[Wayne]

Our Freezer will not cycle. Everything is frozen inside. This is manual defrost unit so it has 3 wire shelves with pipes running through them. The top shelf has frost building up, but the middle and bottom shelf do not.

I have tried a new Thermostat yet it didn't help.
I tried a trick of putting Vaseline on the door seals to see if that would indicate the seals, but it still runs. I am not sure how accurate this trick is.

Any suggestions?

[PS Staff - Sheila]

Are the other shelfs cold to the touch with a little frost or nothing?

When you installed the new thermostat did you damage the sensing bulb?

It is possible that there is a leak in the system but if the freezer is still freezing every thing it is not likely.

[PS Volunteer - Appguy]

Put a thermometer in a check temps. It should get down below zero. If not you have a refrigerant leak or a bad compressor. Partial evaporator frost is a bad sign.

[Wayne]

yes, the shelves are cold to the touch. yes a very small frost is on them and if I leave the door open I actually can see the frost evaporate.

I don't believe I damaged the tip of the probe, but then again I am not sure how I could tell.

any trick to check for a leak?

[Wayne]

since the items are frozen I figured the unit was cooling ok, thus I didn't check with a therm. yet. I will tonight when I get home.

Any tricks to know if it is a leak for sure and where?

[PS Staff - Sheila]

If there is a leak the frost pattern will eventually be gone and thing will start to defrost.

[dalek]

I have this freezer too. I ran into this a few years or so ago and it turned out the door was closing but not sealing at the top of the door. Air was getting into the freezer enough that it was causing a lot of ice build-up on the top shelf. I don't go into my freezer to much so it actually built up enough that the top shelf froze to the shelf on the door. The little bar in the door broke when I had to force the door open.

On mine at least, the door seemed to have warped somehow. I just put my foot against the bottom and pulled the top of the door as if trying to close it. It seemed to have bent the door back. That said, I unplugged the freezer and didn't use it for a couple years not to long after that. I recently hooked it back up and the door was not sealing at the top again. I had to repeat the process again to bend the door back so that it will shut properly. This may be a flaw in the design of this freezer. Maybe the door needed something with more support or something.

If your door is not closing like mine, be careful if you try to bend it back. You can pull it to far or mess up the door if you pull it to hard. It doesn't take much to get it back right. 1/4 inch is a lot of bending on a door.

Yea, I joined just to type this in.

[rlgdtime]

Originally Posted by PS Staff - Sheila

If there is a leak the frost pattern will eventually be gone and thing will start to defrost.

How long is eventually?

I have a similar problem with an older Roper RV1299R*WO* 11.8 Cu Ft Upright freezer only, manual defrost.

Freezer is 98% empty, now.

Front half of top shelf frozen , others bare, cold to touch when door first opened, but warm quickly.

Otter pops won't freeze on any shelf on door, seems worse on bottom door shelf. Water not frozen on door after 5 hours. Water partially frozen on clear section of top shelf after 5 hours.

Problem started at least two weeks ago. Ice cream on top shelf was melting.

Is this a low refrigerant issue or something else?

Can refrigerant be added easily without gauges, etc? Or is it time for a new freezer?

Thanks.

[Icehouse]

Originally Posted by rlgdtime

How long is eventually?

I have a similar problem with an older Roper RV1299R*WO* 11.8 Cu Ft Upright freezer only, manual defrost.

Freezer is 98% empty, now.

Front half of top shelf frozen , others bare, cold to touch when door first opened, but warm quickly.

Otter pops won't freeze on any shelf on door, seems worse on bottom door shelf. Water not frozen on door after 5 hours. Water partially frozen on clear section of top shelf after 5 hours.

Problem started at least two weeks ago. Ice cream on top shelf was melting.

Is this a low refrigerant issue or something else?

Can refrigerant be added easily without gauges, etc? Or is it time for a new freezer?

Thanks.

Is this a "Static" condenser (coil on back) or "Forced" (on bottom). Either way make sure they are clean. If forced, check to see if fan next to compressor is operating. Finnaly an old trick to do: unplug unit, place a heat lamp inside (watch don't melt anything). The oil in the refrigerant may have settled in the evaporator (shelving tubes). Once warmed it may return to compressor. Also place level on top of freezer,should tilt back 1/4 bubble. This will insure door is closing.

[rlgdtime]

Originally Posted by Icehouse

Is this a "Static" condenser (coil on back) or "Forced" (on bottom). Either way make sure they are clean. If forced, check to see if fan next to compressor is operating. Finnaly an old trick to do: unplug unit, place a heat lamp inside (watch don't melt anything). The oil in the refrigerant may have settled in the evaporator (shelving tubes). Once warmed it may return to compressor. Also place level on top of freezer,should tilt back 1/4 bubble. This will insure door is closing.

This is an upright freezer. Sealed system. With evap wire shelves. No exposed coils anywhere, no compressor fan.

Turned off unit, De-iced. warmed shelves with lamp. Wiped dry. Retstarted on highest setting. Front of top shelf began to frost very quickly, rest of shelves still room temp.

Model Roper RV1299REW00