Home freezer diagnosis. (Page 1/2)
sourmash DEC 21, 01:12 PM
Anyone have suggestions on a starting point for a DIYer?

There's a non-functioning upright freezer here I'd like to take a look at repairing.

Discussion with Maryjane regarding beef/meat and increasing price inflation suggests we store some foods for the coming year.
Jake_Dragon DEC 21, 01:16 PM
Make and model to start

Does it get cold after its been off for a while? If the coils are freezing it could be blocking air flow. There is a defrost circuit and heater in most of them.
Check the air circulation fat, if it has one. If its not circulating air then it can't stay cool. Just repaired our refrigerator because of this problem.

Check the compressor
Check the return air fan
Check the defroster
skywurz DEC 21, 01:29 PM
Honestly the upright freezer is a horrible design you open it and all of your cold air spills out onto the ground. Chest freezers are stupid cheap and running cost is stupid cheep. Probably cost you less in time and headache to get a chest freezer.
sourmash DEC 21, 02:52 PM
Well yeah, if you're making a purchase a chest is more efficient. But almost every kitchen frig/freezer is upright. This one is free.

It never gets cold at all. It may not even run.

Woah, it's an old daddy. A JC Penney model 1260
Model # on the tag 867-1260-05-00
Jake_Dragon DEC 21, 03:14 PM

quote
Originally posted by sourmash:

Well yeah, if you're making a purchase a chest is more efficient. But almost every kitchen frig/freezer is upright. This one is free.

It never gets cold at all. It may not even run.

Woah, it's an old daddy. A JC Penney model 1260
Model # on the tag 867-1260-05-00



There are several things that could cause this. Not running, do you mean the compressor is not working?
This could be a simple board replacement or it could be the motor.
But if it kicks on then goes off quickly when you plug it in then it could just be low on Freon.
sourmash DEC 21, 07:44 PM
Ok, it does run, but it's pretty quiet so I wondered. The temp doesn't drop, which now I remember from trying before was the issue. When plugged in it clicks and you can hear a motor start running. There's a sound of fluid seeping through all the tubes. And when it's unplugged you can still hear it move through (making a 'squish' noise) for a couple of minutes.
maryjane DEC 21, 08:13 PM
I've had several chest freezers in my life, (big & small) and I have to say I hated every one of them. The things you wanted "Now" were always on the bottom.
I couldn't get your part# to cross to anything but it sounds like a Whirlpool number
The last refrigerator/freezer I had to work on was a Kenmore and the problem was a compressor start run capacitor which is part of the compressor relay.
It was not cheap. Cost over $100 but that is a lot cheaper than a new refrigerator/freezer.

[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 12-21-2020).]

sourmash DEC 21, 08:54 PM
I'll have to do some more searching to find a model number that crosses, it looks. Plus it's cluttered to heck down there and tough to work on it.
When an upright freezer has plenty in it it's gonna retain the temp, so it's really not as bad as someone mentioned above.
skywurz DEC 22, 01:13 AM
Idk 100 in parts is about half way to a brand new 7cuft chest freezer just saying. Plus a system made in the last 10 years vs one from 20+ years ago will probably make up the second half in power savings in a couple years.

But that all being said ive just never had any luck with repairing refrigeration systems always put more money into them than the cost of replacing it. Its the problem with everything these days they don't build them for repairability. My TV went out last month looked into fixing it parts were $200 and there was no guarantee id pull it apart and put it back right. But for $300 i could get a new bigger TV.
sourmash DEC 22, 06:45 AM
New is attractive, but there's also hauling off the old carcass and bringing in the new. And you can't stack stuff on top of a chest freezer (conveniently) . A hundred bucks is probably my cutoff.

[This message has been edited by sourmash (edited 12-22-2020).]