Lg American Style Fridge/Freezer

[dougdotcom]

Hi all, i have a problem with a Lg (GR~B207GUQA) Side by side fridge freezer, the problem is the freezer wont go down to -20c, I think the compressor may be shot as it stays on all the time to try and get it down to -20c but only manages -12c then must cut out because it then gose back to 0c and then try's again.


I dont know a deal about theses appliances as i repair washers/dryers cookers etc.etc... The compressor dose get hot, the fan cooling the condensor is running and ive removed all the dust from the fins, the appliance is just 3yrs old and has had no problems up till now. Ive tried the test function button on the power board but it shows no errors.


On the Uk site i go on ive been told it may well be the compressor thats worn and giving low preasure.
any help would be great as i can see me putting it on ebay if i calnt find the problem.

[Latte]

If the unit is reaching -12 its not an obvious fault with the compressor but do not rule if out. First and most important questions is where is the thermostat or do both units have their own stats. If so what are they set at. It is not uncommon for both units to run off the one stat (Normally fridge) so if this is getting an incorrect reading (Evap iced up) then it will cut off early.
As i said it could be the pot going out internally, but thats expensive so the rest needs checking first. the more information about how the units controlled the better

Regards

Fatboy

[tonto33]

if u remove the off the top of it were the board is under the cover is the wiring diagram with all other details for that appliance, common fault for these is the defrost heater in the freezer side i mite have one laying about some where if needed.

[dougdotcom]

Hi, the temperature settings are controled from a digital board on the door. At the top of the freezer i can see what looks like a stat but nothing in the freezer section, then again there is a cover going all the way down the back of the freezer. When i got up this morning the temperature of the freezer was down to -18c with the compressor off. The fault we were told about when we brought the fridge freezer was it would only go down to -15c so they had brought a new one. We brought it home on its back in my truck stood it up in the kitchen, left it about 4hrs then switched it on. the compressor came on as did the lights and fans but it did not get cool, so i unpluged it and left it another 6 hrs and tried again, it worked better then but not perfect, so i unpluged it again and left it overnight. now its getting down to -18c but im wondering for how long before it might jump back to 0c in the freezer. Hope my text isnt boring you.;) thanks for the replys. has this gave you a beter insight to what the problem may or maynot be.

[dougdotcom]

Just checked and the freezer has gone back to 0c from -18c. seems to stop at 0c. strange. :(

[dougdotcom]

Tried to post a diagram of the wireing and power board but ive not got enough posts.

[dougdotcom]

Forgot to mention, the settings are -23c for the freezer and 3c for the fridge. If i remember anything else ill post it. :)

[dougdotcom]

Tonto...you say "the defrost heater in the freezer" would this be comming on when it should not and is it staying on too long? do i need a new board or just the defrost heater? thank's.

Doug.

[tonto33]

normally just need to replace the defrost heater and it sorts the problem

[dougdotcom]

Thanks for that, is it behind the rear cover inside the freezer compartment? I can see a cover that looks prity easy to remove, do you have a heater for one of theses by chance? Ps... its yoyoing between 3c and -18c in the freezer about every 2-3hrs :D

[dougdotcom]

Ive just removed the back cover in the freezer and i found a build up of ice at the top. here is a link to photos of the back of the appliance, and photos of inside the freezer compartment showing the ice. I hope this helps to find the fault.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2065.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2064.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2063.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2066.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2067.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2089.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2087.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2085.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/doug.com/LPIC2093.jpg

[paul_h]

The coil isn't iced up, so probably not a defrost problem.
My guess is short of refrigerant due to leak, or a blockage.
Went to a samsung last week with a similar complaint.
I was fully confident I could easily fix it because it's usually a heater or coil sensor, but it was not worth repairing because it was short or blocked refrigerant.

[wilks]

yep looks to me like ur either low on gas or you have a moisture problem ,

[dougdotcom]

Thanks Paul, ive found a lot of cracks behind the rear of the condenser like the plastic has stretched, got the right silver 2" wide tape for the job that sticks like ive never seen before and covered all the cracks, some cracks on the rounded corners i could get my finger in easy. "Its NOW air tight", there is a stat in the fridge at the top where the cold air blows through from the freezer and a stat tie-wired to the side of the condenser in the freezer. After leaving it over night and starting up this morning i could hear the flow going through the pipes in the condenser and it did start to get cold below where it was freezing before. So its a wait n see game again. Ps... did i mention the plastic cover at the bottom of the freezer had got so hot sometime in its past that it was out of shape and even signs of melting on the inside and the defrost heater is at least 4cm from the cover.

[dougdotcom]

yep looks to me like ur either low on gas or you have a moisture problem ,

Hi Wilks, do you think the cracks in the freezer could be the reason for a possiable moisture problem then making it freeze up fast?

[paul_h]

No, you misunderstand. Your problem is usually terminal, you have a blockage in the refrigerant pipes, or you have lost refrigerant charge.
It's not repairable by you, it's not economically viable for you to even trying to get someone to fix it.
A refrigeration mechanic might be able to fix it, but it won't be cheap to try, and it's not guaranteed to work either. So I wouldn't bother unless the fridge was expensive. I don't know the rates in the UK, but I would be charging $300 (120 pounds) to have a go at it, with no guarantee of success. It costs so much because manufacturers don't make refrigerators servicable these days. Before even starting to look at it we need to fit a temporary access valve, and then of course weld in a permanent valve after reclaim, pressure test, evacuation and recharging.

edit: If you are not a refrig mech, it's time for the tip for that fridge because labour costs would be too much to attempt repair.

[dougdotcom]

O well :( never mind. thank you for your help.

[The MG Pony]

do what I do, find a Nice old style rolled plate evaporator type fridge, they last forever and use less power then the "frost hidden" fridges.

I never liked the newer fridges due to all the heaters hidden in them and all the things to go wrong.

[paul_h]

it's six of one and half dozen of the other. New fridges are more efficient because they are fan forced, think of how unefficient a heater or air con would be without a fan.
Cyclic defrost fridges are older, have more compressor wear, and more inefficient compresors anyway and probably have degraded insulation/seals by now.
Then again, frost free fridges have to use a bit of power running their heaters every day.
But the bottom line is a well designed frost free fridge is more efficient than an older cyclic defrost.
I've got a 38 y/o single cabinet fridge/freezer (ie. drip tray baffle, single door unit), a 10 year old 2 door cyclic defrost fridge freezer, and a 3 year old frost free*, all work, no problems. But I bet the 3 yr old frost free uses the least power.

edit: to make it agreeable with you, I will now refer to "frost free" fridges as "automatic defrost", does that term sound good?
That was the whole point of them. Frost free meaning the owner doesn't have to defrost the fridge, unlike the old models. Automatic defrost is a better description, rather than have people believe it doesn't frost up in the first place..

[The MG Pony]

I've been toying with the idea of moding my fridge to use hot gas bypass defrost system lol, I think it will work nicely for it.

Ya automated defrost is more accurate.

[dougdotcom]

Just to cap this off, the fridge freezer retails at £700. it cost me £50 with the fault last week, my trade is reparing washing machines dishwashers tumble dryers microwaves hoovers. I admit im out of my depth with this type of appliance but i never give up, its not going to beat me! im 52 yrs old and have now semi retired, I have friends who will regas this and remove the r134a from it and i will use compressed air to blow out the condensor and my friend will check the suction preasure of the compressor, then and only then if it still fails will i go onto try something else. As you say paul in the old days (my days) a fridge lasted over 25 years. my mum had a old gas fridge and we only got rid cos it was too small to fit half a cow in it and the milk :)

[paul_h]

If your getting a fridgey to look at it, turn the fridge off a few hours previous to working on it so it's not iced up.
I guess they will use a bullet peircing valve to access the refrigerant. Get them to reclaim it all after doing connecting the valve, weighing the recovered charge if possible. It's a small charge so not easy, but at least you'll know if it's short or blocked if you do this part right.
after reclaim, fill it up with nitrogen at 1000kPa to pressure test and leak cheack with soapy water. If no leak found, you might have a blockage, put it in a deep vacuum before recharging.

I guess you'll just want to know if it's short of refrig at this stage or blocked rather than welding in a new shrader access valve.
If it's short, you probably won't find a leak, but occasionally it's near the compressor or drier and repairable.

But if it's blocked, change the drier.
Blow through with nitrogen when sweating the old drier off, give it a good nitrogen purge through afterwards and use nitrogen when soldering the new drier on. Blockages are repairable usually, but a lot of work to do, which is why I said uneconomical to repair for the non tradesperson. But do it right, with nitrogen, new drier, good vacuum normally fixes it up.