Another Whirlpool running warm :-(

[garethh]

This seems a common topic on here… I have a Whirlpool ARZ740 side-by-side FF, about four years old. The freezer seems okay (-20C) but the fridge will not cool down below 10C. We have cleared the fins underneath the fridge as far as possible. Last year I had to replace the condensor fan motor – that seems to be running okay. The condensor is hot, but we don’t really hear anything except for the fan – no starting/stopping for example.

I have heard that the auto defrost can be a problem. Is there a way for a relative amateur to easily diagnose this?

Thanks for any assistance…

Gareth

[EFS]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

HI Gareth
If the auto defrost isn’t working then the evaporator will get completely blocked with ice and not enough air will pass through it to cool the fridge compartment.
Take a look at the back of the freezer compartment behind the baskets.
If you can see frost on it then the defrost thermostat has probably failed.
Double check by completely defrosting the appliance then switch on.
If it runs OK for a few days then starts acting up again then you should check the defrost stat

Steve

[EFS]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

Hi Again Gareth
Another possibility came to me after my last posting.
This appliance has an electro mechanical defrost timer which will run a defrost cycle about twice a day.
There is a plastic bung on the underside of the control panel inside the fridge door.
Prise out the bung and you can turn the timer by hand with a flat blade screwdriver gently until you feel a click.
The freezer should do a defrost but the timer will advance and restart the compressor after a few minutes wether it has defrosted or not.
The defrost thermostat on this unit only serves to turn off the defrost heater when the ice has gone,it does not control the timer.
If you open the freezer door you should be able to hear water dripping and an occasional hiss as water drips onto the hot element.
Another possibility is the air diffuser at the top left of the fridge compartment.
This is motor driven and is controlled by the right hand thermostat.
So therefore it could be one of the following.
1) Defrost timer not running
2) Defrost thermostat
3) Defrost element
4) Air diffuser
5) Fridge thermostat

I think that just about covers everything 😉

Steve

[garethh]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

Steve,

Many many thanks for your detailed advice 😀

Funnily enough, the fridge has returned to within the normal range over the last couple of days – currently around 5C. All I have done is vacuum the condensor fins underneath the unit, move the veg-meat slider to the meat position, and knocked a small lump of ice off the white box at the top/left/back corner of the fridge section (the air diffuser?).

Not quite sure where to locate the plastic bung you mention – I’d like to try this procedure so if you could be a bit more explicit on where to find it…

Cheers,
Gareth

[garethh]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

That was a false alarm – I ended up with a fridge that was freezing at the bottom and warm at the top.

Anyway, I took out the inside back panel and confirmed there wasn’t a massive build-up of frost, and I activated the defrost timer as described above, and watched that working. But there was no airflow through the diffuser in the top of the fridge. So I stripped that as much as I could and found the vents inside the diffuser were stuck shut due to ice. I got rid of the ice and it now seems to move freely. The fridge has now settled at around 5C throughout, so I think that has solved it.

What is it that opens/closes the vent in the diffuser? Is there a thermostat and some sort of mechanism, or is it just opened when the fan inside the freezer is blowing against it?

Cheers,
Gareth

[EFS]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

Hi Garethh
The motorised air diffuser is operated by the fridge thermostat when the temperature in the fridge is too warm it opens the baffles in the unit.
A switch contact inside the air diffuser will turn on the circulation fan if it is not already running.
It is possible to have the fridge compartment calling for cold air without the compressor running.
The compressor is activated by the freezer thermostat when a sufficient rise in temperature is detected.
The reason for the fridge compartment freezing at the bottom whilst staying warm at the top is that the air duct to the meat chiller is not regulated and relies on the rest of the appliance working properly to give correct temperatures.
These US made fridges use good old fashion technology and you get no fancy error codes to help you out so you have to work it out logically.
I would suspect the air diffuser is malfunctioning intermittantly but you will have to use your own judgement 😉

Steve

[garethh]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

Can I bring this topic back for some further discussion please?

I have kept this unit limping along the last few months by shoving a kitchen knife (!) through the vents of the diffuser to stop them closing/icing up. However, nowadays its impossible to stop the fridge from dropping to below freezing. The knife is long gone but the vents stay open. The fridge thermostat is on its highest (i.e. warmest) setting.

I am happy to replace the diffuser if someone could advise me what part(s) to order, or does it sound like something else has gone now?

This forum gave me a result on my tumble dryer last week, so hoping for more excellent help 🙂

Gareth

[gegsy]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

Hi
Do you have the 12 digit NC number, situated in fridge section on l/h/s near salad drawer. The number will begin with 85xxxxxxxxxx

Greg

[garethh]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

Is it this (from plate in top rhs of fridge)?

858674001010

Thanks,
Gareth

[gegsy]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

Hi
Yes thats the one, wish they could be consistent with the sticker locations :rolls:
The Air diffuser is p/no 481244528009 app £84 Inc VAT +P&P.
You should be able to get one from spares@ukwhitegoods.co.uk.
Power off if you attempting any repairs :plug:

Greg

[garethh]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

I know it’s been a while, but I finally got round to ordering the part from repairs@, based on the advice I got on this thread. The delay was down to me considering whether to just replace the fridge altogether (especially after a leak from the cold water feed pipe in the meantime), but that proved to be problematic due to the non-standard size.

Anyway, the part arrived much quicker than expected (a couple of days at the most), took 5 minutes to fit and seems to have done the trick! I’m well happy and the gamble of £90 or so on the part seems to have paid off, compared to the ££££s involved in replacing the whole unit.

So, thanks to my advisors above, and for the prompt service on sending out the part 🙂

Cheers,
Gareth

[GavinW]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

garethh wrote: Anyway, the part arrived much quicker than expected (a couple of days at the most), took 5 minutes to fit and seems to have done the trick!

I’m being daft, but how does the old one come off? I’ve removed the cover (one screw) but can’t see any fixings for the diffuser itself?

[Triassic]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

You have to open the freezer and remove the ice cube box. Behind there, top right, there is an air duct held on with two screws, remove this and the fixing for the defuser can be seen.

[GavinW]

Re: Another Whirlpool running warm 🙁

Triassic wrote:You have to open the freezer and remove the ice cube box. Behind there, top right, there is an air duct held on with two screws, remove this and the fixing for the defuser can be seen.

Perfect — thanks for that. Took about 3 mins so fingers crossed things start to improve now!

[Author]

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