(Edited)Defrosted an Older Stand Up Freezer for the First Time, Maybe that was a Big Mistake

© 2018 Marsha Musselman. All Rights Reserved
Midland, Michigan
December 16, 2018 2:38pm CST
We bought a stand up freezer sometime after we moved into our current home. I've no idea how long ago we got it and was thinking ten years, but it's probably closer to fifteen years old. In all that time I've never defrosted it. I've thought of it before, but knew it could be a chore because there is no drain near it and I wasn't sure how messy it might get. My daughter wants to start buying healthier choice foods again and asked that I defrost it before she begins loading her section with her foods. I've been working on doing that for the past two weeks but first had to get some old food out for the trash. I unplugged it yesterday after I went shopping and purchased several larger turkey roasters, the throw away kind. Three of those fit on the shelves to catch drips and ice pieces as it broke off. When I went to the basement to check on things a few time, I helped break some of that ice off. I also took time to empty the pans before they got too full. After church, I checked it again and all the ice was gone. I wiped the shelves and the base getting all the extra water that missed the pan out. I then plugged it back in again. I didn't hear it turn on. My daughter just went down to check and she also said it's not running. It's either not running anymore, or it's so quiet because it's not having to run as hard. The other option is that there may be water underneath where I cannot see it and maybe it's not running for that reason. I'll have to move things out of the way in the basement and then see whether I can move the freezer over to check under it. If no water is there, then I've no idea why it may not be working. The other option is that maybe we somehow blew the breaker. I still have to check that out too. My image, once I upload it from my phone-right now I'm on my desktop-my image is the puzzle I've been working on. I thought to try a smaller piece one, which means there are more pieces about 400 something. It's quite hard. If I had it on a table and could look at the pieces more easily it would be better. I could change the number of pieces but might have to begin again and I don't want to lose all my work. There is no picture to look at although the pattern and color is printed on the surface, but the more piece I get in place the harder it is to see the pattern below. All the pieces now on it are stuck into the correct places. ~~~~~~~~~~~I discovered the problem. It's the plug. When I began to unplug it it turn on. But, it will only work when the plug isn't inserted all the way which I'm sure isn't very safe. But, good news, my brother is an electrician and he will stop tomorrow before heading out of town for a job and replace my receptacle. He thinks that's the issue and not the plug itself. By tomorrow afternoon, hopefully it will be working again.
16 people like this
13 responses
@just4him (305635)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
17 Dec 18
I'm glad you found the problem and your brother can fix it. You make me want to bring out my Christmas puzzle and work it again. It's going to be pretty when it's done.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
19 Dec 18
@just4him That looks like fun, but a bit difficult too because of the similar colors.. Doing them in person is a lot easier than online other than you don't have to have it in the room or find a place to store it when not working on it. But, in person, you can hunt down the pieces easier. Thanks for finding your picture of the puzzle you accomplished.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Dec 18
Maybe I can walk over and help you with that, I'd love doing that. Maybe in the next life, lol. Unless we live long enough to see faster travel, but they're not on the verge so that won't work either. I've considered bringing up a card table, i have room now with the way the living room is arranged, but if I bring up the card table it should be to do more studying of the Bible not to do another puzzle. One day, when and if I ever manage my time better maybe I can do both. Hands on puzzling is so much easier. But this is better than nothing.
1 person likes this
@just4him (305635)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
18 Dec 18
@MarshaMusselman I would need to set up my big table for it as it's a 1000 piece puzzle. This is the puzzle I did last year.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
16 Dec 18
Wow that photo looks amazing and for a puzzle looks challenging. And be careful with the freezer.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
16 Dec 18
You can come help me with my puzzle. Actually, that would be hard to do. I will make sure the freezer is dry underneath before checking the breaker. It could be defrosting it woke it up enough for it to decide it didn't want to work anymore. I've no idea how long they tend to last as this is my first one.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Dec 18
@CarolDM It was the plug on the freezer or at least that's what I think. My brother thinks it needs a new receptacle in the wall and is coming to replace it before heading to a job site this afternoon. More details are in the end of this post.
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@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
16 Dec 18
@MarshaMusselman Just be careful and enjoy the puzzle.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
16 Dec 18
If a breaker blows off, something most probably short circuited. It's also possible that the defrosting and the compressor motor giving up is not related but just a coincidence it happened at the same time, just my wild guess, do keep as updated what the real problem was.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
18 Dec 18
@MarshaMusselman that's a very simple problem, just replace both, the short circuiting may had caused some metal melting. Yes so the defrosting ain't got nothing to do with all of it.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
16 Dec 18
I'll do that. I can tag you once I do the update.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Dec 18
I figured out the problem and it was fairly simple. Either the plug or the receptacle on the wall needs to be replaced. i realized that when I pulled the plug partially out, then it began working again. If you'd like to read more about that you can check the bottom part of this post. And I'm removing the tag from my discussion if you saw that on your notifications but it's not there anymore.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246334)
• United States
17 Dec 18
What a beautiful puzzle! Have you tried vacuuming the coils and beneath the freezer? I hope it starts right up for you.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
18 Dec 18
I looked on the back for the coils and they are not in view. After my brother put a new plug unit in it started right up again. I like difficult puzzles, but that was almost a bit too much. Yesterday, I worked on the puzzle some and mylotted, then the puzzle some then mylotted. It gave me a break to fresh up my eyes and I was able to find more pieces each time. The pattern is printed on the backing but when I get more pieces in it's harder to distinguish each color and where they might go. I began a new one of the same type today, and made the number of pieces less and larger. It's still not easy peasy, but shouldn't take quite so long. I will add the picture of that one shortly, from my phone.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
18 Dec 18
@DianneN I like patterns more than scenery although I do enough of those too. I have one that has the same picture on both sides which makes it harder. I've not done that one in ten years. Maybe again one day. It took a bit but I got my other puzzle pic to load
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246334)
• United States
18 Dec 18
@MarshaMusselman So glad to hear that the freezer is working again! Whew! I love doing puzzles, but some are do tricky!
1 person likes this
@Courage7 (19633)
• United States
16 Dec 18
It might have went into shock from not being defrosted for so long lol But seriously I truly hope it is not broken Marsha.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
16 Dec 18
Thanks, I hope not either. But if we have to buy another one this would be the best time since we were given some money. I'm trying to save it to pay bills the next few months that I'm off work, but if need be could buy that too. My daughter may just have to wait before buying her healthier foods.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Dec 18
@Courage7 The problem is getting fixed today if things work out. I edited my post to reflect what I found out.
1 person likes this
@Courage7 (19633)
• United States
16 Dec 18
@MarshaMusselman Yes she just might have to wait ...I still hope you can save it.
1 person likes this
• Bekasi, Indonesia
18 Dec 18
that's a very good picture, and I like it very much
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
30 Dec 18
Do you enjoy jigsaw puzzles or any other kinds of puzzles like crosswords, Sudoku or other types at all?
1 person likes this
• Bekasi, Indonesia
30 Dec 18
@MarshaMusselman Yes, I really enjoy Sudoku puzzles
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71659)
• United States
17 Dec 18
That is lucky your brother is an electrician so he can help you figure out what is going on with it. Hopefully it is just he receptacle and will be then an easy fix. I have to much in my freezer to eat it up and defrost it. It has about an inch of ice and I should try to chisel some off. Ours is up on cement blocks since we get water in our basement and it would rust the bottom of the freezer.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Dec 18
We get water in three of the rooms down there, but not the wall where the freezer is located. Because it began working when I partially pulled the plug out, we figure it should work fine once either the receptacle is replaced. I think maybe it's the plug, but that isn't loose on its own, so maybe my brother is right that it's the receptacle itself. He's late, though, so maybe it's not going to work out today, but until I go back to work I have a lot of time available and he's not normally as busy during the winter months.
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@allknowing (130067)
• India
17 Dec 18
Hope you get it rectified You have stuff to freeze
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Dec 18
Well, I don't right now but I will have. My freezer upstairs is completely full because we brought a lot that was in the basement upstairs to get ready for the defrosting process. If we can't get it to work in a few days, I'm not in any hurry to move the thing, it will be more difficult to purchase new food at least until we've eaten more of what is stocked.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Dec 18
I did figure out the problem and it's getting fixed possibly today if things work out as planned. If you want to see what it was, I've edited my post to reflect that.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
17 Dec 18
I hope it starts back up, otherwise, it is off to the appliance store I guess for a new one.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Dec 18
Since I did get it to work although I opted to pull the plug since it wasn't a good connection, I don't think we will have to get a newer model after all. We may need to wait longer if it works out that my brother can't stop by tomorrow before heading out of town, or if he needs something he doesn't have readily available on his truck. Otherwise, I don't expect any major problems with it anymore.
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@amadeo (111948)
• United States
16 Dec 18
I love the photo and the pattern there.Nice
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
16 Dec 18
Thanks, Fredo. Have you ever worked on puzzles in your lifetime? We may have discussed this already, and if we did you don't have to answer.
@Tampa_girl7 (48893)
• United States
17 Dec 18
I have one that is nearly thirty years old. Last year we thought ours was broke. Thank goodness it wasn't. I hope that yours still works.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205335)
• Walnut Creek, California
16 Dec 18
Keep us posted. I hope the thing works. No electrical fires, please.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
16 Dec 18
That's why I might try moving it over a bit to look under before I see if the breaker went. Last year, the freezer quit working, but at that time it was the breaker. After talking with my brother who's an electrician I went through and plugged and unplugged what I thought might be on the same circuit and discovered that it was my old dehumidifier that quit working. Since then, I did buy a new one of those. And the freezer worked until I unplugged it, so hopefully it will work again. I don't relish buying another one, but the side-by-side upstairs isn't big enough to hold everything we freeze. I edited my post as my electrician brother is stopping by tomorrow to replace a loose receptacle which he thinks is probably the issue. I explain more at the end of my post.
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
19 Dec 18
Hope the freezer starts working again. There was a problem with the fridge in my house too and hubby had to defrost it manually.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
22 Dec 18
That's what I did was defrost it manually. I don't think I've ever heard of a freezer having a defrost setting like some ovens now do, And it's working fine now that my bother replaced the socket that hooks into the wall.