Fridge built in 2022 with R134

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farmhard

farmhard

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Hi All,
Having problems with my fridge and the warranty provider says it has R134 in it. This was supposed to be phased out by 2020. Same individual wants to install a receiver dryer and says my refrigerant was overfilled in the factory.
For 18 months my milk has gone bad, it makes noises like pigeons or swallows and no the inside is frozen up, the dryer is frozen and it is pissing water on the floor and getting close to my hardwood.
It has been 7 weeks since we initiated warranty and I'm losing food now. They told me another 2 weeks. I am of the opinion it is undercharged, and the compressor is compromised from the liquid hitting it.
Whirlpool is sending a tech out now, I have to pay $110 for a diag. even though it is a 5 year FULL WARRANTY. I'm wondering if the R134 was possibly put in a newer compressor and caused the issues.
Any help greatly appreciated.
From my google searches this warranty company in notorious for denying claims and I'm hoping Whirlpool will step up to the plate.
 
Something is clearly wrong, thats what a warranty on a new appliance is for.

What are your consumer rights in your area regarding this, seems like getting up to speed on that will help provide a way forward.

regarding over or under filling, or type of refrigerant is a moot point at this stage, as the fridge is not working correctly.

they should fix it under the warranty given.
 
I will never buy any whirlpool products again. Bought a new washer, 3 month and it went bad, Called warranty service and they told me didn't have a service center in my area but would offer $200 dollars if I could find someone to fix it. There are 3 whirlpool service center less than 40 miles from my house. The transmission locked up in the washer and the $200 dollars wouldn't even come close to cover the cost. Lucky I had bought the Lowe's extended warrant and Lowe's came and picked up the defective washer and brought me a new GE washer.

I checked with the GE service center locate 40 miles away,"you guessed, in the same city as the whirlpool service center are in" and they said they would have no problem servicing any GE product I would buy and washers were covered for home service. Called Lowe's and told them to bring the GE washer, all at no cost to me.
 
Reading the responses above, (thank you) there are about 3 main players in the home appliance world and it seems people (other sites) are not aware Whirlpool builds Kenmore and just about everything else. Actually some Kenmore was/ is Samsung.
The fridge is in Canada and the consumer protection laws suck. The BBB sits on their hands, the warranty company won't respond and the situation is basically "sue us". The court system has made small claims near impossible to figure out the paperwork, provide service and the charges are $500+++. You basically need a paralegal to file the paperwork so the legal bill is the cost of the fridge and Canada does not really seem to like awarding damages. In this case they would pro rate the time I used the fridge and I wouldn't recover legal fees.
I have vacuum pumps, line piercing taps but do not have the nitrogen to weld this one. They also say not to use automotive R134 which I have on hand and should perhaps give it a go.
 
trains said:
Something is clearly wrong, thats what a warranty on a new appliance is for.

What are your consumer rights in your area regarding this, seems like getting up to speed on that will help provide a way forward.

regarding over or under filling, or type of refrigerant is a moot point at this stage, as the fridge is not working correctly.

they should fix it under the warranty given.
Click to expand...
I checked the compressor and it is a R134, I was waiting to hear if possibly they put the wrong refrigerant in and damaged it. The first tech out here said the drier is plugged and being a sealed system if it is plugged it has to be either metal or ice. Apparently there are no receiver dryers in Canada even though I can have a Whirlpool OEM in my hands in about 35 minutes or less. I should have used my Visa gold.
 
Whats stopping you from seeking damages + the fridge cost? The lost food, your time and the fridge replacement could easily add up into thousands of dollars. Can you take it into the us and then file for repair? Honestly I'd be very tempted to buy a half pallet of concrete to make a public monument out of it at the appropriate location with serial # removed. 134A should not be any different across the board in usage, there were huge issues not long ago with fake/manipulated/mixed 134a coming out of china. At this point if your going to repair it yourself I'd just evacuate and use c02 to purge the system before brazing then re purge with refrigerant before applying vacuum but Im willing to bet there is metal in the compressor oil and that plugged dryer. Either way i'd find a decent used fridge until you can get things sorted.
 
farmhard said:
I checked the compressor and it is a R134, I was waiting to hear if possibly they put the wrong refrigerant in and damaged it. The first tech out here said the drier is plugged and being a sealed system if it is plugged it has to be either metal or ice. Apparently there are no receiver dryers in Canada even though I can have a Whirlpool OEM in my hands in about 35 minutes or less. I should have used my Visa gold.
Click to expand...
Most newer fridges freezers seem to be going towards the hydrocarbon gasses simmilar to lpg, I use Hychill -30 on any 134a or earlier gassed system with good results.
its compatible with any of the oils used as well as using less head pressure due to its nature of a gas and gives better cooling than 134.
Over here, i am not aware of any difference between auto and domestic 134a refrigerant, nor their oils.

You will need to replace the rd, and normal braze /silver solder should suffice for that, but as mentioned, good to purge with nitrogen afterwards, or just vac it for a good period of time and hope for the best.
Now do you have a chart on the fridge that shows its charge weight, if you do, and can accurately measure the charge you add, your good to go.

if the rd is larger, then add a bit more.

Capillary tube systems are easier to charge accurately, as you can charge to give a full frost line of the evap, make sure all the defrost etc is turned off too, however with fridge/ freezers multiple evaps, its charge weight for the win.

sorry to hear of all the bs you have to contend with over there, seems your way forward is the way to go.
As others have mentioned, sounds like its not correctly charged to the right weight of refrigerant, thus the icing up of the evap inside the cabinet and the outer piping inc the rd?

My assumption and guess is that it was not correctly evac'd or charged in the factory, and your dealing with a contaminated, under charged system.

Your first fridgie was on the money and covering his bases saying it needs a new rd and correct charge.

if the compressor was tipped over and lost its correct level of oil, it would have caused failure much earlier on and the compressor would make pretty horrible little man with hammer noises inside it before it failed, sounds more like contamination and not correctly evac'd and charged to me from what you describe.

Just piercing lines with screw on fittings and topping it up is not the answer, if it was mine, I would evac unit, replace rd, purge, pull down a good vac for 12hrs and correctly recharge.

Rekon the fridgie might be the go if you trust him.
as far as the unit being made for 134a and being one of the last to do so, if they had added the newer gas, I dont think it would have damaged the unit, it seems more like just a poor manufacturing/ charging station stuff up to me.
 
I threw my Whirlpool junk away and bought a new Boesch. They sent a stupid fake so-called repairman out, and he told me it was out of level , so I was to level it myself and call back if that didn't fix the leak well it didn't help for **** I'm done with fake warranties and losers that refuse to work. Fix them your self or buy another and be done.
 
trains said:
Most newer fridges freezers seem to be going towards the hydrocarbon gasses simmilar to lpg, I use Hychill -30 on any 134a or earlier gassed system with good results.
its compatible with any of the oils used as well as using less head pressure due to its nature of a gas and gives better cooling than 134.
Over here, i am not aware of any difference between auto and domestic 134a refrigerant, nor their oils.

You will need to replace the rd, and normal braze /silver solder should suffice for that, but as mentioned, good to purge with nitrogen afterwards, or just vac it for a good period of time and hope for the best.
Now do you have a chart on the fridge that shows its charge weight, if you do, and can accurately measure the charge you add, your good to go.

if the rd is larger, then add a bit more.

Capillary tube systems are easier to charge accurately, as you can charge to give a full frost line of the evap, make sure all the defrost etc is turned off too, however with fridge/ freezers multiple evaps, its charge weight for the win.

sorry to hear of all the bs you have to contend with over there, seems your way forward is the way to go.
As others have mentioned, sounds like its not correctly charged to the right weight of refrigerant, thus the icing up of the evap inside the cabinet and the outer piping inc the rd?

My assumption and guess is that it was not correctly evac'd or charged in the factory, and your dealing with a contaminated, under charged system.

Your first fridgie was on the money and covering his bases saying it needs a new rd and correct charge.

if the compressor was tipped over and lost its correct level of oil, it would have caused failure much earlier on and the compressor would make pretty horrible little man with hammer noises inside it before it failed, sounds more like contamination and not correctly evac'd and charged to me from what you describe.

Just piercing lines with screw on fittings and topping it up is not the answer, if it was mine, I would evac unit, replace rd, purge, pull down a good vac for 12hrs and correctly recharge.

Rekon the fridgie might be the go if you trust him.
as far as the unit being made for 134a and being one of the last to do so, if they had added the newer gas, I dont think it would have damaged the unit, it seems more like just a poor manufacturing/ charging station stuff up to me.
Click to expand...
I was working out of town and home for weekends, based on the fact it made noise since we bought it I'd say it was freezing up and the compressor was damaged from getting hit with cold liquid. I was surprised the original tech didn't write it off and it seemed fishy he said it was overcharged and not undercharged which is exactly what I would say if I didn't want somebody to know their unit had a hole in it. As far as the rd being plugged I can't see it not being metal so basically they are in denial the fridge is toast.
 
cookies said:
Whats stopping you from seeking damages + the fridge cost? The lost food, your time and the fridge replacement could easily add up into thousands of dollars. Can you take it into the us and then file for repair? Honestly I'd be very tempted to buy a half pallet of concrete to make a public monument out of it at the appropriate location with serial # removed. 134A should not be any different across the board in usage, there were huge issues not long ago with fake/manipulated/mixed 134a coming out of china. At this point if your going to repair it yourself I'd just evacuate and use c02 to purge the system before brazing then re purge with refrigerant before applying vacuum but Im willing to bet there is metal in the compressor oil and that plugged dryer. Either way i'd find a decent used fridge until you can get things sorted.
Click to expand...
If you read my post above about the court system I explained that. The bedwetters in that jurisdiction would give me a fine and lower my social credit score for whining about it.
 
Your $398, your choice. I soldered lots of caps and done many a reflow. I just sold the boards out of one to someone that thinks he'll get it apart without damage.
 
farmhard said:
Your $398, your choice. I soldered lots of caps and done many a reflow. I just sold the boards out of one to someone that thinks he'll get it apart without damage.
Click to expand...
There are things that I look at time vs value . Not going to spend two or three hours fixing a $398 TV that I bought a few years ago I can spend a couple of hours and make a couple of these sell them and buy two new TVs . IMG_3138.jpegIMG_2955.jpegIMG_2969.jpegIMG_3103.jpeg
 

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