fridge on the fritz, any tips?

[david8613 69]

i had some great advice on working on my gas furnace with great results from this forum. now my fridge is acting up, freezer not freezing and fridge part is not as cold, sounds like a fan on all the time, and everyone once and awhile a little buzz for some seconds... im thinking compressor? any advice? i wanna fix it myself, dont have the money for a repair man, i got a permit i need to use first!!!

[Malsua 1,422]

Did you clean the coils?

[alec.mc 180]

Step 1. Clean the coils .

[kmbfire 0]

Did you clean the coils?

 

I was going to suggest the same thing....vacuum out the coils

[PeteF 1,044]

Are the coils in the freezer frozen over?

If the freezer drain tube is clogged coil will freeze over and not allow good cooling.

[this_is_nascar 162]

I've gotten some really great help on this forum, which saved me hundreds on my frig/freezer issue.

 

http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/

[david8613 69]

thanks for the quick tips... ill unplug it let it defrost and vacum her out, ill keep ya posted on the results.

[T Bill 649]

Does the compressor kick in. Had same problem. Compressor would start and then not start. Replaced compressor start relay. Know problem on kenmore, frigadare, whirlpool. Just about all are now made by same people. Relay sits right on top or next to compressor.

[Yotafan 1]

My fridge took a dump and a coworker was like when was the last time you cleaned under it. Being i bought the house 2yrs prior from a family member so we kept the fridge i was like never. When i pulled the fridge out and tilted it i was like damn my dog had a puppy and he lives under the fridge. It was crazy after i removed the front bottom piece. Had a little talking with the wife after that day.

[MandM 2]

My first and second thoughts are here already: Vacuum out the coils, or it could possibly be the relay.

 

Worst case, it's the compressor itself... but if the fridge/freezer is cold... just not AS cold.... I'm thinking the compressor is good... just not tripping on every time it's supposed to, or it's working too hard to make it COLD.

[Sigman 41]

We had an old fridge that had a similar problem and it was the timer assembly. I think the timer assembly is what controls the defrost cycle. Maybe it's not coming out of defrost? You should hear the compressor kick in at some point in the cool cycle. Maybe the buzz you hear is a relay trying to kick on the compressor? Maybe bad relay? I'm no expert, but just a couple of idea's for you if everything is clean.

[david8613 69]

looks like that was it, pretty nasty down there! all cleaned up, using a tooth brush, vacum and canned air. buzzing sound gone, nice and quiet. I'll know by tomorrow if she is making ice and stuff. thanks alot for the responses, I know I can always depend on the njgf.com. I thought i'd post pics to help others.

 

I wonder if a repair guy came what would they charge for such a small thing...

[david8613 69]

WE HAVE ICE!!!! thanks....

[Malsua 1,422]

Congrats.

[this_is_nascar 162]

That would have been at least $150 service call.

[PeteF 1,044]

looks like that was it, pretty nasty down there! all cleaned up, using a tooth brush, vacum and canned air. buzzing sound gone, nice and quiet. I'll know by tomorrow if she is making ice and stuff. thanks alot for the responses, I know I can always depend on the njgf.com. I thought i'd post pics to help others.

 

I wonder if a repair guy came what would they charge for such a small thing...

 

That's not too bad. You should see them after 2 years in a house with a golden retriever.

 

Glad it only cost you a 1/2 hour of elbow grease. Some shady repair guys would have said it was the compressor.

[david8613 69]

ok this thread is old, but she is acting up again, coils are clean, I'm hearing the buzzing again, sometime it stays buzzing for a good 30 to 50 seconds. do you think it can be the relay? I wanna be sure before I order parts...

[Old School 611]

ok this thread is old, but she is acting up again, coils are clean, I'm hearing the buzzing again, sometime it stays buzzing for a good 30 to 50 seconds. do you think it can be the relay? I wanna be sure before I order parts...

 

Go and buy a "Hard Start" capacitor It should work for awhile. My guess is the compressor is on the way out. What's you least favorite gun? I see a new fridge in your future.

[vjf915 456]

Is it running?

[NJDrew1 0]

LOL. Glad you unplugged it. I went through the same thing 3 wks ago, didn't unplug it, reached for the drain hose and nicked an vein in the top of my hand after it was hit with the fan blade. The entire top of my hand was black and blue and swollen.

 

Sent from my Droid Razr Maxx using Tapatalk 2

[Anselmo 87]

My fridge done broke. I opened up the freezer and took off the panels to access the freezer coils. The coils were covered in ice. Replaced the thermostat thing that tells it when to heat up and defrost. Works again.

[vjf915 456]

Is it running?

[david8613 69]

hey pizza bob I'll drink hot beer before I sell!!! lol... the fridge not that old about 5 years, someone told me just get it charged up, freon? she is still running but today she is completely warm... so idk if I should call a tech. or what?

[vjf915 456]

Is it running?

she is still running

 

You better go catch it before you call the tech.

[Tactical Turtle 11]

Take it to the range and see what m855 really does lol.

[Kaiser7 33]

I know that I learned at my new job that if the bottom of the fridge gets too dusty, it can screw with the condenser, and prevent it from being cold. One of the first things I'd try would be to somehow be able to REALLY get all the dust and crap out from under there.

[Anselmo 87]

hey pizza bob I'll drink hot beer before I sell!!! lol... the fridge not that old about 5 years, someone told me just get it charged up, freon? she is still running but today she is completely warm... so idk if I should call a tech. or what?

 

Freon is part of a closed, sealed system. If you need freon you have a leak in your system and adding freon will not work as it will just leak back out.

 

Did you do what I said and check the freezer coils inside the freezer to ensure they are not iced up? That is a common problem and easily repaired by yourself.

[david8613 69]

here is the weird part, i took alot of the food out of the fridge and she seems to be cooling now, making ice again. the fridge being full and not cooling sufficiently can this give any signs of why she cools sometimes and sometimes not?

 

i defrosted the freezer side before but i didnt take anything apart to reach coils, i only vacummed the coils below...