Freezer defrosting itself

[Rezolution123]

Upright freezer in garage. Three years old.
Suddenly before Christmas it defrosted itself and we lost all our frozen food as it had all thawed out before we discovered it.
Had electricians in to check plug sockets and do some updating to system.
Suddenly it began working! Put a few small items in to try it out.
Last week suddenly it stopped again. Feel I can't trust it any more.
Want to buy a new one and start afresh.
What would you do?

[PigletJohn]

Is it a "frost free" freezer?

[JT05]

We had a Samsung frost free that began over frosting and leaking just after the guarantee ran out. We did all the suggested things to the drainage holes etc. then it just stopped! Chucked it out!

[Rezolution123]

Pigletjohn

Yes it is a frostfree freezer - in more ways than one!
I wonder whether the socket/wiring is suspect and will get electrician to check it this week.
The other question in my mind is - should I move it away from our tumbledryer in case the surrounding air is too warm?

[PigletJohn]

frostfrees have cold air ducts behind the back wall. They are supposed to be heated up periodically with electric elements to melt out the accumulated frost so it can drip down a concealed drain hose. The air ducts are prone to choking with ice.

If this happens, you have to unplug them and open the door (take out all the food and eat it or store it in another freezer) for long enough for all the ice to melt and drip out. This may take 24 hours or more. Wait until there are no more drips inside the cabinet, or down the tube into the evaporation dish at the back (pull the freezer away from the wall so you can see).

It takes longer to defrost than an ordinary freezer because the ice is in the ducts and you can't get at it.

Once you are satisfied that it is no longer dripping, you can plug it back in. If you don't wait until the ice has all gone, you have wasted your time.

If it blocks again within a year, scrap it. Replacing the defrost heater elements or circuit is not usually an economic repair.

[Rezolution123]

Piglet
Thanks for the explanation. I think we have both agreed to buy a new one soon and it won't be a frostfree one this time.l

[LittleBearPad]

Is it very full? Ours did that last Christmas when very heavily stocked. We did as Piglet John suggested and it worked perfectly.

[PigletJohn]

certainly worth a try. I chucked out my mum's old one and made her buy new, before I found out about the manual defrost.

Freezers that are not frost-free have almost nothing to go wrong, and haver slightly more internal space as there are no ducts behind the false back.