Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Kenmore freezer stuck at 34
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Uofi316
07-18-07, 07:39 PM
Hello, this is my first post so go easy on me. We have a Kenmore side by side (#106.50792002), starting a few weeks ago we noticed that the freezer seemed to be rather warm. I stuck a thermometer in and would notice it spike up to the 40s, then eventually back down to the 0-5 range. After cleaning all the coils this stopped for a few days. Now it seems like it warms up to 33-35 and stays there for a while (3-4 hours), and eventually goes down, but 18 hours later or so it is back up to 35.
What could be causing this?? Is it the adaptive defrost thingy that has gone haywire?? What is the best course of action to fix this, is it something I can order and replace, or do I need a house call.
Thanks in advance.
What could be causing this?? Is it the adaptive defrost thingy that has gone haywire?? What is the best course of action to fix this, is it something I can order and replace, or do I need a house call.
Thanks in advance.
ecman51`
07-19-07, 07:05 AM
Is the compressor running and hardly wants to shut off? When the compressor runs, the defrost cycle can't run. What year is this unit? Could possibly have low refrigerant.
Uofi316
07-19-07, 07:33 AM
If the compressor is running, then why would the internal temp climb?? Looking at the interior coils in the back of the freezer I do not see any frost that would require a long defrost time.
The unit has a sales tag from 2001 on the back, we bought the house and it was left for us.
I can hear/feel the compressor running, when I pulled the unit from the wall the compressor was very hot, but this was before I vacuumed off the coils.
The unit has a sales tag from 2001 on the back, we bought the house and it was left for us.
I can hear/feel the compressor running, when I pulled the unit from the wall the compressor was very hot, but this was before I vacuumed off the coils.
ecman51`
07-19-07, 08:09 AM
If the compressor is running, then why would the internal temp climb?? Looking at the interior coils in the back of the freezer I do not see any frost that would require a long defrost time.
The unit has a sales tag from 2001 on the back, we bought the house and it was left for us.
I can hear/feel the compressor running, when I pulled the unit from the wall the compressor was very hot, but this was before I vacuumed off the coils.
About your first sentence: I had to ask. That was not a dumb question. The compressor can keep running when the freon is low. In fact it WILL. And it will overheat the compressor, and the refrigerator will not cool. In fact it can get warmer if at first it was cooler. And then the heated compressor will shut down on protective thermal overload.
A sales receipt NEW or used? Sometimes refrigerators have the mfg. date printed on the metal tag that lists the model/serial number, or you can call an appliance store and read them the numbers and they can reference it and tell you when mfg.
HOW much dust was on the coils. Only if the coils are really blocked up (as opposed to some fine film) are you really going to have a noticeable problem.
Also, if you have the kind of unit that has the (condensor - the warm coils) coils underneath the unit as opposed to all over the backside of the outside of the unit, then you will also have a compressor fan down there that has to blow across the coils. If you have that, is your compressor fan working when the compressor runs, as it should?
Also make sure that if you have a light inside, that it shuts off when you close the door.
The unit has a sales tag from 2001 on the back, we bought the house and it was left for us.
I can hear/feel the compressor running, when I pulled the unit from the wall the compressor was very hot, but this was before I vacuumed off the coils.
About your first sentence: I had to ask. That was not a dumb question. The compressor can keep running when the freon is low. In fact it WILL. And it will overheat the compressor, and the refrigerator will not cool. In fact it can get warmer if at first it was cooler. And then the heated compressor will shut down on protective thermal overload.
A sales receipt NEW or used? Sometimes refrigerators have the mfg. date printed on the metal tag that lists the model/serial number, or you can call an appliance store and read them the numbers and they can reference it and tell you when mfg.
HOW much dust was on the coils. Only if the coils are really blocked up (as opposed to some fine film) are you really going to have a noticeable problem.
Also, if you have the kind of unit that has the (condensor - the warm coils) coils underneath the unit as opposed to all over the backside of the outside of the unit, then you will also have a compressor fan down there that has to blow across the coils. If you have that, is your compressor fan working when the compressor runs, as it should?
Also make sure that if you have a light inside, that it shuts off when you close the door.
Uofi316
07-19-07, 08:13 AM
Thanks for your responses so far.
I would think that if the freon was low it would reach a steady temp that was higher than normal. When I went to bed last night it was at 37, during the night it dipped down to 5, and was climbing back up when I was eating breakfast.
It is a sales tag, the unit was bought at a Sears outlet store, so it may have been the previous years model. All the appliances have similar stickers on them, so I think when the previous owners bought the house they got all new appliances then.
Coils are underneath, the fan was working when I accessed the back. The coils are under one side with the compressor. There was a fan that was blowing across the coils which was working.
The coils were completely covered in dust, with some large dust bunnies already spanning between the coils. I am sure this was not the main problem but it wasn't helping any.
I would think that if the freon was low it would reach a steady temp that was higher than normal. When I went to bed last night it was at 37, during the night it dipped down to 5, and was climbing back up when I was eating breakfast.
It is a sales tag, the unit was bought at a Sears outlet store, so it may have been the previous years model. All the appliances have similar stickers on them, so I think when the previous owners bought the house they got all new appliances then.
Coils are underneath, the fan was working when I accessed the back. The coils are under one side with the compressor. There was a fan that was blowing across the coils which was working.
The coils were completely covered in dust, with some large dust bunnies already spanning between the coils. I am sure this was not the main problem but it wasn't helping any.
ecman51`
07-19-07, 08:30 AM
Keep eye on compressor run time and temp of outside of compressor and possible thermal overload shutdown.
Can you see your defrost timer easily? Often times these days they are located up in the unit and easy to get at and you can see the litle plastic dial. Often they locate them in the same (white plastic)box that has the thermsotat that controls the temperature settings. And you could put a ltitle mark on it to see if it is rotating. And when the compressor shuts off (IF it shuts off) you can see if the defrost timer turns on by turning off all the power in your house except for the refrigerator breaker and see if your electric meter starts spinning fairly fast to indicate that he defrost coils are now on, and then see if for some reason these coils are staying on, stuck, for too long, like the timer is getting stuck.
Other than all that I have said, I don't know what else, other than freon problem, or if compressor is not pumping the way it should. In either case, tech time. And newer units can have compressors go out. Or freon leaks. I had to have a 5 year old's refrigerator compressor recently replaced and in that case that was the correct diagnosis and no call backs since compressor changed out.
Can you see your defrost timer easily? Often times these days they are located up in the unit and easy to get at and you can see the litle plastic dial. Often they locate them in the same (white plastic)box that has the thermsotat that controls the temperature settings. And you could put a ltitle mark on it to see if it is rotating. And when the compressor shuts off (IF it shuts off) you can see if the defrost timer turns on by turning off all the power in your house except for the refrigerator breaker and see if your electric meter starts spinning fairly fast to indicate that he defrost coils are now on, and then see if for some reason these coils are staying on, stuck, for too long, like the timer is getting stuck.
Other than all that I have said, I don't know what else, other than freon problem, or if compressor is not pumping the way it should. In either case, tech time. And newer units can have compressors go out. Or freon leaks. I had to have a 5 year old's refrigerator compressor recently replaced and in that case that was the correct diagnosis and no call backs since compressor changed out.
Uofi316
07-19-07, 09:03 AM
In looking through the manual, I am pretty sure this unit does not have the defrost timer, rather it has an adaptive defrost control. It is an electronic board located near the thermostat that controls when the defrost kicks in.
I will occasionally hear a clicking sound that I think is coming from the fridge. Could this be the compressor trying to turn on/off and failing?? Or am I now just overly sensitive and making problems in my head.
I will put in a call and get someone out to look at it.
thanks.
I will occasionally hear a clicking sound that I think is coming from the fridge. Could this be the compressor trying to turn on/off and failing?? Or am I now just overly sensitive and making problems in my head.
I will put in a call and get someone out to look at it.
thanks.
ecman51`
07-19-07, 12:05 PM
Okay. Sounds logicval, about ther board.
If the refrigerator temperature inside is warmer than your set point, the compressor SHOULD be running, non-stop if need be, to try to get to set point. Therefore, if your fridge is warm and the compressor is not running and you hear a click, then there is a problem.
If you make sure your compressor is cool (and not on thermal overload where the relay is trying to click and turn it on , but it only clicks because the compressor is still tripped out) by say running a house fan pointed at it, to cool it down, then in a bit after it cools down you could see if the compressor then tries clicking on and off still - because if it does THAT it could be the run capacitor bad. They are usually pretty reasonably priced. But if it indeed starts up and runs once the compressor is cooled down, then I'm afraid you have freon or compressor issues.
If the refrigerator temperature inside is warmer than your set point, the compressor SHOULD be running, non-stop if need be, to try to get to set point. Therefore, if your fridge is warm and the compressor is not running and you hear a click, then there is a problem.
If you make sure your compressor is cool (and not on thermal overload where the relay is trying to click and turn it on , but it only clicks because the compressor is still tripped out) by say running a house fan pointed at it, to cool it down, then in a bit after it cools down you could see if the compressor then tries clicking on and off still - because if it does THAT it could be the run capacitor bad. They are usually pretty reasonably priced. But if it indeed starts up and runs once the compressor is cooled down, then I'm afraid you have freon or compressor issues.