Garage Fridge

[Boatboy24]

I've got a "regular" fridge in my garage. Freezer on top, fridge on the bottom. It's only about 5 years old. I picked it up on clearance at Lowes because there was a small (dime sized) dent in the freezer door and a three inch scratch on the side. It's pretty much run flawlessly. Now, everything in the freezer has thawed out. High temps this week have been in the low 40's, with lows in the 20's. The fridge section seems to be cooling fine, though I haven't heard it running in a while. It could just be a function of cooler temps keeping things cold in there. I know you're technically not supposed to have a regular fridge outside, but I'm wondering if the freezer issue is weather related, or something worse. I think this may have happened a few years ago, but honestly don't recall. Either way, I've got to get the food outta there tonight.

Any thoughts?

 

[Runningwolf]

My thoughts are you fridge has bitten the dust and it has nothing to do with being in the garage. Is it self defrosting? It could be the defrost timer is stuck.

 

[Boatboy24]

My thoughts are you fridge has bitten the dust and it has nothing to do with being in the garage. Is it self defrosting? It could be the defrost timer is stuck.

Yep, it's a frost free fridge.

 

[Runningwolf]

I would try to find this timer and advance it just a bit and see if she kicks on. You might have to research on the net to figure out where to find it.

 

[Boatboy24]

Just tweaked the temp down a bit and it kicked on. Fridge is registering about 35 degrees and there is cool air coming into the freezer. Despite all the food being thawed, I have a handful of Rubbermaid freeze packs in there that are frozen solid.

I'd estimate the garage to be in the upper 40's right now.

 

[Runningwolf]

Ok, thats sounds like a thermostat going bad to me. They are pretty easy to change out. You can get one locally or probably a lot cheaper on line.

 

[Boatboy24]

Thanks Dan. I'll look into that. I take it with Google that's something a below average "Joe Homeowner" could take on?

 

[tingo]

Boatboy as crazy as it sounds your problem may be mice. A common occurrence with garage freezers is they attract mice because the compressor equals heat. Especially in winter. They often build a nest in the plastic duct that connects the fridge to the freezer. I know this seems odd but just humor me and check it out. My friend recently had the same problem. His freezer was cool at best. Low and behold hay, insulation, and cushion material were trapped in the duct. Good luck.

 

[Boatboy24]

Ill look into that, Tingo. We've had mice out there in the past.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the input.

 

[Arne]

My money is on the fridge runs on the temp in the reefer part not the freezer. If it is cold in the garage, It will not have to run to keep the reefer part down to the temp. it is set at. If it ran more, you would freeze what is in the reefer part. Now to cold to run the reefer, but not cold enough to keep the freezer part down to freezing. My basement gets pretty cold in the winter and the reefer down there will let the freezer stuff be not quite so cold. Stuff still stays frozen, but popcicles are kinda slushy instead of frozen solid. Arne.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I personally had to replace several blower motors between mine and friends. That motor will typically be located in the freezer section with a fan on it. If you notice it is not turning -take a small devise and help the blades to turn - very typical problem and costs around 45 dollars for the motor. The fan may or may not work on occasion -they can be very intermittent at times

 

[jswordy]

I'll put money on what it is - I just fixed this a few months ago on my shop fridge. Frost-free units use a defroster to thaw out the coils. If that defroster goes out, the coils plug solid with ice and no cooling goes on.

You can check this a couple ways. Low-tech: Shut the whole fridge down and let evertyhing warm up a few days, then plug it in. If the freezer then freezes a glass of water, you know the coils were frozen. Or high-tech: Remove the inner freezer panels and use an ohm meter connected between the two tires going tot he defroster coils and see if you have continuity.

Most manufacturers use defroster coils that look like a long glass tube clipped to each coil in the unit. there may be from 1 to 6 of these wired in series (mine used 2).

If there's no continuity, carefully remove the inner panels and etc., unclip them, go to the parts store with your appliance model and serial number, and get parts. They range from $20-$60. You mnight call around first for price and availability. Also available online at www.appliancezone.com.

If there is continuity, check timer.

 

[Boatboy24]

Well, it was running last night and things seemed like they were cold again. I stuck a half full bottle of water in there this morning to see what would happen. 13 hours later, it was only 'mostly' frozen. Fridge is registering 35 degrees. Guess ill have to tinker with it this weekend.

 

[Arne]

Still bet there is nuthin wrong with it. Warm up the ambient air around it and it will run more and the freezer will work. The new modern appliances are made to run in conditioned spaces. Therefore if it is too warm or too cool where they are they do not run as they are supposed to. Arne.

 

[Wade E]

Mine does the same thing! They just aren't designed to he run in the cold. Fridge works b t freezer thaws. Nothing wrong with it at all! You just can't: se it as a freezer when its this cold out: unfortunately....

 

[Boatboy24]

Arne: Looks like you might be the winner, barring any true mechanical defects. I found this, and many other similar posts/pages in my searching:

http://www.davesrepair.com/DIYhelp/DIYrefrigincoldrooms.htm

Basically, the modern appliances all have the thermostat in the fridge. If the fridge is cool enough, the entire thing won't run. Seems silly to me. I want my fridge at one temp and the freezer at another. I'm going to try cranking the temp down to see if that helps.

EDIT: One thing that's very interesting to me is despite an alleged single thermostat, there are two temp setting knobs - one in the freezer and one in the fridge.

I'll be able to test it this weekend - highs supposed to be pushing the mid 60's.

 

[sjo]

Arne: Looks like you might be the winner, barring any true mechanical defects. I found this, and many other similar posts/pages in my searching:

http://www.davesrepair.com/DIYhelp/DIYrefrigincoldrooms.htm

Basically, the modern appliances all have the thermostat in the fridge. If the fridge is cool enough, the entire thing won't run. Seems silly to me. I want my fridge at one temp and the freezer at another. I'm going to try cranking the temp down to see if that helps.

EDIT: One thing that's very interesting to me is despite an alleged single thermostat, there are two temp setting knobs - one in the freezer and one in the fridge.

I'll be able to test it this weekend - highs supposed to be pushing the mid 60's.

Now all you need to do is put a heater in the fridge to keep it running.
sjo

 

[Boatboy24]

A couple days in the upper 40's and low 50's and everything seems to be back to normal. I just don't recall this happening in years past.

 

[Wade E]

Some things in there will stay frozen like a big roast but easily thawed things like say string beans will go soft fast. It may be that its nit as cold a winter there as the colder it gets the more chance it will stay good, latelt we have been having mild winters so if its just a little or just no where near as cold as it used to be that will mean the difference why it different from years past.

 

[ke3ju]

It's too cold for the freezer/fridge compressor to run, and not cold enough to keep things frozen...you need to heat the garage...