EV160FXK Stand up Freezer won't work after being fully defrosted

[fridge123fr]

Older whirlpool EV160FXK freezer from around the 1990's.

Always worked good but needed a good defrosting now and then.
Last time it needed defrosting was about 5 years ago. This time when it was all frozen over and starting to accumulate inches of snow on the shelves, I slid it out of the garage and just left it open on the driveway for about 36 hours to melt and drain. Plugged it back in, and it sort of sounded like it was struggling to get cold, but about 24 hours later it seemed very cold. I went to put a bottle of water in it about 12 hours after I last checked, to make sure it could freeze water, but it was completely warm, so now I unplugged it afraid something could burn out or something. It was on dial setting 3 or 4 always out of 7, so I plugged it back in on 7 for some hours and tapped on the analog dial in case it would fix a bad connection, but it's not getting cold at all.

[EthanRanft]

Can you tell if the compressor is running?

[fridge123fr]

I haven't messed with the freezer for 10 days.

 Today I plugged it in and put the dial on 2 of 7 thinking a slow pace might be gentler on the components. The compressor IS running, IS at times possibly a bit clicky/vibrating but I think it's always been like that. Within about 3 minutes of plugging it in, all the shelves have metal coils running through them and the lower shelf was getting cold and frosty. I closed the freezer and came back an hour later and it's not cold at all anymore.

If I turn it on and off again it will get start to get cold but then stops working.

I think something was at end of its lifespan, and fully defrosting the freezer slowly by leaving it on the driveway instead of using a heatgun and scraper caused the freezer to get %100 fully warm - and then it had to work non stop to get back to freezing and that's when something broke from running too much, I guess.
VS maybe maybe if I used a heat gun and buckets and towels it might not have lost all its coldness and might have bounced back safer?

[David Jero]

This is about as basic as it gets for freezers.  This unit has the evaporator built into the shelves and you have to manual defrost it. Which basically means you have 2 parts to check. The cold control that turns the compressor on and off and the compressor itself. If the compressor is running full time. This means the cold control switch is closed and calling for cooling and the compressor should be running.  If the compressor is running and not cooling you either have a bad compressor, sealed system leak or a restriction.  If the compressor is not running you either have a bad cold control, bad relay over load or a bad compressor. 

Waiting 5 years to defrost isn't such good thing for the freezer either. 


 

[fridge123fr]

thanks for the replies, I'll probably end up replacing it, but this freezer has been running for the past ~7 hours and still getting colder. Before, I could only get it to get cold for a couple hours or so, only the bottom shelf would frost up a bit, then it would stop cooling and get warm again in about 3 hours. This time it's got more shelves frosty and hasn't shut off but I'm worried to leave it plugged in unattended for long just in case something could spark or something??

I guess these symptoms are still the same parts/problem as have been previously suggested. I'll probably unplug it now and try to get it going again for longer while keepin an eye on it. But even if it does start working again as if there was never a problem, is there any fire/canister burst risk or anything?

Someone on another forum suggested

"Is the compressor running?
You can usually hear it but should also be able to feel it vibrating.

If the compressor is running and there is no cooking then it is a sealed system problem.
Either a freon leak, lugged sealed system or a bad compressor.
This would be an expensive repair as you need a pro.
In most cases it makes more sense to scrap the unit."

 

VS maybe if I used a heat gun and buckets and towels it might not have lost all its coldness and might have bounced back safer?
"I do not think that would have made a difference"

 

http://forum.partsdr.com/showthread.php?4166-Stand-up-Freezer-won-t-work-after-being-fully-defrosted&p=12248

 

[fridge123fr]

I shook the freezer around a bit before plugging it in this last time which has it running better than before, maybe I banged something back into place or something like a wire connection from when I originally walked/tetter tottered the freezer onto the driveway some of the way where it wouldn't slide? I was still gentle with it though.

[fridge123fr]

this was suggested elsewhere. think it's worth it?

 

"I think you are probably looking at a bad relay and/or overload for the compressor.. if it gets cold that fast then turns warm the compressor sounds like it is just kicking out.. it could be a bad compressor but then again it could be the components that start and keep the compressor running. Because of the age I am not finding these in stock anywhere but you could just use a universal compressor/relay device in place of.. I have installed thousands and thousands of these back in my service and repair days with about a 80% success rate.. if you want to give it a try it might pay off 

https://www.appliancezone.com/rco410-refrigerator-compressor-3-in-1-start-kit/

[EthanRanft]

The key here, is is the compressor running when it isn’t cooling. Unlikely based on what you’ve been saying.

So the next thing is is it trying to run: clicking on for a few seconds, then clicking off, waiting for a few minutes, then repeating? If that’s the case, then possibly replacing the start device will solve the problem, if the compressor isn’t failing. 

If it isn’t trying to run while it’s warm, then you have a bad cold control.

Another possibility includes wiring issues, but that’s very slight. The above scenarios apply to probably 95% of the cases involving your symptoms

[fridge123fr]

the compressor IS running and it's not getting cold. I had it plugged in for a few more hours, checked it was warm and compressor stays running, So the unit should be scrapped I guess?

[EthanRanft]

If you’re certain the compressor is running, then yes, it’s a sealed system problem, and probably not worth repairing

[fridge123fr]

^ I understand it may take 24 hours to get fully cold, but it's turning on for only maybe a half hour or so sometimes and then turns off for several hours and never gets cold again. I haven't left it plugged in a full 24 hours because I'm afraid to leave it in case it could somehow cause a fire or something.

Anyway, before replacing this freezer, I might try replacing the $15 universal thermostat. Remember, the compressor IS running though, I can hear and touch it and feel it running. It stays running even for hours without making the freezer colder though, so does this mean replacing the thermostat could even fix it?

Also someone suggesting the following paragraph and $18 part, but I can't find anything on this freezer that resembles that part, and there's no panels to remove or hidden areas - everything/wires are just snaked through the side wall if need be.

"I think you are probably looking at a bad relay and/or overload for the compressor.. if it gets cold that fast then turns warm the compressor sounds like it is just kicking out.. it could be a bad compressor but then again it could be the components that start and keep the compressor running. Because of the age I am not finding these in stock anywhere but you could just use a universal compressor/relay device in place of.. I have installed thousands and thousands of these back in my service and repair days with about a 80% success rate.. if you want to give it a try it might pay off "

https://www.appliancezone.com/rco410-refrigerator-compressor-3-in-1-start-kit/

I tried pulling the thermostat out but the capillary tube seems to be secured to something but I can't find where. And this older freezer thermostat has prongs that are different from all the universal types I've seen , I don't think I want to cut the prongs off the wires and try and fix them to a universal thermostat just in case something goes wrong with that.

[fridge123fr]

well, I think it may have been resolved simply by leaving it plugged in for at least a day as someone suggested.
previously I was leaving it plugged in like 6-8 hours and it would get cold and frosty but then get fully warm. I was afraid to leave it unattended plugged in for long (afraid it could spark or something worse or something IDK), but then I left it plugged in at least a day and left cups of water in it. .The cups of water are frozen solid a couple days later and it's been good for at least a week so I'm going to restock it and hopefully it's all good. Thanks. Next time I'll defrost sooner and use a heat gun to speed up the process so maybe the compressor doesn't have to work so hard to get it back to freezing.