The situation when food freezes into stone in the freezer, and room temperature reigns in the main compartment of the refrigerator, is a classic sign of a serious malfunction of household appliances. This is not a case where you can get away with replacing a burnt out light bulb or adjusting the thermostat, since the problem lies deeper - in the refrigerant circulation system or compressor control. Users often encounter this suddenly: opening the door in the morning, you find that the milk has not cooled down, and there is warm air on the shelves, while the ice maker continues to work properly.
The main reason lies in the fact that modern refrigerators, even two-chamber ones, are often used one compressor to service both circuits, but the distribution of cold occurs unevenly when they break down. In normal operation, cold air or refrigerant should flow into all compartments, but a leak in the circuit or failure of the control electronics blocks this process. Understanding why the refrigerator does not keep coldbut the freezer is working will allow you to avoid costly mistakes when calling a technician and correctly diagnose the problem.
An independent attempt to repair in this case can be dangerous, since working with high voltage and potentially dangerous gases, however, primary diagnostics are available to every owner. You don't need to be a heating engineer to notice characteristic signs: the absence of sounds from the compressor, the presence of frost in only one corner of the evaporator, or, conversely, its complete icing. In this article, we will look in detail at the mechanical and electrical causes of main compartment failure.
⚠️ Attention: If you hear a hissing or whistling sound from the back of the refrigerator, immediately unplug the appliance. This may indicate a breakthrough of freon, which, in combination with oil from the compressor, forms a flammable mixture.
Refrigerant leak: the most common cause of the problem
The most likely scenario explaining why the refrigerator has stopped freezing in the main chamber is a banal freon leak. The cooling system is a closed circuit, and if a microcrack forms in some place, the gas pressure drops. Since the freezer is usually located closer to the outlet of the refrigerant from the compressor (or is the first circuit in the chain), the remaining amount of gas is only enough to cool it, but the freon no longer reaches the main compartment in the required volume.
Leaks often occur in places where pipes are soldered or in foamed parts of the body, where the metal is subject to corrosion from moisture. You may notice that the compressor is running almost non-stop, trying to increase the temperature, but there is no result. In modern models with the system No Frost this is also accompanied by the absence of the characteristic buzzing or crackling sound produced by expanding gas in the tubes.
To accurately determine the location of the leak, technicians use leak detectors or the method of painting the system, since it is almost impossible to visually find a microscopic hole in the foamed layer. After detecting a leak, it is necessary not only to weld the hole, but also to completely evacuate the system and fill it with new refrigerant strictly by weight.
Is it possible to refuel a refrigerator without searching for a leak?
Theoretically, the technician can simply add gas and the refrigerator will work. However, this is a temporary solution: after a week or a month, the gas will come out again through the same hole, and the problem will repeat. In addition, without evacuation, air and moisture will remain in the system, which will lead to the formation of an ice plug and failure of the compressor.
Malfunctions of the compressor and motor
The compressor is the heart of the refrigerator, and if it “fails,” all circulation is disrupted. In a situation where the freezer freezes, but the refrigerator does not, the unit itself is often to blame for losing its performance. The piston group could be worn out, the valves could be stuck or burnt out, which is why the compressor hums, but does not create the necessary pressure to pump freon along the long circuit of the main compartment.
Sometimes the problem lies not in the mechanical part, but in the start-up relay. If the relay contacts are burnt, the compressor may start jerkily or not start at all, or work on only one winding. In this case, you will hear clicks every few minutes: an attempt to start, a buzz, and again a click of the protection being turned off. Long-term operation in this mode is guaranteed to lead to combustion of the motor windings.
- 🔊 Loud knocking or clanging when the compressor is operating indicates mechanical destruction of internal parts.
- 🔥 Excessive housing heating compressor (more than 90 degrees) indicates an overload or an interturn short circuit.
- 📉 The absence of vibration on the housing of a running motor indicates that the pistons do not move, although the shaft can rotate idle.
Diagnostics of the compressor requires measuring the current strength of the windings and resistance. If the values are outside the limits of the passport data indicated on the nameplate, the unit must be replaced.
Problems with the defrost system and sensors
In refrigerators with a system No Frost proper operation of the system is critical defrost. If the evaporator heating element, defrost temperature sensor or timer (or electronic control module) fails, the evaporator becomes covered with a “coat” of ice. This icy shell blocks the ventilation ducts through which cold air should flow from the freezer to the refrigerator compartment. As a result, the fan circulates air inside the freezer, but there is a warm atmosphere in the main chamber.
Often the culprit is the defrost sensor, which “sticks” in the “operating” position and does not give a command to turn on the heating element, or vice versa - does not allow the cooling to start, “thinking” that the defrosting process is in progress. In models with electronic control, error codes may appear on the display, for example F1 or E2, which indicate a malfunction of a specific sensor.
| Component | Fault symptom | Impact on operation |
|---|---|---|
| Defrost heating element | Ice build-up on the evaporator | Blocking airflow (air flow) |
| Defrost sensor | Heating does not turn on or does not turns off | Ice does not melt or heats up in vain |
| Fan | Noise or silence during operation | Cold does not enter the upper chamber |
To check the defrost system, a complete defrost refrigerator within 24 hours. If, after turning on without food and with the doors open for a day, the refrigerator began to freeze normally in both chambers, then the problem was frozen ice, and you need to look for the reason why the automatic defrost did not work.
Clogged capillary tube
The capillary tube is a thin copper channel in which throttling occurs (sharp pressure drop) of the refrigerant. If moisture or oil breakdown products enter the system, an ice plug or a blockage of solid particles may form inside the tube. This creates a situation where the refrigerator does not cool the upper chamber, since freon simply cannot circulate through the full cycle.
A characteristic sign of a blockage is that the compressor is working normally, the condenser is warm, but the evaporator in the freezer is cold only in the the beginning (at the entrance), and the rest of it is at ambient temperature. Sometimes you can hear gurgling sounds when the gas has difficulty making its way through the obstacle.
⚠️ Attention: Attempting to clean the capillary tube with high pressure nitrogen at home is extremely dangerous and can lead to rupture of thin-walled elements of the cooling system.
Removing the blockage requires professional purging of the system, replacement of the filter drier and repeated refills. The filter drier must be changed whenever the circuit is opened, since the old one is already saturated with moisture and will not be able to protect the system from a new ice plug.
Malfunctions of the thermostat and control electronics
The thermostat (or electronic temperature sensor in modern models) is responsible for turning the compressor on and off. If it is faulty and “lies”, indicating that it is already cold in the chamber, the compressor simply will not turn on for the main circuit, or will work in the wrong mode. In dual-circuit systems (where there are two evaporators), the solenoid valve that switches the freon flow between chambers may fail.
In electronically controlled refrigerators, control moduleis responsible for all processes. Voltage surges in the network can lead to malfunction or burning of individual board elements. In this case, the refrigerator may behave chaotically: freeze only at night, not respond to settings, or show the wrong temperature on the display.
- 🔌 Check the integrity of the wires going to the sensors: they often break at the bend of the door.
- ❄️ Ring the thermostat with a multimeter: when the temperature changes, its contacts should close and open with a characteristic click.
- 💡 Inspect the control board for swollen capacitors or traces of burning.
If the diagnostics show an electronics malfunction, repairs often involve replacing the entire module, since searching for a burnt-out microcircuit may take longer and cost more than a new board.
☑️ Primary diagnostics before calling a technician
Mechanical damage and leakage
Sometimes the reason which the refrigerator has stopped keeping coldis trivial and lies in the violation of the chamber’s tightness. If the rubber seal on the door of the main chamber is worn out, dirty or damaged, warm air constantly flows inside. The compressor tries to compensate for heat loss, working for wear, but due to the design features of the system, the cooling capacity is only enough for the freezer, which closes more tightly.
It is also worth checking the door hinges. If they are loose, the door warps and does not fit tightly. Visually this may not be noticeable, but a gap of a few millimeters negates the entire operation of the refrigerator. Do a simple test: press a piece of paper between the door and the frame around the perimeter. If the paper is removed without resistance or falls out on its own, the seal is broken.
In rare cases, the cause may be mechanical damage to the internal plastic box or evaporator (for example, due to careless defrosting with a knife). Even this hole will allow all the freon to escape and moisture to enter the system, which will require a major overhaul.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to continue to operate the refrigerator if the upper chamber does not freeze?
It is strictly not recommended. The compressor will run continuously, trying to reach the set temperature, which will lead to overheating and eventual combustion. In addition, the products in the main chamber will quickly deteriorate.
How long does it take to repair a freon leak?
Finding and eliminating the leak, evacuation and refilling usually take from 2 to 4 hours. However, if difficult access to the foamed evaporator is required, the repair may take 1-2 days.
Why did the refrigerator start to freeze after defrosting, but after a couple of days it stopped again?
This is a classic sign of a malfunction of the defrosting system (heating element, sensor or timer). Ice accumulated again and blocked the channels. The defective part needs to be replaced.
Is it dangerous to search for leaks with a soap solution yourself?
Searching for visible leaks with a soap solution is safe if you do not damage the tubes with sharp objects. However, it is useless to look for a leak in the foamed part of the body using this method - you need a professional leak detector.
What is cheaper: repairing an old refrigerator or buying a new one?
If you need to replace the compressor or repair a foamed evaporator, the cost of the work can be up to 70% of the price of a new budget refrigerator. In such cases, it is often more rational to buy new equipment.