High Pitch Sound from Brand New Fridge

So I purchased this Hisense fridge thinking I got an amazing deal:

https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/hisense-453l-bottom-mount-ref…

Got it today and was excited to use it, and immediately I noticed a high pitch noise coming from the compressor. I am 28 years old and maybe my hearing is sensitive to these sounds.

Anyway I called Hisense and they organised a technician. He was an older man, and said to me that this is normal and that I should probably go to the doctor and get my ears checked.

This is really upsetting - I can't really sit in the peace and quiet in my home without this annoying ringing sound. He basically said to me I do not have any other option.

Has anyone else had an issue like this and how did you get it resolved? I'm looking to contact Hisense again to get a second opinion, from someone hopefully younger.

Comments

  • The sound is to stop you from snacking. It is a new feature in Hisense fridges.

    He was an older asian man

    This description is important because?

    • +4

      older people generally do not hear high pitched sounds, so he probably didn't understand my frustration.

      • +1

        What about your Asian description?

        • I agree, irrelevant - I have removed that comment, I was trying to focus on age here.

        • Well he wasn't lebo was he. lol.

        • -1

          not irrelevant, if he was Asian, even if he could hear the sound he would claim that he couldn't.

        • Have you been into a restaurant in Hong Kong? It's like they're all deaf from long term yelling… likely from years of dining in a Hong Kong restaurant… so they have to yell to be heard.

          So if that old fella has had to get some tucka…

          • @[Deactivated]: I always think Chinese males lose their hearing due to New Year's fireworks and those street shop opening ceremonies where they fire thousands of firecrackers.

            I have spend Chinese New Years in a rural part of China few times, it's near 24hr firecracker bonanza for 7 days.

      • +2

        You should have told HIM to go to the doctor to get his hearing checked…

  • That sounds rather unprofessional of the technician to basically insult you.
    I don't see how him being 'asian' is relevant in this post.
    I bought a LG 450UPLX from appliances online on a rather good deal, it makes a terrible amount of noise.
    I hate it.

    you're not alone - hope that helps.

    • have you pursued a warranty issue with it? or did you just accept it?

      • it's just over 2 years old now.
        - nothing they can do
        - technician can come out and try and problem solve at my own cost
        - sent me info on all the possible noises a fridge could make… that are normal
        - it works fine, it's just horrible to live with

        I have begrudgingly accepted it

  • I suggest you go back to the store and listen to the floor model. If it does not make the same high pitched noise, you have a valid claim.

    • They plug in fridges on display??

      • +1

        Some display fridges are plugged in. If he pops in and it’s not I’m sure they would plug it in for him to listen to.

  • Get in contact with Consumer affair in your state, google "ACCC consumer affairs" to find the ACCC.gov.au page where they list them.

  • +1

    I’m a technical manager for a appliance manufacture, a few suggestions I would like to make, record the sound on your phone for your records. Note down when the sound comes and goes, does it get mounded/softer? Is the noise there the whole time the compressor is running? Pop into the retailer and see if it’s plugged in and if it isn’t, ask them to plug it in and hang around for 15-20 minutes and see how it sounds.

    New fridges these days run a inverter compressor with a inverter control board, inverter compressors and control boards are known to give a high pitched tone, which is normal at times it is normal but it is pleasurable that the control board could be faulty which does happen and I have personally seen.

    It’s also pleasurable that the older service technician could not hear the noise as I have experienced older technicians not hearing high pitched noises.

    • I normally overlook typos but this one changes the context, I thinking you mean feasible rather than pleasurable.

      • +1

        I'd suggest the intended word was "plausible".

        But back to the OP..,.
        Stick the fridge in the garage and use it as a dedicated beer & whine fridge.

      • Haha sorry about the typos, auto correct got me there. I was trying to do to many things at once and didn’t reread what I had written.

  • Hi this may be obvious but did you wait for the coolant liquid to settle for a few hours before plugging the fridge in?

    • the delivery people installed it for me and plugged it in straight away..

      • Do a quick search about it on google.
        If you turn it on before the coolant has a chance to settle it can put strain on the compressor which is bad for the fridge (even when moved just a small distance).

        Normally I would recommend 2-3hours before turning it on (which happens at the wall socket).
        Newer fridges may be less affected by this issue, but I thought it was just common knowledge to wait a few hours before turning it on.

      • Check the user manual. Sometimes it says it in there, then you will have more ammunition to bring to the table.
        Should be in the short section with Safety Warnings / Logos etc.

      • Honestly if it was transported standing up and was only leaned over whilst on a trolley, plugging it in straight away won’t hurt it. Doesn’t take like for the oil in the compressor to settle. If the compressor isn’t happy it will trip out on it’s overload and reset itself.

  • Had the same issue with my Fisher and Paykel fridge though mine was a ringing sound like a distant fire alarm. Technician said it was normal and I even sent in a recording for the customer service to reassess, they couldn't have given two hoots.

  • He was an older man, and said to me that this is normal and that I should probably go to the doctor and get my ears checked.

    LOL

    I think should go back to his study of origin and get his competency/skills checked.

    …. dogs howling in the background due to a high pitched frequency source ……

  • Had exactly this issue with a fridge in a holiday unit last year. It drove me nuts. Here's what I said in feeback to the owners: "The fridge in unit 5 has a high pitched whine that is extremely annoying. I’m not sure if it is a fault with that particular fridge or a generic problem with the model – if it is a generic problem, other apartments with these fridges are also affected. This problem alone would stop us coming back – it was extremely difficult to tune out from it or cover it up with other sound". I don't have a note of the brand, but I think it was Hisense. I bought a new fridge soon afterwards and was very careful! p.s. Stop whispering on Whirlpool….

    • Found the brand. Not Hisense….it was a Beko.

      • +1

        Beko had troubles with a noisy relay that would buzz, was a quick, simple fix.

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