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My fridge sometimes makes a loud noise when the compreasor starts

M

marcello

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2023
Messages
34
Location
Paris
Hi,
I have a vevor 12v 25 liter portable fridge.
Sometimes when the compressor starts it makes a big noise that wakes me up during the night. It lasts only a fraction of second but loud enough to wake me up. Hopefully it doesn't do it each time the compressor starts. I'd say it makes the noise one time out of 8 or 10 compressor starts.
Do you know how I could solve this issue please?
Because of this I switch it off during the night, which is not an ideal solution...
The noise is kinda similar to someone who rings a bell. But lasts only a second.
Thanks for your help.
 
Is the compressor able to move on rubber mounts and bang into something?
Manipulate it by hand, try to reproduce. If that is the issue then add a suitable pad.
 
Hedges said:
Is the compressor able to move on rubber mounts and bang into something?
Manipulate it by hand, try to reproduce. If that is the issue then add a suitable pad.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your help, much appreciated.
I didn't open the fridge yet, a bit afraid to break something, but I guess that's the only solution to find the cause.
 
Portable, 25 liter = 8 gallon, about the size of a bottled water jug.

Try shaking it, see if parts inside bang/ring.
 
marcello said:
I didn't open the fridge yet... but I guess that's the only solution to find the cause.
Click to expand...

By the way, always keep a compressor (fridge, A/C, heat pump) upright.
Oil flows where it shouldn't when on its side or upside down, causes compressor to lock up and burn up.
 
justinm001 said:
Sounds like a bolt is loose and the washer is ringing or some metal is vibrating hitting things
Click to expand...
Yes maybe. I think it makes this noise depending on the position the compressor stopped in, in the previous run.

Hedges said:
By the way, always keep a compressor (fridge, A/C, heat pump) upright.
Oil flows where it shouldn't when on its side or upside down, causes compressor to lock up and burn up.
Click to expand...
Yep, it is sitting in it's normal position. I didn't shake it but I kind of give it a big tap with my hand and heard this bell ring while doing this.
 
Hopefully its something loose like theyre saying above.
I see youre in Paris. Did you 12v fridge come with a converter that you plug into your AC wall outlet?
Maybe at night your batteries are low and voltage sags too much when the compressor kicks on, causing a funny sound.

I have a similar SetPower 12v 20quart fridge here in the USA and its been very quiet so far. Its plugged into 120v AC and gets a constant 14.8v. (i know losing efficiency, i have it plugged into a 120v wifi watt meter to watch what it does since its new. see how much power it draws)

I see your new reply. Good guess that maybe its the position where the compressor stopped in the previous run.
 
I'm a retired appliance repairman and if the noise you are hearing is an intermittent clunk at startup then it's most likely a internal issue in the sealed compressor housing. Inside that housing the compressor motor sits on a set of springs and sometime one of those springs will break. And at startup that allows the compressor motor to move more inside the housing and sometimes it hits the inside of the housing making a clunking noise.
There's nothing that can be done to fix it and it rarely results in a failure of the compressor.

It can also happen when the compressor stops.
 
sparrowhawk said:
I'm a retired appliance repairman
Click to expand...
What brands do you like sir wise man?
My mom has a whirlpool washing machine. Pump went out and Whirlpool didnt have one in stock. Ordered an off name brand from amazon and it finally broke after 1 year. It took whirlpool 6 months to get a pump in stock. I just put it in yesterday. The impeller of the aftermarket pump broke off.
If you could go back in time and buy top loading machines!!! Hopefully this info helps others. If the appliance repairman shares his knowledge.
 
wopachop said:
What brands do you like sir wise man?
My mom has a whirlpool washing machine. Pump went out and Whirlpool didnt have one in stock. Ordered an off name brand from amazon and it finally broke after 1 year. It took whirlpool 6 months to get a pump in stock. I just put it in yesterday. The impeller of the aftermarket pump broke off.
If you could go back in time and buy top loading machines!!! Hopefully this info helps others. If the appliance repairman shares his knowledge.
Click to expand...

When it comes to washers & dryers it would be whirlpool. But only the cheaper model of whirlpool washer and not the higher priced models. Their dryers are pretty much the same no matter what the price.
That's not to say whirlpools are great machines, it's just that they're somewhat better than then the rest and usually more readily fixable than the others. Any other whirlpool appliance is no better than the rest.

The all around best washer ever made was the whirlpool direct drive washer. It has proven to be the longest lasting and easiest washer to repair. There are many out there in the 30 year range that are still chugging along and it's still possible to find a low mileage unit.
I loved picking up direct drives and reconditioning them and reselling them for some easy money.

I also forgot to mention that only applies to top loaders. Front loaders are a whole different matter and all brands are pretty much the same.
 
Last edited:
Speed Queen?

Used by laundromats. But I think residential and commercial brands split up.

Here in the US, price $1800 for a basic top loader.

I used a couple Miele front loader, but they failed with codes.
 
Hedges said:
Speed Queen?

Used by laundromats. But I think residential and commercial brands split up.

Here in the US, price $1800 for a basic top loader.

I used a couple Miele front loader, but they failed with codes.
Click to expand...
I hadn't worked on a speed queen top loader for over 30 years. About 10 years ago I did work on some laundromat front load speed queens and all of them had failures with their electronic controls.
I have heard good things about certain models of speed queen but that was a few years ago.
 
Hedges said:
Speed Queen?

Used by laundromats. But I think residential and commercial brands split up.

Here in the US, price $1800 for a basic top loader.

I used a couple Miele front loader, but they failed with codes.
Click to expand...
I have a Speed Queen. Has a transmission and never bothers under inverter power unlike the reversing motor types.

I still have a couple of Maytag's made in the 80's that I keep in reserve. Still worked good when I took them out.
 
Zwy said:
I have a Speed Queen. Has a transmission and never bothers under inverter power unlike the reversing motor types.

I still have a couple of Maytag's made in the 80's that I keep in reserve. Still worked good when I took them out.
Click to expand...
80s vintage maytags were good unless you had a seal leak or a transmission problem. It was extreemly difficult to take them apart to repair the seal and expensive to replace the transmission. A common annoyance with them was a dry brake package that would cause them to squeal real loud when the spin cycle stopped.
 
sparrowhawk said:
80s vintage maytags were good unless you had a seal leak or a transmission problem. It was extreemly difficult to take them apart to repair the seal and expensive to replace the transmission. A common annoyance with them was a dry brake package that would cause them to squeal real loud when the spin cycle stopped.
Click to expand...
I've done the seal and have changed out transmissions from parts units. Kept those going a long time. People would be throwing away their old Maytags and I took them for parts.
 
sparrowhawk said:
80s vintage maytags were good unless you had a seal leak or a transmission problem. It was extreemly difficult to take them apart to repair the seal and expensive to replace the transmission. A common annoyance with them was a dry brake package that would cause them to squeal real loud when the spin cycle stopped.
Click to expand...
Mine does the squeal when it stops. That's how we know when the wash is done. :unsure:
 
Zwy said:
I've done the seal and have changed out transmissions from parts units. Kept those going a long time. People would be throwing away their old Maytags and I took them for parts.
Click to expand...
Have you checked the price of a seal kit lately. Last time I bought one it was around $100. That and the time and effort to change it renders them a lost cause in most cases.
For about $50 and 45 minutes I could completely disassemble, recondition and reassemble a direct drive washer. And that's only if the spin clutch needs to be replace. Add another $25 and 30 minutes if the transmission needs to be rebuilt.
 
wopachop said:
Hopefully its something loose like theyre saying above.
I see youre in Paris. Did you 12v fridge come with a converter that you plug into your AC wall outlet?
Maybe at night your batteries are low and voltage sags too much when the compressor kicks on, causing a funny sound.

I have a similar SetPower 12v 20quart fridge here in the USA and its been very quiet so far. Its plugged into 120v AC and gets a constant 14.8v. (i know losing efficiency, i have it plugged into a 120v wifi watt meter to watch what it does since its new. see how much power it draws)

I see your new reply. Good guess that maybe its the position where the compressor stopped in the previous run.
Click to expand...
Hello, the fridge came with the AC outlet and the 12v cigarette outlet, I'm using the latter in my van. My lifepo4 battery is almost always full. I'll try to open it to see what's wrong inside.

sparrowhawk said:
I'm a retired appliance repairman and if the noise you are hearing is an intermittent clunk at startup then it's most likely a internal issue in the sealed compressor housing. Inside that housing the compressor motor sits on a set of springs and sometime one of those springs will break. And at startup that allows the compressor motor to move more inside the housing and sometimes it hits the inside of the housing making a clunking noise.
There's nothing that can be done to fix it and it rarely results in a failure of the compressor.

It can also happen when the compressor stops.
Click to expand...
thanks for joining the conversation. Mine never did it while stopping, only some times when starting. Apart from that it is very quite.
Some people told me about rubber silentblocks not placed correctly around the compressor, not springs, but who knows. I hope I can fix whatever it is. With some luck it will be fixable, i guess it would do the noise constantly while the compressor is running or each time it starts, if something was broken.
 
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