Freezer not staying cold

[hokiegb]

So we recently noticed that the freezer section of our refrigerator is not staying cold enough. It can GET cold (-5 F was the lowest that I read on the thermometer) but it does not stay cold, it creeps up to the +10 F range, and I got one reading at +15. I checked the airflow, and there is plenty of cold air blowing out and the seals around the doors are good. I'm looking for ideas on how to test and find that part that is not working.

Since it is blowing cold air, I am thinking either the thermostat or something in the defrost cycle, but I'm hoping for some help on narrowing the problem down.

[bUU]

That sounds like a problem out of the age before frost-free refrigerators: The cooling elements would freeze over making them far less efficient at cooling. With today's refrigerators I guess it would be more likely to be a bad thermocouple.

[Greg]

Check the interior coils for frost-over, if the fins are full of frost it won't cool effectively.  After that consider the thermostat or timer might be bad.

Also, check for a blocked ice maker door or something like that.

[Sydneystache]

A friend had a similar problem when it won't go down to less than 10C. I don't condone what he did but he turned his fridge upside down to let the gas circulate (after he unpacked it of course!) And he said it worked. He said this is what he did with bar fridges too. Never having done this to any of my fridges, if faced with the same problem I would buy another one or get one off freeecycle.

[Rural]

Don't turn or tip it if you want to continue having the fridge cool! It's most likely to kill them both. Something about fluid in the compressor that I can't recall but I bet someone here can clarify. I'll just say that a relative laying one on its back was the direct cause of my one-month experience with life without refrigeration a few years back...

[TomTX]

Don't turn or tip it if you want to continue having the fridge cool! It's most likely to kill them both. Something about fluid in the compressor that I can't recall but I bet someone here can clarify. I'll just say that a relative laying one on its back was the direct cause of my one-month experience with life without refrigeration a few years back...

Hm, my recollection was that you just need to let the fridge sit upright for ~24 hours after it has been inverted or on its side.

I fixed my own "freezer not cold enough" issue by unplugging the fridge for 2 hours, then plugging it back in. It has worked fine for well over a year since then.

[Rural]

Don't turn or tip it if you want to continue having the fridge cool! It's most likely to kill them both. Something about fluid in the compressor that I can't recall but I bet someone here can clarify. I'll just say that a relative laying one on its back was the direct cause of my one-month experience with life without refrigeration a few years back...

Hm, my recollection was that you just need to let the fridge sit upright for ~24 hours after it has been inverted or on its side.

I've read about that, too, but I can testify that at least sometimes, even 72 hours doesn't do the trick. And once the compressor kicks back in, it's too late.