Kenmore 795.77316600 Freezer Fan r builds up ice

There are a few possible reasons for the ice build-up in the area behind the ice maker and above the fan, even if there are no visible coils in that area. Here are some potential causes to consider:

1. Blocked Drain: The defrost cycle of a refrigerator is designed to remove excess moisture from the freezer compartment, which typically drains out of the freezer through a small drain hole and into a collection pan located beneath the refrigerator. If the drain becomes blocked, the excess moisture can accumulate in the bottom of the freezer and eventually freeze, leading to the ice build-up you described. To check if this is the case, you can try locating the drain hole (usually near the back of the freezer, near the bottom) and clearing any debris or ice that may be obstructing it.
2. Faulty Defrost System: Another possibility is that there is an issue with the defrost system itself. If the defrost heater, thermostat, or timer is not functioning correctly, it can lead to excessive ice build-up in the freezer compartment. While you mentioned that the coils appear to be defrosted, it's still possible that there is a problem with one of these components that is causing the ice to accumulate in a different area.
3. Poor Air Circulation: A third potential cause is that there is inadequate air circulation in the freezer compartment. If the freezer is too full or if items are blocking the vents, it can prevent cold air from circulating properly, leading to pockets of warmer air that can cause excess moisture to accumulate and freeze. It's worth checking to make sure that the freezer is not over-packed and that there is nothing blocking the vents.
4. Water Leak: Finally, it's possible that there is a water leak somewhere in the refrigerator that is causing excess moisture to accumulate in the freezer compartment. This could be due to a damaged water line or valve, a faulty ice maker, or a damaged door seal that is allowing warm, humid air to enter the freezer. If you suspect a water leak may be the cause, it's best to have a professional diagnose and repair the issue.

Overall, it's hard to say for sure what is causing the ice build-up without further inspection, but these are some common possibilities to consider. If the issue persists, it may be worth calling a professional to diagnose and repair the problem.

Is your fan inside the freezer compartment back wall towards the bottom is working. (Evaporator fan motor) ?

No fan... No circulation.

Fan may have failed or another common thing is failed defrost system has clogged up the evaporator coil and fan blade with frost. In this latter case, you will see white frost build up in the freezer back wall towards the bottom in freezer compartment.

Better call a local service technician. Little bit technical and hands on job.

There is a fan in the back of the freezer that runs when the compressor is running. It sounds like you have ice build up around the fan.
You could have one of these problems: (Sorted by most likely to least likely)
1) Auto Defrost timer, defrost bi-metal or defrost heater is defective - the unit will go into auto defrost about twice a day, if this fails you will have lots of ice built up around the cooling fins and sometimes on the fan. Pull the back off the inside of the freezer and check for ice build up around the cooling fins, there should be none or very little if its running normal.

2) Bad door gasket - if the freezer door is leaking warm moist air inside the freezer it could be condensing around the fan causing ice (you will also see ice build up on things inside your freezer too).

3) Plugged drain - the drain leads from the freezer down to the drain pain under the fridge. If this is plugged ice will build up on the bottom of the freezer and potentially around the fan.

Frost build up is normal... and SHOULD be expected...
You should check your DEFROST PAN at the bottom
(it should have STANDING WATER evaporating daily
(dust is usually an indication of DEFROST FAILURE
(easy to fix))

ALSO the FAN should NOT run with the door open...

My best advise ... if indeed that was ICE...
typically caused by air intrusion...
(sometimes just result of a cube stuck in the
(door service) chute.. or a pizza box holding a
door ajar (worlds will not end)))... Clear that ICE
and easily expect another 9 years of faithful service...!!

You need to allow that machine to defrost at room temperature
for as long as it takes to melt that ICE... COMPLETELY.

Helping it with a fan at ROOM TEMPERATURE is fine,,,
but ABSOLUTELY use no heated air (damage can occur).

Good temperatures in Refrigerator/Freezer sides is a
VERY GOOD indicator...

ELSE...
look over your door seals and make sure they are in full
contact ... ALL-THE-WAY-AROUND.

Comment me back...

You can do this (inexpensively)
Common Refrigerator Symptoms Symptom Diagnosis Sears PartsDirect ... SEARS parts were getting pretty competitive...
Now I cannot push it into a PRICE without talking to one of their CLOWN HEADS (pushy parts folks... My opinion).

Carnac the Magnificent

Hi


Thanks for using FixYa. Error ff is freezer fan fault. This usually happens when either the rear board has gone bad or the freezer fan itself is bad and needs to be replaced. To check what is causing the error you can start with checking the fan which is located behind the back wall inside the freezer. Also check the rear board as it might not be putting the fridge into defrost long enough and is causing the ice to build up in the freezer and thus stopping the freezer fan from turning and so causing ff error. Leave the fridge unplugged for 24hrs which will melt all the ice then plug it back if still the issue is not resolved and you hear the fan running then it is the rear board that needs to be replaced. Please do rate the solution if the issue is resolved or else revert for further assistance.


Thanks
Rylee

All the cooling happens in the freezer.The refer section relys on a fan to blow cool air into it.When you open the freezer you should hear a fan running.If you hear the fan running, close the freezer door and open the refer door. Look for the vent/area where the air comes in.Put your hand in front of it.If little or no air is coming out it could be a sign of an icing/defrost problem restricting the air to the refer section.
It will take a tech with the right tools to find the exact problem.
If the fan is not running you will have to unplug the unit and remove the back of the freezer section from the inside and make sure ice is not keeping it from turning.If it is free of ice then replace the fan motor.

Hi

Noise can come from these areas:


The inside of the freezer Self-defrosting refrigerators use a circulating fan to move the air through the freezer and refrigerator compartments. This fan runs whenever the unit is cooling. The fan is located in the freezer, as follows:

• If the freezer is on top, the fan is on the back wall, near the top or bottom, in the center of the freezer.
  
  
• If the freezer is on the bottom, the fan is on the back wall, near the top of the freezer.
  
  
• If the freezer is on the left, the fan is on the back wall, halfway up or near the top.
  
  

Over time, the fan may become noisy--usually making a chirping or squealing sound, though it may make a loud groaning noise instead.

To find out if the fan is causing the noise, just open the freezer door and push in any fan/light switches. If the noise is louder when the door is open, the evaporator fan motor is the cause. You can't lubricate or repair this motor. You must replace it.

The outside back of the refrigerator There are three components on the outside back of the refrigerator that may become noisy: the compressor, the condenser fan motor (if self-defrosting), or the defrost timer (if self-defrosting).

• The compressor is a football-sized case with no apparent moving parts. You can see it on the outside of the refrigerator at the back near the bottom. It is usually black and has black or copper-colored tubes and various colored wires attached to it. If the compressor is the device making noise, there is probably no repair that will reduce the noise. You will have to replace it--which can be quite costly.
  
  
• If the condenser fan is making noise, there may be a build-up of lint or other debris on the fan blade. The fan is located near the back of the machine, sometimes behind a thin panel. To clean it, first unplug the refrigerator, remove the thin panel, and use a soft bristle brush to clean it. If there is no lint build-up or debris on the blade, you will have to replace the motor.
  
  
• The defrost timer is often located at the bottom of the refrigerator, near the front and behind the kick plate. Occasionally the electric motor inside the timer may become noisy. The timer must be replaced to solve this problem.
  
  

The bottom of the refrigerator Noises detected at the bottom of the refrigerator almost always originate from the back of the refrigerator. However, sometimes the drain pan under the refrigerator will rattle. You may need to tape the pan in place to stop a rattle. Also see the “Outside back of the refrigerator.”

Please revert for further assistance and Do accept the solution if found useful.

Thanks
Rylee

Had the same problem. I noticed that the fan in the freezer never shut off so I suspected the thermostat. I ordered and installed a new thermostat (about $30 and 15 minutes to install), the fan now cycles correctly and the ice build up is gone.

There is a fan inside the freezer which circulates cold air through the air diffuser and then through the return duct at the bottom of the fridge. This fan may not be working. You should be able to hear it when you open the freezer door. If you cannot hear the fan going with the door open, keep the door open and press the button that switches the internal light off. The fan should run. If no fan running in freezer test for supply to fan. The fan may be faulty or the thermostat which is in line with the fan could be faulty.

First we need to see if the compressor is running.  Pull the fridge out take off the lower panel on the back and see if you can hear it running.  Also, need to know if freezer fan and fan by compressor is running.  Check for thick frost build up on back panel in freezer.  Let me know what you find.