Sick Refridgerator

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  • jkaetz

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    Jan 20, 2009
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    Any Whirlpool techs around or suggestions on appliance service techs? I have a WRF990SLAM00 from around 2012 that seems to be struggling.

    It's cooling, but not to temp. Seems to be holding between 40-45 while set to 37 in the refrigerator and ~12-18 in the freezer while set to 0.
    • Vacuumed and blasted the condenser coils with the air compressor last night, nice and clean now
    • Condenser fan running
    • Compressor running, appears to be ramped up to high speed
    • Condenser coils are cool to the touch at the front of the fridge, compressor was quite warm last night, wouldn't burn you but wouldn't be comfortable on skin.

    Today I pulled the cover from the evaporator coils in the fridge section

    • Not frozen over, only slightly frosty
    • Evaporator fan running
    • Air temp from the coils seems to be around 35 - 40
    • Coil temp ~25

    From what I can tell the compressor has been running all day without reaching the set point. Also hasn't been able to make much ice over the last few days. Noticed a couple days ago that things in the freezer (ice cream, cool whip, popcicles) weren't quite as frozen. Ice maker was also low on ice. Started checking temps and investigating then. At this point I'm out of ideas. It's almost as if the compressor charge is off but that likely means a leak somewhere and $$$$ for fixing which will likely end up with a shopping trip.
     

    churchmouse

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    Well, I would be getting ready to go shopping.
    8 years old and it would seem to be a mechanical issue.
    From your description and just a guess it has lost some refrigerant.

    But internet diagnosis are always a dice roll at best.
    Wish you luck my friend.
     

    Gaffer

    Shhhh.......
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    Dec 12, 2016
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    Feel the sides of the freezer area (around the outside of the fridge). Do they feel warm? If so it could be stuck in defrost. It might be something much worse but that is something to look at. Frost free fridges use heaters that turn on every now and then to defrost. Some fridges use a mechanical timer that get stuck.

    One other thing to check. Are the internal fans blowing air? Sometimes these go out.

    Here is more on the defrost thing:

    https://www.searspartsdirect.com/di...troubleshooting-video-defrost-system-problems

    I am NOT a repairman, but have fixed several over the years.

    Ron
     

    jkaetz

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    Well, I would be getting ready to go shopping.
    8 years old and it would seem to be a mechanical issue.
    From your description and just a guess it has lost some refrigerant.

    But internet diagnosis are always a dice roll at best.
    Wish you luck my friend.
    Figured I'd at least give a service tech a chance to look at it. We've never liked it because the left door never closed well and would frequently stay open because we didn't notice but were hoping to keep it as a second fridge.

    I’d get a new one on order ASAP. We ordered a basic Samsung a month ago and delivery has already been pushed back another two weeks.
    I moved all the meats & things to our chest freezer last night so the only thing we stand to is the refrigerator stuff and we don't usually keep more than a week's worth of food in there. So long as it continues to keep things below 45 * think we'll be ok.

    A month and a half is brutal. Where did you order from? I had a similar experience with an LG washer & dryer ordered from Lowes. Eventually Best Buy put them on sale as well and delivered in a couple days. I cancelled the Lowe's order after.
     

    Gaffer

    Shhhh.......
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    I can only speak from my experience in trying to find a freezer, but these items seem to be like ammo right now! We had one on order from Lowes, and it kept going out further, we went in one day and found about 15 chest freezers (some weird brand) stacked up on the floor. We grabbed one of those and canceled our order. I went in the next morning for something else and those freezers were gone.

    Ron
     

    DCR

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    Oct 6, 2009
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    I feel your pain and I felt it at the second word -- whirlpool. Had a Magic Chef go out in May, 14 months old, still under parts warranty, but not labor. Cost of labor almost matched price of fridge, pitched it. Ordered a Samsung in May with stimulus check, it arrived in July. I wish I could diagnose your problem and fix it, sorry, all I got is empathy.
    But one more thing, maybe helpful even -- guy who came out to look at our fridge (Broad Ripple Appliance, and didn't charge anything BTW) suggested buying used 10 yo refrigerators since they were made better then and are a better value. Try Big Jon's Used Appliances.
     

    jd4320t

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    Oct 20, 2009
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    South Putnam County
    Figured I'd at least give a service tech a chance to look at it. We've never liked it because the left door never closed well and would frequently stay open because we didn't notice but were hoping to keep it as a second fridge.

    I moved all the meats & things to our chest freezer last night so the only thing we stand to is the refrigerator stuff and we don't usually keep more than a week's worth of food in there. So long as it continues to keep things below 45 * think we'll be ok.

    A month and a half is brutal. Where did you order from? I had a similar experience with an LG washer & dryer ordered from Lowes. Eventually Best Buy put them on sale as well and delivered in a couple days. I cancelled the Lowe's order after.


    Lowes. They had the earliest estimated delivery time on the type of fridge we wanted. We were told they are all stuck in containers on ships.
     

    moosehead

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    Mar 11, 2013
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    Maybe unrelated, and I’m not an appliance tech, but is the freezer ever accidentally left open? We “lost” our fridge a couple years ago. No ice build up on the outside or anything, but the fridge wasn’t cold one morning, and the freezer was just a little warm. My wife left the bottom freezer open, so it was pulling the moist outside air in, then freezing the moisture from the air in the channel going to the fridge. After unplugging it and letting it thaw, and making sure she closed the freezer after getting ice cream, the fridge went on to work several years until we sold the house.
     

    jkaetz

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    New fridge= $1000
    Hehe, not the ones my wife will look at. :D

    Maybe unrelated, and I’m not an appliance tech, but is the freezer ever accidentally left open? We “lost” our fridge a couple years ago. No ice build up on the outside or anything, but the fridge wasn’t cold one morning, and the freezer was just a little warm. My wife left the bottom freezer open, so it was pulling the moist outside air in, then freezing the moisture from the air in the channel going to the fridge. After unplugging it and letting it thaw, and making sure she closed the freezer after getting ice cream, the fridge went on to work several years until we sold the house.
    This was what I was hoping to find as well but this unit has a coil in both the freezer and fridge section. The fridge section for sure is clear of ice, the freezer doesn't look like it is iced over either. Seems like the evaporator coils simply aren't getting cold enough. As CM pointed out that sounds like a problem with the refrigerant cycle stuff and usually = $$$$ since refrigerant doesn't just get consumed. It leaks out and doesn't magically fix itself.
     
    Last edited:

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    This was what I was hoping to find as well but this unit has a coil in both the freezer and fridge section. The fridge section for sure is clear of ice, the freezer doesn't look like it is iced over either. Seems like the evaporator coils simply aren't getting cold enough. As CM pointed out that sounds like a problem with the refrigerant cycle stuff and usually = $$$$ since refrigerant doesn't just get consumed. It leaks out and doesn't magically fix itself.

    The leaks will (99%) be in one of the coils as they are assembled pieces. They can be replaced but price them out and prepare for sticker shock if you can even find one. If the coil is frosted then no it is not stuck in defrost as that is how the coils are cleared of frost and if stuck the box would be very warm by now.

    The symptoms described are pointing to a mechanical or refr. level issue. I know the OP is pretty concise with his descriptions as he is far from being mechanically challenged.

    If a repair man comes get ready. These guys have serious over head behind them. If you can be lucky enough to get a decent one.

    Many times having an appliance repaired outside warr. is tripping over $5 bills to pick up quarters. JMHO of course.
     

    jkaetz

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    Jan 20, 2009
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    The leaks will (99%) be in one of the coils as they are assembled pieces. They can be replaced but price them out and prepare for sticker shock if you can even find one. If the coil is frosted then no it is not stuck in defrost as that is how the coils are cleared of frost and if stuck the box would be very warm by now.

    The symptoms described are pointing to a mechanical or refr. level issue. I know the OP is pretty concise with his descriptions as he is far from being mechanically challenged.

    If a repair man comes get ready. These guys have serious over head behind them. If you can be lucky enough to get a decent one.

    Many times having an appliance repaired outside warr. is tripping over $5 bills to pick up quarters. JMHO of course.
    Check. But for the cost of the new ones of similar size it's worth the ~$100 or so for a diagnosis. The coil assembly for the fridge section looks to be only about $150 and $220 for the freezer but of course I'm sure it's another 2x that for labor and refrigerant work. It is 134a which makes me want to get a can of stuff from the auto parts store. What could go wrong? :D:popcorn:

    Broad Ripple Appliance doesn't work on this model but pointed me to a few other places so I'll definitely give them props for suggesting competitors. Found one in Greenwood that got me on the diagnostic schedule for Monday. Visited the local big box stores with the wife to see what she liked for layout and that's some sticker shock. Even without nonsense like tablets in the door whew. I haven't priced refrigerators in a while. It would be nice if you could be confident that they would last long enough to make the cost worthwhile. Oh and delivery times were insane. Home Depot had stickers with the "earliest estimated" delivery date. Most were in late August, a few in September. I think one of Best Buy's even said October.
     

    churchmouse

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    Dec 7, 2011
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    Check. But for the cost of the new ones of similar size it's worth the ~$100 or so for a diagnosis. The coil assembly for the fridge section looks to be only about $150 and $220 for the freezer but of course I'm sure it's another 2x that for labor and refrigerant work. It is 134a which makes me want to get a can of stuff from the auto parts store. What could go wrong? :D:popcorn:

    Broad Ripple Appliance doesn't work on this model but pointed me to a few other places so I'll definitely give them props for suggesting competitors. Found one in Greenwood that got me on the diagnostic schedule for Monday. Visited the local big box stores with the wife to see what she liked for layout and that's some sticker shock. Even without nonsense like tablets in the door whew. I haven't priced refrigerators in a while. It would be nice if you could be confident that they would last long enough to make the cost worthwhile. Oh and delivery times were insane. Home Depot had stickers with the "earliest estimated" delivery date. Most were in late August, a few in September. I think one of Best Buy's even said October.

    Youi can not charge the system. It is sealed and It is such a small amount that the 134 blend is off. The system will have to be pumped out and new refr. introduced to get the blend correct. This happens all the time with the "Do it yourself" AC techs on auto air. They keep topping the system off (kicking the can down the road) and then wonder why it will no longer work properly. Our van has a non-repairable leak that requires a re-charge 2 time's a season. It does not loose the entire charge just enough. I have a 30# jug of R-134 so I pump it out and weigh it back in with fresh juice. Runs fine. Point is topping it never works right.
    I do plan on fixing this in the fall but the leak is in the rear evap.

    Get the diagnosis and let us know. I am curious.
     

    jkaetz

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    3   0   0
    Jan 20, 2009
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    Youi can not charge the system. It is sealed and It is such a small amount that the 134 blend is off. The system will have to be pumped out and new refr. introduced to get the blend correct. This happens all the time with the "Do it yourself" AC techs on auto air. They keep topping the system off (kicking the can down the road) and then wonder why it will no longer work properly. Our van has a non-repairable leak that requires a re-charge 2 time's a season. It does not loose the entire charge just enough. I have a 30# jug of R-134 so I pump it out and weigh it back in with fresh juice. Runs fine. Point is topping it never works right.
    I do plan on fixing this in the fall but the leak is in the rear evap.

    Get the diagnosis and let us know. I am curious.
    Wouldn't actually do it. Have done it with the older cars in the past but knew that eventually the system would need to be replaced. I think you're right, I swear I saw something that said 5.5 oz of refrigerant. Part of me wonders if the thing has been serviced before. The service manual talks about installing temporary access valves and shraeder valves but I know I saw valves back there already. Since we've only owned it for two years it wouldn't completely surprise me to hear that something was already done with it.

    Will certainly report the results. It is now a puzzle that must be solved and I may or may not have an OCD in puzzle solving...
     

    churchmouse

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    Wouldn't actually do it. Have done it with the older cars in the past but knew that eventually the system would need to be replaced. I think you're right, I swear I saw something that said 5.5 oz of refrigerant. Part of me wonders if the thing has been serviced before. The service manual talks about installing temporary access valves and shraeder valves but I know I saw valves back there already. Since we've only owned it for two years it wouldn't completely surprise me to hear that something was already done with it.

    Will certainly report the results. It is now a puzzle that must be solved and I may or may not have an OCD in puzzle solving...

    Those valves leak. They just do.
     

    Sigblitz

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    Aug 25, 2018
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    I was thinking defrost sensor. The kids will open the doors every 10 minutes just to make sure there's still food in it. The defrost sensor ices up, turning on the defrost heater. It's a Samsung, and the sensor is no where near the heater. Worse designed refrigerator I ever seen. BTW, GE is easy to work on, parts are cheap and you can pick up parts locally. Stuff can get fixed the same day.
    You can try thawing it out. That's a couple days without a fridge. Or you can dig into it to check it.
     

    Sigblitz

    Grandmaster
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    And what's with the new refrigerators. The outside drawer that robs you of refrigerator space. Or the bottom drawer freezer that makes you dig for food like a squirrel. :ranton:
     
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