6 replies to this topic

[buddy1]

Our Kenmore refrigerator is 14 years old. It is a Model # 363.9611580.

I put a thermometer in the freezer section and it reads 0 degrees. I moved the thermometer down to the refrigerator section and it reads 46 degrees. I can't get the refrigerator cold enough. I adjusted all the controls to the lowest settings.

Since the freezer is working, I don't know were to look for the problem. Help.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

Your going to find one of two problems.

Either the defrost system has failed and the evaporator is plugged with ice so no air flow can get to the refrigerator

OR

The fan in the freezer has stopped working, (The fan pushes the cold air from the freezer down to the refrigerator.

It will be obvious if the fan isn't working, when you open the freezer do you hear the fan running, if not then there's your problem.

If the fan is running then remove the back panel of the freezer and see if the coils are pluged with cystally ice.

Report back with what you find and if it's the evaporator pluged with ice someone here will guild you thru checking your defrost system.

[buddy1]

That’s what I thought. 

 Last night, I started out by vacuuming out the condenser coils under the refrigerator. While I was down there I heard the compressor come on and saw the condenser fan come on. 

 I took the back of the freezer out, to check the evaporator coils for ice. There wasn’t any. While I had it opened the evaporator fan came on.

 Since the freezer gets cold enough, I assumed that the refrigeration system must be working. The compressor must be good and have enough refrigerant.

 I figured the problem must be getting cold air from the freezer to the refrigerator. I could not get the Damper Housing off of the vent, in the refrigerator compartment. With the evaporator fan on, I could feel cool air coming out of the vent. I could not check the vent for an obstruction like ice.

 Before going to bed, I checked the refrigerator compartment temperature. It was 42 degrees. This morning I checked it again, it was 46 degrees. The evaporator fan was not on. I am wondering it the evaporator fan is not coming on as much as it should? I have the refrigerator compartment controls maxed out. Shouldn’t the evaporator fan be on constantly? Could I have a faulty thermostat?

[The Seven]

[user=445]buddy1[/user] wrote:

I adjusted all the controls to the lowest settings.

What does it mean "the lowest settings"?

[buddy1]

The temperature control knob is turned to number "9". This is the coldest setting on the Control Temp (p/n WR09X0411).

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

If you have the freezer control set to the coldest setting, you're starving the beer compartment for cold air.  Read about how these controls work together here.

[The Seven]

[user=445]buddy1[/user] wrote:

This morning I checked it again, it was 46 degrees.
The evaporator fan was not on.
I have the refrigerator compartment controls maxed out.
Could I have a faulty thermostat?

Yes, you found the cause and need a new thermostat.:)