My igloo 5.2 cubic household freezer seems to be stuck in defrost or refrigeration mode. it was like this when i got home from vacation. there was a power outage while i was gone so the freezer was o

you have to defrost the freezer the old fashion way...which means it does not do it on its own....you have to shut down the refrigerator in order for it to start melting...and then sop up any water with towels or bowls....key is to never let it get full of snow, so it's easier to do.....another way to defrost it, which I do...is to take a wooden spoon, never metal....and just scrape out the layers of snow that has formed into a bowl as you scrape, put the bowl inside and just scrape it into it.......if you do that once a month, it should keep the snow from too much buildup....I love my IGLOO it's perfect for just me and my condo....and I just redid my kitchen.....however after 2 years now, it's not cooling too well, which I have read other comments that this happens...

Defrost heater.

It should stop the compressor and turn on a heating element to speed up defrosting.

Good Morning Friend,

I understand that your Frigidaire freezer, model# LFFU17F5HWC, seems to be stuck in a defrost mode. Your freezer is supposed to automatically defrost for 30 minutes after every 12 hours of compressor run time. I suggest resetting your appliance, be either unplugging it or shutting the power off at your homes circuit breaker, for 3-5 minutes. Restore power and watch to see if it is still stuck in defrost mode. I ask that you please follow up with a comment on the post, at your convenience, to advise if further troubleshooting is needed or if your washer status has changed successfully. Hope this is helpful.

-Best Regards-
WP

It may be on "superfreeze", if there is a yellow light, or it may be set for too low a temperature (try setting the thermostat down to 1 or 2). Check the condenser is clean, and fan working if it has a fan, Check lid is closing properly and the ambient temperature isn't too high.. Lastly, if all else working correctly, suspect short of refrigerant.

Yup, these timers have a tiny clock motor that can get lint on them, causing motor failure, should be simple replacement. Refrigerators in cold garages run more to regulate their temperature below 45 degrees.

If it is out of warranty..... Take it to a football field, and see if you can make three points through the goal posts.... Sorry, wish I had a better solution. They just are too inexpensive to warranty $80/hour work plus parts on them.

I was told the coils probably needs cleaning but I do not see any coils on my igloo freezer. Accepting helpful solutions.

You refrigerator was made by Frigidaire Adaptive Defrost Controls Frigidaire Refrigerator Trouble Shooting and Diagnosing
On the initial plugin, or when power is restored to the fridge after a power outage:
If terminating thermostat is open, the fridge enters a compressor (cooling) cycle.
If the terminating thermostat is closed, the first defrost cycle occurs 1 hour
after initial plug-in.
Maximum defrost cycle time is 24 minutes.
Minimum time between defrost cycles is 6 hours. (compressor runtime)
Maximum normal clock time between defrost cycles is 12 hours.
Maximum time between defrost cycles (in "vacation" mode) is 72 hours.
Vacation mode is not entered unless the door has not been opened in at least 24 hours.
Note that the ADC will only enter the defrost mode if the terminating thermostat is closed. If the terminating thermostat is open when defrost is initiated, the ADC board will wait for six minutes and then return to the cooling mode.
ASSUMING that the fridge has been on and running,
and the terminating thermostat is closed,
defrost is initiated by pressing the door (light) switch
at least five times within six seconds.
The defrost heater should start heating up within 8 seconds.
If the above procedure caused the heater to heat up, the ADC board is probably bad; replace it.
If the defrost heater does not heat up, test the defrost heater, terminating thermostat and cold control for continuity as follows:
Unplug the fridge from the wall. Unplug the ADC board from its connector.
Test the connector for continuity between the following leads:
Defrost Heater = DEF TERM (blue) to DEF OUT (brown).
Terminating Thermostat = DEF TERM (blue) to NEUTRAL (lt blue).
Cold Control = COLD CONTROL (orange) to L1 (black).
Replace the defective component.

The higher the number, the colder.

Is this a refrigerator in a household or an RV?
The reason I ask is that RV refrigerators use ammonia, which you can smell. If you read the article you probably read that Freon does not have an odor, in extreme cases you can smell burnt refrigeration oil when a system with a large leak has been left running, but by then the unit wouldn't be working.
If your refrigerator did in fact have a leak it wouldn’t be working, due to such a small amount of refrigerant present. ( typically about 5 ounces )
So, your gassy smell is likely from something else. I find this happens most often when potatoes or carrots are stored for long periods of time in the refrigerator, usually in the crispers. When starchy vegetables wilt ( get smaller with age ) they give off a gas. The smell eventually comes not from the starch, but from the bacteria that starts growing on it. All this happens on a microscopic level so you won't see anything. good luck