The compressor is hot and the copper line is cold but the fridge wont cool down. The small fan is blowing air on the compressor but the fridge isn't running.. We cleaned all of the dust out from underneath and dusted the guts.. Help!!
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Re: Fridge isn't cold
First thing I would check is the evaporator fan in the freezer to make sure its working. About the copper lines, one should be cold to the touch and the other should be hot. if both are cold your compressor may be locked up. Or if its a whirlpool build unit I would also check to make sure the relay on the ompressor is good.Pull it off the compressor and shake it. If you hear like a lot of little pebles shaking in it its bad and need replacement. that was a common problem with some whirlpool units. If that is good remove the back of the freezer and check the evaporator coils to see if there is a frost pattern on it. If not your compressor like I said may be bad or you have a refrigerant leak and there is no more gas in it. Good luck
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Hay Jeremiah , sound like your compressor fan is bad . the fan cools down the compressor so if its not blowing the compressor would overheat and shut off .
If it has fan to deliver cold air, and it is not working, cold air is stuck on the begining. So your fan could be dead. And I suppose, that compressor is running all the time. Even compressor could stert freezing if fan does not deliver cold air in fridge. The other option is, that there is not enough gas in the compressor. In this case compressor vould not be freezing, but line, going out of compressor has to be hot, if it is not, there is no gas.
next time send the model number and brand name.usually when this happens is the condenser fan motor isn't working.pull the fridge out,remove the bottom back panel and check the fan to see if it's working,if it is check the condenser coil to see if it's filled with lint and dust,it could just need to be cleaned out but if it's that hot most likely the fan isn't running,if you get this tonight check it now,if the fan isn't running you could blow the compressor,the condenser fan blows and keeps the compressor cool enough so it doesn't overheat by moving the hot air and the heat also esscapes through the condenser coil so if that's clogged with dust the machine will run hotter than normal,if the fan isn't running you can stick any window fan back there and blow it onto the compressor to keep it cool until you fix the condenser fan motor,this way you won't loose any food and if the compressor goes it's new fridge time,to much to repair.hope this helps and good luck with your machine.one more thing,i've found the fans not running and by pushing the blade it runs again,if this happens the fan could run and never have a problem or it could stop an hour later but i would change it out no matter what.if it's a G.E. fridge and the motor isn't running,most likely it will be the computer board,i've found 10 machines doing this and the temp. settings turning on and off or the evap fan motor in the freezer runs slow and then fast and the condenser fan isn't running or running slowly,this is why you have to send the brand name and model number.
Your fridge operates like that: a compressor liquefies freon vapours; this creates heat so the hot liquid goes thru a cooling radiator with a fan on it (these 2 elements are at the rear bottom of the fridge) the freon fluid goes to an evaporator, turns to vapour and absorbs heat in the process, cooling the evaporator; a fan blows air over the evaporator and spreads the cooled air all over the fridge; the vapours return to the compressor.
In the rear of the fridge you should make sure that the radiator is clean and the fan working; inside the fridge you should make sure that the evaporator is not covered in ice and/or dirt and its fan is working. If necessary clean both. If they are clean , the fans work but the evaporator isn't cold then either the freon circuit has sprung a leak and all the fluid has been lost or the compressor isn't working - to find out which just put your hands on the compressor : if it's hot and vibrates the fluid has been lost, if it doesn't vibrates then the compressor isn't working. The compressor isn't working because either the thermostat or itself have failed. To find out which the compressor will have to be powered directly from the mains: if it starts then the thermostat must be replaced, if it doesn't the compressor will. To fix the freon circuit or to replace the compressor a certified professional is mandatory, you must call one.
most likely the start device is bad,look at the left wall inside the fridge near the cieling,you should see a model number,call your parts store,give them the model number on the machine,there is other letters after the g and tell them you need a start device.unplug the machine,until you get the part so you don't damage the compressor,it's not cooling anyway and thhe freezer feeds cold air to the fridge side,a fan blows cold air from freezer to fridge so next time if the freezer has a problem the fridge side is gonna have a problem too,unclip the metal clip and slide the start device off,read the instructions and it will tell you how to install the new device
Yes, the larger line should be cold and the small one should be hot. Handle the small one with care, depending on how much load the fridge is under it can get very hot.
Check to make sure that the fan in the freezer is running whenever the compressor turns on to cool the unit down. If the fan's not going, warmer moist air from the fridge will make the air duct frost up. The fan needs to be running to blow the cold air into the fridge section.
Check the condensor fan behind the fridge which is designed to cool the compressor/gas line by blowing air over the condensor. When this fan motor seizes or stops running, the gas gets very hot and because it is skin cooled too, the outside of the fridge also gets very hot. You can overcome the problem temporarily by putting a standing fan behind the fridge, blowing onto the compressor and under the fridge untill you can have the problem rectified.
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