The Auswine Forum

I think it has something to do with the gas that runs it.
My understanding is that the gas is under pressure and therefore in a liquid form. If you turn the fridge on and the liquid has moved into some of the finer pipes that it will expand with the cooling of the gas and break the little pipes. This will then stuff the fridge. Happy to be corrected if there is someone who knows different.

It's not a peltier (thermoelectric) fridge?

Yeah, leave it off for 24 hours, especially if it's been anything less than upright for the past few days. Something about the gas/liquid in the condenser needing to stabilise. NO harm in waiting.

Just out of interest, does it smell of anything inside?? I've always been upset at mine having a chemically smell coming from it.

Cheers
TiggerK

I got the same one for Fathers Day and had to put in on it's side in the car and I was told because of that to not turn it on for 24 hours as well, to let the gas settle.
I have not left mine on as yet as the temps are still around 17-18 in that room anyway, but definitely has strong chemical smell so only screwcaps are going in there for now.

Aahh, that old new-car smell from the plastics in a wine cooler........

The fridge I received as part of a well documented offer has that smell.
I followed instructions on leaving it off, door open etc and it has not gone.
Even run it for a period with door open, no change.

Only thought of cork/screw cap on weekend so shifted any cork out and into my other fridge.

an open container of bicarb soda will absorb any particles of liquid suspended in the air and the smell along with it.

wether this will work for a new fridge chemical smell or not i dunot know, but it can't hurt.

Tried the bicarb saucer, perhaps made a small difference so worth doing, but maybe 20% better at most, and the bicarb soon went crusty and needed replacing each week or two. Problem is that the fan is blowing the smelly air into the fridge, and it is a 10 secs on, 10 secs off arrangement, so the smell never gets a chance to be absorbed and stay absent.

Frustrating, but I've learned to live with it. My other 3 non-vintec fridges don't have any smell at all, and 2 were much less expensive.

I've asked for a response from Penfolds/Vintec on the issue on behalf of the thousands of recent recipients of these model fridges via a Penfolds promotion. So far these models all seem to have this issue. Not realistically expecting anything to fix them, but I thought worth asking for a comment nonetheless.

My guess is that Vintec are trying to get rid of large stocks of a smelly model via a mass promotion. Mine is a year old, and I've seen this model on big discounts for the past year. Their service was very good when contacted, but the replacement sent out smelt just the same! Perhaps I should have asked for a refund, but other people said it would dissipate with time. (outgassing).. well a year later.. maybe 20% better? Ah well, fill with screwcaps, no drama. Corks probably OK in the real world too I expect, but I'm not risking it.

Cheers
TiggerK