Old refrigerator / freezer question?

Question

I have an old refrigerator / freezer (Philco, probably 40 years old) which is not working right.
It runs, but doesn't stay cold. The fan in the feezer runs, & i can hear the compressor run.
I took some of the inside panels out, & saw that the "coils" (or whatever you call them) were froze solid. I thawed out everything, put it all back together, and it worked for several weeks, but now it is staying around 55 degrees in the fridge, but if i take the cover off where the fan is inside the back of the freezer, it is froze solid again. I don't want to buy a different fridge (lost my job of 20 yrs) if i don't have to, and i've heard that the newer ones are built to have problems. I'd rather keep the older one, if feasible. Does anyone know why it would freeze up, yet not stay cold?

Answer 1

It sounds like you might have a bad thermostat in your refrigerator. The thermostat turns on the compressor when the temperature rises above the set temperature. The compressor should turn off when the refrigerator temperature falls below the set temperature. It sounds like your compressor may be running constantly, which chills the coils, condensing moisture from the air into ice, which will coat your coils.



I don't know if you can even get parts for your refrigerator anymore. Check around and see if anyone services that old a unit.



I agree, some of the newer refrigerators are absolute garbage. If you must replace your Philco, look at used refrigerators from private parties only. Often, people don't want to move their fridge when relocating, or they've decided to replace a perfectly good refrigerator with a newer model. If you look around, you can often get a good deal on a reliable unit.



Also, check with appliance service centers and ask them which refrigerator brands and models almost never come into the service department for repairs. That's the one to look for.



Good luck.

Answer 2

It almost sounds like the freon is not getting to the fridge/freezer compartments, there may be a blockage or kink in the tubes, or there might be an air pocket. Go to a trustworthy major appliance repair shop and explain the situation, then go from there. The fix could be simple and inexpensive, or not worth the trouble. Newer fridges are much more energy efficient (cost a lot less to run) and are not "built to have problems".



Price-wise, the best buy is a bottom-freezer model. Compared to the other formats, they last longer for the money spent. The top-freezer models are the least expensive, but they also wear out sooner. Top- and bottom-freezer models without icemakers are twice as reliable as those with the icemakers. According to Consumer Reports (Aug 2011), the most reliable brands are Whirlpool, Kenmore, and Frigidaire. Least reliable brands are LG, GE, and Maytag.

Answer 3

Philco Refrigerator

Answer 4

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RE:

Old refrigerator / freezer question?

I have an old refrigerator / freezer (Philco, probably 40 years old) which is not working right.

It runs, but doesn't stay cold. The fan in the feezer runs, & i can hear the compressor run.

I took some of the inside panels out, & saw that the "coils" (or whatever you call them)...

Answer 5

Your freezer is not D-Frosting every 8 Hr's of running time of compressor, that means you have to check,

1. The timer which cut's off the compressor after every 8 Hr's of running and switching on to the D-Frost position. If not working replace the timer.



2. Check if the Heater is getting the supply via Thermal Fuse / Bi Metal. Replace the Fuse & the Bi Metal.



3. Check if there is drain pipe block to drain the D-Frosted water, Clean it.



To conform your testings D-Frost manually by switching off the supply to the fridge overnight and check if all the frost has melted, now run the refrigerator check the cooling.

Answer 6

1st- system is choked some where.

2nd- the timer of the compresser faulty

3rd- the compresser is down.

4th- you can turn off power to defrost use

hot water to defrost the freezer coil and leave for an hour,

then turn on the power.

5th- still not cold is the gas in the compresser not enough.

Answer 7

Sounds like it is low on freon. But an old unit like that will be expensive to refill because they don't make that type of freon anymore, they have to collect it from other old units.

Answer 8

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