Refrigerator Problems

[Issangeorge]

Figure I can probably get the best help in this forum for my problem. I have a refrigerator with a separate freezer compartment. My problem is the refrigerator compartment doesn't seem to cool down anymore, or at least not as much as it should. The freezer still works, but not as well as it should. Anyone have any idea what could be wrong?

[Crossy]

It may just be the crazy hot weather we are having at present being too much for the cooling capacity

[lopburi3]

And as everyone is having the heat problem the electric usage is likely high making the voltage low and adding to the cooling issues. Might be worthwhile running a fan to help keep air blowing around the fridge and see if that helps any - but remember each time you open you lose a lot of cool air so try to open as little as you can.

[Pib]

Not uncommon for frigs to have separate temp controls for the freezer and main sections. Check for such settings....several times my MIL has changed the temp control dial in one or both both the freezer and main sections by jamming stuff against the controls/dials which caused them to turn. And maybe you have separate digital temp controls. Just check your temp control(s).

[daveAustin]

Overloading?, hot weather, fridge old, dodgy seals, losing gas, compressor on its way out, problem with power supply (are lights dimmer?)...

[Nigeone]

Any of the above..Also thermostat could be a issue..The other issue is the quality of refrigeration units sold in Thailand is not great. Don't last as long as western world for sure and lack of people who know how to fix correctly.. If there's a little leak on the system air can get in and cause a blockage ..Could be so many things..Airflow and air temp is def a possible cause...the pot on the back,compressor type sealed unit ,if running all the time due to trying to bring the temp down will cut out after awhile in lots of manufactures

Edited April 18, 2016 by Nigeone

[johnatong]

We had a similar problem with our Samsung fridge/ freezer.

The Samsung technicians came and replaced the thermostat. ----------------Problem solved .

[wayned]

It could be just the heat but......! You could have a defective defrost timer. Over the years both of my fridges had this problem and the culprit turned outto be the defrost timer. They cost around 600 baht and are usually easy to locate and replace. They are usually mounted in the open area in the bottom/back of the fridge near the compressor.

If you have any sparky experience they can easily be bypassed to see if that is the problem. Both of mine had the circuit printed on the outside of the timer. Remove the power and short the "goesinta" to the "goesouta and plug it back in let it run for a few hours and see if it gets colder.

[Maybole]

You may have a very slow leak of gas. Try regassing.

[Issangeorge]

My fridge is completely gone now, to be honest I'm not sure if the freezer was still working after the fridge, or if it was just all the frozen food in it kept it cold longer. Anyway the compressor doesn't come on at all. Tomorrow I will take it to the shop. It is a large Hitachi, which my wife assured me made very good refrigerators, however after maybe 3 years I had to have the compressor replaced. Now maybe it's another 3 years, so I have a decision on how much I want to spend. The way I look at it, the replacement cost is a around ฿18,000 and the door seals shelves etc are all in good repair, so how high do I go before I say <deleted> it. I am on a pension and cash short right now, so if I was to replace it, it would be for a much smaller model. So do I buy a new small one for ฿8,000 to ฿9,000 or do I spend say ฿5,000 to ฿6,000 to fix it?

Edited April 19, 2016 by Issangeorge

[CHRISTIANa9]

Hitachi are known to produce the best compressor. So I'm surprise.

[CHRISTIANa9]

Hitachi are known to produce the best compressor. So I'm surprise.

Sorry my mistake, Hitachi known for motors

[Pib]

Knock on wood but I've never had a compressor fail in a frig in my whole life...nor do I personally know anyone who has. Now of course some fail, but frig compressors are generally super reliable by design. But with the more "whiz-bang" frigs of today with all their electronics, the electronics can sure fail...and the electronics control the compressor.

[Issangeorge]

I wouldn't say my fridge is whiz bang, not many electronics if any in it. When I was looking at new fridges today I saw the compressors seemed to be under warranty for ten yèars, so I doubt it's the compressor probably something like a thermostat. I hope anyway. It's just I live in a village far from a repair man, so have to take the fridge to them. It is an inconvenience.

[bankruatsteve]

My fridge is completely gone now, to be honest I'm not sure if the freezer was still working after the fridge, or if it was just all the frozen food in it kept it cold longer. Anyway the compressor doesn't come on at all. Tomorrow I will take it to the shop. It is a large Hitachi, which my wife assured me made very good refrigerators, however after maybe 3 years I had to have the compressor replaced. Now maybe it's another 3 years, so I have a decision on how much I want to spend. The way I look at it, the replacement cost is a around ฿18,000 and the door seals shelves etc are all in good repair, so how high do I go before I say <deleted> it. I am on a pension and cash short right now, so if I was to replace it, it would be for a much smaller model. So do I buy a new small one for ฿8,000 to ฿9,000 or do I spend say ฿5,000 to ฿6,000 to fix it?

My 6 year old Hitachi has been in for repair 2 times: first for over voltage, then for under voltage. The fix is usually 1K baht or there about and then it works great (until the next voltage issue). I have since gone to a Samsung side-by-side inverter and very happy with that (and it seems to handle voltage issues). But, still using the repaired Hitachi as additional freezer/fridge. Anyway... you might check with the local fridge repair guy. At least here in Udon, they are pretty good and cost not much. The thing is you have to take it to them, they don't do home work.

[Pib]

I wouldn't say my fridge is whiz bang, not many electronics if any in it. When I was looking at new fridges today I saw the compressors seemed to be under warranty for ten yèars, so I doubt it's the compressor probably something like a thermostat. I hope anyway. It's just I live in a village far from a repair man, so have to take the fridge to them. It is an inconvenience.

Yea, the warranty on frig compressors is long as they rarely fail. While the compressor will have a long compressor warranty the rest of the frig (i.e., all non-compressor electronics, parts in general, etc) will probably just have a 1 to 3 year warranty with 1 year being the most likely.

[ataloss]

I use a small 8" fan bought at Icon Plaza which I place on the floor at the back of the fridge to circulate air into the lower open (compressor) area. I also have never enclosed my fridges. And, I have used a few slotted cement wall 'bricks' placed at floor level in the kitchen wall to dissipate heat: be sure to cover with wire mesh as I learned to my chagrin that field mice were entering-exiting the house via the narrow slots. FWIW...

[Issangeorge]

An update on my refrigerator, the guy who installed our AC, came today to fix the fridge. He said the compressor the guy had replaced a few years ago was the wrong size and too small, thus from constant use especially in the hot weather we have been having, it burnt itself out. He replaced it with the right one, all in ฿3,000, I am a happy camper.

[dutchisaan]

An update on my refrigerator, the guy who installed our AC, came today to fix the fridge. He said the compressor the guy had replaced a few years ago was the wrong size and too small, thus from constant use especially in the hot weather we have been having, it burnt itself out. He replaced it with the right one, all in ฿3,000, I am a happy camper.

I'm happy that things worked out for you.

Now you can have a nice cold beer again, please do't forget to enjoy that cold one.

[Issangeorge]

Update 2, the first fix didn't work, but he came back hauled the fridge away and came back a week later. An additional charge of ฿1,500, but it seems to work now, touch wood. Here is a picture of what he replaced, he had two replace two of them. Any one know what it is?

[Issangeorge]

Sorry can't seem to attach the picture.

[Issangeorge]

Okay I have attached the part that was replaced, actually two of these were replaced, anyone know what it is?

Edited July 5, 2016 by Issangeorge

[lopburi3]

Sorry but nothing visible on your last post.

Edit: now we get it.

Edited July 5, 2016 by lopburi3

[lopburi3]

My guess would be temperature sensors. They can fail.

[wayned]

Yes, temperature sensors, one for the fridge and one for the freezer. But both to fail at the same time is quite along shot. I would go back to my original recommendation, the defrost timer. I have had similar problems in both my big Whirlpool and a smaller Sanyo. Easy to replace, usually mounted in the open bottom where the power cord comes in. Mine cost about 600 baht each.

Your tech is using the "Remington" or "Browning" repair method -SHOTGUN!!!

Edited July 5, 2016 by wayned

[Pib]

yeap...temperature sensors...most likely to control the cooling fans....I'm going to guess their are two fans in the frig (one for freezer section and one for frig section) since two sensors were replaced. Similar sensors are shown at this AliExpress page where the price seems to average around 5 USD / 175 baht.

http://www.aliexpress.com/cp/refrigerator-temperature-control-switch-online-shopping.html

Seems to be some writing on the sensors in the OP's pictures I can't make out....maybe the temperature the sensors switch on and off at.

[Issangeorge]

To be fair, the fridge part didn't work, he tried to fix it on site twice, but was not successful. The freezer worked at a fridge like temperature, so because we had many things going on, we used the freezer as a fridge, the freezer then started frosting up. The repairman came took the unit back to his house and returned a week later, the unit works great now. He charged ฿1,500 for this third fix. I was quite happy. I only have word from my wife that both failed, and he only gave her one, so maybe only one failed. Anyway it is nice to have a working fridge and freezer again. Thanks for telling me what it was, I suspected it would be something like that.