Hotpoint RFA07 fridge not getting cold

[Pscylo]

Well, it gets cool, freezer seems fine.

I've read a lot about these getting blocked up with ice etc, and I haven't tried defosting it for 48 hours, but did try defrosting it for about 6 hours today using several gallons of hot water in washing up bowls inside instead of a hair dryer to melt it a little swifter.

I thought it might have been this because I stupidly left the door ajar for a day or so and it got very frosty inside.

I probably haven't given it long enough to see whether this has worked yet, but the query really is regarding the fans/damper etc.

All that I've seen seems to indicate that there is a fan to move the air around and a damper of some description to allow cold air to enter the fridge.

I can't see any removable panels in the fridge or freezer, and the only hole I can see that could allow cold air into the fridge is the condensation drain hole.

Am I missing something - is there a fan/damper no this kind of machine. If so where else should I be looking. The only removable bits appear to be the light housing and the thermostat housing.

Thanks for reading.

[spimps]

It's a basic machine,no circulation fan or damper.
If the fridge isn't cooling it's either loss of refigerant or poor compressor performance.

[Pscylo]

Out of curiosity then, how does the cool air circulate? Just interestde is all - looks like I've got to get the credit card out.

[monkey spanners]

If its not a frost free one, the walls and possibly shelves get cold to provide cooling.
How long have you left it to see it its working now?

[Pscylo]

prob about 4 hours - don't think it's any better but I'll give it until the morning before I condemn it.

[Pscylo]

does say in the manual that the fridge compartment defrosts automatically and that "water droplets form on the interior back wall". That certainly seems to be happening though whether t's related to a defrost cycle or not I don't know. There is another reference to automatic defrosting in the manual though I don't know how that's controlled.

[spimps]

The back wall of the fridge has the evaporator fitted in it which will supply the cold temps to the fridge.Sometimes the back panel seperates from the evaporator,lightly push the back of the fridge with your finger,if the back panel feels loose when pushed then that could be your problem.
If they lose refrigerant the ice often builds up in a lump on the back wall of the fridge.
What temps are you getting in the fridge and freezer ?,the self defrosting firdge of this type doesn't run as cold as the ones which blow the air from the freezer via a channel /baffle etc.

[Pscylo]

I've got about -18 in the freezer and +15ish in the fridge. There's no dager of any ice on the back wall, just droplets of water.

What I found odd is that there didn't seem to be a gradual decline - it just seemd OK one day and kaputt the next. It's no better this morning though.

Given that there only seems to be a stat (I've tried bypassing this - the compressor runs all the time - which it does without the bypass since the fridge is far too warm), a starting capacitor and a compressor I'm leaning towards your diagnosis of knackered compressor or not enough gas. I just find it odd I didn't see a gradual decline in this case.

[spimps]

The refigerant passes through the freezer, and then into the fridge area last,it's the fridge temps that suffer first with refigerant loss or compressor failure.
Either will be fairly costly to repair.