# refrigerator not cooling



## Nabisco (May 18, 2007)

i have a frig that is only maybe three years brand new, whrilpool. some reason its not cooling on the frig side very well and now when i just got up to eat some ice cream the freezer isn't working well. to be honest i don't think the freezer side has stop running. now earlier today i thought nothing about it and just figured that i need to turn up the frig a little. what is going on? can this be easily fixed? if i call a service man out is it worth it and what are some cost in doing that. nothing has been done to warrant it to stop working right, it is closed all the way, its not icing over or anything. the only thing i can think of is the other i pulled all the fuses on the house to add a gfi. i think i am screwed and going t ave to get a new one!


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## dettxw (Nov 21, 2007)

Style? traditional freezer over refrigerator or side-by-side?
Check to see if the defrost cycle is working and make sure that everything isn't just a solid block of ice in there where the evaporator coils are located. 
Does your refrigerator have a fan, and if so is it running?
Those things could be bad rather than the compressor which can be very reliable running in a sealed oil environment.


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## tadtam (Apr 2, 2008)

DIRTY CONDENSER 
Dirty condenser can be the cause for your refrigerator not cooling problem.. If the condenser is dirty, the compressor will cut off on the overload. (A thermostat that is on the side of the compressor that cuts it off if it overheats). Often when this happens you’ll hear a clicking noise about 2 to 3 minutes apart. This is your compressor cutting in and out as it overheats and cools off. Now you need to find out why the compressor is overheating. First you’re going to need to remove the cover from the back of the refrigerator. Once you remove the cover you should see the compressor. Now look at the condensing coils (condensing coils are going to be either behind the compressor, beside the compressor or on the back of the refrigerator) to see if they are dirty if so clean them. To clean the condenser I normally use a brush made for this. You can buy them at Wal-Mart. Once clean your problem may be fixed. Leave refrigerator unplugged for a while (20 min. or so). Then plug it back in and if the compressor doesn’t overheat problem is fixed.
Good luck.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Excellent suggestion, and I wholeheartedly agree. I would also add, because the simplest explanation is often the best, check the settings on the fridge to see if they're set where you want them to be. Often times knobs get turned absentmindedly.


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## turey22 (Jul 30, 2007)

Couldn't it be the compressor valves not working correctly?


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## Dave-Hi (Jul 13, 2009)

I have the same problem. It's a GE side by side. Freezer gets down to -5, but fridge is now around 56. 
1. Coils are clean, no dust
2. defrost coils are free from ice & snow (there wasn't any to defrost)
3. Compressor fan and cold air fans are working.
4. fridge temp control seems to work, will shut off comp. when moved to low temp.
5. Little air vent door between freezer & fridge works fine, is clear
6. Compressor compartment is clean, dust free.
7. defrost hose line is clear
What else can I check?


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## jerry downing (Mar 7, 2004)

There is a fan which is controlled by the fridge thermostsat.(At least how it works in my GE. Yours may be different.) It is supposed to move cold air from the freezer to the fridge. It may be clogged or not functioning.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I got similar symptom a few years ago when that airways between freezer and fridge been clogged by ice; it's happened during high humidity hot days when fridge door been keep open pretty often ( by elderly member of a family). It's took a couple days to defrost it after full shutoff.


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## Dave-Hi (Jul 13, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions, but as I said, the fan blowing the cold air into the refrigerator side is working fine. The opening between the freezer and the fridge is clear. The little door is fine. There is no ice.


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## JACKIEGAGA (Dec 11, 2006)

Most likely D-frost heater


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## Nabisco (May 18, 2007)

whirl pool side by side, little fan running in back and no clicking,i looked at the front and back and it was very clean i still blew it out with some air. i notice today after work that the freezer was froze over in the back could this cause the frige side to not cool enough? the frig side is cold but i can clearly tell not enough. so i took what i had left and unplugged it. how long should i let it sit with out it plugged in to melt off the frozen stuff?

thanks


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## JACKIEGAGA (Dec 11, 2006)

jdogg said:


> whirl pool side by side, little fan running in back and no clicking,i looked at the front and back and it was very clean i still blew it out with some air. i notice today after work that the freezer was froze over in the back could this cause the frige side to not cool enough? the frig side is cold but i can clearly tell not enough. so i took what i had left and unplugged it. how long should i let it sit with out it plugged in to melt off the frozen stuff?
> 
> thanks


The defrost heater is not working that is why the back is frozen. It will freeze up again


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

JACKIEGAGA said:


> The defrost heater is not working that is why the back is frozen. It will freeze up again


 Actually it shouldn't freeze up at all.. freezer shouldn't be set below 40 degrees.. only a deep freezer should be set that low..
It's probably set too low and that's causing the freeze ups.. easy to do in the summer when you think your pepsi/coke isn't cold enough.. 
I always keep a thermometer in every fridge/freezer I have, helps set i right and warns of trouble..


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

houskamp said:



> Actually it shouldn't freeze up at all.. freezer shouldn't be set below 40 degrees.. only a deep freezer should be set that low..
> 
> I have a new (2 months old) Kenmore/Whirlpool side by side and the factory defaults, with digital readouts are zero in the freezer and forty in the refer. I have to agree on the defrost heater not working, probably a defrost time clock failure. You can speed up the de-icing with a hair dryer, don't get it wet!


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

houskamp said:


> Actually it shouldn't freeze up at all.. freezer shouldn't be set below 40 degrees.. only a deep freezer should be set that low..


How's it suppose to freeze at 40 degrees? Mine defalts to 0!


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

houskamp said:


> Actually it shouldn't freeze up at all.. freezer shouldn't be set below 40 degrees.. only a deep freezer should be set that low..
> It's probably set too low and that's causing the freeze ups.. easy to do in the summer when you think your pepsi/coke isn't cold enough..
> I always keep a thermometer in every fridge/freezer I have, helps set i right and warns of trouble..


I did some research a while back and it is recommended to keep a freezer at 0F and a refrigerator between 34 and 40F. There is a little more variation of exact recommendations on the refrigerator side but none I have seen are above 40 and most are below that if they give an exact number.

http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/fypubs/136.wlg.pdf


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

One 'scientific' point for sure - don't go down after 34°F in your fridge, below that water packets in your food will turn into ice and it will kill taste and destroy bio components of meal, vegetables, fruits, etc.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

P Smith said:


> One 'scientific' point for sure - don't go down after 34°F in your fridge, below that water packets in your food will turn into ice and it will kill taste and destroy bio components of meal, vegetables, fruits, etc.


But it will make your water, soda or beer mighty tasty


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## benwahoo (Feb 26, 2008)

its either your defrost heater or defrost limit. it probably went out about a week ago or more. it takes that long to show up.


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## dettxw (Nov 21, 2007)

JACKIEGAGA said:


> The defrost heater is not working that is why the back is frozen. It will freeze up again


I seem to recall saying much the same thing about a defrost problem in the second post.


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