Effect Of Low Voltage On A Fridge.

[Coppit]

My fridge was replaced because the back panel was icing up and some contents were badly affected - eg olives in oil congealed, milk very cold etc. Unfortunately, its replacement is the same. It has been suggested that low voltage from the mains could be responsible for the freezing. Is there any merit at all in that view?

[The Builder]

Yes, it can affect fridges, and most appliances.
Low voltage results in higher current draw (more Amps being used.)
Mostly affects motors which can overheat.

BUT............ it would have to be seriously low. Probably under 200volts.
Power Companies are obliged under law to provide 230volts (to harmonise with Europe which can be down to 220 in places.)

The "nominal" voltage in this country is 240 plus a bit/minus a bit.
If you ever measure your mains, it usually comes out at around 238.
Tell your power company of your concerns. (NOT the ones you pay the bill to.)
They'll come and measure it for you, but as I said: it would have to be very low to become a problem.

[Buenchico]

>>> The "nominal" voltage in this country is 240 plus a bit/minus a bit

Strictly speaking, the nominal voltage across the EU (still including the UK in this context) is now 230V but the 'plus-or-minus factor' is different in the UK from mainland Europe. Overseas the nominal 230V supply is allowed to actually be up to 10% lower or 6% higher. In the UK it's the other way around, with the actual supply voltage allowed to be up to 10% higher or 6% lower than 230V.

So the voltage supplied to your home should be between 216.2V and 253.0V. If it turns out to be right at the bottom of that range, the electricity supply company has every right to respond to your problem with "Tough luck, pal. It's not our fault. Find a better make of fridge".

I'd be very surprised if the problem was actually associated with low voltage anyway though. In my opinion, it's more likely to be due to either the ambient temperature in the room where the fridge is located or, possibly more likely, insufficient air flow around the fridge.

[Peter Pedant]

// Power Companies are obliged under law to provide 230volts (to harmonise with Europe which can be down to 220 in places.)...//

it cant be harmony - they are different numbers !

but it is true that the companies cannot supply electric at too low a voltage ( they have to cut completely)

[Barsel]

I've had this same problem for over a month now with my Hotpoint fridge.

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Home-and-Garden/Question1775354.html

I emptied it and defrosted it, but the frost has come back, just on the back panel at the top mostly on the right hand side.
I've kept it on the warmest setting No1 but it still freezes up.

[gingejbee]

Sorry if this sounds a bit daft....but larder fridges (ie ones without an ice box at the top) are supposed to have the back panel ice-up...that's how it keeps the fridge cool. Then, after a while, it defrosts itself and the water runs down into a channel at the bottom and out via a tube, to evaporate in a container situated over the compressor. Then, it ices up again - in a never-ending cycle.
Unfortunately, anything placed too close to the back panel can get too cold.
We have two larder fridges (different makes) and they both do this.

[barry1010]

My larder fridge only ices up if the vents at the back get clogged (usually a stray lettuce leaf). I keep my fridge on its coldest setting.

[Coppit]

Thanks for all responses.

[Barsel]

Sorry for butting in Coppit but I'm still hoping someone can tell me why my fridge freezes up.
It isn't just a thin layer, it's a big chunk of ice that just sits on the back panel at the top.
I may have to phone Hotpoint to see if they can tell me.

[barry1010]

Barsel, are the vents and drainage holes clean and not blocked? I use a cable tie to poke the holes every two or three months.
Does the door shut tightly? Check the door seals are clean.
Is your fridge level?

[Barsel]

Yes, I've checked all that Barry. It seems strange it's just in one specific area and nowhere else.
I know I will have to phone up about it as I don't know if it can be dangerous.

[TheChair]

"olives in oil congealed" I'm not surprised. The ideal temperature for storing olive oils is between 14 and 18 degrees. It will always solidify if kept in the fridge.

[gingejbee]

The proper way to tell if a fridge is doing it's job properly is to use a fridge thermometer (unless the fridge has one built-in). If you use one, you can set the thermostat to give you the recommended 3 or 4 C...and you will also discover than the temperature varies depending on where the thermometer is placed, how full the fridge is, how stuff is placed (no cramming stuff together which hampers the distribution of cold air) and whether new stuff has recently been added.

[The Builder]

Bueno is quite right. UK Nominal voltage used to be 240. It's now 230.
My mistake. My answer still applies though.

Our colleague Peter Pedant is living up to his name ;o)))
You are forgetting, Peter, that this is Europe we're dealing with here.
Science and logic go out of the window.
This from a relevant website.................

"The EU decided, in its wisdom, to harmonise the UK standard mains voltage of 240v AC and the European standard of 220v AC, at 230v AC. Fine in theory but the costs of replacing all the supply equipment to deliver 230v was uneconomic (there being no advantage whatever in changing, other than ‘harmonisation’). So to avoid accusations of failure to harmonise, they simply fiddled with the legal voltage limits, nothing actually changed!."