[arkrazorbacks]

Hello there..I am not an appliance repair tech but I am trying to help my babysitter. She does not make a bunch of money and her freezer on her freezer/fridge combo is not freezing.

Obviously the line is frozen up. I think what I am looking at is the defrost thermostat. It appears the tape has melted on the switch. I would guess the thermostat is either faulty or the unit is low on freon. It is a Frigidaire FFTR1814QB4A. I was just going to order a defrost switch if it wasn't too much money and a piercing valve just to have it. I would think if the unit did have a faulty switch there would be more of the coil frozen then just the line? I'm thinking maybe it's just low on freon?

I realize I can test the switch, but I would like to have everything I can have in advance since the unit is not cooling..I don't want to take all her stuff out and let it get warm them not be able to cool it back down..thanks for any help.

 

[surferdude2]

Looks like the filter/drier is plugged. That's not a DIY project. The part is only $10 +- but it will require pulling the refrigerant from the system and cutting the old drier out and brazing a new one in. Figure 3 hours billing for a competent tech with the necessary equipment. I'd say go shopping for a replacement frig and let this one die in peace.

That assumes you don't have a recovery unit or at least a good vacuum pump... a refrigeration gauge manifold... a Turbo torch (minimum)... a stick of Silfos... tubing cutter and some refrigerant of the proper type. Forget the saddle valve, you can use the process tube the factory left for you but you'll need to provide a 1/4" male flare fitting to whatever size sweat and braze it onto the process tube. You can pinch it off with vice grips and remove the fitting and braze the line shut when you finish.

Like I said, get another frig and junk this one. You can confirm my guess about the filter/drier by looking in the back in the compressor area and you'll see the little black torpedo shaped thing where the frost line begins. Thats's the filter/drier... if the frost starts there, I have it pegged right. They do get plugged, especially on very old units.

 

[arkrazorbacks]

Thank you very much. I will have her take a picture of the compressor area and see if the frost starts at the filter. I could borrow a pump and probably a torch, but I'm not a tech and don't want to do a half @$$ job..aren't you supposed to purge those lines before soldering? I would have to buy adapters and such to make the only vacuum pump I have access to work on the 134A system. Only torch I have is a mapp gas which I don't believe will get hot enough or take forever and prob damage something .

I will verify if that seems to be the issue and call around and get prices on a tech and go from there. Fridge is only 4 years old..shame if that really is what's wrong with it. I guess then again if it's the filter then I can assume the compressor may be shot or on its way out correct ?
Thanks again for your help.

 

[surferdude2]

Yes, the system may be contaminated if the filter dessicant has crumbled.

To do a proper job will require purging nitrogen through it while brazing lest you risk creating slag that will plug the capillary tube. It may be partially plugged anyway if the dessicant has crumbled. It's no job for a DIY, even one with your level of experience. If you know someone in the trade that either owes you one, it'd be a good time to get even. It's all labor so maybe do a barter agreement.

I don't insist that my remote diagnosis is lead pipe sure correct but I go way back in this field and have seen that situation before. Those little peanut systems demand the utmost out of a tech and the best of equipment to do the job right and have it last. Most of them will high ball bid it so you'll decide to dump it.

 

[Old Thomas]

I would jettison that fridge.