Fridge and freezer not receiving cool air and coils froze up.

Possibly evaporator fan not working or defrost problem.

Modern consumer refrigerators only have coils in the freezer. In the lower back of the freezer there is a small fan and possible a damper (flap that opens/closes) to push cold air from the freezer to the refrigerator. Given that the freezer is 18 deg, it's probably cold enough to keep the fridge area at typically 34 deg.
So the cooling system (compressor, coils, thermostat) are not working properly to keep the freezer at, typically 0 deg. Possible causes: partial loss of refrigerant gas, icing around evaporator coils (in freezer), compressor failing, dust clogging condenser coils (under fridge), condenser fan clogged or broken (under fridge), thermostat failure.
I'd start with condenser. Remove the slotted trim at the bottom front and look in with a flashlight. Are the coils clean? Pull out the fridge and remove the lower back cover (usually cardboard). You can now see the coils and fan. Clean and blow them out.
If it's icing, it probably means freezer door not closing tight. If auto-defrost not working properly it would probably get worse over the period of a few days so not likely.

Good day to you sir John,


A refrigerator or freezer that doesn't cool well enough may have a problem with its evaporator coils, condenser, or condenser fan motor. Frost build-up on evaporator coils, or condenser coils that are covered with dirt, dust, or lint can reduce how well a refrigerator can cool. If you notice ice getting thicker on the inside walls, inside bottom, or inside ceiling of the freezer, you have what is called a frost build-up. The problem is either with warm, moist air getting in through an old inefficient door gasket or the defrost system. Self-defrosting refrigerators have coils and a cooling fan that need to be cleaned regularly. If the coils get coated with any contaminants, they may not cool the refrigerator properly. The coils are usually thin and black and they go through fins that dissipate heat, just like a car's radiator. They are located behind the lower kick-panel or on the back of the refrigerator. To clean them, turn the power off and use this condenser coil cleaning brush, or this condenser coil cleaning brush, and your vacuum cleaner. Even if your coils are below the refrigerator, you won't be able to get to all the condenser coils from the front, so it's a good idea to pull the refrigerator out and clean the coils from the front and the rear of the refrigerator. Give the fan a dusting as well. Sometimes other things can be the reason behind poor cooling, like the condenser fan motor. Anytime the freezer fan is running, the condenser fan should also be running.
A frost build-up inside the refrigerator usually means that there is a problem in the self-defrost system. You may even have damaged door gaskets. When you open the refrigerator door, you also let in a blast of warm, often humid air. This moisture usually freezes onto the evaporator coils immediately. Self-defrost refrigerators are supposed to self-defrost between two and four times out of every 24 hour time-frame. They basically turn off for a few minutes several times a day. A defrost heater kicks on to melt any frost build-up on these coils, which allows the frost and ice to melt, then it drains off to the pan underneath most refrigerators. Unfortunately, when a defrost component fails, too much frost builds up on the evaporator coils. When this happens, the circulating fan can't draw air over these coils. With no air flow over the evaporator coils, the refrigerator compartment will lose its cool.
To determine if the self defrost system is faulty, it's best to remove all the food from the refrigerator and freezer, turn your thermostat to the Off setting, and just leave the doors open for 24 to 48 hours, and let the refrigerator defrost. Keep an eye out for an overflow of water from the drip pan on the bottom of the refrigerator.
After everything has completely melted away, set the thermostat back to a regular setting. If your refrigerator starts operating properly, the symptoms lead to there being a problem with one of three other components in the self-defrosting system, the defrost heater, the defrost timer, or the defrost thermostat.
If, after testing these components, the refrigerator still doesn't get your foods cool, there may be a problem with the refrigerant level and you will need to contact a professional appliance repair person.

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Hi,

Many times a freezer and/or refrigeratordo not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many otherthings that can go wrong. If you are hearing a clicking or buzzing thencheck out the last two tips.

If your refrigerator is running but warm, then...

Check out these tips that I wrote about that... it is a great place to starttrouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then callinga repair person to do a simple thing for you...

Refrigerator Condenser Coil Cleaning Refrigerator Repair

Refrigerator Troubleshooting Refrigerator Compressor

Refrigerator Compressor Start Capacitor and Start Relay
Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold

heatman101
'; ';

Hi

Check the back wall or floor of the freezer section for frost. Check the freezer ( evaporator) fan to see if it is running. Check the condenser coils under the unit for blockage from dust. Check the condenser fan (under the unit) to see if it is running.
If you have frost in the freezer there is a problem with the defrost system and the freezer will start to warm eventually as well as the fresh food section. If that is the problem you can check the defrost terminator, defrost heater/s, and the defrost timer or adaptive defrost control If used on your unit or the main control board if so equipped. These things usually require dismantling the freezer and other areas of the refrigerator to be checked.

There can be many factors for the no cooling factor: the condenser coils could be blocked with dust, the condenser fan could be bad or stuck, the freezer fan could be stuck or bed, the freezer coils could be blocked with frost because the self-defrost system is not working or the compressor is not running because of a bad relay etc.

Please check this link to get a detailed idea about your issue:-

http://www.appliance-repair-it.com/refrigerator-not-cooling.html

Please get back to us if you have further query else please accept the suggestion.
Thank you for contacting fixya.com

Hi and welcome to FixYa, I am Kelly.
Open the freezer and locate the door / light switch. Depress the light switch plunger / actuator and make sure the light goes off and the evaporator fan comes ON. Light stays on and fan does not run = bad door switch.
Next look for signs of ice build up on the back access panel / evaporator coils. Ice block noted on coils and back access panel = evaporator fan problem or possible door switch problem.
Last open the fiberboard cover on the back of the unit and check for massive amounts of lint on the condenser coils and that the condenser fan is running. Blocked condenser coils or condenser fan not running will cause the chassis to be very warm to hot when touched.

If you do not find anything wrong by performing the steps above:

• Unplug the unit
• Remove freezer contents
• Direct an external fan into the freezer compartment for just over 2 hours (manual defrost)
• Tend to the water mess as needed
• After 2 hours wipe up any residual water and return the unit to normal service
• Check to see that the evaporator fan is running.

After a 2- 4 days look again for any signs of ice build up on the evaporator coils. If you note ice beginning to build up on the evaporator coils there is a problem with the automatic defrost circuit.
Possible automatic defrost failure causes:
1. Defrost Control
2. Defrost heater
3. Thermistor (if so equipped)
4. Defrost thermostat

That is pretty much it runs all the time but does not cool troubleshooting. You should find something out of the ordinary by following the steps above.

Thanks for choosing FixYa,
Kelly

Hi,

Check out these tips...they can help you figure out whats going wrong with yourrefrigerator and why it is not cooling

Refrigerator not Cooling or Fridge not Cooling

How to Defrost Refrigerator Defrost Timer Problem

Water Running in refrigerator from Freezer

Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold
heatman101

This sounds like a problem with the defrost circuit. It is likely that the evaporator coil is clogged with ice due to the defrost heater / circuitry not functioning. This can be caused by a failure of any one or more of the following components:

1) Defrost timer. Defrost timer may be "stuck" - failing to advance from a cooling cycle to a defrost cycle. May be found in the toe space of many fridges, but not all.

2) Defrost terminator. This is a thermal sensor that is secured (usually with a clip) to the refrigerant line close to the evaporator coil in / behind the freezer compartment. If this component fails to detect a rising temperature, it never allows the fridge to return to the cooling mode again.

3) Defroster Heating coil. This is a simple, relatively low wattage heater secured to or near the evaporator coil. It is powered through the defrost timer and shut off by the defrost terminator. If the coil is burned out or otherwise "open", it will not heat to melt ice buildup on the evaporator coil.

4) Fan. The fan is located near the evaporator coil. If the fan is unable move air from the freezer to the fridge, the compressor runs endlessly because cold air is not directed into the fridge compartment - where the thermostat is located.

5) Condenser coil. If the condenser has a "furry jacket" it's long overdue for a cleaning. Gently vacuum lint / dust / dirt collected on the coil to increase efficiency. This is probably not the problem - but it probably needs to be done anyway.

Most of these steps will require hand tools, schematics (specific to your model), electrical test equipment, etc. Be careful to not use sharp instruments that may puncture refrigerant lines or electrical insulation. Allow the ice to defrost with the fridge powered off with the freezer door opened, or place a pot of hot water inside, hair dryer directed at the coil, etc. Access to the evaporator coil is usually from the freezer compartment (back wall) and will require removal of any ice maker installed.

I hope this helps!

This sounds like a problem with the defrost circuit. It is likely that the evaporator coil is clogged with ice due to the defrost heater not functioning. This can be caused by a failure of any one or more of the following components:

1) Defrost timer. Defrost timer may be "stuck" - failing to advance from a cooling cycle to a defrost cycle. May be found in the toe space of some fridges, but not all.

2) Defrost terminator. This is a thermal sensor that is secured to the refrigerant line close to the evaporator coil in / behind the freezer compartment. If this component fails to detect a rising temperature, it never allows the fridge to return to the cooling mode again.

3) Defroster Heating coil. This is a simple, relatively low wattage heater secured to or near the evaporator coil. It is powered through the defrost timer and shut off by the defrost terminator. If the coil is burned out or otherwise "open", it will not heat to melt ice buildup on the evaporator coil.

4) Fan. The fan is located above the evaporator coil. if the fan doesn't move air from the freezer to the fridge, the compressor runs endlessly because cold air is not blown into the fridge compartment - where the thermostat is detecting a high temperature.

5) Condenser coil. If the condenser has a "furry jacket" it's long overdue for a cleaning. Gently vacuum lint / dust / dirt collected on the coil to increase efficiency. This is probably not the problem - but it probably needs to be done anyway.

Most of these steps will require hand tools, schematics, electrical test equipment, etc. Be careful to not use sharp instruments that may puncture refrigerant lines or electrical insulation. Allow the ice to defrost with the fridge powered off with the freezer door opened, and a pot of hot water inside, hair dryer directed at the coil, etc.

If you have frozen coil at the back of the freezer section, then the defrost thermostat is usually failing. Allow the fridge to defrost completely overnight. If the fridge restarts cooling immediately after defrost, then the problem was the defrost system. In that case the fridge will stop cooling again in a couple of days, as soon as the evaporator coils restart freezing and the condenser goes under stress with the whole cooling system loosing efficiency.