Side by Side Fridge Freezer Issues

[EmersonHart13]

I have a Whirlpool Side by Side Fridge Freezer. I have the freezer set to max and the fridge set to minimum. I replaced the temp control several months back and I either got a dud or that isn't the problem. I have cleaned the coils and have thermometers in both sides to verify temps.

Anyone know anything about appliances? Is perhaps the defrost heater permanently on?

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[Mr Baytchos]

What's the problem? Not getting cold enough?

 

[EmersonHart13]

Freezer set to max and barely cold enough.

Fridge set to minimum and barely above freezing.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Swap stuff side to side?

 

[EmersonHart13]

You may be on to something, other than my ice maker!

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

fan running? iced up?

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

the fridge side uses air from the freezer side, so it's an airflow problem somewhere.

 

[EmersonHart13]

fan running? iced up?

Yes I can hear it run. I should probably verify it is the fan I hear. I cannot see the coils, I am guessing they are behind a panel somewhere? Perhaps in the back of the freezer.

the fridge side uses air from the freezer side, so it's an airflow problem somewhere.

Possibly is the vent between the fridge and freezer stuck open? That would make sense to me...

 

[01Cobra]

Unplug from wall and wait 10 min before plugging back in.

On mine it seemed to just need a reboot

 

[EmersonHart13]

Checked and the fan under it blows.

Checked the adjustable door between fridge and freezerr and it moves properly. I can also feel cold air blowing in from freezer.

I guess the next step is to empty freezer and check coils in the back behind access panel?

 

[Ti28]

Try unplugging it and let it thaw?

 

[EmersonHart13]

Thats supposed to happen automatically...?

If it isnt then something is broken..?

I can see if there is water in the tray underneath.

 

[Ti28]

It sucks with new stuff because you can't see it. But IMO is it's not cooling right, that means low charge or froze over. And froze over would be why you fridge is cold as fuck.

 

[EmersonHart13]

So probably froze over because bad auto defrost.

Fridge is 5 years old, right in the window of needing to be replaced because modern shit sucks.

I'll empty the freezer tomorrow and look at the coils.

PS the defrost pan has some water in it

 

[Ti28]

That's what I'm thinking.

 

[EmersonHart13]

Cool, we'll find out tomorrow.

At least the board that drives defrost is easy to replace.

Thanks.

 

[Ti28]

I'm just going off of what I know when it comes to car a/c, it all works the same more less.

 

[SirMarco]

Fuck it, buy a new one

 

[Turk]

Wrong. Froze over means no airflow over the coils which means neither side is cool enough. Open the panel behind the freezer, your coils should be there. The coils should have frost all the way to the top or near the top. If they aren't frosted to the top that means coolant leaked somewhere and you need anew fridge. If the coils are completely packed with ice and frost that means cold air can't get through them and something with the defrost unit is broken like the heater or the thermostat. It's also possible that the motherboard is fucked up.

First thing you should do is open up the back panel of the freezer and visually inspect the coils. Post a picture here of them if you want but like I said, coils without frost is a fridge gone bad.

 

[Turk]

And as Jared stated, if the fridge is super cold it could be a problem with the regulator that allows freezer air into the fridge. Check and make sure that isn't stuck open cause that could be robbing cold air from the freezer and super cooling the fridge.

 

[EmersonHart13]

Fuck it, buy a new one

Unfortunately this seems to be the case with fridges these days

Wrong. Froze over means no airflow over the coils which means neither side is cool enough. Open the panel behind the freezer, your coils should be there. The coils should have frost all the way to the top or near the top. If they aren't frosted to the top that means coolant leaked somewhere and you need anew fridge. If the coils are completely packed with ice and frost that means cold air can't get through them and something with the defrost unit is broken like the heater or the thermostat. It's also possible that the motherboard is fucked up.

First thing you should do is open up the back panel of the freezer and visually inspect the coils. Post a picture here of them if you want but like I said, coils without frost is a fridge gone bad.

I will do this tonight or tomorrow morning. Thanks.

And as Jared stated, if the fridge is super cold it could be a problem with the regulator that allows freezer air into the fridge. Check and make sure that isn't stuck open cause that could be robbing cold air from the freezer and super cooling the fridge.

I checked the baffle between the two yesterday and it adjusts as it should.

 

[Turk]

Don't just buy a new one. I went through this shit a few months ago, I was prepared to buy and replace any part once I was done diagnosing, after taking off the freezer panel I saw only the bottom 10% of my coils were frosted I knew I was fucked. A basic fridge is 1k, it's crazy.

Does it sound like the fridge us running more than normal?

 

[jason05gt]

I have a good fridge repair guy if you need it. I went through all the DIY fixes a few months ago with my basement fridge and I couldn't get it to work consistently. It turned out to be a capacitor on the compressor.

 

[EmersonHart13]

Don't just buy a new one. I went through this shit a few months ago, I was prepared to buy and replace any part once I was done diagnosing, after taking off the freezer panel I saw only the bottom 10% of my coils were frosted I knew I was fucked. A basic fridge is 1k, it's crazy.

Does it sound like the fridge us running more than normal?

I spent like 300 fixing a 5 year old cheapo base model dryer earlier this year. If I can fix it, I will.

I honestly don't know what normal is but it does seem to run a descent amount. I have a kill-a-watt I can hook up and see how much electric it uses, that should tell me if it is running normally. I should be able to look up how much my unit should use. Installed in 2010 and it is energy star certified.

If you look at this thread, http://www.thechicagogarage.com/forum/entertainment-tech/150213-smart-meters.html, you can see the spikes on one of the graphs, I believe that is my fridge.

 

[Turk]

I could audibly hear my fridge running more frequent than it used to. It sounded like it never shut off for me. When I went to eat ice cream and it was soft, I knew something was fucked up.