fridge and freezer not cold enough

[jake00]

I just noticed that my garage fridge / freezer isn't as cold as it should be. It's a side by side unit.

the temp in the freezer is 38f and the fridge is 64f. its sitting in my 89f garage

Whats the 1st thing to check?

 

[Boyd]

Clean the coils. Either underneath, or behind the unit.

 

[930dreamer]

I had this happen twice, can't remember the part name "temp control unit"? cheap part $$ labor, after it went out again we bought a new fridge.

 

[kfainf]

As has been stated, clean the coils and check the temp control unit. The next thing to check is to see if the condenser coil in the freezer section is frozen up solid with ice. If the defrost heater is not operating properly, the condenser will freeze up solid and not circulate cold air through the unit. The freezer side does all the cooling for both sides of the fridge.

 

[m289271]

As has been stated, clean the coils and check the temp control unit. The next thing to check is to see if the condenser coil in the freezer section is frozen up solid with ice. If the defrost heater is not operating properly, the condenser will freeze up solid and not circulate cold air through the unit. The freezer side does all the cooling for both sides of the fridge.

Agreed, check the defroster element.

 

[babzog]

Check if mice have chewed out the insulation. Little bastards.

 

[bgoodwin]

Drink the beer before it gets too warm, then check that other stuff.

 

[Auzivision]

Frost on evaporator caused by inadequate or failing defrost cycle is my guess. A plugged drain or bad temp controller can do it too. Following is a great source of troubleshooting information:

http://www.appliancestuff.com/refrigerator.html

.

 

[kbs2244]

After you have done all the above,
if it is still not cooling,
put a small fan blowing over the coils.
(Some units have this fan from the factory.)
You should only need this in real hot weather and if the unit is tucked away in a corner.
Those little 3x3inch computer fans are great for this duty.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

You need to check that the fan underneath is blowing, and hasn't "frozen up", or as my neighbors had, a mouse got jammed in it.

Find the defrost timer, it will have a knob on the front of it, a wheel or something, you can mark to see if, after a while, if it is turning or not. There is a defrost thermostat in the freezer. It stops the defrost heater after the freezer temp reaches about 70F in the coils (from the heater doing its job), and will not let the heater again come on until the temp in the freezer coils has dropped below about 25 degrees. I had both the timer go bad and the defrost thermostat burn up., they are both cheap on the internet. Some defrost heaters are "glass" and fail easily, may have to pull trim and find the wires to the heater element and disconnect it and connect a plug and cord to it and plug it in to to make sure it heats up. Just plug it in long enough to determine its heating, and no more. Make sure the fan inside the freezer is running also.

Charles

 

[jake00]

thanks guys, it appears as through the "blue fan" isn't working,

this would be the condenser fan right?

 

[muztang11]

Yes if that fan isn't running it can not cool anything,luckily fans are pretty cheap/universal.Unitl the new part comes ,a small house fan blowing across the coil should let the fridge cool as long as the compressor is running.

 

[hydramatic]

take it out and url it with some url..if the bushings arn`t shot..it`ll go for another 3 yr or so..those bushings are url impregnated....my old mathis is 37 and still kickin...

 

[hofferwood]

You need to check that the fan underneath is blowing, and hasn't "frozen up", or as my neighbors had, a mouse got jammed in it.

Find the defrost timer, it will have a knob on the front of it, a wheel or something, you can mark to see if, after a while, if it is turning or not. There is a defrost thermostat in the freezer. It stops the defrost heater after the freezer temp reaches about 70F in the coils (from the heater doing its job), and will not let the heater again come on until the temp in the freezer coils has dropped below about 25 degrees. I had both the timer go bad and the defrost thermostat burn up., they are both cheap on the internet. Some defrost heaters are "glass" and fail easily, may have to pull trim and find the wires to the heater element and disconnect it and connect a plug and cord to it and plug it in to to make sure it heats up. Just plug it in long enough to determine its heating, and no more. Make sure the fan inside the freezer is running also.

Charles

Mine, kitchen fridge, same as O.P.
But ours was a heater. So I replaced heaters,defrost t-stat, & timer.
On this G.E. there is a plastic plug in the back of the freezer, pop it out and can see the bottom of the top coils (froze up).
Replaced heaters (always do both if there is two), and the defrost thermostat. Why? Because they're cheap, and it's already apart (my luck 2 weeks down the road,pop).
And the timer, never noticed before, but it was sounding like a little hamster wheel
Got all the parts (G.E) for $74.00 shipped from http://http://www.pcappliancerepair.com/.
These guys are in Oklahoma, but my parts shipped just 50mi. from me.
So I got them next day
Cheaper n a new fridgadrator
All is good in Hofferwood
Chuck

 

[ladderwell]

I just had this same thing happen to my garagerator 3 days ago. With the help of this website. http://www.repairclinic.com/Refrigerator-Troubleshooting
The current problem ended up being the evaporator fan in the back of the freezer, air wasn't circulating around the freeze/refer. A couple of years ago the defrost timer/heater system went out in the house fridge. Great website, was spot on both times.