My partner left me to go to my abandoned Richmond home when my mum passed away. He decided to live there and save money on rent because he had work there. He discovered that the refrigerator was not cooling nor producing ice. Because it was present when we purchased the refrigerator in 1995, it has been around for at least 26 years. That seems to be the maximum one should hope for from a low-end refrigerator, such as a Sub-Zero or a commercial cooler. But he wants to try to cure it. Can we start with a possible simple solution first? Getting parts for a fridge this old makes me cringe. Thank you for any information.
common reasons why refrigerators malfunction (engineered, AC, heaters, drain)
- Thread starter Leroyp
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Try going to www.repairclinic.com and put in the model number to bring up the parts list for the fridge. They'll also have videos on repairing some common problems. A 26 year old fridge has reached end of life and the cost of repair could be very high. It could be something simple, but it could be a leak of the refrigerant and require replacement of some expensive parts. Without the tools to diagnose the problem just buying parts that could be bad would be a very expensive proposition. At a minimum you need to know the level of the refrigerant before replacing any other parts. That requires special tools and knowledge. A visit from a technician would be in order, but I wouldn't put much money in to a refrigerator this old.
Refrigerant level can not be determined on a sealed system. If there is no sign of leak, then the freon levels are good.
Just this week, I took delivery of a new fridge I ordered in Apr. They wanted to know if they are taking away my 27yr. old Kenmore fridge. I said no way, they don't make em' like this anymore. Never had a problem with it. Most likely will still be running long after my new one dies.
Back to your dilemma. Check it for freon leaks, clean the coils, make sure the condenser and evaporator fans are working and the defrost cycle is not stuck on, door seals are closing and temp knobs are set correctly. If all checks out and still no temp, I'd scrap it out (pull the freon out of it and remove the doors).
Just this week, I took delivery of a new fridge I ordered in Apr. They wanted to know if they are taking away my 27yr. old Kenmore fridge. I said no way, they don't make em' like this anymore. Never had a problem with it. Most likely will still be running long after my new one dies.
Back to your dilemma. Check it for freon leaks, clean the coils, make sure the condenser and evaporator fans are working and the defrost cycle is not stuck on, door seals are closing and temp knobs are set correctly. If all checks out and still no temp, I'd scrap it out (pull the freon out of it and remove the doors).
PaulineVanhorn
New Member
The first thing that you need to check is the thermostat. It could be that the thermostat is set too low and needs to be adjusted. The next thing that you need to check is the condenser coil. Ensure that the coil is in good shape. You can easily see any problems because the coil is exposed. I would also suggest that you check to see if there is any water in the base of the refrigerator. If you find water, there is a good chance that it is leaking from the coils. If there is no water, then check the drain line to make sure that it is clear. You can use a hand or electrical pump to remove the water, if necessary. If you have no luck with those options, you may need to consider getting parts for your commercial refrigerator. Repairing older refrigerators is quite common, but the parts are harder to find. You can often find scrap refrigerators that have parts that you can use to fix your refrigerator. Google scrap refrigerator to find companies that can help you find replacement parts.
