The situation when Beko refrigerator stops cooling food in the upper compartment normally causes panic among any home cook. The lower chamber can work properly, keeping it frozen, while the milk on the shelves above begins to spoil and the vegetables wilt. This is a classic symptom of poor circulation of cold air, which is typical for modern models with the system No Frost.
Before calling a technician, it is necessary to carry out an initial diagnosis, since in 30% of cases the problem lies in improper operation or temporary failure of the electronics. The most common reason is ice freezing in the air supply channel due to rare defrosting. Understanding the operating principle of your unit will help to quickly localize the fault.
Next we will analyze in detail the mechanical and electrical causes of the breakdown, as well as the algorithm of actions to eliminate them. It is important to act sequentially, checking each unit from simple to complex, so as not to make unnecessary expenses on spare parts.
Checking the temperature settings and loading
Often users accidentally reset the thermostat settings or set the temperature for the upper compartment insufficiently low. In models with electronic control display it may show an error, but most often the problem is solved by manual adjustment. Make sure that the selected mode corresponds to the current load and room temperature.
Particular attention should be paid to the density of the products. If the shelves are jam-packed and food is placed close to the back wall, air circulation is physically blocked. The cold flow simply cannot break through the rubble of pots and bags, remaining outside the usable volume.
- ❄️ Check that the ventilation holes on the back wall are not blocked by food.
- 🌡️ Make sure that the temperature is set in the range from +2 to +4 degrees.
- 📦 Do not put hot dishes inside, this disrupts the thermal balance and operation of compressor.
If after unloading and reconfiguring the situation has not changed within 12 hours, then the issue is not in the settings, but in a technical malfunction of the cooling system components.
⚠️ Attention: In models with Dynamic Cooling or Active Fresh Blue Light the presence of additional functions does not eliminate the need for free space for the movement of air masses.
Faults in the defrost system and ice freezing
The most likely reason why Beko refrigerator it does not freeze at the top is a “coat” of ice that clogged the channels. In systems No Frost ice accumulates on the evaporator, hidden behind a plastic panel, and must periodically thaw. If this process is disrupted, the ice plug blocks the path of cold air into the fridge compartment.
Several elements are responsible for the defrosting process: Defrosting heating element, a defrost sensor and a timer (or electronic module). If the heating element burns out, the ice does not melt and gradually blocks the fan. As a result, you hear the hum of the engine, but there is no cold. Diagnostics requires disassembling the back wall of the freezer.
How to check the defrosting heating element with a multimeter?
To check, you need to ring the heating element for resistance. The normal value is between 200 and 400 ohms. If the device shows an open circuit (infinity) or a short circuit (zero), the heating element must be replaced. Do not forget to disconnect the refrigerator from the network before checking!
Often, along with the heating element, the defrost sensor also fails, which “does not see” the ice and does not give a command to turn on the heating. Replacing these components usually solves the problem, but requires care during assembly so as not to damage the fragile plastic latches and air ducts.
- 🔨 Defrost heating element - a heating element that destroys the ice crust.
- ⏱️ Defrost timer - is responsible for switching the “cooling/defrosting” modes.
- 🌡️ Defrost sensor - monitors the evaporator temperature.
⚠️ Attention: If you find a thick layer of ice, do not try to break it off with a knife or sharp objects. This is guaranteed to lead to breakdown of the evaporator and leakage of freon. Use only warm air from a hair dryer or natural defrosting for 24 hours.
Problems with the air circulation fan
The movement of cold from the freezer to the upper compartment is ensured fan. If this unit stops working, cold air remains below, and the upper chamber becomes warm. The reason for the stop may be either freezing of the blades or failure of the fan motor.
You can check the operation of the fan by ear: when the freezer door is open (in some models you need to press a special door sensor), a characteristic noise of the motor should be heard. If there is silence or a crackling noise is heard, the mechanism is faulty. Sometimes the fan simply jams due to a piece of ice.
To replace or lubricate the fan, you will need to remove the back panel of the freezer. It is important to check not only the motor itself, but also the integrity of the wiring leading to it. A broken wire or oxidized contact may be the cause of a lack of power.
| Symptom | Probable cause | Solution method |
|---|---|---|
| The fan hums, but does not spin | Stuck ice or bearing wear | Defrosting or replacing the unit |
| Complete silence when the compressor is running | Open circuit or burnt winding | Test with a multimeter, replacement |
| Strong vibration and noise | Unbalancing the blades | Replacing the impeller |
Refrigerant leakage and problems with the compressor
If the refrigerator is humming, the fan is working, there is no ice, but there is still not enough cold in the upper chamber, it may have occurred freon leak. In such cases, the compressor works without interruption, trying to gain temperature, but cannot cope. This is a serious breakdown that requires the intervention of a specialist with equipment for evacuation and refilling.
Leaks often occur in places where tubes are soldered or due to corrosion of the evaporator, especially if you previously inadvertently defrosted the unit with sharp objects. It is difficult to determine a leak visually; it often requires the use of a leak detector or a soap solution at the joints of the tubes (in accessible places).
Another reason is a decrease in the performance of itself compressor. The motor may hum, but not create enough pressure in the system. This often happens in older models or after power surges. In this case, only replacing the compressor with a new one will help.
⚠️ Attention: Self-filling the refrigerator with freon without vacuuming the system is prohibited. Remaining moisture and air in the tubes will lead to blockage of the capillary and failure of the compressor in a short time.
Malfunctions of the thermostat and temperature sensors
The “brain” of the temperature control system is the thermostat (in mechanical models) or the air sensor (in electronic models). If thermostat is faulty, it may not send a signal to turn on the compressor, believing that the temperature has already been reached, although in reality it is warm in the chamber.
In models with electronic control, NTC sensorsare responsible for control. One of them is in the refrigerator compartment. If it “lies” and shows that it is +2°C, although in reality it is +10°C, the compressor simply will not turn on. Such sensors are checked by measuring their resistance at different temperatures.
- 🔧 Thermostat - a mechanical switch that responds to temperature changes.
- 📡 Air sensor - an electronic sensor that transmits data to the control board.
- 🎛️ Control board - processes signals and controls all nodes.
Often sensors fail due to oxidation of contacts in the connectors. It is enough to remove the terminals, clean them with alcohol and install them back to restore normal operation of the system.
☑️ Diagnostics of sensors
Clogged capillary system
Rare but possible cause - clogged capillary tube. Inside the thin tube through which freon circulates, a plug may form from oil or moisture oxidation products. This prevents the normal flow of refrigerant, and the evaporator in the upper part (or the entire evaporator) stops cooling.
Symptoms of a blockage are similar to a leak: the compressor runs for a long time, the condenser (grid at the back) is hot unevenly (only at the beginning or at the end), but there is no cold. To eliminate it, you need to purge the system with nitrogen under high pressure and replace the filter-drier.
This procedure cannot be performed at home without a professional tool