Did I break my freezer

37chief

Well-known Member
Location
California
Our power was off for around 15 hours a few weeks back. I hooked up a generator and put a cord to my freezer, and refrigerator. Now the freezer doesn't shut off. If I unplug it, and plug it in again it stops, and in a couple hours it comes on, and doesn't shut off until I unplug it again. I am thinking with not full power from my generator I did some damage to something. Any thoughts. I know it's not tractor related, but with the knowledge here someone will be able to give me some helpful information. Stan
 
You wouldn't thing running it on a generator would cause that, I ran ours on my little generator for 24 hours last year. Maybe you should try defrosting it, an extended defrost, in case there is frozen condensation in the insulation. If nothing else, maybe change the thermostat. How cold is it inside? We had an old one that ran steady, it was -30 inside.
 
How cold is it getting when left running?

A thermometer should show around 0F if it is cooling properly.

If it's running nonstop, and not getting down to 0, something is wrong with the cooling system or it's iced up.

If it is getting down to 0, and not shutting off, something with the thermostat or controls.
 
A smaller generator will have trouble starting a freezer or refrigerator. So yes, you might have damaged something.

Take a look at your freezer's compressor and see if it has a starter module, which might look like <a href="https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Start-Device/WPW10197428/1547199">this</a>. If it does, try replacing the starter. If that doesn't fix your problem, you might be in for an expensive repair or replacement.
 
I have 2 refrigerators I power up with a 3500w RV generator. One had digital controls, the other uses old school thermostat. My generator has never damaged either one.

I would think the compressor is more likely to be damaged by low voltage.

I think your freezer may have had a pre existing condition and you only discovered it after using generator.

A freezer low on freon will never get cold enough to shut off. What's the temp of freezer?
 
If it ran for a few weeks with no issues, I would assume that something unrelated has just failed.
 
If it has a defroster timer in it, that could have gone bad. Maybe just a coincidence. I have had to replace a couple of them over the years. They are mechanical like a clock, with metal contacts in them. It will be located in the refrigerator part, if it has one. It also sounds like it could be a relay.
 
I have heard that it takes an inverter generator to run things with electronics in them as non inverter generators put out sort of dirty electricity. Correct me if im wrong.
 
I ran my furnace off of an older Onan propane generator some time ago. No harm. Furnace has an electronic "mother board."
 

I think it's entirely possible you damaged it. I know that the one time I ran my 25Kw alternator and had my wifes double electric oven on, it screwed up the digital readout controls, so now I make sure I throw the breaker to the oven if I'm gonna use the alt.
 

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