Kenmore refrigerator not cold enough

[zekev]

Hi guy ! It's a pleasure to see a forum like that. I didn't know it exists, I hope someone can help me to solve my refregirator problem.

My fridge is a kenmore C978-66795-2 (canadian), frost-free with a bottom freezer.

Yesterday I noticed that my ice cream was not really hard . The ice cubes are still ok. I took the temperature and it is just limit to the freezing point (little below 0C or 32F). My refregirator as a temperature around (11C or 52 F). Oooopsss. Something is wrong.

The fans are working (I can feel the cold air coming out). And the condenser fan is working as well. The drain pipe is not clog (I removed it and cleaned it).

I did the basic check up, cleaned the condenser area. No change. Pull the fridge, clean the dust out of the condenser fan and the compressor. No change in temperature.

I open the evaporator coil area (In my fridge its located at the bottom of the fresh food area just on top of the freezing area. Ha ha.... the first 1/4 of the coil is cover with ice, the next 1/4 is hot (around 90F or more), the next 1/4 is colder, 1/4 seem ok.

On the image the front right coil is cover with frost the front left is hot, the rear left if colder (around 52F) and the right rear coil is colder (I'd say below freezing point).

I unmelt everything with an airdryer but still. I get the same temperature ;o(

Any clue ?

Thanks.

[Dan O.]

Refrigeration system problem?

I open the evaporator coil area. the first 1/4 of the coil is cover with ice, the next 1/4 is hot (around 90F or more), the next 1/4 is colder, 1/4 seem ok

The evaporator (cooling) coil should frost evenly across its whole surface (see the following link). If it isn't there is likely a problem with the refrigeration system which will need to be looked into by a qualified refrigeration technician.

LINK > My frost free refrigerator is not cooling properly. What might be the problem?

JFYI


Dan O.
Appliance411.ca
The Appliance Information Site

.

[zekev]

Ho no

Ho no... 10 years old and already scrap ;o(

I called i specialist and he told me the same thing ;o(

Thanks for your help.

[zekev]

Hi ! Just in case, I checked if the defrost timer was working, its working . It is sending 12oV to the blue wire on the right.

I checked if the current (ohm) was goin trough the heater, it did. The heater must be fine.

I let this for a while (15 minutes) but the heater didn't get hot ???.

I checked the orange wire coming out the heater on the left side, it goes in a "spliter" then to the thermometer (round metalic cylinder fill with a blue plastic?) but nothing under not hole just a clip to fix it. The yellow wire coming out of this blue thing had 125 v as well.

Does this still seems like a freon leak or a low pressure compressor or a bad heater ??

Any clue someone ?

[Dan O.]

The heater will only come on if the timer/defrost control goes into defrost mode AND the defrost limit thermostat is cold enough to have reset to the closed state, allowing power to flow through it. (the contacts of the limit thermostat open when it is heated - see the following link)

LINK > How does a frost free refrigerator's defrost system work?

A problem with the defrost system will however cause a totally frosted over evaporator coil. Partial frosting of the evaporator like seen in your picture can only be caused by a refrigeration system problem.

10 years old and already scrap

Not necessarily but it will be a fairly expensive repair. Sealed system repairs usually start in the area of $150+

JFYI


Dan O.
Appliance411.ca
The Appliance Information Site