Author Topic: Catastrophic fridge leak :P (Read 321 times)

moot · « **on:** February 23, 2008, 02:53:53 AM »

In a bonehead move I don't have the time to describe, I've punctured one of the refrigerant (henceforth "rfrdg.") lines in the freezer compartment of my fridge. The rfrdg started hissing out and I immediately unplugged and closed the fridge door, after taking out everything that wasn't sealed tight enough to not be contaminated with whatever the rfrdg fluid/gas is.

I then looked around for something that could make a quick fix to stop the leak, but haven't found anything. It's been 10min or so, so I think I'm screwed.

My question is whether I can just put the fridge outside, and if there's any risk from the gas? I live in a medium apt. with a medium garden, with another identical appt&garden on one side.. Plenty of grass to take in the water but I have no idea if the gas is toxic, or what.

I just looked on the back and it says rfrgd is "R-134a, 75g".

Thanks.

moot · « **Reply #1 on:** February 23, 2008, 03:00:30 AM »

Looks like it's non toxic and will only be a hazard if "excessively inhaled".

Octavius · « **Reply #2 on:** February 23, 2008, 03:01:32 AM »

No help here, but I am very interested in said bonehead maneuver.

Rondar · « **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2008, 03:08:54 AM »

I used to work on home appliances a long time ago. The freon is non toxic for all practical purposes, as there are only ounces there to deal with.

betcha 10 bux that you had a frost buildup in the freezer and you either used an icepick or a sharp knife point to help dig the frost out of there.

I used to repair the evaporators a long time ago with a special refrigeration epoxy. Then you would have to change the dryer/filter, evacuate the system and recharge. The cost nowdays with all the regulations and such is basically you are gonna go buy another refrigerator and not repair this one.

RAIDER14 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2008, 03:10:51 AM »

If you can't stop the leak you might want to move fridge near a open window or at least open a window so the gas doesn't build up in your apartment

Octavius · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2008, 03:23:18 AM »

I once had a leak caused by beer and taco bell... I killed most plantlife in a one mile radius and asphyxiated a roommate that way.

culero · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2008, 03:33:03 AM »

The refrigerant is non-toxic, and that's a very small amount, no sweat.

You'll need to weld or solder the line, evacuate the system (down to below 29.5 inches) and recharge with exactly the specified amount of refrigerant.

You need professional assistance, in other words

moot · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2008, 04:23:06 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Octavius
No help here, but I am very interested in said bonehead maneuver.

I'm not living with anyone, so I get to do the most irresponsible, immature things possible in the appartment. That includes parking my bike in the middle of the kitchen (convenient given the shape of the furniture) or on hooks I set up above the clothes racks, moving furniture anywhere imaginable and in the most absurd configurations, just for the hell of it.. Have this thing
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/wall_murals/
with neon backlighting on the ceiling, which chicks prolly privately laugh at how nerdy it is.. Stuff like that.
I have some scalpel shaped knives to cook and eat with. Their only difference with scalpels is how thick they are.. They're one piece cast stainless steel, with nice little teeth patterns that cut thru pretty much anything, including your thumbs if you're doing the dishes too hastily.

After FSO I decided I'd been sitting on my bellybutton too long and got ready to go for a run. So as usual I make some fruit shake to freeze while I'm out, but the big beer mug wouldn't fit in the freeze compt. anymore.. There was too much icing which isn't hard to get down here on a hot tropical island during hurricane season.
I'm sick of this stupid island.. Everything is expensive, everything breaks down, there's bugs everywhere... I won't go into that, but this was one of those times where you get really irritated by small things.

I stood there moving the mug towards the compartment three or four times, doing the motion up to the point it wouldn't fit, thinking "You won't fit?... Are you sure?... OH RLY??

"
I giggled at the prospect of getting the last word for once and grabbed a knife, chipping away at the ice like a wooddonut; it was satisfying but I was actualy pissed off.. So I thought I'd grab something more efficient and chose a nice wood chisel and hammer, which was perfect to cut some nice stripes across the ice so that it'd fall off quicker...

Which was especialy stupid since, on the day I got the fridge, I had specificaly looked at the thin metal frame with the freon lines behind them planning ahead how I'd deal with ice/frost when it built up, and noticed how weak the assembly was.
It's not all that surprising.. I was due for a bonehead move like this for a while now.

I moved the thing outside.. I'll have to do without ice packs or cold drinks for a whole weekend.

Thanks for the advice..

john9001 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2008, 08:18:12 AM »

doesnt the apt owner own the appliances? call the mgr and play dumb. just tell them it stopped working, old fridges aren't worth fixing, they will just replace it.

ask for a frost free.

RTHolmes · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2008, 09:03:21 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by moot
So I thought I'd grab something more efficient and chose a nice wood chisel and hammer...

moot · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2008, 09:09:58 AM »

No john.. I'm not in kansas anymore

I'll have to foot the bill for this one. I'm going to try and see if I can find the phone number of a friend from work who's good at welding.

Thruster · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2008, 09:21:50 AM »

Quote

I'm going to try and see if I can find the phone number of a friend from work who's good at welding.

Moot,

As tempted as I am to refer to another thread running atm, I will refrain.

But it seems as you are in the tropics I bet there's no shortage of air conditioners and refrigeration units about. There have to be a few outfits that fix this stuff. Maybe it's time to let your fingers do the walking and just pay the price.

DieAz · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2008, 11:02:30 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by moot
Have this thing
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/wall_murals/
with neon backlighting on the ceiling, which chicks prolly privately laugh at how nerdy it is.. Stuff like that.

that is a cool mural. hmmm gives me an idea.
get a bunch of pics like in this photo gallery here http://news.aol.com/story/_a/mysterious-haze-discovered-on-venus/20080222162309990003?ncid=NWS00010000000001

and put them on a pc and use a projector,
or get a large digital picture frame for them,
or a small one and plug it into a wall hanging large screen TV.

oh and for your fridge problem, it would be better to just get a new one. a large one, at least with a large freezer compartment with a nice ice maker. oh and a frost free one too.