Whirlpool ed2vhexvb01 side by side rapid freezer burn and ice inside packages

[Charrie]

As stated in the title, all of the food in the freezer is getting freezer burnt. some with frost and others with ice inside the package. Within 24 hours I start to see frost on meat packages. within a week they are frost burnt. 

Freezer temp is between 0 and -5F.  Fridge temperature with probe in foam egg carton is 40F while on shelf is 35F

Here is what I have tried so far.

The freezer frame was fairly warm. Condenser coils were pretty dirty so we tilted the unit backwards so we could vacuum the W coils. The back panes was missing so we made a new new one. Cleaned the condenser fan blade. There was some water in the defrost drain pan though it was just a little. After that work the door frame is cool to the touch now and the unit runs much shorter time now. 

The water is not connected so I removed the ice maker that had a broken timer in case the heater was coming on. I dissembled the water/ice dispenser and cleaned the crud off of the little plastic/foam door that closes over the ice dispenser and stuffed paper towels down in the hole inside the freezer door where the ice goes. I also disconnected the electrical connector on top of the freezer door so that none of the heaters would come on in case (if there is one) in case one was staying on. It was unplugged for 4 days and it made no difference so I plugged it back in today. I replaced the evaporator fan last year and it is still running. The door seals are in good  shape and sealing all of the way around. I also cleaned them and the frame. 

There are 2 vents inside the fridge section on the divider panel. The upper one blows out cold air like normal and the air temperature is around -8 F. If you sit something directly under it, it will freeze in time. The second vent that is half way down on the divider (perhaps a return?) is clear and not iced up. I took the vent louver off and used a mirror to try to look down in the passage that goes downward and all was clear.  I held a piece of toilet paper near the vent and though it is a week suction, there is suction on that vent. The vents in the freezer section are clear and unobstructed.

If you open the fridge door the glass shelves will condensate in less then 1 minute. If you open the freezer door, the walls will condensate in 10 seconds or less. more of a dry condensation though as you can wipe your hand over the walls and see it but its not wet. 

I don't know what else to check. There is an adaptive defrost control board under the panel in the fridge near the controls but I have no idea how to test it or what it even does exactly. I know older units had defrost timers and I understood how they worked. I do not know how an adaptive defrost control board works though.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

BTW this is R134A according to the label on the back

 

For reference here is what the inside looks like

 

Here is the back cover which is very similar to the factory cover and now air is drawn in from the front and over the condenser coils. There was no cover before.

 

here is some meat from 6 months ago and has a lot of ice in it.

 

Here is a package from 2 days ago. The plastic and edges are just starting to frost up. 

 

Thanks for the help

Charrie

[16345Ed]

Zero is proper temperature and wouldn’t “burn” food. Unless food is poorly packaged. Store packaging not great for long term freezer storage. Lots of air in those packages. 

[igloo]

High humidity in the kitchen?

[Charrie]

Thanks for the replies. 

I agree that packing isn't very good and some of the meats are 7 to 8 months old now but this is happening with fresh packages within a few days. around the time that Covid 19 first appeared, we filled the freezer with meats and this wasn't an issue. everything has been used since then of course. 

 

It has  been raining for a couple of days now but the humidity in the kitchen right now is 55%. I have a mechanical hygrometer but do not know if it would damage it being in the freezer. I will put it in the fridge for now and see what it reads. 

 

Thanks

 

Here are two packages I Bought recently to see what will happen to them. They have a little less air then th elast ones.

This was put in the freezer March 23 and had packages on top of it.

 

This package was put in the freezer April 5th and was on top of everything. That was just 4 days ago! 

[16345Ed]

I pulled this from another site…

It is normal to see some frost or ice crystals especially on frozen food. This is caused by moisture inside the food itself or inside the freezer. see if one of the following will solve the problem.

 

 

 

Store food properly

 

Food placed inside the freezer is usually warmer than the appliance’s internal temperature. As the food cools, it is normal to see some condensation turning into frost or ice crystals on it. To avoid this, make sure to store food in sealed, freezer-safe and moisture-proof containers or wraps. 

 

 

 

Avoid opening the door too frequently or keeping it open for long

 

If the doors of the freezer are opened frequently or if they are not sealed properly, the warmer air from the outside will get into the appliance. This warm air turns to moisture when it comes into contact with the cooler temperatures and forms frost or ice crystals on food.

 

To avoid this, try not to open the door too much and don’t leave it open for too long. Make sure food or other items are not obstructing the doors from being closed. 

 

 

 

Check for gaps, cracks, or tears on the door seals 

 

In addition, check the door seals to see if there are any gaps between them and the cabinet. If you find any, adjust the door seal by gently pulling it away from the door using your fingers.

 

If the doors are not sealing properly, try cleaning the seal with a soft cloth or sponge and warm water. Avoid using abrasive cleaning products as they might damage the seals. If a seal is loose or cracked, it needs to be repaired or completely replaced. 

 

 

[Charrie]

Thanks for the reply and suggestion 16345Ed. 

I am going to the store today and will be buying some plastic wrap and freezer paper and will try repackaging what I buy from now on. Normally with pre made hamburger patties, I take them out of the package, season them, and then put them in individual freezer baggies with as much air pressed out of them as possible. I was noticing that those do not have very much frost on them at all. I also freeze left over biscuits in freezer baggies and they seem to last a long time without any frost. 

I checked the humidity in the fridge after it was closed for 8 hours and the humidity as about 2% at 38F. noticed that once the door is opened a couple of times, the humidity can quickly rise to 20%. 

Again thanks for taking the time to reply and I will report back with the results in a few days.

When I was a child, each year we used to take a cow to a processing plant and the meat was double wrapped in a heavy white coated paper, I don't ever remember my mother talking about freezer burn, even up to a year. 

 

Thanks for the replies. 

I agree that packing isn't very good and some of the meats are 7 to 8 months old now but this is happening with fresh packages within a few days. around the time that Covid 19 first appeared, we filled the freezer with meats and this wasn't an issue. everything has been used since then of course. 

 

It has  been raining for a couple of days now but the humidity in the kitchen right now is 55%. I have a mechanical hygrometer but do not know if it would damage it being in the freezer. I will put it in the fridge for now and see what it reads. 

 

Thanks

 

Here are two packages I Bought recently to see what will happen to them. They have a little less air then th elast ones.

This was put in the freezer March 23 and had packages on top of it.

 

This package was put in the freezer April 5th and was on top of everything. That was just 4 days ago! 

[J5*]

looks normal to me  

its called sublimation 

really need meats vac packed for longer storage 

ive got some burgers which i bought which are individual vac packed and theres no ice in em 

if you dont have snow ice on the walls and shelves then theres no issues with air ingress to the unit 

[Captain Dunsel]

Looks like air is leaking into freezer or not defrosting as I see what looks like frost on the back panel where the Auger motor is. A lot of missing shelves  and possible air flow not being directed the right way.

[Charrie]

The ice storage and other shelves were removed long ago and unfortunately sat outside and are no longer usable. I saw a non working used one at an appliance repair store last year and ask about the shelves and the guy wanted around $30 for each shelf. A week later it was loaded on a trailer heading to the scrap yard! 

I seldom ever  use ice and never thought about the ice bin and air flow.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Is that frost in the picture I posted?

[Charrie]

Yes that is like a frost but is on the inside of the package. I checked both packages today and they have not gotten any worse. If anything, they may have cleared up just a little. But they were also out on the counter when I took the pics and some of the frost may have dissipated.