Freezer help

[Spinney]

Fridge freezer, with fridge on top of freezer.
Fridge working fine.
Opened freezer door to find thick layer of ice on cooling pipes, and all the food looked as if it has been snowed on. Am now defrosting it with food in coolbags.

But any ideas why it should suddenly do this? Could it be due to the door being left open or something? (I don't remember leaving the door open, but it is possible). Everything in there is in sealed containers or plastic bags. I did freeze some strawberries uncovered on a baking tray, but that was last week and they are now in a bag too.

Help!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Sounds like the door may have been slightly ajar, hence the snow effect. It happens occasionally.
A defrost is a good thing anyhow! Don't panic yet.

 

[swee'pea99]

Wot 'e said. That's what happens when you leave the door slightly open - and it happens surprisingly quickly. Don't worry about it, just defrost, wipe it over & fire it up again and away you go.

 

[Spinney]

Thanks both.
Now working to the sound of falling lumps of ice...

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

Is it a frost free freezer? Although it maybe does not sound it if it has an exposed cooling pipes. A frost free fridge freezer will usually have the evaporator located behind a removable plastic panel at the back of the freezer. They are great when they are working properly but a pain in the arse if they mess up as they are more complex. Frost free fridges freezer work off a defrost timer that the majority of time it is sending a run signal to the compressor, but then it will start a defrost cycle which sends a signal to the defrost heater to start for 20 minutes or something and usually a drain heater too. The defrost heater is wrapped around the evaporator in the freezer and it removes any ice build up on the evaporator tubes/fins. The defrosted water goes down a drain hole and is collected on a plastic plate on top of the compressor, the heat from the compressor causes the water to evaporate into the room. If the defrost cycle is not working frost will build up on the evaporator and cause a reduction in airflow in the freezer (usually a circulating fan is in the freezer) and the freezer gets warm. I had this issue with a Beko and it was a pain in the neck. Could be the defrost timer, freezer heater thermostat or bi-metal fuse or the heater itself. Sometimes the drain gets blocked with shoot too. Theres loads of good info on the net if you can figure it out, UKwhitgoods forum is good for advice as is an American forum called refrigeration engineer. If it is not frost free maybe it is just a thermostat or as said hopefully the door has been left open to let air in.

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/...ault-finding-on-frost-free-refrigeration.html

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/...ing-fridges-freezers-and-fridge-freezers.html

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/...elf-help/2787-iced-up-fridges-a-freezers.html

 

[Spinney]

It is quite an old thing, and the cooling pipes are at the top of the freezer compartment, so I don't think it is a frost free freezer. I'll finish defrosting, load it all up again and make sure the door gets shut properly in future. If it does it again I will need to investigate further - so thanks for the hints!