What causes a fridge to go on fire and would a PAT test of prevented it.

[kilkenny]

My friends fridge, about ten years old went on fire in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. It was not the cable, the fire appeared to be internal.

First thing people said was "was it PAT tested". Not sure what this is but is it relevant. More to the point how would a fridge go on fire?

[Mortartube]

The fridge could have caught fire by friction. There is a little mechanical pump driven by the motor, this pumps the refigerant around the pipes at the back of the fridge to cool it. Mechanical wear could be the cause and it may not be electrical at all.

PAT testing, stands for Portable Appliance Testing.

Basically a little machine is hooked up to your appliance and it tests the effectivity of the electrical insulation and how efficient the earthing is. If figures fall within a certain range, it passes if they fall outside of that range and it fails and is considered unsafe to use. PAT testing also includes a visual inspection of the condition of wiring for example. This os a fairly simplified view of a PAT test. If things pass, a certificate is issued often listing the serial No: of the tested equipment

[redcrx]

believe it or not the fire service get a lot of house fire calls that are caused by fridges, washing machines, tumble dryers etc.

I dont know anyone who has their home appliances PAT tested, landlords renting furnished properties may have to but not private homes.

[kilkenny]

Thank you for the answers. Enlightening to say the least.

[bednobs]

plus, i would hardly call a fridge portable

[Mortartube]

bednobs, you're just not trying hard enough, Strap it to your back and walk the streets with pride.

[Whickerman]

Actually, fridges are very portable, as Tony Hawks can attest.
http://www.tony-hawks.com/riwaf.php

(Also, if you really need a good belly laugh, that book is a great read)

[heathfield]

'Frost-free' fridges often incorporate an electric heater element next to the cooling element .The heater switches on for a short while every 24 hours to melt any ice that has built up on the cooling element.

I once had the heater timer switch fail, so the heater was stuck in the 'on' position.

(Fortunately, the smell of cooking prawns from the freezer section gave the game away!)

But if I hadn't been at home, it's possible that this could have caused a fire, if the heater had remained on for long enough.

[steandtracey]

any type of fridge gets hot at the back where the heat is displaced as most people dont clean behind their fridge very often dust and fluff can build up which can then be ignited by the heat

[EngTeach]

After having a near dryer fire, this is freaking me out. Can One PAT in the US?

I am terrified of electrical fires. I always "smell" things burning. It's a little out of hand.

[Disco Fever]

Fires can also occur in fridges if the fluff and dust isn't cleaned out regulaly and especially in tumble driers or the ducting that goes with it...