Ok Fridge freezer- It can work down to -15degree’s*. However every so often (last time was a year ago) it defrosts multiple times a week spoiling the food in the freezer.

Last time I realised we had too much food in the freezer compartment where the fan is located- sorted that and its been fine since.

Its started doing it again, Can it be that you can also overfill the rest of the freezer and air needs to circulate properly for it to work?

I’ve checked the black compressor(?) at the back- its warm not hot-hot.

Its currently working but making a quite low rumbling sound (best way to describe it).

I’m loathe to bin it. Our last fridge/freezer lasted 10yrs and I’m conscious that a repair man will cost a sizeable call out chunk etc.

Could turning it off- leaving it to stand for a couple of days and cleaning all the coils on the back help?

Ps. Theres enough air flow behind. However there was a window vent immediately to its left that I had sealed two weeks ago due to fruit flies getting in from the bins.

*The Fridge leaves indoors and under the stairs facing the kitchen.

Air flow is required. If it’s been overfilled, check the evaporator isn’t iced up. Check the door seals, give the condenser coil a brush off. Turn the stat up and down and check that it clicks the compressor on and off.
Other than that; not much you can do.

Have you tried turning the thermostat in the fridge up a bit (as in make the fridge temp colder)?

Most fridge freezers only use the thermostat in the fridge for control and the freezer is just slaved off of that, effectively.

If the fridge stays cold enough for long enough, then the compressor doesn’t kick in and the freezer department defrosts, while the fridge bit is still cold enough…

EDIT – when we moved house there was no room in the kitchen for our fridge freezer so we had to get an under counter fridge and stick the other one in the garage. It was quite wasteful as we didn’t use the fridge compartment (apart from a few beers) but during the winter the freezer would defrost every now and again.

I ended up running a 20w light bulb into the fridge compartment that came on twice a day for 30 mins via a timer, just to heat the fridge up a little bit to kick the compressor in. Only had to do it when the temp got proper cold outside.
We now have a stand alone freezer in the garage so it’s not an issue. It’s rated down to -15C too.