Freezer is Cold, But Refrigerator is Not

Common Reasons for

Freezer is Cold, but Refrigerator is Not

Condenser Coils are Dirty
The condenser coils are usually located under the refrigerator. They dissipate heat as refrigerant passes through them. If the condenser coils are dirty, they won’t dissipate the heat effectively. The refrigerator will not be able to maintain the proper temperature.

Evaporator Fan Motor
The evaporator fan motor draws air over the evaporator (cooling) coils and circulates it throughout the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Some refrigerators have more than one evaporator fan motor. If the evaporator fan is not working, it will not circulate the cold air to the refrigerator compartment. If this occurs, the freezer may still get cold, while the refrigerator wont get cold. To determine if the evaporator fan motor is defective, try turning the fan blade by hand. If the fan blade does not turn freely, replace the fan motor. If the motor is at times noisy, replace it. Finally, if the motor does not run at all, test the motor windings for continuity. If the windings do not have continuity, replace the evaporator fan motor.

Thermistor\sensor
The thermistor monitors the refrigerator temperature and sends the temperature reading to the control board. If the thermistor is defective, the compressor and evaporator fan may not run when necessary and your unit won't get cool enough. If the resistance does not change, or the thermistor\sensor does not have continuity, replace the thermistor\ sensor.

Defrost Control Board and defrost thermostat assembly
The defrost control board determines how often to run the defrost cycle. The refrigerator will not run the defrost cycle, and frost will continue to accumulate on the evaporator coils if the defrost control board failed. If the evaporator coils are frosted over, the refrigerator will work harder to remove heat. As a result, the refrigerator may be too warm. If the defrost thermostat and defrost heater are working properly, the defrost control board is likely defective and will need to be replaced
The defrost thermostat monitors the temperature of the evaporator coils. When the coils drop below a set temperature, the thermostat contacts close to allow power to flow to the defrost heater during the defrost cycle. During the defrost, the defrost heater melts any frost that may have accumulated on the evaporator coils. If the defrost thermostat is defective, the thermostat contacts will not close. As a result, the thermostat won’t provide power to the defrost heater. To determine if the defrost thermostat is defective, use a multimeter to test it for continuity. If the defrost thermostat does not have continuity when it reaches the low temperature of its operating range, replace it.

Defrost Timer
The defrost timer turns on the defrost heater several times throughout the day to melt any frost that may have accumulated on the evaporator coils. If the defrost system isn’t working, frost will continue to accumulate on the evaporator coils, and the refrigerator will have to work harder to dicipate heat.To test the defrost timer, slowly advance the dial into the defrost cycle. The compressor should turn off and the heater should turn on. If the timer does not send power to the defrost components or advance out of the defrost cycle within 30 minutes, this indicates that the defrost timer is not moving forward and will need to be repalced.