Freezer and refridgerator are not maintaining cold temp. Compressor is Hot?? what can i do.unit is less than 3yrs old

Hi,

Many times a freezer and/or refrigerator do not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many other things that can go wrong.

If you are hearing a clicking or buzzing then check 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 start trouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then calling a 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

Basically the thermostat controlls the freezer temperature which turns the compressor on and off.
The refrigerator section receives cold air from the freezer to cool it down.
So when the freezer is off there may not be enough cold air left for the refrigerator.
Fridges can never give you a perfect temperature every time there will always be a drift one way or another.
Once you reset the temperature the numbers or an led should blink at you to confirm the changes you made

two options...one drain hole blocked in freezer,clean with copper wire/bleach to clear gunge.
two outside temp too cold i.e. unit in garage/outhouse( too cold for compressor )
also check seal to doors.air leaks...

Check to see if there is cold air coming from the freezer to the refridgerator side through the vent holes The compressor maybe getting weak or the freon charge maybe low. Does the unit run a long time before it shuts off? 50 degrees is not cold enough for a freezer. You should be around 32 or less.


John

Is the compressor running the whole time? If so may have a problem with a refridgerant leak....check the compressor in the rear of unit, feel if its hot....may be as simple as a relay.

Hi,

if the compressor is running your ref. should be getting cold. Their is a defrost timer but when it is in defrost the compressor shuts off. I think you do have a leak.

thanks,

sounds like a bad compressor, or at least the start device plugging in to the compressor has gone bad,

Your compressor has shorted out. The compressor shouldnt be scorching hot just warm. And that humming you are hearing is the compressor trying to start but it is shorted. There is nothing you can do except for replace the compressor.(or the refrigerator)

More likely than not there is a blockage of ice bettween the freezer and the refridgerator. most fridges work to get the freezer cold as a priority.Then the cold freezer air is circulated throughout the rest of the unit to keep the fridge cold. Thats why you may hear a fan running in the fridge unit while the compressor is not on. Unplug and open the doors to warm the inside. Look at the plastic piece bettween the two units and remove. See if there is ice build up and use a hair dryer to melt, dry area out and restart the unit by plugging back in or turning temp dial. Hope this helps.

dm, I'm not sure if the thermostat is mechanical or electronic. Assuming mechanical...and I do...turn it to the lowest number...does it turn off? If this works properly, the problem is likely not the control. Does the compressor turn off at any time? If not after an hour or so of operation, the stat could be defective. That's my first guess. Oh, have you made sure that you don't have the ducts in the freezer blocked? The would deflect too much cold air to the fridge section.

Next, defrost the unit and clean the condenser coils. This will help the unit work properly. Then, wait awhile with the unit off. Meanwhile, access the compressor in the rear of the unit. Find the largest pipe coming out of the compressor. Turn the unit on. The largest pipe should frost and then, in about 5 minutes or so...either cause condensation or dry out. If neither happens and the line is either not COLD to the touch or frosty, you're low on gas. If the unit is less than 5 years old, you may get warranty coverage on the sealed unit from the mfgr. Believe it or not, too little gas will cause freezing in some cases!