Fridge not cold - freezer cuts out at minus 10 degrees.

takes time for the temperature inside the fridge -freezer to normalize after doors are being left open

turning off a fridge freezer on and off wont help it

it takes time to for the thermostat to kick start the compressor
and more time to reach the freezing temp lost

if you are certain the thermostat is damaged
call in a service man
have the thermostat replaced and have them check
the gas in the system is running the correct pressure

Many residential refrigerator / freezers are designed to work at temperature considerably above above freezing. Most modern refrigerator / freezer have a single electric thermostat - located in the fresh food compartment. This lone thermostat will control the compressor to keep the fridge (fresh food) section at the desired temperature (usually between 34 - 38 degrees F). The freezer will get colder regardless of how cold it is already whenever the fridge thermostat turns the compressor on.

Now that you see how the thermostat works, let's look at what happens when the fridge is placed in an unheated space - like a garage. In winter time, the temperature can drop considerably below 38 degrees. If the outdoor temperature remains cold enough, for long enough - it will affect the thermostat in the fridge. The temperature inside the fridge could drop below 38 degrees, preventing the thermostat from telling the compressor to turn on. Meanwhile, the temperature in the freezer compartment slowly rises from the normal -10 to 0 F degrees. It will continue to rise until it is the same temperature as the fresh food compartment or until the thermostat in the fresh food compartment tells the compressor to turn on again. This means the freezer contents will thaw.

If the temperature in the garage is even in the 40 to 50 degree range, the loss of cold in the fridge may not happen often enough to keep the compressor coming on often enough to keep some freezer items frozen solid - such as ice cream. Remember, water freezes at 32 degrees F, other products may require lower temperatures to remain frozen, and could thaw at 28 or other temperature.

Good luck!

the freezer cools the fridge side so if you open the air flow up going in to the fridge it will only get colder. so cut the air flow down low and it should warm up. this causes the freezer to get cold quicker too because there is more cold air available in the freezer so it cuts off the compressor sooner.

think about how it works. if you doing everything right then you need to listen to be sure the stat is cycling the compressor or does it never get cut off by the stat.

Hi,

Many times a freezer and/or refrigerator do not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many other things that can go wrong.

If you are hearing a clicking or buzzing then check out the last two tips.

If your refrigerator is running but warm, then...

Check out these tips that I wrote about that... it is a great place to start trouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then calling a repair person to do a simple thing for you...

Refrigerator Condenser Coil Cleaning Refrigerator Repair

Refrigerator Troubleshooting Refrigerator Compressor

Refrigerator Compressor Start Capacitor and Start Relay

Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold

heatman101

Had exactly the same problem.
It was due to a blockage of the drain.
At the back of the freezer there is the pump and there is a small darin that lets condensation from inside the freezer spill onto the top of the (hot) pump to be evaporated. When this small drain blocks it causes issues like water leaking out of freezer and big chunks of ice at the back of the bottom compartment.
The fix is easy, if a little laborious.
Take all the stuff out of the freezer, then dismantle the internal plastic trip, don't worry, you can't really break anything and it goes back together easily, Eventually you will be left with just the bare metal insides and in the middle at the bottom back you will see the drain collection point, slightly hidden from view is the drain hole. Pour warm water onto this till it comes out onto the pump at the back.
Then use a pipe cleaner to clean.
Re-assemble - done :)

Hi,

Check out these tips...they can help you figure out whats going wrong with your refrigerator and why it is not cooling

Refrigerator not Cooling or Fridge not Cooling

How to Defrost Refrigerator Defrost Timer Problem

Water Running in refrigerator from Freezer

heatman101

hi if the freezer appears to work and the fridge if warm,the problem is that the freezer is over frozen and blocking the vents which send cold air into the fridge when required,and the noise is the fan hitting the the ice build up,defrost (switch off)your applinace for at least 36 hours then switch back on,you will then find after the freezer reaches -12 the fridge will then start to go cold.

cycling every 30 mins is normal. bear in mind that frost free are more noisy as there are fans running as well.
you appear to have temp in freezer too high - should be -18degC

hi The limit switch is found only on frost-free refrigerators and freezers. Its function is to keep the defrost heating element from exceeding certain set temperatures. If a refrigerator has lots of frost in the freezer compartment, the problem may be the limit switch. However, other components -- the evaporator fan, the defrost timer, and the defrost heater -- can cause the same problem. Check these for malfunctions, as detailed below. If these parts are in working condition, the problem is most likely in the limit switch. Don't try to fix the limit switch yourself; call a professional service person for replacement.

Hi,

Check out these tips...they can help you figure out whats going wrong with yourrefrigerator and why it is not cooling

Refrigerator not Cooling or Fridge not Cooling

How to Defrost Refrigerator Defrost Timer Problem

Water Running in refrigerator from Freezer

Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold
heatman101