refrigerator runs

I have an old Maytag side by side refrigerator that my wife says runs all the time. Today she said the eggs were frozen so maybe she's right. Over the weekend I vacuumed out the bottom and as much of the coils (?) around the fan housing that I could. The angle is bad so I can't reach more than a few inches with the hose.

Here are a few pictures of the back side of the unit.

Any suggestions appreciated.

How I cleaned that area when I was doing appliance repair>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cleaning from the front. The area in front that the warm air is being exhausted, cover with a wet towel. On the section that the air enters use a crevice tool on a tank type vacuum sweeper that you can connect the hose to the end that the air blows out, This blows the dust and lint back to the wet towel. Very little mess. WW

I would check thermostat. I would monitor inside temps. You can clean it in the mean time.

Greg

Of course, make sure fans are running well.

Greg

Check to make sure you didn't change the thermostat setting inadvertantly.

I agree that the thermostat is the most likely culprit, but I would check to make sure the fridge defrost timer isn't stuck in operating mode before you replace the thermostat.

Basically, the brains of a frost free fridge is the defrost timer. It's job is to divert electrical power away from the thermostat for about 20 minutes or so once every 20 hours of fridge operating time. The power is diverted to the defrost heater to melt all the ice that's accumulated on the evaporator coils.

But, it's only a tiny little motor in the defrost timer, and a bit of friction can cause it to get stuck; either in defrost mode, or in operate mode. If it gets stuck in defrost mode, then your fridge essentially goes into permanent defrost mode until the defrost timer unsticks. If it gets stuck in operate mode, the fridge will operate continuously without defrosting itself, and eventually frost will start forming inside the freezer compartment.

Look on the partition wall between the fridge and freezer sides of your side-by-side for a removable panel. Behind that panel will be the evaporator of your fridge, which is the source of all the cold the fridge makes. It should not be clogged up with frost. You should have anywhere from no frost to a uniform coating of frost over it's entire surface. If it is all clogged up with frost, then the fridge is not defrosting properly, and that could be due to a stuck defrost timer.

If you can see that the evaporator coil isn't clogged up with frost, than I'd go ahead and replace the fridge thermostat.

PS: Nowadays, the correct term for a fridge "thermostat" is a "cold control" because it serves a different purpose than a true thermostat.

Hi, I'd check ice build up inside with flash light. Defrost timer may be kaput.

Might be a cold control that's stuck on. That could explain runs all the time.

Or evaporator fan slowing down. Which would tend to over freeze the freezer.

Or bad defrost timer (would tend to warm the fridge and super freeze the freezer, if stuck in run mode.)

Here are a few pictures of the back side of the unit.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Evaporator is typically inside the freezer, in the back. Not the center partition. Look in with a flashlight, and see if the back inside of the freezer has "snow" accumulating. Please let us know what you find.

Check to make sure you didn't change the thermostat setting inadvertantly.

I agree that the thermostat is the most likely culprit, but I would check to make sure the fridge defrost timer isn't stuck in operating mode before you replace the thermostat.

Basically, the brains of a frost free fridge is the defrost timer. It's job is to divert electrical power away from the thermostat for about 20 minutes or so once every 20 hours of fridge operating time. The power is diverted to the defrost heater to melt all the ice that's accumulated on the evaporator coils.

But, it's only a tiny little motor in the defrost timer, and a bit of friction can cause it to get stuck; either in defrost mode, or in operate mode. If it gets stuck in defrost mode, then your fridge essentially goes into permanent defrost mode until the defrost timer unsticks. If it gets stuck in operate mode, the fridge will operate continuously without defrosting itself, and eventually frost will start forming inside the freezer compartment.

Look on the partition wall between the fridge and freezer sides of your side-by-side for a removable panel. Behind that panel will be the evaporator of your fridge, which is the source of all the cold the fridge makes. It should not be clogged up with frost. You should have anywhere from no frost to a uniform coating of frost over it's entire surface. If it is all clogged up with frost, then the fridge is not defrosting properly, and that could be due to a stuck defrost timer.

If you can see that the evaporator coil isn't clogged up with frost, than I'd go ahead and replace the fridge thermostat.

PS: Nowadays, the correct term for a fridge "thermostat" is a "cold control" because it serves a different purpose than a true thermostat.

I use Pepto-Bismol® when I have refrigerator runs but I will not post pictures of my back side. ^_^

TDD

if there is anyway you can haul it outside and use compressed air to blow all the accumulated stuff out... do it. make sure the wife isn't blocking the natural air flow inside.. there is a reason the racks in a fridge are racks instead of shelves. (always blame the wife if possible).. and the other things mentioned. if it was me... I'd drag the air hose inside and blow all the stuff out and give the wife something to do cleaning up the house afterwards.

I use Pepto-Bismol® when I have refrigerator runs but I will not post pictures of my back side. ^_^

TDD

When Philip Morris is in the can, is it due to refrigerator runs?

Dave M.

I dunno. Hang on while I call the bowling alley.

Dave M.

They don't all work that way.

Refrigerators can't run, cuz they dont have legs! The same is true for toilets.....

On a regular fridge, the evaporator coil will be behind a removable panel in the freezer compartment. On a side-by-side, it'll typically be in the vertical partition wall between the fridge and freezer sections.

On a regular fridge, the evaporator coil will be behind a removable panel in the freezer compartment. On a side-by-side, it'll typically be in the vertical partition wall between the fridge and freezer sections.

Stormin:

You are probably correct. I tried to use Google Images to find a side-by-side refrigerator with the evaporator in the center partition wall, but was unable to find one.

Also, not only were all the evaporators I found located in the back of the freezer section, all of the partition walls between the two sections were clearly too thin to house an evaporator coil.

I don't know where I got the impression that side-by-sides had the evaporator coil between the fridge and freezer, but I got it from somewhere, so there probably is a side-by-side out there with that feature, but your point is well taken. From what I can see, they're typically in the freezer section.

I notice that the info posted by the OP shows his evaporator to be in the back of his freezer compartment:

Stormin:

You are probably correct. I tried to use Google Images to find a side-by-side refrigerator with the evaporator in the center partition wall, but was unable to find one.

Also, not only were all the evaporators I found located in the back of the freezer section, all of the partition walls between the two sections were clearly too thin to house an evaporator coil.

I don't know where I got the impression that side-by-sides had the evaporator coil between the fridge and freezer, but I got it from somewhere, so there probably is a side-by-side out there with that feature, but your point is well taken. From what I can see, they're typically in the freezer section.

I notice that the info posted by the OP shows his evaporator to be in the back of his freezer compartment:

nestork