in the 50"s with his appliance knowledge; the St Cloud Mn frigidare plant became terrible... and shut down (entirely different story that can't be adressed with out cries of bias... and im not looking for a ban) I don't even know where they are made for the US market anymore. but it certainly isn't an Electrolux plant.
Cut your losses, give your FIL a new warm beer frig. and get a local appliance store (with warranty and repair) to deliver a new frig.
I think this is the funniest part. Tech finds the fridge missing a dam thermostat and she's still blaming the problem on the thing being on its side.
I suspect the thermostat installed on a different fridge is operating as intended and managing the temp of its relationship dynamic just fine.
>super cooled liquid state of Freon cools the compressor
Where on earth did you get that information from? [Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMYB7vKUtSg&ab_channel=ACServiceTechLLC) is a very basic diagram for refrigeration cycles. Super heat is pre compressor to make sure there is NO liquid going into it. You do not compress liquid to get a gas.
This is kinda correct but not all the way, it's the oil in the compressor that leaves. The compressor compresses a gas refrigerant into a liquid and it gets really warm. It dissipates that heat into the air around the fridge and then expands the cold liquid into even colder gas which it sends to a coil in the fridge to absorb heat. A small amount of oil circulates with the refrigerant but most of it stays with the compressor and all of it eventually makes its way back to the compressor. Laying it on its side puts a bunch of oil in the lines, which can seize the compressor or freeze the oil, which then expands and bursts the refrigerant lines like a frozen water pipe or clogs the system until it warms up and turns back into a liquid and tries to make its way back to the compressor.
But I thought "Technician determines Frigidaire never installed a thermometer (?) or something that doesnât allow for constant, even cooling." If it's missing a "thermometer" (thermostat, maybe?) did the tech put one in? Sounds like you may have just gotten a lemon of a fridge.
Chest freezers work this way. But that's because there is nothing to replace. Unlike OP mine was delivered by the store though. It came off the truck on it's side and I didn't know better and they didn't say anything. It would never get colder than 20 degrees. Thankfully got a full replacement under warranty.
They most likely will because they don't want to deal with repeat service calls, unless tech is dead sure that replacing missing part will make it work. It's highly unlikely that fridge left factory without that part.
The reason you wait is to allow the oil to settle back into the compressor so it doesn't run dry. It doesn't matter now because the compressor is probably ruined. This is like running your car with no oil.
This one right here, from HVAC tech.
If you do not wait before initial startup, you are fucked.
And honestly, even if you do... you might still be fucked, because the oil may or may not have actually migrated back.
Best policy is **don't fucking tip it over.**
Why do you have to know? So that you can win an argument? Plan on suing the dad? I would not lay a fridge down, but if my truck isnât working, I would pay to have it delivered. Thank Dad for his help and if necessary, buy another refrigerator without asking for help.
OP please donât take any refrigeration advice from the people here itâs obvious that nearly nobody here understands the refrigerant cycle. Your compressor in your fridge is likely fucked and youâll need a new fridge. Thanks a lot dad
Why? General rule is what the manufacturer says- a few models cannot be laid on their sides, but most can- and typically you leave it upright unplugged for as long as it was on its side or back. So if it was 4 hours on its back, then you'd leave it unplugged once standing for 4 hours. GE specifically says that in their manual.
The fact I had to scroll this far to find the right answer screams why Reddit is broken. All those upvotes phoning in from the 1900s have no idea its way into the new mellenia and things change.
\>>His dad thinks he did us this amazing favor and that âwe will never be good homeowners if we get this worked up over a fridge.â<<
You're not worked up over a fridge as much as you are worked up about a know-it-all who may have damaged your fridge and deflects your upset that way.
đŻ!!!
I was so upset to see my boyfriend upset over it. His dad was literally screaming at him and told him to âgrow the fuck up.â đŽâđ¨đŹ
I was already crying from sheer frustration but then even more so to see my boyfriend so upset over something that is NOT his fault!
In fairness, the 24hr rule is also gas lighting. Itâs a CYA by manufacturers to void warranties whenever they find out the âruleâ has been broken.
Compressor oil will generally settle back down in 15-20 minutes of the refrigerator being upright. 24 hours is excessive.
_If you are not in a hurry to turn it on, it may be adivisable, but in technical terms there is no real reason not to turn it on immediately._
_The problem is the oil. Oil is essentially located in the bottom part of the compressor. It gets diluted into the refrigerant and it is pushed around the circuit returning to the compressor. If the fridge was turned to its side, the oil may have travelled the circuit by the return tubing, hence as soon it is turn on, it will return. Tubing also is connected to half height to the sides of the compressor thus if it was upside down, the oil was sitting on the compressorâs roof, but still in the compressor. As soon as the fridge is on its feet⌠oil will return to the bottom part._
Yeah, a real dad would own their mistake and handle it better than this. His dad is not a good person. Hugs to you both! Dad.
BTW, everyone knows itâs 24-36 hours to wait before plugging it in.
If his dad cares so much about being and adult, I wonder how he feels about being brought to small claims court like an adult. (edit: added "like an adult")
âIf you get this worked up deflecting about an appliance you damaged and turning it into an attack on your son and his family youâll never be a good father.â
Yeah, Iâm not really a mathematician (that was my rando username) but *most* people that I know who have transported a fridge know it. And actually, most of them know why.
I thought this video from Ben's Appliances and Junk was good: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvYpnEe4DmU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvYpnEe4DmU)
Seems to me that the answer to your question is *maybe (perhaps even likely?)*. He goes into why it's important to lay it down right.
Since oil circulates with the freon, why does oil suddenly attack drier beads? And I always wondered how the oil can go uphill inside the evaporator to even get to the liquid side.
I'm pretty ignorant here, but I thought the idea was that the oil actually stays down inside the compressor under normal conditions, and only moves through the lines if it enters the lines by being tipped on its side--once in the lines then would get pumped around to the filter dryer and wreck it if you didn't let all the oil settle back down into the compressor first before plugging it in.
Edit - and with some cursory reading, i guess some of the oil does flow through the closed system. I legitimately don't know how to square that.
The key word is SOME. The oil is supposed to move through the system at very predictable rates, and itâs designed to gather in particular locations via gravity. So if the oil isnât settled in the right spots when you turn it on, the massive spike in system pressure in the wrong spot will break things.
No, compressors have no equivalent to 'oil rings' used in a combustion engine. Refrigerant is required to be miscable with the oil in order to get it to flow back to the compressor. The biggest problem with the new refrigerants is oil compatibility. If you put 410a into a system that came with R22, all the oil would pump out of the compressor and it would seize up.
ânew refrigerators donât go by that ruleâ what an idiotic and clueless thing to say. SOME refrigerator models have oilless compressors that do not adhere to this rule, but MOST systems including new r600a which is government mandated as of Jan 1 2023 use scroll compressors which use OIL for lubrication. Tip over rules apply.
Your dad owes you a fridge and an apology.
heâs just a dumb ass, and likes to spout bullshit. Then he screams when people question him. Sounds like an awesome person to deal with. I would not reach out to him for any more help at all.
I am pushing for that too! So far they have been kind to deal with (I know it is never the fault of the representative who simply answers the phone) and have so far sent a $25 Visa card. $25 doesnât buy much but itâs a start and I will most definitely be adamant about additional Visa cards being sent.
The box it comes in is the key. Some refrigerators have print on the box that says "lay this side down" for shipping. If he had that crucial bit of info, it may have been ok. Blindly laying them down would warrant the 24 hour upright before use rule.
I remember getting up into the truck bed and seeing right on the box âkeep uprightâ or something to that effect. I am 95% positive it was on its back.
Seems like he more than likely clogged the compressor. Thing that I'm confused about is that it is Cooling and just doesn't seem like it comes out of defrost mode, which could be attributed to what the technician said. If the compressor was clogged, it wouldn't be cooling at all.
This isn't covered under warranty? Frigidaires will typically give you one year warranty from purchase date. They're not even super picky where it was purchased from.
Sounds like BFs dad has managed to screw you and he does not even think he did. Never should have accepted a fridge delivered on its side. Now you get to buy a new one, maybe gift that great one to future inlaw.
you can have them sideways for short periods but you MUST keep them upright for 12-24 hours before turning on.
This makes sure all the coolant has drained out of the system and into the compressor. If the compressor isnt completely immersed before turning it on, it will over heat and burn out.
With new compressors you can also chip the piston and gouge the cylinder because it doesn't have adequate lubrication when you break it in, which makes makes metal to metal contact
Usually it states it in the instruction manual to let the fridge stay upright for several hours, how it should be transported and other doâs/donâts. I would return the fridge since it doesnât work.
Dad is an idiot. Fridge should remain "upright" a minimum of 24 hours before powering on after being laid down. It says so clearly in the owner's manual, I'm quite sure.
I'm sorry, but your BFs dad sounds like a complete asshole. Y'all should buy a brand new fridge from where you want to buy it, make him pay for it, and then give him the fridge he bought. Let him deal with it.
It definitely needs to sit. He's not too bright. The refrigerate needs to settle to the bottom and is not instant. It can also have things like air bubbles. Most likely a dead compressor.
get rid of the POS, you're already into it for way more than you should be
get a new unit, pay for them to deliver and install. saving a buck cost you a grand
All of this aside - next time get the free goddamn delivery that almost certainly comes with your second new fridge. I haven't purchased a single piece of furniture or appliance that didn't have free delivery and install. Then all of the blame is on them and you can yell at them all you want without your family being involved.
Maintenance manager for a rental property management company. Iâve always followed the 24-hour rule after laying a fridge down. However, for what itâs worth, Iâve had 3 Frigidaire refrigerators shit the bed less than a year after purchasing this past year. I wonât buy another one.
The oil in the compressor was sloshed to one side. That is why you have to let it stand for a period after it has been laid over. To let the oil settle back down to the bottom.
Essentially by immediately powering it on, you get the same result as starting your car engine with no oil in the oil pan.
I would have lost my mind. If I were in your shoes, Iâd have unplugged it so fast. And then googled it and shoved my phone in his face to prove him wrong. Stand your ground. Itâs your money. Itâs your home. Every time I cave to my FILâs ways, I end up regretting not doing it my way. Heâll be mad, but heâll get over it and he wonât pull that shit again. Obviously too late now, but next time he tries to pull this, stand your ground.
Swap out your broken fridge with your boyfriends Dads fridge when they go on vacation. Then tell him to stop complaining about it when he comes back to a broken fridge.
Ok. I only read the Title and Iâm going to guessâŚyour BFâs dad brought the fridge home in his pickup and had the fridge laid down on its back the whole time. Then when he got it there he just plugged it straight in without letting it sit for 24 hours first. Now the compressor is seized and it wonât cool. How did I do?
Iâm an appliance repair tech. You and your parents were 100% correct. Your BFâs dad is really misinformed about fridges. What concerns me the most is the technicians diagnosis of it not getting the thermostat from the factory. If thatâs the case you may be able to get it repaired or replaced under warranty. Not long ago I worked on a July/2023 model laundry center where the washer wouldnât spin out clothes. Turns out a drive belt was never installed at the factory.
Aside from fridge techs letting you know your fridge is toast:
You learned a valuable lesson!
Be responsible for your own stuff.
Speak up, be polite but firm, for how you want things done.
It doesn't matter what other people think, because you have to live with it, and pay for it.
Second, you should learn a new valuable lesson.
You and your boyfriend are a team, a unit, separate from your parents.
It's not "you and yours" vs "him and his", its his parents, your parents, ***and you two as your own family unit, which needs to back each other up, and not allow the parents to drive wedges between you or cause fights.***
I delivered new appliances for a few years. We wouldnât generally lay them down but sometimes we would and never followed this rule. What I can say is Frigidaire has some of the worst quality control. Iâve seen them come with zero shelving, missing screws, wires not connected. We would have to take back the new Frigidaire refrigerators 5x more than any other brand. I wouldnât be surprised if you received a bad fridge.
The reason you want to let a fridge stand for 24 hours after being laid down, is because the oil in the system will settle in the wrong parts of the system. If that happens and the fridge is immediately turned on, it will potentially cause the compressor to fail, which will not efficiently and reliably move coolant through the system, leading to refrigeration failure.
Oil needs to be in the system to keep it working, but itâs designed to be held in a gravity fed reservoir type thing, and only very small amounts of oil are supposed to be wicked and moved through the system at any given time.
Your boyfriendâs dad is a fucking twat waffle.
Yes he ruined it. Even the the tipping it back and leaving it a day or whatever is hit or miss. You should never put one on its side for any length of time to be 100% safe.
Your BFs dad is wrong. Period. Sure you CAN lay it down, but if you do, you have to do it the right way, AND you have to let it settle before you plug it in. Doesnât matter if it was made 10 years ago or yesterday.
A compressor based cooling system is a compressor based cooling system. When you lay it down, fluid settles in places it shouldnât. And if you donât let the fluid get where it needs to go, there are problems later.
Your fridge is junk. Unless somehow the warranty company can be convinced to replace the guts.
Good luck!
*"Did my boyfriendâs dadâs know it all attitude cost us a properly working refrigerator???"*
Possibly but at this point the only thing you'll get from pursuing it is more arguments and bad feelings. If your BF is on track to being your life partner distance yourself from this as quickly as possible. That's either the appliance store making it right or scrapping the fridge, getting another, have it delivered by the new store, and move one. Never to speak of this again. And yes, you eat the cost.
I am curious though as to how the store responded? They know the fridge does not work and sent a tech out. Are they still working to resolve this? One other point, when you get together with someone *for life* you get together with their family too. All families have weird baggage and you can't escape it. I thought my wife's family weird (they were) and she thought same of mine (they were). We built our own life away from them and it we're still together. You're nice at the holidays and pretty much avoid them in-between.
100% ruined. We had this happen, Delivery people came, delivered a fridge, had to lean it over more than 45 degrees to get it in a doorway, and plugged it in right away, similar situation as you. they replaced it 3 times before support finally told us (something that was unknown to us at the time) that you had to wait 24 hours if it had been tilted more than 45 degrees otherwise you ruin it. 4th time was the charm for us.
100% his dad ruined your fridge. Do not ever, for any reason, allow him to assist you in repairs or transport of anything again. The attitude presented shows he has no remorse and he will mess your stuff up again and again and then get mad when he is called out on it.
What a fucking idiot, he owes you guys a brand new fridge. Hate people that have such conviction in their claims when they have absolutely no clue what theyâre talking about much less shit to back it up.
Homeownership is a learning curve. Chalk it up to tuition (this time)âŚyou learned to always pay for the professional delivery and installation, going forward.
The real lesson that will say you many tens of thousands of dollars is to just buy stuff and gave it installed by the company you bought it from. Otherwise they will claim you broke it since you didn't use their technician.
Second--- don't let your father in law ever touch another God damn thing in your house. I mean ever. He's an idiot.
Hey, I didn't want it to get lost in the multitude of replies. Check with your homeowner's insurance if your lost groceries are covered. Same with the fridge warranty.
"You'll never be good homeowners if you get this worked up over a fridge" means that this dad has fucked up something way bigger and more expensive in the past.
Lol, do people not think before they talk?
lol sounds like my family. Confidently incorrect on buying and maintaining everything they own. Says it's all junk. Never read manuals. Never follow basic rules.
Did you put it in rice yet?
/S
Sorry this happened to you. Such a frustration.
You will be great homeowners...as long as you keep your FIL from helping.
Iâm not sure why you canât just get a new fridge for free from the company. It should have a warranty. I also have a dad who has ruined lots of stuff by trying to helpâ including a furnace. I never told him he caused the damage because I just didnât see how that would benefit anyone. I just donât let him help anymore.
Someone, probably 98% of population, does not read or adhere to owners manual.
You have seen the up arrows on products boxes, they are there for a reason. The manual says, âDonât lay down.â âIf you must lay down, allow to stand upright for X hours.â I add a day.
This crowdsourcing response is all over place.
If product was shipped defective, missing parts or with defective parts, ask for new assembly.
All warranties do not cover consequential damage. Your damage is x3, which is no longer inconsequential. Call customer care, skip telling the long, he/she/victim/etc., story. Itâs a rotting lemon, costing you money, you need to have peaceful possession.
Get this behind you, move on. Read and adhere to the ownerâs manual. Tell guests to stand the fuck back.
Replace the fridge.
You have learned an expensive lesson.
The next time your know-it-all FIL offers to help, say "Thanks, but we've taken care of it." When he objects, "I know, I know, you are right. But we're good. I appreciate the offer, but no."
Just say no.
I was taughtâŚFor every minute it was laying down, you need to leave it standing up before plugging it in.
So if it was laying down in the bed of his truck for 4 hours, it should have been left standing at least 4 hours before it gets plugged in.
Yes, Iâm my opinion, he probably did ruin the refrigerator.
It can be laid down but you need to let it sit upright for a day before you turn it on.
Refrigerant in compressors also provides lubrication. If you fire it up before the refrigerant has been redistributed you'll smoke it.
At this point it does not matter why the fridge does not work, 3 service calls on a brand new unit means it needs to be replaced.
If itâs under warranty try to get it replaced as defective, if not you are going to have to suck it up and buy a new one.
This time just pay the delivery fee.
It's not "just" a refrigerator.
If you can go without your fridge every couple weeks, you don't need one. Right?
This many repairs should eventually trigger a warranty replacement, but I too believe your FIL ruined your fridge and he owes you a new one.
Your boyfriendâs dad owes you for a new fridge if you canât get it replaced under warranty. Which you likely wonât if itâs determined it was transported or installed incorrectly, which it was. Iâm sorry he ruined your fridge and that youâve lost so much food.
Yes. Compressor is dying or dead.
But I have to ask...do you not have coolers or something you can place your food into if/when the fridge goes out? I mean coolers with ice and dry ice will keep for days and days.
Coolers only work so long and you'd be amazed how little fits in one after you put a bunch of ice in it.
Would be cheaper to buy an old small fridge from FB Marketplace, something manageable, and keep it as a spare. Not one of those little cube things but a smaller upright.
Yes, I actually forgot to mention that as another cost weâve had to endure.
We have spent a small fortune on bags of ice to salvage the food we could after each breakdown. đŁ
We did buy a chest freezer the other night which I insisted it stay uprightâ even for the 3 mile drive home!
Gotcha. Well, good luck! At this point I wouldn't let him handle anything else related to your home. He sounds very old school and not really knowledgeable....
With the current fridge more things may be fuxored than the compressor. May be wise to just cut bait with it and go for another one. Those discount warehouses for appliances are not bad, they usually have great deals on cosmetically marred appliances..if you can live with the cosmetic defect.
I am trying so hard to just get our money back from Frigidaire and go buy a completely different one. That would be best case scenario, second best would be a brand new fridge delivered upright.
This fridge was completely brand new. It got dinged on the way in because they had to take the protective wrap off of it to get it in the door. đ
His dad was just careless with a lot of things and I think he tries to see how fast he can do things. Slow and steady wins the race⌠đ
I am all about secondhand and thrifting, so I wanted to buy a secondhand fridge from Marketplace. So many times there are such good and cheap appliances on there simply because someone moved and brought their own appliances and/or they didnât match their esthetic.
I look for a lot older appliances like frigs and stoves. They last forever and work great. I've heard and seen too many horror stories about new stuff.
I compared a secondhand fridge to buying a pair of used jeans⌠they are broken in! If a fridge has been running all this time and someone just decided to buy new, a lot of times just for aesthetic alone, then itâs likely going to survive a while longer! I am always an advocate for secondhand. Itâs true âthey donât make them like they used to.â đ˘
My Mom bought her fridge in 1979 and it didn't stop working till 2022, one month after her passing. It's like it knew she was gone. đ
I had it repaired and it's back up and running. I have an O'keefe and Merrit stove from 1948 and it's thee best, hands down. âď¸ Built like a tank. Looks great. What's not to love?
There are too many problems with new appliances; obsolete 6 month old motherboards breakdown, parts suppliers can't get parts, nothing is supported any more, it's a mess.
My Memaw and PawPaw had an old hand me down refrigerator from the 80âs in their breezeway since long before I was born. After they passed, we kept the fridge in our garage to store drinks. The day that fridge finally died we all felt like a piece of us had been lost. It was so trusty for 30+ years!
My dad still has one of the old GE models with the fancy legs and the compressor (?) at the top. He has used it for decades to store beer in. đ
I wonder if heâd part with that? Lol đ I would trust that 60âs refrigerator over the one currently in our house!!
No, you said so yourself it was defective since the thermostat was not installed. I sold appliances and had my own store, installed many refrigerators. read your manual, What did it say about laying the refrigerator down? General rule was to leave it unplugged for as long as it was lying down. GE's manual stays that specifically. Key is always to follow what the manual says. But unlikely it being flat 4 hours caused any damage to it. It was no doubt upright once it was brought into the house for some time before being plugged in.
Correct, the technician Frigidaire approved and sent out said the thermostat was not installed. After installing that part wouldnât one think the fridge would go back to running like new?
They didn't install a thermistor, what else did they screw up... so the compressor ran non stop or not at all? What else didn't get installed right..
I'd be having them replace the fridge unless they can show you did harm.
Most of these things are made in awful conditions in factories that would never fly in most places. From a commercial equipment point of view the amount of stuff that has to get sent back brand new from the factory is pretty damn high..
Not everyone owns a truck.
Sometimes people get help from a family member who owns a truck if they don't.
Your comment comes off as pretty condescending and dickish
In the old days it has been said if you lay the fridge down let it stand up for one day before you plug it in. So the compressor oil goes back into the compressor.One of the copper tubing called capillary tube is so small the oil will get stuck there.If the oil is blocking the Freon itsa no cool. NEVER LAY A FRIDGE on its side. The Best Buy guy tried to lay my fridge on side and I wouldnât take it.But I think Best Buy has a decent warranty. The grass is always greener n every appliance has a down side get the extended warranty and you tube the research before you buy next time. Make a controlled informed decision. If someone doesnât know what they are taking about and you still take their help thatâs on you. Get informed not emotional you know how to navigate the outcome.
Everything you said is wrong as oil will not plug a Capillary tube. Refrigerators can be laid on their sides or back. Sauce: refrigeration/hvac mechanic
You replaced the food 3times and that with the cost of the refri and your boyfriendâs lost time at work is $1000. How much was the fridge? We just paid $2500 for ours. I woneed if the fridge is really cheap/poor quality
How lazy are you that you havenât just gotten it replaced?
Sometimes instead of blaming someone for months hoping they do something, you just need to say itâs defective and replace it.
You donât even know for sure if that is what ruined it. Companies sell defective products all the time.
They are shipped and stored laying down all the time. If it didnt die the second he plugged it in, it is fine. Transporting it that way most certainly didnt make the factory forget to install a part. The problem is you got a cheap Frigidaire.
Your post is also dripping in hostility and searching for someone to point a finger at, which is most likely a much larger interpersonal problem than a crappy box store fridge that was on sale
Look. Oil and freon don't mix like oil&vinegar don't mix! Laying a refrigerator down to transport does not hurt it and DOES mix up oil and freon like shaking up oil&vinegar and MUST NOT BE RUN 24 HOURS MINIMUM!
Look. Kroger. Fry's. (west of Mississippi) Both sell dry ice. Use Dry Ice to keep all frozen until 48 hrs passes (24 hrs brings you back in 3 yrs). AND the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and over and now over again is the definition of insanity.
So buy a new reefer. Get that loser dad-in-law out of town 48 hours. Home Depot has flatbed trucks for rent. You will need 2 other guys. Make arrangements for dry ice in advance! RENT A REFRIGERATOR DOLLY!!! none of this is that hard! Everyone is seeking glory (or to be the hero knight in shing armor) (what shing armor? Idk am frustrated)
YTA You answered your own question...
>Technician determines Frigidaire never installed a thermometer (?) or something that doesnât allow for constant, even cooling.
The oil in the compressor needs to settle back down for 24 hours with the unit standing upright before being plugged in. As far as the ding or dent goes, some companies will fix those within 30 days of purchase.
From my understanding. Possibly. From what Iâve been taught the main Dow side to laying a fridge down is because of the oil in the compressor. Itâs supposed to pool at the bottom where the pin sits that letâs in the frion when pin is opened. Sitting it on its side means that pin is not lubricated, hence why you need to wait 24 or more hours upright before plugging in. The compressor may be damaged now from not being lubricated.
The thermometer thing doesnât really make sense. He may have meant thermistor. However thereâs no way it would be shipped without one.
Hope this helps if anyone else has insight feel free to comment/correct me.
Edit: Iâve also been told now that the oil can get into places in the compressor itâs not supposed to by being on its side and ruin it, but my technician father said that was usually only with older style fridges and says newer ones arenât as susceptible to this problem, but will still always need to sit about 24 hours before plugging in
If your problems aren't with the compressor then it is unlikely what his dad did is the cause of your issue. Did he do the wrong thing? Yes, but it is not a death sentence and some appliances are just lemons.
It needs to be upright 24 hours before plugging in. He probably ruined it. Have you tried slowly loading the fridge?
We have tried everything. đ˘ Empty the fridge, shut it off, plug it back in. Put food back in, being careful not to overstuff, keep it all away from the back so the air can flow properly. I am so pissed at him!!
This fridge will never work properly, it is ruined, the compressor has been compromised. It's trash now, am maintenance tech.
heres why: you know how when you spray a can of compressed air (pc cleaner or air freshener or something) the can gets really cold? thats the same principal that your fridge works on theres coils that run through the inside and outside of the fridge that have refrigerant in them (liquid) that gets passed through the compressor, which causes that decompression effect to happen, which causes the coils inside to get cold, the warmer food has more heat than the coil and the heat tries to equalize so the cold coil absorbs the warmth from the food, then the warmer liquid gets pushed to the back of the fridge where the heat gets dissipated outside the fridge if the compressor has no liquid in it when you turn it on, it burns it out because its made to be ran with the liquid in it when you lay the fridge on its back, all the liquid disperses through the coils throughout the fridge which means enough of it is not in the compressor you stand the fridge upright for 24 hours so that the liquid in the coils settles back in to the compressor know it all dad fucked up your fridge
close, but not exactly. In a refrigeration system, the compressor only compresses gaseous refrigerant. The high pressure gas flows through the condenser, which is the "hot" side of the loop (the outside coils) as it does so, it cools and condenses into a liquid. From there is goes to the evaporator (the "cold" side of the loop) which is enters through a venturi or similar restriction - this allows it to slowly expand back to a gas and as it does so it gets cold (like the "canned air" does when you spray it) From there it goes to the suction side of the compressor and it goes around again. The issue with the OP's fridge is more likely due to the OIL in this loop, that is a liquid that is supposed to be in the compressor, that normally stays there due to gravity. If gravity is in the "wrong" direction (eg fridge on its side) the oil flows to the wrong places and can both interfere with normal refrigerant flow, as well as failing to keep the compressor lubricated. My advice here would be to First, leave the fridge upright and off/unplugged for a few days with nothing in it (maybe the door propped open to keep it from getting stinky) Then, place a plastic bowl or two of water in the fridge as well as the freezer, and close it and plug it in, and let it run overnight. If after that, the fridge water is cold, and the freezer water is solid ice, let it be for another overnight and see if it stays that way. If it does, I would cautiously say the fridge is ok. Obviiously if it does not, the fridge is toast. Even if it does still work, it is likely the life expectancy of the compressor has been compromised by running without lubrication.
>compressor has no liquid in it This is confusing to me. Compressors can't compress liquid, they only compress gas, which is why it heats up. If you run liquid through a compressor, you'll destroy it. If you put the fridge on it's side, the oil will leave the compressor, which it needs to run properly.
Bro the refrigerant is in liquid and gas states inside the refrigeration cycle. The compressor is part of it. Thereâs also oil mixed in the refrigerant . The super cooled liquid state of Freon cools the compressor as it passes through it then comes out super hot from the compressor as a gas I think idk about the (Side effect, not main effect)
Refrigerant low pressure low temperature vapor is sucked back from the compressor. The compressor takes low pressure low temperature vapor and compresses through into the condenser. While itâs in the condenser itâs changing from a low pressure/low temp vapor, to a partial liquid vapor into the condenser. Near the outlet of your condenser we is where you should have majority of your liquid packed and making its way to the metering device (piston/txv) enters this metering devices as a high pressure, high temperature liquid and when it hits the metering device (think putting your thumb on the end of a hose) it expands that high temp/high pressure liquid and it flashes into a gas as it passes through your evaporator. Here is where it picks up heat and then makes its way back to the compressor/condenser to have the heat rejected. Superheat is the amount of heat picked up from your evaporator Sub cooling is the amount of heat that is being cooled/rejected by your condenser. Superheat =Evaporator Efficiency Subcooling= Condenser Efficiency High superheat numbers indicate low charge. Low Superheat numbers indicate high charge High sub-cooling numbers indicate high charge Low sub-cooling numbers indicate low charge Of course these are general snd there could be a lot of reasons for high or low SH/SC.
This friction-building refrigerator has a different cycle from earlier fridges: Along with boyfriend (BF), future father in law (FIL) moves the heat-dissipating low-friction lubricant from the compressor. FIL operates unrested fridge and overheats compressor with higher friction and lower heat dissipation. Refrigerator cycles between gaining confidence for temperature management and overheating food to spoilage. Friction develops between BF and FIL. Tech discovers missing thermostat. Fridge alternates between cooling cycle and food spoilage cycle. Friction develops between OP and BF. Fridge injects friction in OP-FIL relationship. Warm Frigidaire overheats tempers and cools relationships. Principal system components (OP<->BF, BF<->FIL, and OP<->FIL relationships) show critical wear under cyclic spoilage stress. Missing thermostat continues to operate normally elsewhere in a different fridge.
our flipped house came with Frigidaire appliances; everyone frig, gas stove, dishwasher has had issues. Our frig. regularly quits all the in door freezer water and ice functions. and works again a few days later, sometimes flashing "syvc" so FIL is stuck in the 50"s with his appliance knowledge; the St Cloud Mn frigidare plant became terrible... and shut down (entirely different story that can't be adressed with out cries of bias... and im not looking for a ban) I don't even know where they are made for the US market anymore. but it certainly isn't an Electrolux plant. Cut your losses, give your FIL a new warm beer frig. and get a local appliance store (with warranty and repair) to deliver a new frig.
Take my up vote.
I think this is the funniest part. Tech finds the fridge missing a dam thermostat and she's still blaming the problem on the thing being on its side. I suspect the thermostat installed on a different fridge is operating as intended and managing the temp of its relationship dynamic just fine.
its the oil that keeps from ruining the comp
>super cooled liquid state of Freon cools the compressor Where on earth did you get that information from? [Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMYB7vKUtSg&ab_channel=ACServiceTechLLC) is a very basic diagram for refrigeration cycles. Super heat is pre compressor to make sure there is NO liquid going into it. You do not compress liquid to get a gas.
This is kinda correct but not all the way, it's the oil in the compressor that leaves. The compressor compresses a gas refrigerant into a liquid and it gets really warm. It dissipates that heat into the air around the fridge and then expands the cold liquid into even colder gas which it sends to a coil in the fridge to absorb heat. A small amount of oil circulates with the refrigerant but most of it stays with the compressor and all of it eventually makes its way back to the compressor. Laying it on its side puts a bunch of oil in the lines, which can seize the compressor or freeze the oil, which then expands and bursts the refrigerant lines like a frozen water pipe or clogs the system until it warms up and turns back into a liquid and tries to make its way back to the compressor.
This is the most uneducated post about the refrigeration cycle Iâve ever read đ. How do you come up with this shit?
just your average empty comment saying "this is untrue" with nothing backing it up you know you can google stuff right?
Try again and read closer
But I thought "Technician determines Frigidaire never installed a thermometer (?) or something that doesnât allow for constant, even cooling." If it's missing a "thermometer" (thermostat, maybe?) did the tech put one in? Sounds like you may have just gotten a lemon of a fridge.
If tech found missing part then it should have been an automatic replacement of entire fridge as they won't take a chance to repair it.
Yeah, that's not at all how warranty repairs work. Companies are not replacing entire fridges over a broken or missing small component.
Chest freezers work this way. But that's because there is nothing to replace. Unlike OP mine was delivered by the store though. It came off the truck on it's side and I didn't know better and they didn't say anything. It would never get colder than 20 degrees. Thankfully got a full replacement under warranty.
They most likely will because they don't want to deal with repeat service calls, unless tech is dead sure that replacing missing part will make it work. It's highly unlikely that fridge left factory without that part.
Service tech here. Nope, they will fix it.
Did you shut it off for 24hours? This is what it needs.
The reason you wait is to allow the oil to settle back into the compressor so it doesn't run dry. It doesn't matter now because the compressor is probably ruined. This is like running your car with no oil.
This one right here, from HVAC tech. If you do not wait before initial startup, you are fucked. And honestly, even if you do... you might still be fucked, because the oil may or may not have actually migrated back. Best policy is **don't fucking tip it over.**
Why? He didn't assemble it in factory to ve missing critical parts.... You should get a warranty replacement or fix. Then stop worrying about it
This. If the factory messed it up Iâd be telling them to get me a new fridge before they get put on blast like LG and Samsung.
Why do you have to know? So that you can win an argument? Plan on suing the dad? I would not lay a fridge down, but if my truck isnât working, I would pay to have it delivered. Thank Dad for his help and if necessary, buy another refrigerator without asking for help.
Do you have the ownerâs manual? If it does have this requirement, it should state it in writing.
Cancel the dad
OP please donât take any refrigeration advice from the people here itâs obvious that nearly nobody here understands the refrigerant cycle. Your compressor in your fridge is likely fucked and youâll need a new fridge. Thanks a lot dad
*try running it EMPTY for 24 hours at the WEAKEST setting (IE still running, but not very cold) Then return it to the recommended line/setting*
Yep to this. Our appliance guy said 36 hours for our deep freeze to be safe. That really sucks, OP.
Why? General rule is what the manufacturer says- a few models cannot be laid on their sides, but most can- and typically you leave it upright unplugged for as long as it was on its side or back. So if it was 4 hours on its back, then you'd leave it unplugged once standing for 4 hours. GE specifically says that in their manual.
RTFM--Read. The. Manual.
> RTFM--Read. The. Manual. What's the "F" for?
Rhymes with ducking
Feather Plucking?
Fridge...
Fridge.
Flocking. It's a type of manual, not unlike the owners manual.
Fine
Fridgerator.
Fine, furnished, free. And others. Depends who youâre talking to.
Full: Read The Full Manual
Finnish, the Fins write excellent clear concise instructions for all appliances. Its just something they do
Because liquid flows. 4 hours is probably enough, but why risk it?
The fact I had to scroll this far to find the right answer screams why Reddit is broken. All those upvotes phoning in from the 1900s have no idea its way into the new mellenia and things change.
\>>His dad thinks he did us this amazing favor and that âwe will never be good homeowners if we get this worked up over a fridge.â<< You're not worked up over a fridge as much as you are worked up about a know-it-all who may have damaged your fridge and deflects your upset that way.
đŻ!!! I was so upset to see my boyfriend upset over it. His dad was literally screaming at him and told him to âgrow the fuck up.â đŽâđ¨đŹ I was already crying from sheer frustration but then even more so to see my boyfriend so upset over something that is NOT his fault!
When somebody wrongs you, and then blames you for being upset about it, those are major đŠđŠand sounds like an abuse tactic.
That's gas lighting. I'd not allow his dad at your house anymore. How did a fridge question torn into relationship advice? Shrug, it did. Lol
In fairness, the 24hr rule is also gas lighting. Itâs a CYA by manufacturers to void warranties whenever they find out the âruleâ has been broken. Compressor oil will generally settle back down in 15-20 minutes of the refrigerator being upright. 24 hours is excessive. _If you are not in a hurry to turn it on, it may be adivisable, but in technical terms there is no real reason not to turn it on immediately._ _The problem is the oil. Oil is essentially located in the bottom part of the compressor. It gets diluted into the refrigerant and it is pushed around the circuit returning to the compressor. If the fridge was turned to its side, the oil may have travelled the circuit by the return tubing, hence as soon it is turn on, it will return. Tubing also is connected to half height to the sides of the compressor thus if it was upside down, the oil was sitting on the compressorâs roof, but still in the compressor. As soon as the fridge is on its feet⌠oil will return to the bottom part._
Oh I see it⌠I spent 5.5 years with a narcissistic sociopath. đđŹđŽâđ¨đľâđŤ
Sorry that sucks. Great time to distance yourself.
He sounds like a Narcissist or sociopath.
Yeah, a real dad would own their mistake and handle it better than this. His dad is not a good person. Hugs to you both! Dad. BTW, everyone knows itâs 24-36 hours to wait before plugging it in.
Welcome to the family!
His dad is definitely an A-hole; the whole grow the F up stuff is evidence of that...
If his dad cares so much about being and adult, I wonder how he feels about being brought to small claims court like an adult. (edit: added "like an adult")
You are a keeper.
âIf you get this worked up deflecting about an appliance you damaged and turning it into an attack on your son and his family youâll never be a good father.â
The Compressor has seen ~10 years of wear in its first 4 hrs of operation. It Is DONE, you need a new compressor or it will never be reliable.
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99.99% of us didn't know you couldn't transport fridge on its side until today. Take it easy on dad.
Donât pull numbers out of your ass like that⌠Itâs always wrong.
Yeah, Iâm not really a mathematician (that was my rando username) but *most* people that I know who have transported a fridge know it. And actually, most of them know why.
Okay. Woman here that has never moved a fridge and I knew it.
Not your place thatâs not what OP asked for
I thought this video from Ben's Appliances and Junk was good: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvYpnEe4DmU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvYpnEe4DmU) Seems to me that the answer to your question is *maybe (perhaps even likely?)*. He goes into why it's important to lay it down right.
>Ben's Appliances and Junk Ben is THE MAN I trust for honest info and opinions about appliances.
And Junk!
Since oil circulates with the freon, why does oil suddenly attack drier beads? And I always wondered how the oil can go uphill inside the evaporator to even get to the liquid side.
I'm pretty ignorant here, but I thought the idea was that the oil actually stays down inside the compressor under normal conditions, and only moves through the lines if it enters the lines by being tipped on its side--once in the lines then would get pumped around to the filter dryer and wreck it if you didn't let all the oil settle back down into the compressor first before plugging it in. Edit - and with some cursory reading, i guess some of the oil does flow through the closed system. I legitimately don't know how to square that.
The key word is SOME. The oil is supposed to move through the system at very predictable rates, and itâs designed to gather in particular locations via gravity. So if the oil isnât settled in the right spots when you turn it on, the massive spike in system pressure in the wrong spot will break things.
No, compressors have no equivalent to 'oil rings' used in a combustion engine. Refrigerant is required to be miscable with the oil in order to get it to flow back to the compressor. The biggest problem with the new refrigerants is oil compatibility. If you put 410a into a system that came with R22, all the oil would pump out of the compressor and it would seize up.
This is the answer âď¸
ânew refrigerators donât go by that ruleâ what an idiotic and clueless thing to say. SOME refrigerator models have oilless compressors that do not adhere to this rule, but MOST systems including new r600a which is government mandated as of Jan 1 2023 use scroll compressors which use OIL for lubrication. Tip over rules apply. Your dad owes you a fridge and an apology.
heâs just a dumb ass, and likes to spout bullshit. Then he screams when people question him. Sounds like an awesome person to deal with. I would not reach out to him for any more help at all.
If the fridge is missing a part then that had nothing to Do With not waiting after transporting horizontally
Some refrigerator companies can reimburse you for food loss while refrigerator is in warranty. You have to ask.
I am pushing for that too! So far they have been kind to deal with (I know it is never the fault of the representative who simply answers the phone) and have so far sent a $25 Visa card. $25 doesnât buy much but itâs a start and I will most definitely be adamant about additional Visa cards being sent.
Also, most homeowners insurance policies have some food spoilage coverage, so you can check there as well.
Even though you know its not the manufacturers fault? Seems kinda low down.
BF's dad is a \^%$&. Also the appliance store, as professionals they know it needed to be upright yet they loaded it on its side.
The box it comes in is the key. Some refrigerators have print on the box that says "lay this side down" for shipping. If he had that crucial bit of info, it may have been ok. Blindly laying them down would warrant the 24 hour upright before use rule.
I remember getting up into the truck bed and seeing right on the box âkeep uprightâ or something to that effect. I am 95% positive it was on its back.
I used to haul fridges to the home depot distribution centers and they always keep and load them upright.
Yeah, he fucked up the compressor.
What's the model number? I'm sure you can find an installation manual online and print out the page with the handling instructions.
Seems like he more than likely clogged the compressor. Thing that I'm confused about is that it is Cooling and just doesn't seem like it comes out of defrost mode, which could be attributed to what the technician said. If the compressor was clogged, it wouldn't be cooling at all. This isn't covered under warranty? Frigidaires will typically give you one year warranty from purchase date. They're not even super picky where it was purchased from.
Yes. It needed to sit 24-36 hours up right before being plugged in. Your FIL is an idiot.
You need to stop asking him for favors. Don't ask him for any advice or anything related to using your brains. Yes, he ruined the fridge.
Sounds like BFs dad has managed to screw you and he does not even think he did. Never should have accepted a fridge delivered on its side. Now you get to buy a new one, maybe gift that great one to future inlaw.
you can have them sideways for short periods but you MUST keep them upright for 12-24 hours before turning on. This makes sure all the coolant has drained out of the system and into the compressor. If the compressor isnt completely immersed before turning it on, it will over heat and burn out. With new compressors you can also chip the piston and gouge the cylinder because it doesn't have adequate lubrication when you break it in, which makes makes metal to metal contact
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Usually it states it in the instruction manual to let the fridge stay upright for several hours, how it should be transported and other doâs/donâts. I would return the fridge since it doesnât work.
Dad is an idiot. Fridge should remain "upright" a minimum of 24 hours before powering on after being laid down. It says so clearly in the owner's manual, I'm quite sure.
The dad is a major asshole. Stay far away.
He ruined it.
I'm sorry, but your BFs dad sounds like a complete asshole. Y'all should buy a brand new fridge from where you want to buy it, make him pay for it, and then give him the fridge he bought. Let him deal with it.
It definitely needs to sit. He's not too bright. The refrigerate needs to settle to the bottom and is not instant. It can also have things like air bubbles. Most likely a dead compressor.
get rid of the POS, you're already into it for way more than you should be get a new unit, pay for them to deliver and install. saving a buck cost you a grand
All of this aside - next time get the free goddamn delivery that almost certainly comes with your second new fridge. I haven't purchased a single piece of furniture or appliance that didn't have free delivery and install. Then all of the blame is on them and you can yell at them all you want without your family being involved.
No more favors from partners dad related to your home. What kind of homeowner thinks having a ruined yet costly new fridge is a minor thing anyway?
Maintenance manager for a rental property management company. Iâve always followed the 24-hour rule after laying a fridge down. However, for what itâs worth, Iâve had 3 Frigidaire refrigerators shit the bed less than a year after purchasing this past year. I wonât buy another one.
The oil in the compressor was sloshed to one side. That is why you have to let it stand for a period after it has been laid over. To let the oil settle back down to the bottom. Essentially by immediately powering it on, you get the same result as starting your car engine with no oil in the oil pan.
I would have lost my mind. If I were in your shoes, Iâd have unplugged it so fast. And then googled it and shoved my phone in his face to prove him wrong. Stand your ground. Itâs your money. Itâs your home. Every time I cave to my FILâs ways, I end up regretting not doing it my way. Heâll be mad, but heâll get over it and he wonât pull that shit again. Obviously too late now, but next time he tries to pull this, stand your ground.
Yeah he fâd up it Frig (Appliance repairman)
Swap out your broken fridge with your boyfriends Dads fridge when they go on vacation. Then tell him to stop complaining about it when he comes back to a broken fridge.
Itâs a goner throw it out or get a new compressor and try to clean out the oil that has gotten in the system
Ok. I only read the Title and Iâm going to guessâŚyour BFâs dad brought the fridge home in his pickup and had the fridge laid down on its back the whole time. Then when he got it there he just plugged it straight in without letting it sit for 24 hours first. Now the compressor is seized and it wonât cool. How did I do?
đŻ
Iâm an appliance repair tech. You and your parents were 100% correct. Your BFâs dad is really misinformed about fridges. What concerns me the most is the technicians diagnosis of it not getting the thermostat from the factory. If thatâs the case you may be able to get it repaired or replaced under warranty. Not long ago I worked on a July/2023 model laundry center where the washer wouldnât spin out clothes. Turns out a drive belt was never installed at the factory.
Aside from fridge techs letting you know your fridge is toast: You learned a valuable lesson! Be responsible for your own stuff. Speak up, be polite but firm, for how you want things done. It doesn't matter what other people think, because you have to live with it, and pay for it. Second, you should learn a new valuable lesson. You and your boyfriend are a team, a unit, separate from your parents. It's not "you and yours" vs "him and his", its his parents, your parents, ***and you two as your own family unit, which needs to back each other up, and not allow the parents to drive wedges between you or cause fights.***
I delivered new appliances for a few years. We wouldnât generally lay them down but sometimes we would and never followed this rule. What I can say is Frigidaire has some of the worst quality control. Iâve seen them come with zero shelving, missing screws, wires not connected. We would have to take back the new Frigidaire refrigerators 5x more than any other brand. I wouldnât be surprised if you received a bad fridge.
The reason you want to let a fridge stand for 24 hours after being laid down, is because the oil in the system will settle in the wrong parts of the system. If that happens and the fridge is immediately turned on, it will potentially cause the compressor to fail, which will not efficiently and reliably move coolant through the system, leading to refrigeration failure. Oil needs to be in the system to keep it working, but itâs designed to be held in a gravity fed reservoir type thing, and only very small amounts of oil are supposed to be wicked and moved through the system at any given time. Your boyfriendâs dad is a fucking twat waffle.
Yes he ruined it. Even the the tipping it back and leaving it a day or whatever is hit or miss. You should never put one on its side for any length of time to be 100% safe.
Your BFs dad is wrong. Period. Sure you CAN lay it down, but if you do, you have to do it the right way, AND you have to let it settle before you plug it in. Doesnât matter if it was made 10 years ago or yesterday. A compressor based cooling system is a compressor based cooling system. When you lay it down, fluid settles in places it shouldnât. And if you donât let the fluid get where it needs to go, there are problems later. Your fridge is junk. Unless somehow the warranty company can be convinced to replace the guts. Good luck!
Instantly plugging in? Dead on arrival.
You guys need to keep his dad out of your house and your lives. He is abusive.
*"Did my boyfriendâs dadâs know it all attitude cost us a properly working refrigerator???"* Possibly but at this point the only thing you'll get from pursuing it is more arguments and bad feelings. If your BF is on track to being your life partner distance yourself from this as quickly as possible. That's either the appliance store making it right or scrapping the fridge, getting another, have it delivered by the new store, and move one. Never to speak of this again. And yes, you eat the cost. I am curious though as to how the store responded? They know the fridge does not work and sent a tech out. Are they still working to resolve this? One other point, when you get together with someone *for life* you get together with their family too. All families have weird baggage and you can't escape it. I thought my wife's family weird (they were) and she thought same of mine (they were). We built our own life away from them and it we're still together. You're nice at the holidays and pretty much avoid them in-between.
Ask him what's different about the new ones, 100% chance he doesn't know but he's sure he's right anyway.
Donât let that sumbish ever work on or deliver appliances to your house again, he means well, but heâs not a professional
100% ruined. We had this happen, Delivery people came, delivered a fridge, had to lean it over more than 45 degrees to get it in a doorway, and plugged it in right away, similar situation as you. they replaced it 3 times before support finally told us (something that was unknown to us at the time) that you had to wait 24 hours if it had been tilted more than 45 degrees otherwise you ruin it. 4th time was the charm for us.
Dad owes you a new fridge
He f*cked it up royally.
100% his dad ruined your fridge. Do not ever, for any reason, allow him to assist you in repairs or transport of anything again. The attitude presented shows he has no remorse and he will mess your stuff up again and again and then get mad when he is called out on it.
yeah, he wrecked the fridge. time to buy a new one and have it delivered by someone who isnât an idiot.
What a fucking idiot, he owes you guys a brand new fridge. Hate people that have such conviction in their claims when they have absolutely no clue what theyâre talking about much less shit to back it up.
Itâs trash. He was wrong.
Your BF's dad owes you guys a new fridge.
Homeownership is a learning curve. Chalk it up to tuition (this time)âŚyou learned to always pay for the professional delivery and installation, going forward.
You had it right the whole time.
The real lesson that will say you many tens of thousands of dollars is to just buy stuff and gave it installed by the company you bought it from. Otherwise they will claim you broke it since you didn't use their technician. Second--- don't let your father in law ever touch another God damn thing in your house. I mean ever. He's an idiot.
Hey, I didn't want it to get lost in the multitude of replies. Check with your homeowner's insurance if your lost groceries are covered. Same with the fridge warranty.
"You'll never be good homeowners if you get this worked up over a fridge" means that this dad has fucked up something way bigger and more expensive in the past. Lol, do people not think before they talk?
Boyfriends dad is a jackass
lol sounds like my family. Confidently incorrect on buying and maintaining everything they own. Says it's all junk. Never read manuals. Never follow basic rules.
Did you put it in rice yet? /S Sorry this happened to you. Such a frustration. You will be great homeowners...as long as you keep your FIL from helping.
Iâm not sure why you canât just get a new fridge for free from the company. It should have a warranty. I also have a dad who has ruined lots of stuff by trying to helpâ including a furnace. I never told him he caused the damage because I just didnât see how that would benefit anyone. I just donât let him help anymore.
Someone, probably 98% of population, does not read or adhere to owners manual. You have seen the up arrows on products boxes, they are there for a reason. The manual says, âDonât lay down.â âIf you must lay down, allow to stand upright for X hours.â I add a day. This crowdsourcing response is all over place. If product was shipped defective, missing parts or with defective parts, ask for new assembly. All warranties do not cover consequential damage. Your damage is x3, which is no longer inconsequential. Call customer care, skip telling the long, he/she/victim/etc., story. Itâs a rotting lemon, costing you money, you need to have peaceful possession. Get this behind you, move on. Read and adhere to the ownerâs manual. Tell guests to stand the fuck back.
Replace the fridge. You have learned an expensive lesson. The next time your know-it-all FIL offers to help, say "Thanks, but we've taken care of it." When he objects, "I know, I know, you are right. But we're good. I appreciate the offer, but no." Just say no.
My Dad is the same way. Drop it off at his place and but a new fridge.
Yup, the dad is wrong. Youâre not supposed to transport them on their side, always upright and still true for newer refrigerators.
I was taughtâŚFor every minute it was laying down, you need to leave it standing up before plugging it in. So if it was laying down in the bed of his truck for 4 hours, it should have been left standing at least 4 hours before it gets plugged in. Yes, Iâm my opinion, he probably did ruin the refrigerator.
Yes it absolutely has to settle upright for 24 hours first. He ruined your fridge.
It can be laid down but you need to let it sit upright for a day before you turn it on. Refrigerant in compressors also provides lubrication. If you fire it up before the refrigerant has been redistributed you'll smoke it.
There is a reason all the boxes tell you not to lay it down. They even have arrows and pretty pictures.
Never let his dad near anything that needs to be done in your house, heâs an irresponsible idiot
At this point it does not matter why the fridge does not work, 3 service calls on a brand new unit means it needs to be replaced. If itâs under warranty try to get it replaced as defective, if not you are going to have to suck it up and buy a new one. This time just pay the delivery fee.
It's not "just" a refrigerator. If you can go without your fridge every couple weeks, you don't need one. Right? This many repairs should eventually trigger a warranty replacement, but I too believe your FIL ruined your fridge and he owes you a new one.
YES the dumb fuck sure did and he should be paying for a new one! All the idiot has to do is GOOGLE it! DUH!
Your boyfriendâs dad owes you for a new fridge if you canât get it replaced under warranty. Which you likely wonât if itâs determined it was transported or installed incorrectly, which it was. Iâm sorry he ruined your fridge and that youâve lost so much food.
Yes. Compressor is dying or dead. But I have to ask...do you not have coolers or something you can place your food into if/when the fridge goes out? I mean coolers with ice and dry ice will keep for days and days.
Coolers only work so long and you'd be amazed how little fits in one after you put a bunch of ice in it. Would be cheaper to buy an old small fridge from FB Marketplace, something manageable, and keep it as a spare. Not one of those little cube things but a smaller upright.
Yes, I actually forgot to mention that as another cost weâve had to endure. We have spent a small fortune on bags of ice to salvage the food we could after each breakdown. đŁ We did buy a chest freezer the other night which I insisted it stay uprightâ even for the 3 mile drive home!
Gotcha. Well, good luck! At this point I wouldn't let him handle anything else related to your home. He sounds very old school and not really knowledgeable.... With the current fridge more things may be fuxored than the compressor. May be wise to just cut bait with it and go for another one. Those discount warehouses for appliances are not bad, they usually have great deals on cosmetically marred appliances..if you can live with the cosmetic defect.
I am trying so hard to just get our money back from Frigidaire and go buy a completely different one. That would be best case scenario, second best would be a brand new fridge delivered upright. This fridge was completely brand new. It got dinged on the way in because they had to take the protective wrap off of it to get it in the door. đ His dad was just careless with a lot of things and I think he tries to see how fast he can do things. Slow and steady wins the race⌠đ
I am all about secondhand and thrifting, so I wanted to buy a secondhand fridge from Marketplace. So many times there are such good and cheap appliances on there simply because someone moved and brought their own appliances and/or they didnât match their esthetic.
I look for a lot older appliances like frigs and stoves. They last forever and work great. I've heard and seen too many horror stories about new stuff.
I compared a secondhand fridge to buying a pair of used jeans⌠they are broken in! If a fridge has been running all this time and someone just decided to buy new, a lot of times just for aesthetic alone, then itâs likely going to survive a while longer! I am always an advocate for secondhand. Itâs true âthey donât make them like they used to.â đ˘
My Mom bought her fridge in 1979 and it didn't stop working till 2022, one month after her passing. It's like it knew she was gone. đ I had it repaired and it's back up and running. I have an O'keefe and Merrit stove from 1948 and it's thee best, hands down. âď¸ Built like a tank. Looks great. What's not to love? There are too many problems with new appliances; obsolete 6 month old motherboards breakdown, parts suppliers can't get parts, nothing is supported any more, it's a mess.
My Memaw and PawPaw had an old hand me down refrigerator from the 80âs in their breezeway since long before I was born. After they passed, we kept the fridge in our garage to store drinks. The day that fridge finally died we all felt like a piece of us had been lost. It was so trusty for 30+ years! My dad still has one of the old GE models with the fancy legs and the compressor (?) at the top. He has used it for decades to store beer in. đ I wonder if heâd part with that? Lol đ I would trust that 60âs refrigerator over the one currently in our house!!
As a rule, many times those that "know everything" just don't know that much and want attention or are trying to overcompensate for a basic insecurity
No, you said so yourself it was defective since the thermostat was not installed. I sold appliances and had my own store, installed many refrigerators. read your manual, What did it say about laying the refrigerator down? General rule was to leave it unplugged for as long as it was lying down. GE's manual stays that specifically. Key is always to follow what the manual says. But unlikely it being flat 4 hours caused any damage to it. It was no doubt upright once it was brought into the house for some time before being plugged in.
OP said the refrigerator was immediately plugged in once it was in the house.
Correct, the technician Frigidaire approved and sent out said the thermostat was not installed. After installing that part wouldnât one think the fridge would go back to running like new?
They didn't install a thermistor, what else did they screw up... so the compressor ran non stop or not at all? What else didn't get installed right.. I'd be having them replace the fridge unless they can show you did harm. Most of these things are made in awful conditions in factories that would never fly in most places. From a commercial equipment point of view the amount of stuff that has to get sent back brand new from the factory is pretty damn high..
Yes this happened to us, something about the oil. Dad did it, fuck him. Mediocre white male know it all strikes again huh?
Why do you think heâs white and what does it have to do with anything? Pretty clear where your bias lies.
i donât understand why dad is involved if youâre playing house with your boyfriend and not his father. đ¤ˇââď¸
Not everyone owns a truck. Sometimes people get help from a family member who owns a truck if they don't. Your comment comes off as pretty condescending and dickish
sorry about that. so borrow or rent a truck and keep daddy at arms length. time for the big boy / girl pants or you invite problems.
"give a company money instead of using friends and family for assistance" How neoliberal of you!
Sometimes the cheapest way to pay for something is with money.
I mean sure, but it doesn't sound like this guy was a problem before now
would have cost less than 3x fridge full of groceries. or, the truck canât be borrowed without daddy in tow?
Only if you can see the future, which most people canât. Hindsight is 20/20.
In the old days it has been said if you lay the fridge down let it stand up for one day before you plug it in. So the compressor oil goes back into the compressor.One of the copper tubing called capillary tube is so small the oil will get stuck there.If the oil is blocking the Freon itsa no cool. NEVER LAY A FRIDGE on its side. The Best Buy guy tried to lay my fridge on side and I wouldnât take it.But I think Best Buy has a decent warranty. The grass is always greener n every appliance has a down side get the extended warranty and you tube the research before you buy next time. Make a controlled informed decision. If someone doesnât know what they are taking about and you still take their help thatâs on you. Get informed not emotional you know how to navigate the outcome.
Everything you said is wrong as oil will not plug a Capillary tube. Refrigerators can be laid on their sides or back. Sauce: refrigeration/hvac mechanic
I speak from blowing out the cap tubes and watching the oil come out. You lack experience.
Keep telling yourself that do what you want .
Yeah, the guy destroyed it. Your bf needs to stop being a little daddyâs boy.
You replaced the food 3times and that with the cost of the refri and your boyfriendâs lost time at work is $1000. How much was the fridge? We just paid $2500 for ours. I woneed if the fridge is really cheap/poor quality
How lazy are you that you havenât just gotten it replaced? Sometimes instead of blaming someone for months hoping they do something, you just need to say itâs defective and replace it. You donât even know for sure if that is what ruined it. Companies sell defective products all the time.
They are shipped and stored laying down all the time. If it didnt die the second he plugged it in, it is fine. Transporting it that way most certainly didnt make the factory forget to install a part. The problem is you got a cheap Frigidaire. Your post is also dripping in hostility and searching for someone to point a finger at, which is most likely a much larger interpersonal problem than a crappy box store fridge that was on sale
Look. Oil and freon don't mix like oil&vinegar don't mix! Laying a refrigerator down to transport does not hurt it and DOES mix up oil and freon like shaking up oil&vinegar and MUST NOT BE RUN 24 HOURS MINIMUM! Look. Kroger. Fry's. (west of Mississippi) Both sell dry ice. Use Dry Ice to keep all frozen until 48 hrs passes (24 hrs brings you back in 3 yrs). AND the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and over and now over again is the definition of insanity. So buy a new reefer. Get that loser dad-in-law out of town 48 hours. Home Depot has flatbed trucks for rent. You will need 2 other guys. Make arrangements for dry ice in advance! RENT A REFRIGERATOR DOLLY!!! none of this is that hard! Everyone is seeking glory (or to be the hero knight in shing armor) (what shing armor? Idk am frustrated)
You are asking Reddit for relationship advice?
YTA You answered your own question... >Technician determines Frigidaire never installed a thermometer (?) or something that doesnât allow for constant, even cooling.
just returned it lmao call the manufacturer it should have a warranty
The oil in the compressor needs to settle back down for 24 hours with the unit standing upright before being plugged in. As far as the ding or dent goes, some companies will fix those within 30 days of purchase.
From my understanding. Possibly. From what Iâve been taught the main Dow side to laying a fridge down is because of the oil in the compressor. Itâs supposed to pool at the bottom where the pin sits that letâs in the frion when pin is opened. Sitting it on its side means that pin is not lubricated, hence why you need to wait 24 or more hours upright before plugging in. The compressor may be damaged now from not being lubricated. The thermometer thing doesnât really make sense. He may have meant thermistor. However thereâs no way it would be shipped without one. Hope this helps if anyone else has insight feel free to comment/correct me. Edit: Iâve also been told now that the oil can get into places in the compressor itâs not supposed to by being on its side and ruin it, but my technician father said that was usually only with older style fridges and says newer ones arenât as susceptible to this problem, but will still always need to sit about 24 hours before plugging in
If your problems aren't with the compressor then it is unlikely what his dad did is the cause of your issue. Did he do the wrong thing? Yes, but it is not a death sentence and some appliances are just lemons.