Fridge Not Cold -- Worth Trying to Fix?
 

We have a second refrigerator in our basement we use for overflow storage and beer. It was a cheapy -- about $450 from Sears 8 years ago. Its performance has been gradually getting worse. I put a thermometer in it and the fridge is 44 degrees and the freezer is 18 degrees. The coil is on the back and it is not dirty or obstructed.

It's a Kenmore model 25370822001 and the label says it draws 4.5 amps and uses R134A refrigerant.

The gaskets seem genearlly crappy but intact. It doesn't take very much effort at all to open either door. I imagine I lose some efficiency from the door gaskets.

Anyone have any DIY tips I can try to cool it down? Or would it make sense to call a repairman to make a housecall? I would be happy to invest $100 to make it cool properly and last another few years, but I'm not interested in putting $250 into it.

Nah, toss it and get a cheapie new one. I think the newer ones save more energy, but expect warmer beer, unless you max her out, LOL.

I have noticed our crappy garage fridge serves me lukewarm beer too :(

don't they have a cash for clunkers for this dilemma?

If you can figure out who really made the box, do an internet search and look for common problems.

I have a 12 year old Amana fridge that stopped working well about 6 years ago. I did some digging on the web and found out that that model had an issue with a switch buried back behind a panel in the freezer that fails, causing the box to forget to defrost.

So , I located the switch and, sure enough, it was broken. I fixed it (for free) and the thing still works great.

I also ripped apart a crappy GE washer I had 10 years ago and replaced the transmission with one thoughtfully supplied by GE using detailed step-by-step instructions found on the internet (they had a lot of problems). That fix really wasn't worth the time and trouble (except for bragging rights) as two years later it started making noise and I kicked it to the curb.

So, anyway- it may be at least worth the time to see if your unit has a common problem and decide what your time is worth.

Rick

I would definitely check the internal cooling coil. I had a problem with my old refrig and it was burned out heaters. It could also be the defrost timer. They tend to crap out a lot.
It would make more sense to spend $50 to fix it than to just throw it away.

Danny

I think JohnHef can do a R134 re-charge for a 100.00.

We have a new member "lorainfurniture" who is an appliance repairman - maybe he will step into this thread.

If you are concerned about the seal around the door, let it warm up a bit, then close the door and spray some soapy water around the edge of the seal then let the thing cool again. If there is air leaking in, it will draw in the outside air as the inside air contracts in the cold (causing an air pressure difference), then drawing in the soap and water, and then freezing it. The fridge would be a similar situation but wouldn't freeze. Add a drop of dye in it (maybe? Nothing that would stain) and spray it on so you can see where the water is drawn in.

If you are getting 18 in the freezer then I would say you have enough refrigerant and the problem is mechanical. Is there a fan that forces the cold air into the refrigerator part that might be blocked or not turning? It is possable it is stuck in defrost but I think that would effect the freezer at the same time.

Repairs to refrigerators generally fall into two cagegories:

1) Problems with the sealed system including the compressor.

2) Problems with the defrost cycle.


If the compressor is NG or the sealed system is compromised, the machine is toast..........not worth the cost and effort.

If the defroster fails to operate correctly, the evaporator freezes and the cooling capability is severely compromised.



To determine if the evap is frozen:

Unplug the machine and let it sit for 24 hours. The first sign of a defrost problem is a huge amount of water in the drain pan.

Then get a thermometer and put it in the freezer............right in front of the dischage air. Start the machine and let it run for two hours.

Read the thermometer. If the discharge air is close to 0°, the sealed system is working fine and it's worth fixing the defroster. If the discharge air is still close to your original 18°, the compressor is probably on the way out.

A "few" years back I remember a little session on energy savings I had participated in and one part of the session had to do with when a refrigerator/freezer was due to be tossed...and what could be done, simply, to save it...providing the parts and labor didn't cost more than a new unit.

The "trick" I learned about the seals was: Take a simple dollar bill out of your wallet, put it in the seal area of the door, close the door on the dollar and let go of the dollar...If it moves at all, replace the seals, if it's economical to do...

You should be able to tug on the dollar and it should take a "little" effort to get it to pull. If you want to compare "new" against "used," just head into any appliance retail outlet and try the "dollar-drop" on a new unit and use that "resistance" as a measure against your unit...

Also, the other tell-tale sign that your gaskets suck? If there's ANY CRACKING of the material or the gasket(s) don't lay down straight...

Checking the gaskets is the easiest, quickest and cheapest thing to do first...

After that...send in the clowns... :thumbup1:

All good information. Thanks for your input.

I also found good troubleshooting info at http://www.repairclinic.com/0088_4_1.asp

I'll empty it this weekend, unplug it and let it sit for 24 hours and see if it is the defrost system that is buggered up.

I am going to tape this thread to the front of my refrigerator:P

Oten time you can unscrew a panel in the freezer to look at the coils. If they're covered in frost and ice, the defrost system is not working. Also there is often a fan to move cold air from the freezer to the frig. That fan can also often be observed by removing a panel.
I used to have an old frig with a manual defrost system. Button inside the door. Push it to go thru a defrost cycle. Liked it.