Refrigerator not cooling

[cadunkle]

I have a Kenmore refrigerator about 3.5 years old that stopped cooling. Model 795.73133.410. Compressor is an LG FLB075LANA running R134a. The compressor will run constantly while plugged in. Condenser fan works, as do both evaporator fans. Condenser does not get hot, lukewarm at most. Evap coil feels cool (not cold) right at the line into it then it feels like ambient temp almost immediately where the fins begin. Defrost does not seem to be stuck in a cycle, the element is not hot, just ambient temp.

Given these observations I thought it might have a slow leak somewhere and have a low charge. Tapped the suction line and put a gauge on it. 47 psi with compressor off. Plug it in and the reading dropped a few psi very slowly over a minute or two then stabilized and climbed up to around 55 psi after running for while (presumably from ambient temp rising as the compressor warmed up). I don't know much about HVAC but my understanding is refrigerators running R134a run lower pressures than an automotive system, should only be showing a few psi and certainly not more than 10.

Does this info tell anything useful? What should I do next?

 

[lilredex]

If the freezer section is performing normally, do a manual defrost, and vacuum the coils that are in the very lower section (floor). If it is humid where you live, ice builds up in the defrost channel, that auto defrost cannot handle on its own.

Just had the same problem with our Kenmore, and the above fixed it. Ours is two years old.

 

[bonneyman]

Yep, alot of folks tend to forget about the fridge, but it needs regular maintenance like the AC.

Also make sure the way your food is placed that it's not blocking/covering vents or return air gaps.

 

[larry_g]

On my Samsung the auto defrost heater does not work requiring manual defrost like lilredex says.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[AA7483]

Are you sure the compressor is actually running. Did you take an amp reading? That's a pretty high suction for 134 a

 

[cadunkle]

The evaporator coil is not getting cold enough to ice up. It's only a bit cool to the touch at the beginning of the finned area while 99% of the coil is ambient temperature.

I did clean out some dust from the condenser coil. There was some but not a huge amount.

I'm sure the compressor is running. I hear it and can feel the minor vibration in the compressor housing. It sounds and feels normal. I have not taken an amp reading but I can do that.

 

[AA7483]

Take an amp draw and make sure the compressor is running. If it it is, it doesn't sound like its pumping.

 

[38 Dodge Coupe]

It sounds very similar to my kenmore. I did all of same things you did but my wife noticed that on the top crisper drawer at the back some ice had formed. We emptied the food side and the entire coil which was hidden in the back of unit was nearly frozen solid. It took several hours with a hair dryer to melt all of the ice from the coil. Immediately the unit ran correctly and cooling air which came from the freezer side began to flow . I mention this as I would never thought to look there for blockage.


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[AA7483]

Yea but if it was frozen solid his suction pressure would be very low.

 

[Kaizen]

Mine has the timer behind the kick panel that turns the defrost on. They wear out. I can manually turn mine to kick it into the cycle of defrost. Also in the back of the fridge push on the plastic in front of the passage and see if it sounds like crunching ice.


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[finn]

Defrost element failed on our old Kenmore. Worked fine after a manual defrost.

New element was cheap, and the old gal worked fine until it went to its new home.

 

[TRWham]

Refrigeration failures do frequently manifest as iced evaps (bad fan, bad defrost or blocked drain can all cause ice), but based on your description, I think the compressor has mostly quit compressing. You have a little mass still flowing, thus the slightly lower temp, but not nearly enough.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Leaks in residential refrigerators are pretty rare. How did you add the access port? Piercing valves are not meant to be permanently installed. They almost all leak. I also advise checking the current draw and compare it to the RLA on the unit label.

Tommy