wrote in message ...
I just moved into an apartment that has a 14 year old Gibson fridge. The
refrigerator is running all the time. I told the landlord about it and he
brought his repairman to look at it. At that time, the fridge was coming on
every 5 minutes, running for 4 minutes, shutting off for 5 minutes and then
back on again. I timed this fridge and wrote down the times which I explained
to the landlord before he brought his repair guy in. Now, a few days later and
the time of on/off running time has reduced to only 2 minutes between on and
off and then 2.5 minutes between off and back on again.

The landlord says that there's nothing wrong with it the way it is and that
it is an modern efficiency refrigerator. How efficient is an appliance that's
running 12 hours out of every 24 hour day??? I tried to explain to him that
when I moved out to his apartment that I brought exactly the same electrical
fixtures that I had in my previous apartment( monthly bill's were $27/month
average, also the same exact electrical company) and that my first 2 bills at
this current landlords apartment were close to $100. Now admittedly in this
current landlords apartment there is baseboard electrical heat which does cost
a bit more. But this early move in period was prior to the real heating season
kicking in which is kicking in now.

I've put a fridge thermometer in both the top freezer and the bottom fridge
and the temps are barely acceptable with the freezer set to the coldest and
the bottom fridge control seems to have no effect on the temp as I've turned
it down until it nearly is in the off position. This bottom control seems not
to be functioning properly as a control for setting temperatures. What is a
tenant to do?? Help!!!!

This is Turtle.

50% as you say run time is not bad for a older type refrigerator. The run time
can very from 90% down to 10% run time depending on the temperature of the room
the refrigerator is in. So older models can have a 50% run time and be good and
the newer models can have a 90% run time and still be good to go. The clocking
of the run time to see if a refrigerator is working properly is not a very good
test at all.

Now you said you was going to check the temperature of the freezer and
refrigerator sections for the right temperature and that is a very good test to
do. Get you a outdoor thermometer or a refrigerator themometer from Walmarts
$2.99 and get the freezer temp. and the refrigerator temp. . You should
maintain in the freezer area -5ºF to +5ºF and then in the refrigerator area
+33ºF to +39ºF . In the refrigerator area it it is Below 32ºF or +40ºF or
above is not acceptiable at all. In the freezer area you should have -5ºF to
+5ºF and could get to +10ºF in some cases during a defrost time and there is not
too much product in the freezer area to hold the temp down while it defrost. If
the freezer area is just about full, you should not see the +10ºF temp at all
and should stay in the +5ºF to +5ºF range.

Now 99% of the time if you have a problem with the refrigerator you will see in
the refrigerator area the temp. getting above the +40ºF range and mostly in the
upper +40ºF range and maybe into the +50ºF range.

Post back with the temperature of these two area with door closed for a hour or
so and no new product put in the refrigerator area in the last 12 hours. You can
give the run times too if you like. Here is your true test and let use know the
problem for the temp.s will show it all.

TURTLE