Frost Free Freezer Troubleshooting

Frost-free freezers are generally a little bit more expensive than the ones you need to defrost. They are also more expensive to run, but they do save you the hassle of having to unplug, clean out and drain your freezer a couple times a year. A disadvantage of these freezers is that you have to use food more quickly, since it can dry out faster. If you select a frost-free freezer, you are likely to run into some questions. Save yourself the money of calling in a repairman by troubleshooting the problems on your own.

Power and Operation

If your frost-free freezer is not running, and you have verified the power connection, you should check the defrost timer. If may be stuck in the "defrost" mode. Get a screw driver and turn the timer to advance it. If the freezer turns back on, you need to replace the defrost timer. You can also bypass the cold control for a test by joining the wires together. If the freezer comes on when you do this, you need to replace the cold control.

Frost and Temperature

If your frost-free freezer is not cooling properly, there is likely a heavy build up of frost on the evaporator coils. If you see any frost on the inside of the freezer, you probably have that same ice on the coils. The only way you can see this is by removing the panel on the inside of the freezer. Take all the food out of the freezer, turn the thermostat off and leave the freezer door(s) open for at least 24 hours, in order to manually defrost the freezer. If, when you turn it back on, the freezer cools properly in 24 hours, your problem is either with the defrost timer, the defrost thermostat or the defrost heater. If you freezer does not cool down again correctly, the problem is probably with the refrigerant level or the compressor.

Condenser and Thermostat

If your frost-free freezer is not working correctly, you may need to clean the condenser coils, which are located under the freezer. They tend to accumulate a great deal of dust and dirt. First, disconnect the power to the freezer and then remove the lower kick panel. You can clean these coils with a refrigerator condenser brush and your vacuum cleaner. In order to get all the dirt, it's best to clean the coils from both the front and the back of the freezer. In addition, wipe clean the blades of the condenser fan, which is generally located on the back of the freezer, near the bottom. You can use a damp rag for this. If cleaning the condenser and fan do not solve your problem, the problem could be with the thermostat. You may need to reset it during the winter and the summer months because of the change in outer temperatures.

References

• Repair Clinic
• Appliance Aid