What size is your fridge? Generally not recommended to use extension cord for refrigerator as this are high power consumption unit (especially when the compressor kicks in).

Best to get a electrician to run proper sized plug point with the right cable size, fit for your use.

This kind of jointing is not good for fridge and also for your family; it is a potential fire hazard.

There is no need to hack, can run the wire using the "white strip" plastic cable duct which can be installed on the wall. This will be permanent.

Even for electric kettle, jointing using tape is very bad as your electric kettle (not jug kettle) draws about 1kW of power albeit for a very short period. Over time, if there is oxidisation on the connectors; there will be very high chance of fire or electrocution.

That's why it is often recommended to replace the wire if its broken, temporary fix for one off use is ok but not continuous use.

A fully-stocked to rated capacity and not overloaded (ie stuffed to every nook and cranny) fridge is more energy saving.

Reason is, an empty fridge is nothing but a cold cabinet; once you open the door, automatically there is a very fast temperature difference happening; whereas, a fridge with items in it, will hold the temperature longer; since the items inside hold their temperature for awhile.

During a power failure, a good fridge can keep cool for quite long period of time provided the door is not opened. Hard to practice in practical terms, but if you have a planned power shutdown; then you can know how to plan

You can chill water, which can be used for drinking?

For freezer, you could freeze water bottle or containers with ice.

Is this fridge going to be hardly used? as in for airbnb? If it's going to be rarely opened on a daily basis, doesn't make much of a difference.

You are using Hitachi with VIP insulation technology right? This can keep cool for more than 12 hours, if doors are left closed during power failure.

If leaving for extended hours, usually it is recommended to freeze water on a paper cup and put a coin on it; this way, if there is a power failure; you can gauge the extent of cooling loss and whether to toss the food away from your fridge.

Technically, as the water melts, the coin will move further downwards; should it reach the bottom; it means all your stuff in the freezer is already thawed and has been refreezed, when the power came up

Our own personal experience, with Hitachi Big French 750FPMX; it can keep cool for about 5 to 6 hours with power loss (had to keep yelling at the maid not to touch the fridge during that period though, as it was unplanned shutdown)

This post has been edited by dayalan86: Dec 12 2018, 01:25 PM

Genset will be the best back up, 12 hours is good enough for our weather I guess, unless you can further insulate the fridge. Especially the door.

Our Hitachi Big French R-W750FPMX just broke down yesterday after 5 years of use. There is power and the main display functions and responds to temperature adjustments, but the freezer compartment and fridge compartment are both at normal room temperature.

Can hear the compressor running, but overall it is not cold. Expected it to last at least 10 years before a breakdown like this occur. Did anyone else face similar issue with Hitachi Fridge before?

I tried switching it off and on again, but still doesn't cool. I suspect the compressor relay or the compressor itself is faulty.

To update, we managed to get our local repair guy to check; found the compressor tubing return line exploded and all of the cooling agent (R600A) has drained off; most likely due to poor material use and QC from the factory.

Bought this Fridge in 2014 new for RM 5299 and it is still on sale until now, Hitachi R-W750FPMX. This just happened 2 weeks out of my extended warranty. Compressor is under warranty replacement by Hitachi but all associated labour costs including gas refill is excluded.

This is the first time we have such a major issue in any of our refrigerators; my parents old Sharp fridge is still running well after 20 years (it had some minor issue with the defrost timer & sticky thermostat 5 years back). Quite disheartening, probably we were just unlucky to get a bad batch of fridge or the copper material used could be really of very low quality for it to completely explode and come off from the compressor.

[quote=voonmingloo,Jul 12 2019, 09:09 AM]
[quote=gshock_kaki,Jul 9 2019, 07:31 AM]
anyone face any spontaneous breakage of the hitachi glass door? mine suddenly break today after 3 years.. regretted the change of the fridge coz the normal metal discontinued that time...



[/quote

We also face the same problem last month after it was purchased few years back. Checked the door price, need at least 1k plus. So resorted using a transparent tint film (like the one use on car windscreen) tinted to it. Asked someone to help me doing it.

Don't press the broken glass hard as it will become powder n

won't stick to the broken glass so have to gently apply it.

Hope these helps.

[/quote]

I'm wondering if you tried using other material, like patterned wrap or something. I believe since it is happening to a few people, probably you guys can file a claim with consumer tribunal as well.

I intend to file my case against Hitachi, because our fridge apparently has a major blockage in the cooling system which caused the compressor copper connection to explode. The Hitachi service rep dropped by yesterday to perform flushing prior to replacing the compressor and found that there is a major block.

Repair works if undertaken, will need a complete strip down of the fridge to replace the internal copper tubing; which will not be covered under warranty. Only the compressor itself is covered.

We are awaiting Hitachi's response. As our fridge is just over 5 years of use and was expecting it to last for at least 10 years without problems.

Ours is confirmed beyond repair by Hitachi, decided to take Hitachi to consumer court as my fridge is just 5 years old and
the compressor is warranty is for 10 years. In this case, the faulty compressor caused the whole refrigerant line to be blocked and damage beyond repair. Hitachi wants us to pay 2.8k for the same exact model replacement.

Panasonic I guess is more reliable, your old national probably needs a new thermostat. Our old Sharp is also running well for the past 20 years, we did repair the defrost timer and thermostat.



This post has been edited by dayalan86: Aug 14 2019, 07:22 PM

I would say Panasonic, especially if you store vegetables. Somehow Sharp isn't too good with vegetables, otherwise I guess they are both good.

Panasonic after sales support is good too, similar to Sharp.

My parents 20 year old Sharp still cools as good as new except for louder compressor sound and heat generated to the surrounding, but then it is a non inverter type which tend to last longer than the energy efficient counterpart.

I have relative's using Panasonic inverter fridge and haven't had major issues with it either. Easily serviceable and spares can be obtained easily too, same for Sharp.

Stay away from Hitachi, due to dubious quality on their compressor and extremely poor after sales service. I'm pending a consumer tribunal hearing against Hitachi this week.

This post has been edited by dayalan86: Aug 28 2019, 08:22 AM

Hitachi Model RW750fpmx, 4 door big French

The compressor model with issues is WL16H10DAN

This compressor is fitted across different model of Hitachi fridge, and seems to be a well known issue to Hitachi as the failure which happened to us has happened to numerous other customers including those from Thailand, where this fridge is manufactured.

There seems to be a faulty batch of compressors for fridge manufactured from 2014 to 2016, which are only recently failing and along with it clogging the internal refrigerant line of the fridge; making it beyond repair.

If energy efficiency is what you are after; look for energy star rating and also the after sales reliability.

Usually we use Midea at our project site office, no issues whatsoever and we run it off genset at project site office.

For home use I personally prefer Samsung or Panasonic. If budget, probably Sharp. As I have personally experienced good after sales support from these 3 Brands.

Did they offer you a 50% offer? You can try file case with consumer court for RM 5. Seems like Hitachi knows one whole batch or more faulty refrigerators are out there in people's home.

Yeah, better to go for Panasonic or Samsung. We bought a Samsung RL4323RBABS during the interim while fighting the case with Hitachi. This fridge is so much more silent than the Hitachi; don't even know when it is running except when the compressor is starting up after the defrost cycle; even then the noise is for about 10 seconds at most; which is barely audible.

Hitachi almost always has a weird buzzing kind of sound when it is on.

I got it for RM 2699 with two year warranty

You can get it for RM2699 to 2899 with 5 year warranty from TBM as well.

Do have a look at Panasonic NR-BY608xS too which is similarly priced, it's a much bigger fridge with a slightly smaller freezer compartment. We didn't get the Panasonic as we personally don't find the chest drawer freezer practical for daily use.

That part cost about RM 15 or so and labour charge about RM 50 to change.

Our now returned to Hitachi French Door fridge also had issues with the door stopper (that's the name for that plastic piece); the newer material seems to be more flexible. We had to replace both the left and right Freezer door stopper as it simply snapped by itself.

My mom is using Morgan chest freezer, overall quality ok but they cut cost by not using anti mold gasket. Thus the gasket is a source of very heavy mould growth.

Do get a chest freezer with anti mold gasket

I was using Hitachi RW750FPMX four door french model; the door stopper item is quite similar across the similar capacity larger size models for Hitachi (parts commonality) to keep costs low.

My Hitachi had a faulty compressor which caused the fridge to die just after 5 years of use; and rendered beyond repair as the internal piping got choked when the compressor failed.

Prior to the compressor fault, these door stopper part broke first after 3 years of use and 6 months apart for each door.

I filed a case against Hitachi at the consumer court and received a replacement fridge from Hitachi at no cost to us.

Hitachi seems to know the faulty compressor issue but never issued any recall; based on discussion with the service personnel and also the replacement fridge delivery person.

Very poor customer service, hence I would never ever recommend this brand to people again either for refrigerator or other appliances.

This post has been edited by dayalan86: Oct 3 2019, 05:05 PM

Hitachi gave us this fridge model as replacement, it is quite noisy but I couldn't check the compressor model as there is a back plate covering the comoressor portion. My suggestion is to avoid Hitachi

There was no signs prior to failure except for a very high pitched buzzing sound two days before the fridge and freezer stopped cooling.