Freezer/Fridge problem

[kevinlms]

Since we have a thread running on dishwashers, how about one for freezer/fridges?

 

My Westinghouse frost free Freezer/Fridge isn't getting cold enough. I've measured it for the last few days & its around 2 to -2 degrees C, which of course is no good.

 

There is no ice build up at all (taken the panel off the back interior & there is no ice build up at all). The compressor is running as is the fan.

 

I understand that the thermostat usually fails so that its on continuously causing excess freezing up, but obviously this isn't the case. Is it likely that the thermostat has failed & keeps turning things off and so never gets cold enough.

 

Will a replacement fix this, or is there something else to check?

 

 

TIA

[Donw]

Is the fridge freezer in an unheated room such as a garage some do not like being too cold (yes I know it seems strange). There should be a control on the thermostat which will normally show weather it is working or not. If the compressor and fan are running it suggests the thermostat is making contact. Try turning it up to max and see what temp you get.

Don

[kevinlms]

Is the fridge freezer in an unheated room such as a garage some do not like being too cold (yes I know it seems strange). There should be a control on the thermostat which will normally show weather it is working or not. If the compressor and fan are running it suggests the thermostat is making contact. Try turning it up to max and see what temp you get.

Don

 

Hi Don

 

Its located inside, in the kitchen and in an Australian summer, so too cold isn't an issue! Yesterday it got to 35 degrees C & today its 20 degrees. No adjustment of the controls make any real difference.

[Fat Controller]

Perhaps there's insufficent air-flow past the heat-exchanger at the rear? In order to get ours to function, (it's in a porch, but in much lower average and peak temperatures) we have external vents above and below the heat exchanger on the freezer to ensure air-flow. Otherwise, in mid-summer, the thing struggles to keep cold. The fridge, which is in the kitchen proper, has a fresh-air vent behind, though this is currently partially blocked, as external temperatures are about the same as the fridge..

[alastairq]

As FC above says......our late-lamented village shop had trouble with its chillers....turned out to be cured by knocking an air vent into the wall behind it.

[oggy1953]

Was it ok untill a cold snap ? we had the problem when the weather took a cold turn, Was told to turn the thermostat to a bit colder which seemed daft BUT it worked.

[skipepsi]

Shouldn't it have two thermostats? one for the fridge one for the freezer. It sounds like your freezer is running off the fridge thermostat. A fridge should be about 4C a freezer -18C I cannot shift mine at the moment to look. I can only suggest looking for more info on appropiate internet forum.

[Titan]

I think that the way that fridge freezers work is that they have a single compressor that cools both compartments. The fridge thermostat turns the compressor on or off, the freezer thermostat controls a fan in the freezer compartment which blows over part of the cooler and in to the freezer. Thus, the freezer can only freeze when there is also demand from the fridge, and once the freezer is cold enough the fan stops running if the fridge is still going. This is why the freezer does not work very well if ambient temperature gets close to 5 degrees C or so - insufficient demand from fridge to alow adequate cooloing of freezer in the same 'on' time.

 

Back to the OP, It could be that the fan has failed, check it is turning when the compressor is running. Also check that there is not a problem with frost build up - don't know if all Fridge freezers are supposed to be frost free or not, but there could be a malfunction of some sort in that area too.

[Robert]

It could be the Thermostat. I have seen Thermostats fail both ways - too warm and too cold.

 

Alternatively, it could be that it needs regassing. Although that usually manifests itself in other ways. I had a freezer that needed regassing and only the lower three quarters of the compartment would get cold!

 

When all is said and done, I'd say it is most likely to be the thermostat.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I understand that the thermostat usually fails so that its on continuously causing excess freezing up, but obviously this isn't the case. Is it likely that the thermostat has failed & keeps turning things off and so never gets cold enough.

 

Will a replacement fix this, or is there something else to check?

Can we assume that the freezer previously worked properly in its present location and ambient temperature range, so something has 'fallen over'?

 

If so, as Robert suggests you want to see whether the thermostat has gone wrong, and is demanding too litle cooling. If you can identify the thermostat, and create the 'demand' condition (usually by shorting it out) so that the compressor runs and the freezer compartment gets down to -18C as it should, there's your answer, needs a new thermostat.

 

OTOH, if the compressor et al cannot drag the temperature down significantly below what you are presently getting, then it is the cooling circuit that isn't functioning; check to make sure that any fan fitted is going, heat exchanger is unobstructed, as suggested above. Perhaps re-gassing and repairs are cheap enough to be viable in your location: in the UK its usually cheaper to go and get another one; white goods - even newly delivered - that develop faults while under warranty are generally scrapped by retailers to give you the idea of the state of play here.