"Mystery of your frost free fridge revealed"

I love to read advice and information from other folks in the field. You can learn so much when you are open to information and a little constructive criticism. So, that said, here is a post I found on the net that was absolutely wonderful! It is written in laymen's terms so most everybody can get it. It gets better as it goes too....I have the writer's credit at the end...Good job and well done Nestor!
Enjoy!
ArchAngel

The mystery of your frost free fridge revealed:
or "What every owner of a frost free fridge should know":

The way to tell the difference between a frost free fridge and a manual defrost fridge is that a frost free fridge will have separate freezer and fresh food compartments, whereas a manual defrost fridge will have a freezer box at the top of the fresh food compartment. The fundamental difference between a "frost free" fridge and a manual defrost fridge is that a frost free fridge has an automatic method of defrosting itself.

In a manual defrost fridge the refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat as it flows through the channels molded right into the evaporator box at the top of the fresh food compartment. Since the refrigerant is evaporating in those molded channels, the evaporator box will be the coldest thing in a manual defrost fridge, and that is where frost will accumulate. You defrost such a fridge by unplugging it or turning the thermostat to "defrost" or "off" and waiting for the frost on the freezer compartment to melt.

In a frost free fridge, there will be an evaporator coil which is hidden out of sight which serves the same purpose as the "freezer box" in a manual defrost fridge. The refrigerant evaporates in that evaporator coil, absorbing heat as it does, thereby making the evaporator coil very cold. There will also be an "evaporator fan" which sucks air through that evaporator coil and blows most of the cold air into the freezer compartment, and a little of it into the fresh food compartment. Some frost free fridges have adjustable baffles that allow you to set the proportion of cold air sent to each compartment. The reason why the freezer compartment gets colder than the fresh food section is because it normally has more cold air flow through it.

Every time you open the door of the fresh food compartment or freezer compartment of your fridge, you let some cold dry air out of your fridge and some warm moist air in. The moisture in the air you let in is what causes frost to form on the freezer compartment of a manual defrost fridge or the evaporator coils of a frost free fridge. Ice and frost forming on the evaporator coils of a frost free fridge reduce the efficiency of the fridge because they act as insulation and prevent heat transfer between the cold aluminum coils and the air the evaporator fan is circulating over those coils and throughout the fridge. And, of course, frost reduces the amount of air flow through the coils.

This "automatic defrost system" consists of three components: the defrost timer, the defrost heater and the defrost thermostat. These three components work together to melt the frost off the evaporator coil.

Let's look at each of the three components in the automatic defrosting system of a typical frost free fridge:

1. THE DEFROST TIMER:
Just like you have a timer in a clothes washer that controls the valves and motors at each stage of the clothes washing cycle, every frost free fridge will have a defrost timer. The defrost timer in a frost free fridge is much simpler than the timers in washing machines or dish washers because there are fewer things in a frost free fridge for the timer to control. The defrost timer's job is to shut off the fridge's compressor and evaporator fan (together) for about 20 to 35 minutes every 8 to 12 hours and divert the power to the defrost heater instead.

2. THE DEFROST HEATER:
The defrost heater is just an electric coil heater that's positioned close to the evaporator coils so the radiant heat melts the frost off the evaporator coils. The melt water then drips down and is carried by a sloping drip pan to a drain. A rubber hose usually running along the back of the fridge carries this melt water down into a receiving pan sitting on top of, or around, the usually warm compressor motor. The water is then re-evaporated back into the room by the waste heat from the compressor. You can redirect this melt water into a drain and use your frost free fridge to dehumidify your house a little.

3. THE DEFROST THERMOSTAT:
Once the frost is all melted off the evaporator coils, continued heating results in a rapid rise in temperature in the vicinity of the evaporator coils. The job of the defrost thermostat is to detect that temperature rise and break the circuit to the defrost heater, thereby preventing further heating and possible damage to the plastic and foam parts near it. (This is normally accomplished by simply wiring the defrost thermostat in series with the defrost heater.) Once the defrost thermostat breaks the circuit to the defrost heater, the fridge will then just sit there and do nothing at all until the end of the defrost cycle when the defrost timer shuts off power to the defrost circuit and restores power to the compressor and fan circuit once again.

THIS IS WHERE I FLY OFF ON A TANGENT...

This web site's server is telling me the post is too long, so I will continue it in another post to follow...

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Last edited by Nestor_Kelebay; 07-10-2008 at 01:29 AM.
http://www.diychatroom.com/f47/help-my-admiral-refrigerator-leaking-water-23441/

Wet Towels!!!

Don't ya just hate it when you stick your hand in the dryer expecting warm fluffy fresh towels and find a cold wet massive lump instead? What a way to ruin a perfectly good thought of showering... I don't know about you, but especially in the summer when I've been working in the yard or garden and I'm looking forward to an awesome shower... I like my towels fluffy, smelling fresh, inviting, and ready to sop me up! My wife and I have four children whom live at our house all the time and there are days she pops the towels in the dryer and attends to other chores... trust me, this has happened to me on more than one occasion! And, fellas, it isn't always her fault for not turning it on for a long enough period of time... could be something wrong with the machine! Let's see what's up...

So, for all you Do It Yourselfers out there, here are three tips to get you in the right direction to dry towels. First, you have to observe a few things to number down some possible causes because your drum belt might be broken or cracked, your heating element could be going out, or the vent itself could be stopped up.

First, test your drum and see if it is turning freely. Try and spin it by hand. It should turn but you want to feel some noticeable resistance. If it feels like it's spinning easily, your drive belt is probably over worn, stretched or broken.

If the belt checks out alright, try drying a couple of wet towels next. Use a setting which should produce the full amount of heat. Let the dryer run for about ten minutes while you take care of other chores. If the clothes are just only a little warm to the touch, you probably have a heating element malfunction which you will need to make a call to the appliance repair technician (me ;) ) to change. After ten minutes you should see a noticeable fluffing and warmth to the towels. They should be quite hot actually, especially when you only put a couple in. I never recommend Do It Yourselfers to change their own heating element. It just is simply a repair that a fully trained person should complete. Thousands of dryers every year cause fires... which leads me to an aside thought. Never ever ever ever dry your clothes when you are not home, not even just doing yard work. You need to be near to your dryer so you can take care of issues quickly if there was a fire. I also suggest keeping a fire extinguisher in the general vicinity of your dryer. They look like calm little appliances... but you should hear some stories of what I've seen!

If neither of these are the answer, then you probably are having trouble with your vent. First, check your lint trap and make sure it is properly cleaned. Next, go outside while your machine is running and see if there is a good amount of air coming out. If there is not much air coming out, you could have one of two problems. Either your dryer's vent fan isn't working properly or your vent pipe is plugged. Go back inside and take the pipe off the wall. While running, if there is air flowing out of the pipe then your fan is fine and your vent line needs inspection. We here at ArchAngel can clean your vents for you for a small fee if you don't want to do this. If there is no air coming out and you believe it is the fan, we can also do that for you as well.

If you want to give it a whirl and clean your vents...Check your vent pipe from one end to the other and take out all necessary debris. This can be a nasty nasty job. I always wear a mouth allergy cover... ugh yucky. -I also recommend simply purchasing a new pipe. I know, not environmentally friendly... but if you have a metal one you can recycle it. It is good to replace the line altogether though as fires are caused by thousands of these a year. It is also more efficient for your machine to keep your vents cleaned. Just easier and safer to go ahead and replace it.

A little preventative maintenance is nice as well.... keeping the lent trap clean and vents clean helps your machine run smooth for a much longer time. Don't put unecessary pressure on your heating element and other parts. Remember, your machine works for you so you work for it!
If you do these simple things you will have nice and inviting towels every time you go for some... we are so spoiled nowadays, I couldn't stand to not have my smokin hot towels!

Hope that helps! Food for thought,
ArchAngel

Range- Repair or Replace?

Kitchen range - repair or replace?

What is the true life of a kitchen range? Mine needs some repair and I don't know whether I should fix it or replace it. Thanks.

This is a cut and dry question/ answer...

Manufacturers give an expectant life of eight to ten years for a modern appliance. What the manufacturers won't tell you, however, is depending on oven features you may only get six. I suggest first sending me a little more information on what issue you are having with the range. You can only make a sound decision once you know the cost of repairing your appliance versus purchasing a new one. There are quite a few variables you must consider... we would need the model number and more info on what is going on with your range.... Here at ArchAngel we always would prefer you repair your current appliance and keep it out of the landfill, but this is not always feasible especially where costs are concerned.

We can repair your range for a flat fee of $90 plus the price of parts. We never inflate our parts price either.

Send us that info and we can further help you figure this out. Thanks for the question!

Food for thought,

ArchAngel

PHOTO CONTEST

Visit My Blog

Visit My Website
We wanted to remind everyone about our ongoing photo contest!
Let's get creative! Also, send your DIY questions to us as well at archangelappliance@yahoo.com. Please, no spamming...

How To Enter:

During the Contest Period, Submit a color or black and white photograph of your refrigerator or subject matter/artistic display; displaying your photo featuring your refrigerator's contents or your artistic creative license, imagination, differing mediums which answers the question: "What's In Your Fridge???".

Eligibility :
ArchAngel Appliance Repair's "Fridge Gone Wild" Contest is open to legal residents of Western North Carolina, who are of the age of majority in the jurisdiction in which they reside (and at least 18 years of age). *Children whom would like to participate must do so with the assistance of their parent.

Promotion Period :
The ArchAngel Appliance Repair's Fridge Gone Wild Contest ("Contest") starts on June 10, 2009 at 12:01 AM Eastern Time ("ET") and ends on August 15, 2009 at 11:59 PM ET ("Contest Period").

*Only hard copies will be accepted. Please do not send Jpegs. by mailing to:

Attn: "Fridge Gone Wild" Contest, ArchAngel Appliance, 77 Evans Road, Hendersonville, North Carolina 28739.

Include your Name, Phone number and address, paper copy of the permissions below and signature, (if child entry be sure to do so for the child as their guardian, do not send photos of the child themselves!) and a copy of your photograph or the child's artwork. Entries will Not be returned!

Submissions will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, overall look, humor, and how your refrigerator contents exemplifies Western North Carolina or you as a person/ hobbies/ etc. Photos must be original work by the individual and not copies or portrayed from other artists. Children (12 and under) may submit drawings in lieu of photography.

Limit :
Limit one (1) entry per person/email address/household.

Prize (s):

1st. 2nd and 3rd place & Child Winner prizes will each receive an ArchAngel Appliance Repair's "Fridge Gone Wild" Contest Certificate &

One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded consisting of the following: Preventative Maintenance for Three Appliances valued at $99.95. and one Gift Card for Food Lion valued at $25.00.

One (1) Second Place Prize will be awarded consisting of the following: Gift Certificate for One Appliance Repair valued at $90.00 (parts additional charge) and one Gift Card for Food Lion valued at $15.00.

One (1) Third Place Prize will be awarded consisting of the following: Preventative Maintenance for One Appliance valued at $39.95 and one Gift Card for Food Lion valued at $5.00.

One (1) Child Winner Prize will be awarded consisting of the following: $25.00 Fun Depot Card
Winners :
Winner’s name (available after 8/20/09), visit www.ArchAngelApplianceRepair.com, or call 828-693-7905.

*All entries become the property of the ArchAngel Appliance Repair and will not be returned to the entrant. Submission of an entry shall constitute the grant of a non-exclusive, royalty free license to the ArchAngel Appliance Repair, and its' sublicensees, to reproduce, display, prepare derivative works, distribute to the public by sale or other transfer, and to utilize the photograph submitted for any purpose, including but not limited to publication on the World Wide Web, interpretive publications, and commercial uses. Entrants agree to grant to Sponsor and Organizer an everlasting, royalty-free, assignable, exclusive license to use, utilize, replicate, alter, adapt, modify, publish, broadcast, translate, produce derivative works from, distribute, present, play, sublicense and exercise all copyright and other intellectual property rights with respect to your contribution worldwide and/or to include your contribution in other works in any media now known or later created forever.

I have read the above and give permission to ArchAngel Appliance Repair to publish my photo and agree to the terms above:

______________________________

Signed Date

Our Website

Good Morning one and All! I've been busy busy busy with calls and haven't been able to write another blog recently...will do so this evening. Wanted to just invite yall to visit our website:
Visit My Website
Also, please visit our blog at: http://archangelappliancerepair.blogspot.com/

Thanks, see yall tonight with a new blog....
Food for Thought,
ArchAngel

DIY Question: My Kenmore washer.....

DIY Question: My older model Kenmore washer starts cycle normally and stops working right before it should drain and agitate. What could be the problem and can I fix it myself?

Answer: It sounds like you have a bad lid switch. A lid switch could cost between $15-30 depending on your specific model and can be switched out fairly easily if you are mechanically inclined... Note "mechanically" inclined.

On Kenmores, Top Load washers, you would start by removing the two screws in the console and some are under the front two trim pieces of the console, or one on each side in the back of the console. Lift console forward and flip over. The lid switch harness is generally in plain view which depending on your model the connection should be off right center behind the lid. In newer models, the lid switch is in the back left corner. The lid must be raised to remove the lid switch. Simply remove and replace with new lid switch.

On an older model, after lifting lid, two phillips head screws should be in the mid to back of unit's top lip opening. For the older one you will need to remove the connection wire to the lid switch and the two bronze clips found on either side of the unit cabinet. Then you will need to pull forward on the cabinet to get underneath to remove the 5/16th ground wire screw found under top of the cabinet. Next, replace these items with the new lid switch.

**Always be sure your appliance is unplugged before beginning any and all work!

And as always........ fix it don't trash it!!!

If you find yourself in a pickle.... give us a call! We can assist you!
Good luck and hope that helps!

Food for thought.....
ArchAngel

Garbage Disposer Tips

Do's and Don't when utilizing a garbage disposer, some things you may never think of:

Do:

• Run cold water while grinding wastes.
• Yes, grind beef bones, chicken bones, peach pits.
• Sniff Sniff....Grind lemon or orange peels to eliminate odors!
• Always let water and disposer run for several seconds after grinding is complete to clean out unwanted particles.
  
• Grind ice to clean the blades and impeller.

Don't:

• NEVER reach into the disposer with your hand, use tongs and only when the unit is unplugged. Many people have lost fingers this way!!!
  
• Do not grind fibrous foods like corn husks, artichokes, banana peels or celery.... fibers get caught between your blades and cause major issues with the functioning of the mechanisms. When in doubt, check your manual.
  
• Do not operate the disposer without running water!
• Do not use hot water for grinding, it melts fats which later may clog the drain... a plumber's nightmare!
  
• Do not grind coffee grounds. They aren't a problem for the disposer but they build in the pipes which can cost you money down the line....

Food for thought.....
ArchAngel