Any freezer experts in here?

[Kitchski]

Zanussi ZX99 5Si fridge freezer. Fridge works fine, but overheat alarm goes off if freezer left on for a few hours.

It's not iced up, hasn't been used for a while because of this problem. It's also empty (except the drawers etc)

Thanks in advance.

[dudleybloke]

is the rear element clean?

[NDA]

When the overheat alarm goes off - is this referring to the temperature inside the freezer? In other words, is it overheating but still freezing inside? i.e. the mechanism overheating?

(I'm sure I could have written that better!)

As above, clean the rear element - it could be that the motor is knackered.

We had all sorts of problems with a Zanussi freezer last year - two lots of repairs under guarantee (for which we were still charged a call out) which meant two freezer full loads of food ruined - eventually dumped it for a Bosche.

[Kitchski]

Sorry, treat me as a total novice....what's the rear element? The back just has a smooth panel, can't see anything except what looks like the compressor right at the bottom.

Cheers

[netherfield]

Something that looks similar to a radiator,lots of interconnected tubes.

Does the back panel look like it's easily removable,could be behind that and full of dust bunnies.

[Kitchski]

Can't see any obvious fixings but I'll have a prod around!

[Kitchski]

Eventually got round to it! Yes all clean.

[JM]

Is the freezer warm when the alarm goes off, i.e it's been empty and switched off, you have then closed the door and switched it on.

If that is the situation, are you then switching it off to stop the alarm, so nothing is in the freezer, and it is off.

If yes to the above, then what happens if you leave it on and mute the alarm, say overnight.

My theory being if the above is what is happening then the alarm could be set for e.g -12 deg, and if it is just switched on it could take several hours to get below -16 or whatever the other threshold limit on the alarm is.

Hope that makes sense