Fridge not fridging


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Old 05-14-06, 12:16 PM
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Fridge not fridging


I have a reconditioned whirlpool fridge, now out of warranty, that does not cool. Bottom temp for food compartment is around 50 degrees. Food spoils, milk curdels. Freezer has ice maker; ice sticks together and often a slight amount of water in bottom of tray. Ice cream does not stay frozen, becomes liquid. Maintenance at work suggested cleaning coils in back of unit.
This model has a plastic cover on back.
Unit has never cooled well, but enough that spoilage was a problem. Dealer worked on it twice. If am not able to get dealer to resolve this, what suggestions would anyone have about what I can or cannot do to get unit to cool properly.
Thanks in advance
Sarge
 
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Old 05-14-06, 12:28 PM
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Was it under warranty when it originally would not cool so this is a continuation of the same event?

Are they failing to repair it and refusing to continue?

If so it sounds more like you need legal assistance than the Maytag man.
 
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Old 05-14-06, 01:08 PM
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fridge

yes, a continuation. The unit cooled, however I see fridges that will almost freeze foods in the lower compartment. This one never got that cool, and the ice maker has plagued me always.
I have contacted an attorney. Where I live this is a small claims
issue, and the lawyer is limited to advising and little else.
Right now, I am more interested is seeing if I can feasibly and reasonably repair this unit and just write this off as another of life's experiences.
 
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Old 05-14-06, 02:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Skysoldier
yes, a continuation. The unit cooled, however I see fridges that will almost freeze foods in the lower compartment. This one never got that cool, and the ice maker has plagued me always.
I have contacted an attorney. Where I live this is a small claims
issue, and the lawyer is limited to advising and little else.
Right now, I am more interested is seeing if I can feasibly and reasonably repair this unit and just write this off as another of life's experiences.

Not to sound like as a** but if the dealer couldn't get it to work, what make you think you can.

There are several things that come to mind but I would presume the repairman already dealt with those.
freon level

dirty condenser coils (your suggestion)

defrost timer causing permanent defrost

air flow restriction around and or under the fridge (same effect as dirty condenser coils.
 
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Old 05-14-06, 03:37 PM
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fridge

Your question was well put. I am just not sure the dealer-repairman ever fixed the problem. I think he just tinkered, it cooled a little better, and he called that a succesful repair.
I will get up under the unit, and clean that area. I would assume the coils referred to are beneath that rear plastic cover.
That makers little sense, however. How do the coils dissapate the heat, if they are covered?
Thanks.
 
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Old 05-14-06, 04:39 PM
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You need the compressor running with the freezer compartment's evaporator coil fan running. If either of these two is not happening at the same time, you must first address this before moving onto the refrigerant issue.

IF your compressor is overheated currently to the point you can fry an egg on it...you need to set up a fan behind the ref...(pull it away from the wal some) and aim it at the compressor and cool it down so you can get the thermal protector switch to let the compressor run again so you can find out if the compressor will run, and see what the temp in the freezer starts getting to. (You see...at this stage you could easily think the lack of refrigerant caused the compressor to overheat. But if the evaporator freezer fan is not going, the compressor will run and run, as the cold air wil not be able to blow down the passageway out of the freezer to tell the refrigerator compartment thermostat to turn off!)

If the compressor will not run even though it has cooled down, you need to rotate the defroster timer which on some units is next to the thermostat mounted hanging from the ceiling of the refrigerator section. You will see a little dial that has a slot in it where the sides of the slot are raised on one side so that you have to turn the dial injust one direction. Turn it slowly and see if the compressor comes on. If it doesn't, yo may want to check to see if the dor interlock switch has continuity through it when you push the push button. (If it doesn't, there is your problem right there. But you'd be too lucky if that is all that was wrong)

And if these things mentioned do not help you...then further testing will require much more explanation and be best to post your thread in the appliances section.

Oh. But...if the compressor runs...irregardless of the evaporator fan... if your coils located behind or under you rrefrigerator do not feel very warm to hot...evenly throughout...top,bottom, all over.,...you do have a refrigerant problem then.
 
 

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