Is my refrigerator fixable?

[Don Vito Corleone]

OK, today was the hottest day we've had here this year, and the first really really hot day I've experienced since I lived in my house. It was 99 degrees today, and I don't have central air - I'd say it was around 80 - 85 in my house. I found my refrigerator was unable to keep up - the freezer seemed to be, well, above freezing, and the frig was definitely warmer than it should have been. The light is still on and it's apparently working to some extent, but not working well. The frig is a Frigidaire "Custom Series" with a top-mounted freezer. It's generally in good shape, but I have no idea how old it is (I'd say at most it's maybe 10 years old).

I noticed it has a power-saver switch with two settings: one is for power conservation, and the other is supposed to minimize condensation. I had had it set for conservation, but have moved it to the other position.

Does anyone know if this is fixable, or whether I am definitely going to need a new frig? Honestly I'd rather not spend my money on one if I can avoid it.

EDIT: It's really NOT fixable, or at least not cost-effective to fix. Turns out the compressor is toasted. Great. Now I need to buy a new fridge, plus I had to pay the guy $69 to come out on Memorial Day. Grrrrr . . .

 

[esun]

Is there a temperature setting? All of the fridges I recall owning have a little dial that can set the temperature lower or higher as needed. Look for one.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: esun
Is there a temperature setting? All of the fridges I recall owning have a little dial that can set the temperature lower or higher as needed. Look for one.

Yeah, it has separate settings for the freezer and frig - I moved them both to the coldest setting.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Most refridgerators have coldness settings. Maybe your coldness settings weren't low enough to keep up with the difference?

You might want to consider placing a small fan near the unit and blowing some air circulation around it. Basically, the product of refridgeration is warm air....efficiency will drop when the room is warm of course, but it should still be reasonably cold inside.

BTW...to get a new replacement, you might want to look into scratch & dent sales. I was able to pickup a Kennmore 18 cu ft model for $329 with an ice maker and a 26 cu ft model with in door ice & water for $769. I'm sure there are plenty of places around the country if you are looking for a deal.

 

[Scarpozzi]

My reply was slow because I typed too much.

One thing to add....make sure you don't have anything near the coils behind the refridgerator. That's what you need to blow cold air over.

 

[Greenman]

Clean the ten years worth of dirt off the coils. You will find them on the back or under the unit. The compressors they use in refers last a very long time, so it's a good bet that your problem is dirt.

 

[JinLien]

Condensation = heat is apply at the fridge door/s gasket magnets hence it consume more energy. Power conservation turn off the heating elements at the gasket magnets to save energy but cause condensation/rust, because moisture attract to cooler surface.

Try turning up the fridge & freezer temperature dial in your fridge.

It could be that the compressor or fan has failed if turning up the dial doesn't cool down your fridge/freezer to your liking. Or you could have a freon leak.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: JinLien

Condensation = heat is apply at the fridge door/s gasket magnets hence it consume more energy. Power conservation turn off the heating elements at the gasket magnets to save energy but cause condensation/rust, because moisture attract to cooler surface.

Try turning up the fridge & freezer temperature dial in your fridge.

It could be that the compressor or fan has failed if turning up the dial doesn't cool down your fridge/freezer to your liking. Or you could have a freon leak.

Thanks! The coils appear to be completely clean, so I suspect something is failing. Are these problems cost-effective to fix?

 

[Evadman]

First, as greenman said, clean the condenser in the back/bottom. Make sure there is free airflow around it as well. Once cleaned, check the evaporator in the fridge, it may be iced up from the moisture.

If that doesn't cool things down, then you have a mechanical issue. Unfortunately, unless you have the right tools (a manifold gauge at least) you can not fix the problem yourself. If you do have the tools, check the pressure on the highside and lowside. If the highside is too high and the lowside is low (pressurewize) then you are low on refrigerant. Your refrig uses R22, which isn't too expensive yet. I actually have a full tank around here somewhere.

If the pressure is too high on the low side and to low on the high side you have a pumping problem. Either the compressor is toast (10 years is probably the warranty on your compressor), the compressor or evap is partialy plugged, or the tubing somewhere is kinked.

Originally posted by: DonVito
Thanks! The coils appear to be completely clean, so I suspect something is failing. Are these problems cost-effective to fix?

A decent fridge will run you about $600-1000 depending on size. A new compressor and refrigerant, and someone to put it in will run about $350-400. So I guess it depends on what you concider 'cost effective' Remember, you also have the PITA of moving the old fridge out, tossing it (and probably paying a disposal fee) and moving all your food around.

 

[JinLien]

It wouldn't be too expensive if it is simple as a freon charge up, but IMHO it is not worth the effort because old fridge seals likely to have some leakage. And, many newer fridges consume less power than older fridges therefore it may not be worth it to revive the old energy hog unless it have sentimental values attach to it.

Refrigerators & Freezers -- Typical 1998 Model & Typical Pre-1988 Model comparison chart.

 

[Shawn]

it is most likely leaking freon.

 

[Pikachu]

The "control" for the refrigerator section, is usually no more than an adjustable opening to allow cold air from the freezer to drop into the refrigerator compartment. See if it's blocked somewhere.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I have a guy coming out today to look at it - I am bending over in preparation . . . If it matters to anyone knowledgeable, it is actually a Whirlpool.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

It's really NOT fixable, or at least not cost-effective to fix. Turns out the compressor is toasted. Great. Now I need to buy a new fridge, plus I had to pay the guy $69 to come out on Memorial Day. Grrrrr . . .

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: DonVito
I have a guy coming out today to look at it - I am bending over in preparation . . . If it matters to anyone knowledgeable, it is actually a Whirlpool.

EVERYTHING is now Whirlpool!

Kenmore = Whirlpool
Maytag = Whirlpool (now)
Fridgadaire = Whirlpool (on some things)
Roper = Whirlpool
Amana = Maytag = Whirlpool (now)

Can you say "Monopoly"? :shocked:

Anything left?

Sorry for your loss DV!

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: DonVito
I have a guy coming out today to look at it - I am bending over in preparation . . . If it matters to anyone knowledgeable, it is actually a Whirlpool.

EVERYTHING is now Whirlpool!

Kenmore = Whirlpool
Maytag = Whirlpool (now)
Fridgadaire = Whirlpool (on some things)
Roper = Whirlpool
Amana = Maytag = Whirlpool (now)

Can you say "Monopoly"? :shocked:

Anything left?

Sorry for your loss DV!

GE?

 

[Vincent]

If you want to save money you could buy a used one as a replacement.

 

[LiquidImpulse]

Originally posted by: Vincent
If you want to save money you could buy a used one as a replacement.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: DonVito
I have a guy coming out today to look at it - I am bending over in preparation . . . If it matters to anyone knowledgeable, it is actually a Whirlpool.

EVERYTHING is now Whirlpool!

Kenmore = Whirlpool
Maytag = Whirlpool (now)
Fridgadaire = Whirlpool (on some things)
Roper = Whirlpool
Amana = Maytag = Whirlpool (now)

Can you say "Monopoly"? :shocked:

Anything left?

Sorry for your loss DV!

GE?

OK. So it's 5 to 1 now!

 

[iRONic]

Originally posted by: DonVito
Now I need to buy a new fridge, plus I had to pay the guy $69 to come out on Memorial Day. Grrrrr . . .

That was a bargain!! Really.

 

[funboy6942]

In a self-defrosting freezer, poor cooling often results from a heavy frost build-up on the evaporator coils. You can't see these coils without removing a panel inside your freezer. But if you see any frost or ice build-up on the inside walls, ceiling, or floor of your freezer, it's a sure sign of frost build-up. And that's a sign of a problem with the self-defrosting system.

Freezers should self-defrost three to four times in 24 hours. But if a component in the self-defrosting system fails, the freezer continues to try to cool, instead. Eventually, so much frost builds up on the evaporator coils that the circulating fan can't draw air over the coils. There's still some cooling because the coils are frozen. But with no air flow over the coils, the cooling is quite limited and the freezer isn't as cold as it needs to be.

An easy (though often inconvenient) test of whether the problem is with the self-defrosting system is to remove all of the perishable food from the freezer, turn the thermostat to Off, and leave the door open for 24 to 48 hours. (Keep several towels handy in case the melting frost and ice overflows the drip pan). This "manually" defrosts the freezer. When the frost and ice build-up has completely melted away, turn the thermostat back to a normal setting. If the freezer then cools properly, it indicates a problem with one of these components in the self-defrosting system:


The defrost timer. To test this, manually advance to the defrost cycle. The unit should advance itself out of the defrost cycle in about 45 minutes.


The defrost thermostat (or bi-metal switch). This thermostat allows current to pass through it at temperatures of 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit and prevents current from passing through it at 40 to 60 degrees (depending on its design). This is difficult to test, though, because it takes a prolonged, very-cold temperature to turn it on.


The defrost heater. You can test this for continuity using an electrical meter.

Taken from here.

We had this happe n to us last year with our whirlpool. If the Compressor was gone then the freezer wouldnt work either for the refer and the freezer share the same cooling coils and there is a fan to move the air around. We would have to unplug ours and I would remove the back pannel and with a hair dryer remove the build of of ice and then it would work for a few days. I would bet anything the guy that came over was looking to make a quick buck off you either way by selling you a part you dont need and probably wasnt ever going to replace or the hefty on call. If you want to know for sure take the pannel off the back of the refer part and look at the coils. If it is a block of ice back there then its the thermostat your need replaced not a compressor and its a $15 part.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

The guy removed an interior panel from the freezer compartment, revealing the cooling coils. The top third or so of the coils was frozen and caked with frost (though not thick chunky ice), and the lower two thirds were bare and not cold. The guy seemed pretty reasonable, and pretty much told me that I needed a compressor, and that the repair wouldn't be cost-effective.

Does that suggest anything to you? I can get a comparable Frigidaire replacement fridge for $399 delivered (I don't have a water connection available to it, so I really don't care about getting a very full-featured unit - I can't use an ice maker or cold-water supply anyway), so I'm not looking to spend a lot of time and energy on this, but I may try your diagnostic test to see what happens.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: DonVito
The guy removed an interior panel from the freezer compartment, revealing the cooling coils. The top third or so of the coils was frozen and caked with frost (though not thick chunky ice), and the lower two thirds were bare and not cold. The guy seemed pretty reasonable, and pretty much told me that I needed a compressor, and that the repair wouldn't be cost-effective.

Does that suggest anything to you? I can get a comparable Frigidaire replacement fridge for $399 delivered (I don't have a water connection available to it, so I really don't care about getting a very full-featured unit - I can't use an ice maker or cold-water supply anyway), so I'm not looking to spend a lot of time and energy on this, but I may try your diagnostic test to see what happens.

Yeah, I'd probably just get a cheapie replacement. Is the water bad up there or are you in a housing situation that doesn't allow that type or hook-up?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Mill

Yeah, I'd probably just get a cheapie replacement. Is the water bad up there or are you in a housing situation that doesn't allow that type or hook-up?

There just isn't a water connection close to the fridge, nor is there an easy way of running one.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: Mill

Yeah, I'd probably just get a cheapie replacement. Is the water bad up there or are you in a housing situation that doesn't allow that type or hook-up?

There just isn't a water connection close to the fridge, nor is there an easy way of running one.

In that case, I'd go with the cheapest fridge that gets good reviews. Why spend more?