Hotpoint Refrigerator Not Cooling

[JWWebster]

You might have a bad condenser motor, if it feels hot to the touch it may be intermittantly stoping and that would cause those  problems.You said the ice box had been sitting up in storage. Who knows, it might just fix itself, given time.

[no user name]

I have vast experience at sarcasm too, but I try to avoid it around here.


I don't see where the gentleman said the unit cycled off normally...how do you know it was not in defrost when it did so? Only when he unplugged it did the fans and compressor shut off at the same time. I expect we need a little clarification from the person who made the topic.. a Mr. NO Name

We are obviously not getting the whole picture here...

I'm not sure if I understand your question. But, I would hear the compressor kick on from the other room periodically, nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. The times that I had heard the compressor and had the FREEZER door open, I could hear that fan blowing too. 

[Repair-man]

Ok, so to make things clear in our minds, can you say that the compressor could be heard cycling off even when the freezer fan was still running?  What we are trying to establish here is either a cold control problem or a compressor that is cutting out. If it is indeed a cold control problem as MR Fixit suggests, this could be further exemplified by the fans cycling off at the same time as the compressor.

If it is just the compressor doing the cycling and the fans remain on, you have other problems. Do the fans stop when the compressor does or not?

[no user name]

Ok, so to make things clear in our minds, can you say that the compressor could be heard cycling off even when the freezer fan was still running?  What we are trying to establish here is either a cold control problem or a compressor that is cutting out. If it is indeed a cold control problem as MR Fixit suggests, this could be further exemplified by the fans cycling off at the same time as the compressor.

If it is just the compressor doing the cycling and the fans remain on, you have other problems. Do the fans stop when the compressor does or not?

No, I'd have to say that the compressor and fan cycle on and off as a team...when one stops so does the other and when one kicks on the other does too.
I'll plug 'er back in just to be good n sure. But I do seem to recall that when I had the freezer door open when the compressor was indeed running, there was cold winds blowing from the freezer vent which would indicate that fan running at the same time.

[Mr. Fix-It]

The important point is weather the fan shuts OFF when the compressor does this would zero in on the control.

[no user name]

The important point is weather the fan shuts OFF when the compressor does this would zero in on the control.

I plugged the fridge back in the other day. First point is that the compressor and freezer fan do indeed run simultaneously.

   This time I turned the control to off before plugging it in. Immediately after plugging it in I set the control to number 6 on the refrigerator dial and number 1 on the freezer. Within 5 hours it had cooled to around 42 degrees, freezer was about 15. During periodic checks, I believe the compressor and fan continually ran without ceasing during this period.

Eventually the compressor and fan turned off and the fridge bounces back and forth between 42 and 44 degrees. I then turned the dial up one number to 7 and it still stands at about 44 degrees.

ONE POINT I FORGOT LAST TIME:

This latest time and the previous time, at some point when the compressor and fan had finally cycled off for a while and the unit had settled in at whatever temp it was going to settle at, there is a "click click click click..." (actually more like a "grr, grr, grr, grr..." if that matters) reminiscent to the beat of a traditional egg timer coming from the ceiling of the refrigerator section at or around the control. This is only obvious when the door is open. I put my hand against the refrigerator control knob and interior light area and could feel the vibration coinciding with this noise.

This noise continues on for a considerable period of time and then stops on it's own at some point, apparently.

[Repair-man]

That clicking sound was probably the old defrost timer, which is in that control panel. Every 8 hours, it will shut down the compressor so the evap can thaw out.

If you can only get 42 degrees from the thing, you might as well throw it out in the garage for a beer cooler, as it likely has issues requiring service & money.

[no user name]

That clicking sound was probably the old defrost timer, which is in that control panel. Every 8 hours, it will shut down the compressor so the evap can thaw out.

If you can only get 42 degrees from the thing, you might as well throw it out in the garage for a beer cooler, as it likely has issues requiring service & money.

I just paid $300 for it...I will not be throwing it away! Previously it was suggested that it could be the control/thermostat and you mentioned joining the wires for 24 hours to determine whether or not this was the problem, what made you change your mind over to the unit being a total loss now?


Keep in mind, I couldn't get it below 48-50 the last time so it is maintaining a cooler temperature this time around. 

[Mr. Fix-It]

Try it you got nothing to lose.

[no user name]

That clicking sound was probably the old defrost timer, which is in that control panel. Every 8 hours, it will shut down the compressor so the evap can thaw out.

Just noticed that the compressor and fan are running AND that clicking noise is happening at the same time. Would it be defrosting at the same time as it's cooling?

[Repair-man]

The timer runs 24/7, regardless of whether it's cooling or defrosting. If the noise annoys you, replace the timer.

Part number is WR55X10229

[no user name]

The timer runs 24/7, regardless of whether it's cooling or defrosting. If the noise annoys you, replace the timer.

Part number is WR55X10229 if you can still find one...

Noise doesn't annoy me, I'm providing as many details as possible up front for someone to determine whether or not it has to do with the cooling issue.

So, the timer runs "24/7" but is only audible for short periods.

[jumptrout51]

Do a amp draw reading at the incoming power supply and a separate reading at the compressor and let us know what they are.

[JWWebster]

I bet the dang thang finally settles down and runs right after setting up a while.

[no user name]

I bet the dang thang finally settles down and runs right after setting up a while.

JW, your bet was correct. Thing's been working fine for several months now. Thanks for your help.