It's hard to understand how the refrigerator compartment would be okay, but the freezer is not. The evaporator coils are normally behind the freezer. The cooled air is moved from here to the freezer and refrigerator by the evaporator fan. Is this the fan you are saying is going on and off? Or the compressor fan underneath the refrigerator.
The necessary conditions for proper cooling are:
1. Compressor is running; 2. Compressor fan is running; and 3. Evaporator fan is running.
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Both fans should run constantly when the compressor is running. Some refrigerators have time delays programmed into their compressors. If you had it unplugged for three minutes, plugged it back in, and the compressor did not immediately come on, the evaporator fan would probably not come on.
Also, some refrigerators are designed so that the evaporator fan cuts off when the door is open. On these types, you would have to push in the door switch to make sure the fan is running properly.
If you determine that the evaporator fan is not running as it should, you can replace it pretty easily. It should be behind an access plate. Remove this plate, and you should be able to see the fan. The usual fix is to replace the fan motor.
Some of these fans will run intermittantly before they die completely. You may be at that stage.
The fan motor should be readily available at some of the appliance parts vendors who do internet sales. I have ordered parts from some of these one day and had the part early the next day (via Fedex).
Just enter the make and model number of the refrigerator. Many of them give you exploded parts diagrams which show how the various parts connect.
The evaporator fan is likely held in place with a few screws and possibly some kind of bracket. There will also be an electrical connector.
Good luck!
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Not sure if you have resolved your problem or not, but I just went through the same thing. It ended up being the damper door in the air distribution stack - this is at the back of the fresh food side. The door was broken in the open position so that I had items being frozen on the fresh food side and temperature cycling on the freezer side.
If you have plastic bags (vegetables, storage bags) that are close to the middle sensor, the sensor cannot determine that the food is cold (plastic bags confuse the sensor). Move the plastic bags away from the sensor. The top shelf has vents that should not be blocked with plastic bags. There is also a larger sensor at the bottom of the freezer that should not be blocked as well.
I called a repairman for mine since the fan kept cycling and making a whistling sound. Within an hour the sound went away and it's been 3 days without the sound.
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Thanks for the quick response.
I believe it is the 'evaporator' fan that runs intermittently as after pulling out all the freezer drawers and ice maker, it just kicked on (literally while I was typing this) and it seems to be the one in the back.
BTW, I did unplug the unit earlier and when i plugged it back it (3 min later), the evap fan did NOT come back on immediately.
Roman ([email protected])
Thanks for the quick response.
I believe it is the 'evaporator' fan that runs intermittently as after pulling out all the freezer drawers and ice maker, it just kicked on (literally while I was typing this) and it seems to be the one in the back.
BTW, I did unplug the unit earlier and when i plugged it back it (3 min later), the evap fan did NOT come back on immediately.
Roman ([email protected])
Got it. I agree that all signs point to a near-death for my fan (fridge is only 4 years old but hey, my Monogram dishwasher I bought at the same time is making loud, grining noises too so guessing it's par for the course!).
I'll try to swap out evap fan/motor. Any last tips before I remove access panel and search for part? Thanks for your help.
Got it. I agree that all signs point to a near-death for my fan (fridge is only 4 years old but hey, my Monogram dishwasher I bought at the same time is making loud, grining noises too so guessing it's par for the course!).
I'll try to swap out evap fan/motor. Any last tips before I remove access panel and search for part? Thanks for your help.
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