Fridge/Freezer

[Uglybloke]

Hi all,

My Fridge/Freezer refuses to get cold. The motor is running, but has stopped freezing and the fridge also does not get cold. It hasn`t been disturbed, it just defrosted overnight for no reason. Any ideas anyone please?

[sallybowles]

has your thermostat been turned down by accident?

[Uglybloke]

Hi Sally,

No the thermostats set correctly, the door seals are fine, it`s making all the right noises, except it`s not making any cold!

[sallybowles]

I can't help you there really then ugly. I'm not very technically minded....thought I was giving a clever answer with the thermostat bit to be honest....I had a headache after that and had to lie down for 10 minutes.
there will probably be someone on here soon who can answer you. sir-prize is on at the mo.....maybe he will help you.
:-)

[buildersmate]

Every fridge / freezer I've ever seen has 2 compressor motors - one of each compartment. Has yours got this and are you saying BOTH compartments fail at the same time. They work independently of one another.

This smells like an intermittent supply, because the chance of both failing at the same time is very small

[Uglybloke]

Hi B/Mate

I didn`t know there were two motors, but I`ll check to see if one isn`t working, but it all sounds as it usually does. If they`re both working, then you reckon it`s an interruption of the electric supply?

[buildersmate]

Look around the back - two large (black) lumps of metal with pipes hanging out of them - or one?

[Clanad]

I wouldn't, for any price, argue with buildersmate, but at least here in the U.S., any fridge/freezer, be it side by side or over/under, only has one compressor and this directly feeds the freezer section. You should notice a little door device (called a diffuser here) in the fridge section that would normally blow cold air when the machine is running. This little door is modulated by a thermostatically controlled device of some kind (depending on the make) which varies how much it's open. This is all that controls the temp in the fridge section. A blower motor in the freezer section not only circulates the cold air in that side but forces it through the aforesaid door to the fridge section. On occasion, i've seen combos with two blowers to more efficiently distribute the air, but still only one compressor. Obviously, in deference to the venerable (and well respected) buildersmate, things could be different in the U.K.
The problem is usually a malfunctioning diffuser or its thermostat.
If you don't have an ice build-up on the back side (inside) of the freezer section, the auto-defrost is probably working fine. If you do... I'll explain how to remedy this in another thread..

Best of luck!

[buildersmate]

You're welcome to argue, C - I am fallible. It could be the technology has moved on without me.

[heathfield]

There's a third type of fridge/freezer, that has a single compressor, and where the coolant is switched to freezer or fridge section cooling coils by a diverter valve.
That apart, it could be there's a leak in the system resulting in a loss of coolant. A clue to that would be if the motor is running all the time, since it's trying to cool things down, but can't. Finding such a leak can be time-consuming, but after fixing it, re-filling with coolant is a job any fridge engineer should be able to do.

[Uglybloke]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I hope Sally is now feeling better after her lie down.;