[Branj796]

I just recieved a frigidare upright freezer from another [person. It worked fine before being brought to me on its side. I left it sitting for several day then tried to turn it on and it is running but not cooling at all. I know transporting them on their side can cause a problem. I then plugged it in, in the off position thinking there may be a crankcase heater. I let it sit overnight again and then turned it on the next day with no cooling. I set it in the 1 position which is supposed to cool it to around 8 degrees. I have no manual or anything. I am an HVAC tech but have no experience with refrigerators. Please let me know if there are any solutions that pop to your mind. I have a side of beef and a hog comming soon and need to figure something out.
Thanks for your input.
Jake B.

[woodchuck]

You handled the fridge correctly for one being transported laying down so I don't think that is the problem. You just need to troubleshoot some. Check to see if the condenser fan at the back bottom of fridge is running.
Is the compressor motor near that fan running.
Are the coils warm ,cold or hot.

Is the evaporator fan in the freezer running.

Below the evaporator fan is the evaporator coils. Remove the back cover in the freezer to observe the frost pattern. stopped up? clear? ice in one spot . frost everywhere

[jOHNP340]

I also have the same problem he does. I am checking the fan first, since I don't hear it running. I have a frozen top shelf only and the rest of the unit is not cooling below 30 degrees.

Any other ideas.

Thanks

Originally Posted by woodchuck

You handled the fridge correctly for one being transported laying down so I don't think that is the problem. You just need to troubleshoot some. Check to see if the condenser fan at the back bottom of fridge is running.
Is the compressor motor near that fan running.
Are the coils warm ,cold or hot.

Is the evaporator fan in the freezer running.

Below the evaporator fan is the evaporator coils. Remove the back cover in the freezer to observe the frost pattern. stopped up? clear? ice in one spot . frost everywhere

[jOHNP340]

I just moved the freezer and could not find the fan. The compressor is hot and
the coils are hot, or rather warm to the touch. There is no sign a fan is or was running. I have one shelf that had something on it that is frosted up about an inch. the rest are cold but not freezing.

There is a constant temperature of about 30 degrees above zero. No cold freeze in the past two days.

I am hoping that there is a cooling fan I am missing somewhere that is not running and that is the reason.

Any help here would be a big help. I put some big bags of ice in there to keep the little food I have in there cold.

Originally Posted by woodchuck

You handled the fridge correctly for one being transported laying down so I don't think that is the problem. You just need to troubleshoot some. Check to see if the condenser fan at the back bottom of fridge is running.
Is the compressor motor near that fan running.
Are the coils warm ,cold or hot.

Is the evaporator fan in the freezer running.

Below the evaporator fan is the evaporator coils. Remove the back cover in the freezer to observe the frost pattern. stopped up? clear? ice in one spot . frost everywhere

[jOHNP340]

I just moved the freezer and could not find the fan. The compressor is hot and
the coils are hot, or rather warm to the touch. There is no sign a fan is or was running. I have one shelf that had something on it that is frosted up about an inch. the rest are cold but not freezing.

There is a constant temperature of about 30 degrees above zero. No cold freeze in the past two days.

I am hoping that there is a cooling fan I am missing somewhere that is not running and that is the reason.

Any help here would be a big help. I put some big bags of ice in there to keep the little food I have in there cold.

[woodchuck]

A model number will help. First impression is that yours is low on freon since there is not frosting on the other shelves.

[jOHNP340]

The model number is Fridgidaire MFU17M3GW1. Does that help?

[woodchuck]

Yes, It tells me you don't have any fans. The coils on the back dissipate the heat by natural air flow(heat rising etc.) Make sure they're clean. The shelves on the inside are the evaporator and the fact that only one ices up points to low freon. (leak)

[jOHNP340]

Thanks. I checked it and the outside is warm to say the least. The unit is going to be defrosted and then I will try to figure out how to add more freon to the unit. I was hoping that it would be something simple like a fan; but, that is not the case now. So, at least all I lost was a couple bags of ice and some chicken breasts. I got the rest out before it quit.


We have had problems with the circuit that unit is on kicking off with the rain lately and I was hoping it was something like that too. No such luck.

Thanks for the help.
This site sure did help out.

I have an old refrigerator that is 29 years old that has never given me a bit of trouble and this new freezer, 8 years or so has been a real pain in the butt.

Next one will be a different one.

Originally Posted by woodchuck

Yes, It tells me you don't have any fans. The coils on the back dissipate the heat by natural air flow(heat rising etc.) Make sure they're clean. The shelves on the inside are the evaporator and the fact that only one ices up points to low freon. (leak)