Frigidaire Side by Side Not Freezing

[ssanders14]

This Frigidaire FRS23HF5A refrigerator is in a house I am about to buy and would like to know the basic troubleshooting steps to take. The Freezer will freeze items on the bottom half of the freezer and the bottom half of the fridge will be fairly cool probably in the correct storage temperature range but the top of the fridge and freezer are not at the correct temperature. The condenser coil and back panel had some frost build up so I unplugged the Fridge for 24 - 36 hours so it could thaw out. I also cleaned and vacuumed up the dust on and around the compressor and fan on the back bottom of the fridge. When I plugged the freezer back in it seemed to semi freeze a bag of water in the top of the freezer but it wasn't cold enough to completely freeze the bag. I waited 48 hours to check on the freezer.

I have read that the defrost timer may be bad but I'm not sure where to start to test the components of the fridge. I am very handy and can obtain most of the testers that would be be needed.

Thank You.

[JWWebster]

Your refrigerator has what they call adaptive defrost control ADC fer short. Aint no timer like older models have.  To force a defrost the light switch must be toggled

    Frigidaire A.D.C (Automatic Defrost Control) – Adaptive
To initiate defrost cycle toggle Fresh Food light switch - 5 times in 6 sec.

-         To cancel defrost cycle toggle F/Food light switch - 5 times in 6 sec.

-         After defrost cycle test cancellation, compressor runs immediately, 1 min. delay for evaporator fan.

-         After regular (non "forced") defrost – 6 min. delay for compressor

-         7 min. delay for evaporator fan

-         Vacation mode: if heaters on for less than 6 min. or  F/Food door not opened for 24 hrs -------- then  72 hr. defrost timing interval is set up. When door later opened, defrost reverts to previous pattern.
This adc board basically goes by how many times you go in and out the ice box. When it gets to x amount of door openings it figures enough air done got inside that ice box to form some frost on there. So she-boom it kicks into a high gear defrosting cycle. If you don't be messing with that ice box then them board sees fit to not worry too much about defrosting fer a while. The basic heater and terminator(that's a defrost heater thermostat) is the same as the old style and both work the same. I would say if you cannot force defrost and both the heater has continuity and the defrost termination thermostat has continuity when at a temp of 25f of lower then you should just replace that board. It is located behind the light bulb and cold control within that array. Very easy to get to. I have always said all that cold damp air was too much on them fancy boards; too easy for corrosion to set in. Yank yours out and clean the corrosion off of them contacts and retry before you buy.
Git you one

[theoldstoveguy]

Is the fan running in freezer?

[ssanders14]

I don't think the fan from the fridge side is bringing air over to the fridge. I bottom of the freezer is really cold. I was just over there and I could feel the really cold air hit my legs when I opened the freezer side of the fridge. After about half way up the fridge side and freezer side the cold air stops and it become much warmer.

Where is the fan in the freezer side?

[krazytech]

Yes there is a fan in the freezer... Just above you evaporator  if the fan is working check the damper at the top it should be open if the fridge is not cold... also check the outlet vent at the bottom make sure there is nothing blocking it.

[ssanders14]

How often should the freezer fan be on?

How often should the fridge fan be on?

[krazytech]

fan will be on then the compressor is running... if you have a meter you can check it for power.

[JWWebster]

The condenser coil and back panel had some frost build up so I unplugged the Fridge for 24 - 36 hours so it could thaw out.

Frost on the rear of the freezer section shows possible defrost heater or terminator has fail. have you checked em?

[ssanders14]

How do I check for these: heater has continuity and the defrost termination thermostat has continuity

[JWWebster]

If both have continuity that leaves only the adc board. Those used to sell for around $20 to be a hundred bucks maybe they are new and improved. You can sub out that board for a plain jane old timer on some models but if yours is a side by side I don't believe you can. Not sure.

[theoldstoveguy]

Have we determined that the fan IS running? The cold air should blow in your face at the top of the freezer. There is a vent on the rear wall a little over half way up, when the compressor is on the fan should be running. I have changed a lot of fan motors in Frigidare & a lot of defrost thermostats. You have determined that the thermostat is closed. Ohm out the fan motor first.

[ssanders14]

I haven't determined anything is working yet. I can figure out if the fans are working, but I'm not sure how to test the other things mentioned. A description on how to check these things would be helpful. Thank You.

[JWWebster]

The fans inside and outside should be running while the compressor is. Every 8 hours or so the fans and compressor should shut down so that the frost can be removed for 21 minutes or thereabouts. If your defrost components are all good then replace that defrost board.

Some manuals for you to look through

[ssanders14]

The automatic defrost control board was the issue with my Fridge. The control board was causing the condenser fan to not run thus not circulating the cold air throughout the fridge. Thank You.

[JWWebster]

  Glad ye could git er did! You gits tah buy dah next round fer da boyz. LOL