Just wondering if anyone had ever had a problem with their fridge freezing up on the back wall and freezing most items inside?

If so, would the most likely be/or was the cause the thermostat?

The motor is running constantly and it's annoying, but most annoyingly, it's freezing up my beers and food

I've tried different settings and also switched it off for a while, then back on, but no difference.
I've also pulled it out and cleaned and hoovered any dust from the back of it and cleaned out the drain hole, but it's still freezing up.

I'm hoping it's not the motor, as that looks expensive, but a thermostat is just under £23 delivered from espares, which I don't mind if it fixes it, but am unsure how likely it is to be the thermostat, so thought I'd ask here

Thermostat seems most likely. The rest of the system seems to be working. Can't be 100% sure it's the stat though.

Only problem is, new thermostats are like gold-dust. Oh, wait, that's 16NA fridges...

Quite common problem, the drain tube cracks or gasket fails and leaks water into the insulation behind rear panel, which then freezes.

Unfortunately there's no easy/cheap solution so replacing the whole fridge is usually the answer.

That's not the answer I'm looking for though Graham

contents in contact with the cooling panel thing can cause some freezing too. You probably have too much beer crammed in there

I'd start by putting a thermometer in the fridge to check. If it's freezing everything, it must be the temperature, and therefore the thermostat.

If the compressor doesn't switch off no matter how low you set the thermostat then fit a new one, it's the most common fault on fridges anyway (I'm an ex Hotpoint employee)

I must be lucky.....


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I've got 99 problems but a fridge ain't one!!!!!!

There's no contact with the fridge regarding food and beers lol I always try to make sure of this, as I know it can be a 'problem' with my fridge and it states not to do it in the instruction book too.

Cheers jas. No, the compressor won't switch off and it is a Hotpoint fridge.

I've found a thermostat for it on Ebay for £19.99 delivered, so I will try that first

Agreed, at £20 it's definitely worth a shot, if the compressor won't switch off. If the back is frozen I wouldn't rule out the leak/insulation problem too though.

Just got around to replacing the thermostat, only to find the new one is different to my old one ffs

Every spares website lists the same part number for my fridge and my replacement came in a sealed bag with the part number on it, so can only assume it is the correct thermostat for my fridge.

The new one has a connection missing at the bottom in comparison to my old one.

Old one is the one with the wires still attached:





Pretty annoyed now as I was hoping it would be one job out of the way today

I can't see what the problem is, T. Are the two wire to the right of your pic not piggy-backed onto the same connection?

Looking again, I'm sure I'm right. Unplug a connection one at a time and swap over to the new stat - the pair of brown wires should move together.

The live cables at the bottom are so close together they must be the same connection, otherwise I think they'd need to be 4mm apart. I see some splicing happening, but wait for a thermostat expert before tinkering.

As the few posts above, looks like one of the brown wires has one of these little fellas attached:

Yes, that silver spade connection on the bottommost brown wire is a clever sort that also has a tag for the brass connection on the other brown wire to connect to. They'll come off as a pair.

Ah ok, cheers.

I'll have another look soon and take those 2 brown connections off and find out.
I'm busy making a lasagne at the moment

Why would they make 2 separate connections like that?

If they are paired, then what should I do? Just join the 2 brown ones and put them onto the one spade?

They'll be stuck together on one connector, per Jimbob's picture. That will come off when you remove the lower connector and take the next brown off with it.

They do it because, er, they need two connections to the one connector.

You're all correct and now I've just pulled the connection off, I see what you all mean.

Thanks all, happy again now

Will continue changing it now

Job done

Won't know for a bit yet if the thermostat replacement has worked as it needs to get back up to temperature, etc., but am happy I've replaced it to try it.

Thank you all for your help, much appreciated

Right, we're all going round to T's place for icecream!

Ye of little faith

Ice cold vodka more like

Fosters ice, more like

And eCig fuel

If you lived a tad further north T you wouldn't need a fridge

Glad forum powah rose to the occasion

You've got a little sideline developing for you....

Oh wait I forgot days are only 24 hrs long!

I had the same sort of problem with a frost free fridge, which despite the name/claim needed regular defrosting otherwise the back would freeze up and everything inside would freeze with it.

Might not be the same and in any case it sounds like you've already ruled out the drain etc so probably not this. But if the thermostat replacement doesn't do it then its worth thoroughly defrosting it just in case (frost free or not) at least before ditching it.

I had problems with a fridge once...........I divorced her