Sick Refridgerator

[churchmouse]

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.

That drawer freezer is a lot more efficient than a side by side.
We kept the old side by side for more storage and it is stuffed full. When you open the freezer the cold will drop out on the floor. The product is still cold but you loose a bit every time you cycle the door.
The drawer not so much.

 

[ghitch75]

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.

the compressor is going south....if you could get gauges on it it is running high suction pressure.....it is out of warranty....compressor change will probly 3/4 of a new frig...

 

[jkaetz]

Evaporator in the refrigerator section was replaced in 2014. Appears to be leaking again when checked with a UV light. $500 to replace. Due to EPA, they won't simply recharge it with 134 to give us any extra time since refrigerators are as rare as gold right now.

I think I'm going to start my own company producing coils for refrigerators and HVAC that aren't made of the thinnest cheapest possible material....

 

[ghitch75]

I have 30 pounds of 134 in my van ...i could recharge in in 10 mins.....they could top it they just won't

 

[jkaetz]

I have 30 pounds of 134 in my van ...i could recharge in in 10 mins.....they could top it they just won't

Yeah, the tech made the mistake of calling to get permission instead of asking forgiveness. Plus he didn't know what to charge me to evac and recharge with a few oz of 134.

 

[churchmouse]

Evaporator in the refrigerator section was replaced in 2014. Appears to be leaking again when checked with a UV light. $500 to replace. Due to EPA, they won't simply recharge it with 134 to give us any extra time since refrigerators are as rare as gold right now.

I think I'm going to start my own company producing coils for refrigerators and HVAC that aren't made of the thinnest cheapest possible material....

Yup. As I stated it is usually in the coils.

 

[churchmouse]

I have 30 pounds of 134 in my van ...i could recharge in in 10 mins.....they could top it they just won't

All about the money.

Ingo delivers.

 

[jkaetz]

Replacement finally being delivered tomorrow. Ordered direct from LG on 8-4, in stock, but they aren't Amazon. Took two weeks to get it from LG's warehouse to the Indy delivery depot. Fortunately one of the INGO HVAC guys gave the old one a snort of 134 shortly after diagnosis and it's been holing temp since then.

 

[WebSnyper]

Replacement finally being delivered tomorrow. Ordered direct from LG on 8-4, in stock, but they aren't Amazon. Took two weeks to get it from LG's warehouse to the Indy delivery depot. Fortunately one of the INGO HVAC guys gave the old one a snort of 134 shortly after diagnosis and it's been holing temp since then.

Nice, and I didn't even know you could order straight from the OEM on this type of thing. Good to know. Did it save you any $ to cut out the middle man?

 

[jkaetz]

Nice, and I didn't even know you could order straight from the OEM on this type of thing. Good to know. Did it save you any $ to cut out the middle man?

Nah, LG controls their prices and doesn't let vendors undercut. Sometimes you can get a little here or there but nothing significant and lot of variation on shipping and delivery. LG did not upcharge for in home delivery and removal of the old equipment though so I'll take that. Many of the places wanted extra for in home or equipment removal.

 

[WebSnyper]

Nah, LG controls their prices and doesn't let vendors undercut. Sometimes you can get a little here or there but nothing significant and lot of variation on shipping and delivery. LG did not upcharge for in home delivery and removal of the old equipment though so I'll take that. Many of the places wanted extra for in home or equipment removal.

Good to know. Glad you got it handled.