Refrigerator (Freezer)

Rdsharp

Active Member
Ok, so we have power, and the freezer temp keeps getting night and higher? It now says 34??? What do I look for first?


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wdk450

Well-known member
What do you mean by "Night"?

It would help to have the brand and model of refrigerator. Maybe you can look up a manual on the internet if you don't have one.

Is the temperature control turned all the way down?

Can you hear the compressor running?

Has this unit worked OK before??

Is the refrigerator section getting cold? Usually there is just an evaporator (cold maker) in the freezer section, with some of the cold air vented into the refrigerator section on the conventional Freon refrigerator/freezers. Thus, if your freezer is not cold enough, I would not expect your refrigerator compartment to be cold enough.

Is there clearance around the refrigerator to dissipate the heat removed from the interior of the refrig/freezer?
 

CoveredWagon

Well-known member
Ok, so we have power, and the freezer temp keeps getting night and higher? It now says 34??? What do I look for first?


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mine does stupid every now and then as well. While I’m still not sure what is going on I have been able to get it working properly again by unplugging it for a few seconds, then it seems to work as normal. Best I remember I’ve had it happen 3 or 4 times out of several months. I think it may be going into a defrost cycle and getting stuck. Unplugging it may be resetting the clock. That’s just a WAG.
 

Rdsharp

Active Member
It’s working now, I messed with the fuse an the breaker and now it’s at the right temp!!! DO not know what happened, but thank you for your replies.


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jerryjay11

Well-known member
With the assumption that your fridge is a residential unit look at the following:

  • Open the freezer door, listen for the freezer fan running. Some fridges turn fan off when door is open so you may need to press the light switch. Fan needs to circulate the air
  • Next look at the freezer compartment rear panel, check for a frost build up all over the panel. If frost is covering the panel it's a defrost problem. If you find thick frost in just a corner of the panel then it is a sealed system problem.
  • If your freezer isn't getting down to zero degrees then you will find the fresh food section isn't maintaining 38 to 40 degrees as it should.

Most likely it's a defrost problem. Frost build up prevents the fan circulating the air. Behind the freezer compartment rear panel is a defrost heater and defrost termination thermostat. There is also a defrost control. Not knowing what model number your fridge is it could be a separate defrost control located behind the fresh food controls or it could be integrated into an electronic control, probably located behind a panel at the rear of the fridge.

If you don't find frost build up then check to see if you can feel air flowing under the front of the fridge (condenser fan). It can be a bit difficult to feel. A light match flame should help with that.

Also if the condenser fan isn't running the area around the door opening that the door seals mate with will tend to be hot (yoder loop). Another sign the condenser fan isn't running. Could have something blocking the blade turning, like a mouse.
 

CoveredWagon

Well-known member
It’s working now, I messed with the fuse an the breaker and now it’s at the right temp!!! DO not know what happened, but thank you for your replies.


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I’ve tried that too, but never had any luck until I unplugged it. Did you pull the fuse and turn off the breaker at the same time ? I don’t think I ever did.
 

mlpeloquin

Well-known member
My S&B refrigerator had the fan freeze up. The symptoms were water at the bottom of the refrigerator under the vegetable bins. The fix was to remove everything from the refrigerator shelves and bins, remove the shield in the back covering the fan and cooling coils. Be careful not to rip the foam insulation taking the shield off. Also do not tug or put pressure on the coils or cooling fins. Pull the refrigerator out to be able to remove the bottom access panel. Find the drain tube at the drain pan. Cut a small "V" near the end to allow water to flow into the pan. The end of the tube has a small plug that allows water to exit and hot air not to. Over time dust gets into the tube and clogs it. Use a hair dryer to melt the ice around the cooling coils all the way down to the bottom. At the bottom is where the tube is connected internally with no access to it. To deice it, pour hot water on it until the water pours freely down to tube to the drain pan below.

This will save you on a service call. This fix will stay fixed. If you just clear the tube and put another end on it, it will occur again. All new high efficiency refrigerators will have this problem sooner or later.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Find the drain tube at the drain pan. Cut a small "V" near the end to allow water to flow into the pan. The end of the tube has a small plug that allows water to exit and hot air not to. Over time dust gets into the tube and clogs it.

The ammonia absorption RV refrigerators also have a drain tube that you want to let water out but not hot air in. Using 4 right angle hose fittings in series I made a horizontal "P Trap" like you see in sink drains, and connected the to the end of the drain hose. The water in the loop of the trap keeps the hot air out of the refrigerator, while allowing excess condensate water to drip out the hose. I would think that the same thing could be done for the residential refrigerator condensate drain lines going to the evaporation pan.
 

jimpav

Well-known member
The ammonia absorption RV refrigerators also have a drain tube that you want to let water out but not hot air in. Using 4 right angle hose fittings in series I made a horizontal "P Trap" like you see in sink drains, and connected the to the end of the drain hose. The water in the loop of the trap keeps the hot air out of the refrigerator, while allowing excess condensate water to drip out the hose. I would think that the same thing could be done for the residential refrigerator condensate drain lines going to the evaporation pan.

Bill, could you possibly send a picture of your P trap arrangement??? I'd like to do that for my absorption unit. Thanks
 
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