Why is my refrigerator hot to the touch?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Why is my refrigerator hot to the touch?

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:07:42 PM EDT

So our 10 year old whirlpool 'fridge has been rather warm lately. Tonight, instead of warm, it's friggin hot! Especially at the top, right at the seam between the freezer door and the top. So hot that I can't hold my hand against it for 5 seconds.

So appliance guys, what's the prognosis? Dying, right? Time to replace? Figure I'll have to empty the contents into the garage for the night and unplug it, and go shopping for a new one tomorrow. Joy.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:12:12 PM EDT

[#1]

Its the coldsuckers. Refrigerators don't actually cool air. They just suck all the hot out of it.

eta: Kinda like lightbulbs or "darksuckers" as I like to call them.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:13:20 PM EDT

[#2]

Paging DrFridge. . .

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:17:09 PM EDT

[#3]

Yeah i think its broken

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:20:25 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Its the coldsuckers. Refrigerators don't actually cool air. They just suck all the hot out of it.

eta: Kinda like lightbulbs or "darksuckers" as I like to call them.

So is replacing a coldsucker expensive? Think I'll call the appliance shop and ask.

Wonder what they'll say.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:22:35 PM EDT

[#5]

tommytrauma: 'Fridges are pretty reliable, I bet you just need to just replace a part.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:22:36 PM EDT

[#6]

[In before the spider pics.]

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:23:50 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Its the coldsuckers. Refrigerators don't actually cool air. They just suck all the hot out of it.

eta: Kinda like lightbulbs or "darksuckers" as I like to call them.

The Dark Sucker Theory (courtesy of rec.humor.d)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For years, it has been believed that electric bulbs emit light,
but recent information has proved otherwise. Electric bulbs don't
emit light; they suck dark. Thus, we call these bulbs Dark Suckers.

The Dark Sucker Theory and the existence of dark suckers prove
that dark has mass and is heavier than light.

First, the basis of the Dark Sucker Theory is that electric bulbs
suck dark. For example, take the Dark Sucker in the room you are in.
There is much less dark right next to it than there is elsewhere. The
larger the Dark Sucker, the greater its capacity to suck dark.
Dark Suckers in the parking lot have a much greater capacity to suck
dark than the ones in this room.

So with all things, Dark Suckers don't last forever. Once they are
full of dark, they can no longer suck. This is proven by the dark spot
on a full Dark Sucker. The dark which has been absorbed is then
transmitted by pylons along to power plants where the machinery uses
fossil fuel to destroy it.

A candle is a primitive Dark Sucker. A new candle has a white wick.
You can see that after the first use, the wick turns black, representing
all the dark that has been sucked into it. If you put a pencil next to
the wick of an operating candle, it will turn black. This is because
it got in the way of the dark flowing into the candle. One of the
disadvantages of these primitive Dark Suckers is their limited range.

There are also portable Dark Suckers. In these, the bulbs can't
handle all the dark by themselves and must be aided by a Dark Storage
Unit. When the Dark Storage Unit is full, it must be either emptied
or replaced before the portable Dark Sucker can operate again.

Dark has mass. When dark goes into a Dark Sucker, friction from
the mass generates heat. Thus, it is not wise to touch an operating
Dark Sucker. Candles present a special problem as the mass must travel
into a solid wick instead of through clear glass. This generates a
great amount of heat and therefore it's not wise to touch an operating
candle. This is easily proven for lightbulbs too. When you compress a
gas, it gets hot, right? So the light bulb gets hot because of all the
dark being squished into the wires.

Also, dark is heavier than light. If you were to swim just below
the surface of the lake, you would see a lot of light. If you were to
slowly swim deeper and deeper, you would notice it getting darker and
darker. When you get really deep, you would be in total darkness. This
is because the heavier dark sinks to the bottom of the lake and the
lighter light floats at the top. The is why it is called light.

Dark Suckers are only able to suck dark in a straight line. Dark, because
of its mass, will not penetrate solid, opaque objects as it is being sucked by
a Dark Sucker. When a Dark Sucker is operating, you will notice that dark that
is behind a solid, opaque object does not flow through the object or around it
to the Dark Sucker. Some of the dark will accumulate on the side of the object
away from the Dark Sucker as the Dark Sucker attempts to pull it through the
object. These residual patches of dark are often referred to as `shadows.' Some
surfaces are able to function as secondary Dark Suckers by sucking the dark
from behind solid objects at an angle and then rerouting it to the primary Dark
Sucker. These surfaces have a property we refer to as `reflective.'

Finally, we must prove that dark is faster than light. If you were
to stand in a lit room in front of a closed, dark closet, and slowly
opened the closet door, you would see the light slowly enter the closet.
But since dark is so fast, you would not be able to see the dark leave
the closet. So next time you see an electric bulb, remember that it is
not a light emitter but a Dark Sucker.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:26:56 PM EDT

[#8]

Is it still cold inside the fridge? The coil on the backside of the fridge is the condenser coil, and is supposed to be warm to the touch, so that the gaseous refrigerant inside the pipe will transfer it's heat to the surrounding, cooler, ambient air, allowing the refrigerant to condense back into a liquid state. I'm not too sure about burn-your-hands-hot, but warm it is supposed to be.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:27:28 PM EDT

[#9]

You're drunk again and actually putting your hand on the stove.

Wrong appliance rummy, look for another beer in the "tall" one.

GM

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:28:51 PM EDT

[#10]

Is there a switch inside labeled "power saving control"? This controls the heaters that prevent condensation forming when it is hot and humid in the house. Shut the heaters off if they're on. I'm assuming the freezer/frige is still frozen/cold.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:29:27 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Is it still cold inside the fridge? The coil on the backside of the fridge is the condenser coil, and is supposed to be warm to the touch, so that the gaseous refrigerant inside the pipe will transfer it's heat to the surrounding, cooler, ambient air, allowing the refrigerant to condense back into a liquid state. I'm not too sure about burn-your-hands-hot, but warm it is supposed to be.

Yeah, still cooling well. It's not the condenser coil that's hot, but on the sides and top, right around the seal for the doors. At the very top, it's seriously hot.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:29:30 PM EDT

[#12]

your fridge is too close to the wall. Get some air around the condensors.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:29:43 PM EDT

[#13]

Aliens. Or, Gozer the Gozarian.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:32:52 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Is there a switch inside labeled "power saving control"? This controls the heaters that prevent condensation forming when it is hot and humid in the house. Shut the heaters off if they're on. I'm assuming the freezer/frige is still frozen/cold.

Is "Exterior moisture control" the same thing? It'd make sense with it being around the door edges. Was on, just turned it off. It'd be too cool if that was all it was.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:33:37 PM EDT

[#15]

Condensation heater relay stuck on would be my first guess. Probably worth the cost of repairs oif this is the problem. Follow rkbar15's recomendation.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:35:20 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Is there a switch inside labeled "power saving control"? This controls the heaters that prevent condensation forming when it is hot and humid in the house. Shut the heaters off if they're on. I'm assuming the freezer/frige is still frozen/cold.

Is "Exterior moisture control" the same thing? It'd make sense with it being around the door edges. Was on, just turned it off. It'd be too cool if that was all it was.

Yes. that's the same thing.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:36:48 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Is there a switch inside labeled "power saving control"? This controls the heaters that prevent condensation forming when it is hot and humid in the house. Shut the heaters off if they're on. I'm assuming the freezer/frige is still frozen/cold.

Is "Exterior moisture control" the same thing? It'd make sense with it being around the door edges. Was on, just turned it off. It'd be too cool if that was all it was.

Yes. that's the same thing.

Cool beans. Should know in just a bit then. I'll owe you the beer of your choice if that's it.

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:43:20 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
So our 10 year old whirlpool 'frige has been rather warm lately. Tonight, instead of warm, it's friggin hot! Especially at the top, right at the seam between the freezer door and the top. So hot that I can't hold my hand against it for 5 seconds.

So appliance guys, what's the prognosis? Dying, right? Time to replace? Figure I'll have to empty the contents into the garage for the night and unplug it, and go shopping for a new one tomorrow. Joy.

Start with cleaning your condenser....find the radiator looking thing....either underneath or on the back side of the cabinet. Use your soft bristle vaccuum cleaner brush or a baby bottle brush and clean them off....

dr frige isnt home yet, I will point this out to him for further evaluation :)
but start with the condenser cleaning

Posted: 1/20/2006 4:54:21 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Or, Gozer the Gozarian.

I was four when that movie came out. And because of THAT scene, I REFUSED to go anywhere near the fridge for about a month.

Posted: 1/20/2006 5:02:50 PM EDT

[#20]

Well, I owe rkbar the beer of his choice. Problem resolved when the exterior moisture control was turned off. Will clean the condenser anyway, just 'cause.

Thank you all. I love the hive mind.

Posted: 1/20/2006 6:16:39 PM EDT

[#21]

I am the keymaster...

Posted: 1/20/2006 8:44:22 PM EDT

[#22]

You either have a bad condenser fan motor or a dead mouse wedged in it. I see it all the time, fan goes out and panel that seperates fridge from freezer gets to hot to touch. the fan is under neath and to the rear of fridge behind cardboard cover. the fan should run anytime the comp runs.

Posted: 1/21/2006 9:02:06 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
You either have a bad condenser fan motor or a dead mouse wedged in it. I see it all the time, fan goes out and panel that seperates fridge from freezer gets to hot to touch. the fan is under neath and to the rear of fridge behind cardboard cover. the fan should run anytime the comp runs.

Well, the problem continues, but appears episodic. It did cool down for a while last night, but heated up again.

Any problem with pulling the cardboard off to scope out the fan?

Posted: 1/21/2006 10:04:51 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Well, the problem continues, but appears episodic. It did cool down for a while last night, but heated up again.

Is it still too hot to touch it? Self-defrost friges will cycle heaters on/off at intervals to defrost the evaporator. If your temp is 40/0 F in the frige/freezer I think you're fine.

You should clean the condenser coils at least twice a year though. You should be able to hear the fans running.

You probably need Dr. Frige to answer questions about your specific model.

Posted: 1/21/2006 11:03:12 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Quoted:
You either have a bad condenser fan motor or a dead mouse wedged in it. I see it all the time, fan goes out and panel that seperates fridge from freezer gets to hot to touch. the fan is under neath and to the rear of fridge behind cardboard cover. the fan should run anytime the comp runs.

Well, the problem continues, but appears episodic. It did cool down for a while last night, but heated up again.

Any problem with pulling the cardboard off to scope out the fan?

Condenser fan motor is slow/stalled or condenser is plugged.. CLEAN IT! How are the temps holding in the freezer and refrig??

Posted: 1/21/2006 11:05:11 AM EDT

[#26]

It's been running!

Posted: 1/21/2006 2:02:56 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
You either have a bad condenser fan motor or a dead mouse wedged in it. I see it all the time, fan goes out and panel that seperates fridge from freezer gets to hot to touch. the fan is under neath and to the rear of fridge behind cardboard cover. the fan should run anytime the comp runs.

Well, the problem continues, but appears episodic. It did cool down for a while last night, but heated up again.

Any problem with pulling the cardboard off to scope out the fan?

Condenser fan motor is slow/stalled or condenser is plugged.. CLEAN IT! How are the temps holding in the freezer and refrig??

Interior temps fine. Took Joey's advice and pulled the back off to look at the condenser fan. The flooring had popped up a bit and was preventing the blades from turning. (Was also filthy. )Freed up the fan, vacuumed the crap out, seems good to go now. Hopefully.

Posted: 1/21/2006 2:11:39 PM EDT

[#28]

Remember, energy can not be destroyed or created. The heat from inside the refrigerator is pumped out, which heats up the components that do the pumping.

Cold is merely a lack of heat, not an actual thing. Just as darkness is not a thing, it is merely a lack of light. So a refrigerator could be called a heat sucker, I guess, but a bulb couldn't be realistically called a dark sucker. Perhaps it could be called a dark filler.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Why is my refrigerator hot to the touch?

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