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| Sub-Zero 550 | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 16th, 2006 11:08 pm |
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1st Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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I feel like I was justed ripped off. Here is the deal. Our Sub Zero 550 stayed around 50deg. We hesitantly called someone out. They said they cleaned the condenser (we saw them spray some foam in there but never turned the frig off). They added R-12 cuz our freon was low. Does Freon get low on its own? If there is a leak isnt it illegal for someone to add R-12 w/out fixing the leak? And they "adjusted the system".....whatever that means. $300! What do you samurai's think?! Of course they recommended a new compressor. They will apply the $300 towards it. Anyway, now the frig works better but I am not sure if it is fixed yet. 
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| Posted: Sun Jul 16th, 2006 11:32 pm |
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2nd Post |
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AccApp Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology 
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KAR444 wrote: Our Sub Zero 550 stayed around 50deg. Could be anything at this point. We hesitantly called someone out. They said they cleaned the condenser (we saw them spray some foam in there but never turned the frig off). I do that for A/C condensers outside, for a Sub-Zero, I just shut the unit off and vacuum from the side where air enters They added R-12 cuz our freon was low. Does Freon get low on its own? No, it leaks out of the system. If there is a leak isnt it illegal for someone to add R-12 w/out fixing the leak? Not necessarily, it depends on leak rate and amount of refrigerant charge. And they "adjusted the system".....whatever that means. Turned the dial from "10" back to "5".
$ub-Zero = ATM for some guys
Leak is probably in the evaporator, depending on unit age it is a good idea to replace the comp as well It's not.
____________________ "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. http://www.fixitnow.com/beerfund.htm |
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| Posted: Mon Jul 17th, 2006 01:15 am |
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3rd Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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You made me laugh so hard. Darn. I hate this. We bought the house w/ this Sub Zero. It is probably 15 ish years old. As far as adjusting the system, he didn't even put it back to 5! How much does adding freon usually cost? We cant do that by ourselfs I believe. Anyway, the guy told us that we could apply the $300 to a new compresser (abt $1,100 he said) if what it still didnt work. I'm thinking that it is not a bad deal for an extra $700. I think that you said that you charge $1,500. If we get a new compressor, what type of things do I need to ask and watch for? I was going to ask if I could buy the parts myself after they quote me accordingly. My husband is very skilled. I will have to look if we can change the evaporator by ourselves. A few years ago we had low freon too.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 17th, 2006 02:01 am |
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4th Post |
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AccApp Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology
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Parts are easy to get and cheap. Problem is to do the job right,you need a lot of equipment: Brazing hot torch, vacuum pump, charging cylinder, manifold/gauge set of some sort and refrigerant, I use r414a but you can't buy anything without a license. Probably best left to a pro. What is your sn?
____________________ "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. http://www.fixitnow.com/beerfund.htm |
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| Posted: Mon Jul 17th, 2006 04:59 am |
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5th Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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SN #P685634 The frustration comes because I don't know if I don't know anyone I can really trust. For $300 I would think the guy could have told me where the leak was or test the compressor somehow. Oh.....I don't know. He gave me a story about new refrigs having computers so they are more expensive to fit. He said w/ a new compressor it could last another 10 plus years. But there are other expensive parts (evaporator) plus the freezer compressor. And......maybe the Energy Saver type frigs would save a lot. Electricity is really high here in Los Angeles. My husband is a locksmith and does a lot of work on the house. But, we dont have specialized tools for frigs. He also has multiple licenses and works w/ people that could probably get the freon stuff. Does the SN number show anything like how old it is? I could almost guarantee it is older than 12 years.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 17th, 2006 05:47 am |
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6th Post |
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AccApp Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology
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The SN does not show up in S-Z's database. The tag with the sn should also give a mfg date. I can tell you it was made in Phoenix, AZ. Fridges really don't use a lot of power compared to other things like A/C or hot water heating. To replace a 550 with a 650 would be $6k+, the 550 is out of production. If you must have a built-in you are stuck with somehting pricey. You could also stick a nice bottom-mount or French-Door Maytag/Amana or LG in the space for about twice the cost to repair. I hate to sound like a broken record, but if you are looking for a service agent you can trust, call S-Z and they willl certainly put you in touch with one in your area.
____________________ "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. http://www.fixitnow.com/beerfund.htm |
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| Posted: Mon Jul 17th, 2006 02:50 pm |
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7th Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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My husband just said that in the middle of the night the frig was at 25! If paying $1K (ouch) would fix it then fine. We could apply the $300 "ATM" Rip off and be okay. But if it will then be like a boat (break out another thousand) it will be a problem. It was a little hard to read but I did see the Frig was made Feb 88. Do you have any idea of the average life time of a Frig and parts like this? My husband and I are really irked by the repair guy. Everytime we had a detailed question he had a English speaking problem. He was a subcontract guy for the company. The place says they will beat any estimate. Perhaps I should get estimates and then make them apply the $300 to it. I would like to argue the $300 charge for being too high. The guy came out on Sat. and it is Monday so I could call the office. SubZero has an appliance place near by, but because they recommend it does that mean they wont rip us off? I will call them and get a quote. Thanks a million Samurai!
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| Posted: Mon Jul 17th, 2006 03:29 pm |
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8th Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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They said they cleaned the condenser (we saw them spray some foam in there but never turned the frig off). I do that for A/C condensers outside, for a Sub-Zero, I just shut the unit off and vacuum from the side where air enters I forgot to mention that this is a little funny because the guy does air conditioning.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 18th, 2006 02:20 am |
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9th Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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Does "Evaporator" mean Condensor Fan? What is the Evaporator that you said is probably leaking. They sent us a quote for an extra $730 they will put in a compressor, oil filter and clean the system. When I asked how they cleaned it the first time they said they used a special spray that kills bacteria inside the coils. I asked what it is called and they guy said, "I don't know". It sounds like a little magic to me. I am considering paying $60 to get the SZ Authorized dealer to come out and then if the story is different cancel the payment to the first people. Or....I could file a BBB complaint.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 18th, 2006 04:29 am |
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10th Post |
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AccApp Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology
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KAR444 wrote: Does "Evaporator" mean Condensor Fan? What is the Evaporator that you said is probably leaking. Go to the Sears site, type in 550 in the model number text box, select the ref by sub-zero, hit the radio button for "view diagram for "550 system view. The ref evaporator is the big piece of serpentine tubing with fins in the middle (#19?) The inset views will also show you the condenser fan on the upper right
I don't know what they could possibly mean by "oil filter"
Probably Scrubbing Bubbles, who knows with this crew. Bacteria in the condenser coils is among the least of your worries.
Well worth it. and then if the story is different cancel the payment to the first people. Or....I could file a BBB complaint. I paid 15k for a computer programming course and I graduated just before a couple of planes hit the World Trade Center and took down the entire job market for computer programmers with it. I consider it money well spent as it led me to where I am today. It's only money
____________________ "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. http://www.fixitnow.com/beerfund.htm |
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| Posted: Tue Jul 18th, 2006 05:20 am |
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11th Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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15K ! Oh my gosh. Now that is something to stress about. But a lot is the issue of intent. Your school didn't try to screw you. I try to look at this as Karma, but it is still pissing me off. I spoke to sub zero today. They were pretty clear on the fact that Freon should not be low unless there is a leak. Maybe he meant all filter instead of oil filter. I'm not sure what filters there are anyway. I will look at the sub zero diagram you mentioned. Maybe this weekend we will check out some other frigs that might fit in the same space. Yes....it is just money....but I wanted a robotic vacumn.... wahhhhhh 
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| Posted: Wed Jul 19th, 2006 01:11 am |
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12th Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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A while ago we had frost on the bottom corner wall of the frig. For some reason not anymore. I guess this goes along with the evaporator prob. The Sears site was good, but not quite legible enough. Can we take the back of the inside fridge wall off and look at the evaporator. We could do the soap test and figure out what is going on back there. There is a good possibility that there is frost on it. Right? The Ice Maker has a dripping leak and the pan was full. Molding and everything. Actually it left our cabinets and tile a bit messed up. My husband fixed the leak, cleaned up the mess but we are still waiting for ice. The more I read, the more I realize how connected they are. Bottom line - Can we open up the back of the fridge and do a visual inspection on the evaporator? If so, can we install a new evaporator. Take care. I bet you are busy with Air Conditioning out in NJ these days. Karen
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| Posted: Wed Jul 19th, 2006 01:24 pm |
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13th Post |
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AccApp Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology
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Most evaporator leaks are so small you would never find them with a soap bubble test. Yes, you probably had a piece of ice where the liguid refrigerant enters the evap but it has gone away if refrigerant was added. If the compressor is running , there should be frost all along the evaporator. When the compressor stops, the ice melts. Which pan was full?
____________________ "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. http://www.fixitnow.com/beerfund.htm |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 19th, 2006 03:26 pm |
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14th Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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The pan under the freezer was over flowing. My husband fixed a leak, but he says its the heating coil that isn't working right. I guess I should have mentioned that before, but I was thinking the freezer and frig were totally separate.
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21st, 2006 03:53 am |
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15th Post |
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KAR444 Grasshopper
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It has been less than a week and the pan under the freezer is full of water again. What would that be?
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21st, 2006 04:26 am |
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16th Post |
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AccApp Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology
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That is defrost drain water. In high ambient humidity the heat from the coils often isn't enough to evaporate it all and it builds up.
____________________ "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. http://www.fixitnow.com/beerfund.htm |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 30th, 2006 12:41 pm |
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17th Post |
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Keinokuorma Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology 
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KAR444: They sent us a quote for an extra $730 they will put in a compressor, oil filter and clean the system.AccApp: I don't know what they could possibly mean by "oil filter" That would sound like the tiny expansion on the back tubes, that is partially filled by some greyish-greenish desiccant grains, at least the one was that I took apart for fun in my youth, heheh. Well that can be considered an "oil filter", because for one job it tries to filter out the tiny, wimpy, little amount of oil that enters the condenser (from the compressor) during the lifetime of the system... then, it can be considered a "gas dryer" because it also tries to absorb the tiny, wimpy, little amounts of moisture that entered the system back when it was not filled by refrigerant. Also it tries to catch rigid particles that are borne into the refrigreant flow. Sounds costly, as with $730 I could buy about two new fridges.
____________________ "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olson, Digital Equipment Corporation (1977) |
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| Posted: Mon Jul 31st, 2006 11:50 am |
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18th Post |
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Budget Appliance Repair Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology
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Keinokuorma wrote:
Keinokuorma, Have you every looked at the price of Sub-Zero refrigerators?????? I don't think you could even barely buy half of one for $730...... That's the reason you see so many people willing to pay to have sealed system work done on these units that on most older standard refrigerators would be opted to replace instead of repair.
____________________ William Burk (Willie) Willie's Budget Appliance Repair Eureka, CA 95501 |
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| Posted: Mon Jul 31st, 2006 08:20 pm |
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19th Post |
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Keinokuorma Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology
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Budget Appliance Repair wrote: Keinokuorma, Have you every looked at the price of Sub-Zero refrigerators?????? Well, we don't get that brand here, and true, we don't have too many built-in fridges either... we usually have these "detached" appliances only, with standardized spacing, so that we can replace with almost any brand and model if we wish. Even though they are designed with the idea that they can be easily replaced, they are priced so that it is still reasonable to repair up to a certain amount. The average fridge/freezer tower of 60x180x80cm costs around €400, but of course you can buy a €1000 model or something in that range. On another thread I read that some Miele appliances cost around $2000 average... well, I bought my Helkama dishwasher for €390. The shop carried Siemens and Bosch units around €600, and some Chinese crap around €300... I couldn't really afford the pricier models back in the day so I settled for the Finnish brand with reasonable price. And, it's only a 50km trip to the plant where it was whapped up, so I know where to toss it if it gives me too much trouble.  Last edited on Thu Aug 10th, 2006 10:26 pm by Keinokuorma ____________________ "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olson, Digital Equipment Corporation (1977) |
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| Posted: Thu Aug 3rd, 2006 03:45 am |
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20th Post |
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Subzero-aches Grasshopper
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Wow - we must have been separated at birth. We have the same problem with our Sub Zero 550. Started running warm (50 right now). Bought a home with an old 1988 counter depth 550. To replace with similar counter depth is expensive. But holding onto the $$ guzzling sub zero is terrifying. Just tossed out a fridge full of food - thank goodness the freezer is fine. Hope to see a SZ repair man on my door step to give us the prognosis. I hope you don't mind but how did this story end for you & your husband? Any advice for a newbee about to experience their first SZ repair? Did you hang onto it or walk away? Thanks
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