Hotpoint HM325FF.1 fridge is not getting cold and freezer only gets to 0 degrees.

Remove inner wall in freezer to see if ice has built up on the coils. If the defrost heater has failed result will be ice build-up on the freezer coils and lack of air flow in refrigerator so no cooling.

here are lots of things that can cause cooling problems. One of the most common causes of poor cooling in a frost free refrigerator is a defrost system failure. In such a case one or the other compartment may appear to be keeping proper temperature but that too may change in a short period of time. The fridge compartment's temperature rise is usually (but not always) the first to be noticed. Frost" and "Ice"
There is a difference between "frost" (a white, snow-like substance) and "ice" (usually clear and solid). When referring to what is seen during an inspection, please keep this distinction in mind as the possible causes for each are often very different. The Defrost System
Inspecting the (usually rear) wall of the freezer compartment for a frost build up is necessary. (In the case of many GE top freezer models, check the freezer's bottom panel.) If there is a frost coating on it, it is often a sign of excessive frosting beneath it. Sometimes however the evaporator cover panel will actually need to be removed (see the illustration below) before an excessive frost build will visible.
The refrigeration system's evaporator (cooling) coil is usually in the freezer compartment. This evaporator will periodically frost over and have to be defrosted by means of a heating system. When the defrost heating system fails, the frost can accumulate to such a degree that airflow throughout the appliance is hampered. There may be just enough air circulation to cool the freezer section but that will eventually stop too.

Modern consumer refrigerators only have coils in the freezer. In the lower back of the freezer there is a small fan and possible a damper (flap that opens/closes) to push cold air from the freezer to the refrigerator. Given that the freezer is 18 deg, it's probably cold enough to keep the fridge area at typically 34 deg.
So the cooling system (compressor, coils, thermostat) are not working properly to keep the freezer at, typically 0 deg. Possible causes: partial loss of refrigerant gas, icing around evaporator coils (in freezer), compressor failing, dust clogging condenser coils (under fridge), condenser fan clogged or broken (under fridge), thermostat failure.
I'd start with condenser. Remove the slotted trim at the bottom front and look in with a flashlight. Are the coils clean? Pull out the fridge and remove the lower back cover (usually cardboard). You can now see the coils and fan. Clean and blow them out.
If it's icing, it probably means freezer door not closing tight. If auto-defrost not working properly it would probably get worse over the period of a few days so not likely.

Depends on type of refrigerator freezer you have, but you need to realize that the evaporator (cooling coils) are in the freezer, and the cold air produced in the freezer is then circulated via an evaporator fan into the refrigerator section. The thermostat the cycles the compressor motor is located in the refrigerator, and the compressor will run until the temperature reaches the desired level in the refrigerator. On most units, the freezer temperature setting simply regulates how much cold air is circulated into the refrigerator.

What you are describing is that the freezer is working fine (almost too good), but the air is not properly getting to the refrigerator area. Several things can be causing restricted airflow, including a faulty evaporator fan, icing of the evaporator coils because of a malfunction in the automatic defrost system. Check to see if there is frost or ice build up in the back or bottom of the freezer. The proper temperatures should be around 0 F for the freezer and 38-40 degrees F for the refrigerator.

Hi,

Many times a freezer and/or refrigeratordo not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many otherthings that can go wrong. If you are hearing a clicking or buzzing thencheck 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 starttrouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then callinga 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


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Hello

Seems like you have a bad thermostat,you should Unplug the appliance and take off the light cover to gain access to the thermostat.

Look carefully at the thermostat and you'll see the terminals are numbered,write down these numbers and go get a replacement part for your refrigerator.

Hello,

Let's start by diagnosing the freezer;

Fan problem is one of the most common reasons for the freezer to start failing, this is called "frost free failure." Ice can build up on the evaporator coils over time, and this ice builds up until it starts blocking the fan. The fan is responsible for circulating cold air throughout the freezer, so if it is blocked the freezer will not be able to freeze any food. You can usually check this by removing an access panel in the back of the freezer to inspect the coils. If ice is built up on the coils, a hairdryer can assist in defrosting them.

It's also possible that the fan is not running at all. If the fan is burned out or the motor isn't running, cold air can't circulate through the freezer and everything will melt. You can normally hear the fan motor switch on and off from time to time. Listen for it and if you can't hear it coming on for an extended period of time, the motor may need repair or replacement. The wires connecting to the fan may be the problem, preventing the fan from receiving electricity.

Several other problems could be keeping your freezer from freezing:

There could be leaks in one or several of the hoses in the refrigerator, which results in the cold air being lost instead of circulating properly throughout the fridge and freezer.

If you have the freezer so full that the cold air can't circulate, your food will thaw even though the freezer isn't malfunctioning. Always leave some space open in the freezer and try to not store food right up against the cooling vents.

The thermostat might have shorted out, which means the freezer can't accurately determine how cold it is. If this is the case, the refrigerator would probably not be working, either.

If your defrost drain becomes clogged, the water in the line will just refreeze over and over again, which could damage the lines as well as the fan. Always check the drain and make sure no sludge is building up in it if you have a self-defrosting refrigerator.

Always try to keep the freezer door closed for long periods of time. The more the door is opened, the more warm air is let in and cold air is released. If the door is opened frequently, the freezer could be warming faster than the fridge can cool it, which will thaw your food

As for the fridge, the same solution but for more details. If refrigerator is not cooling properly can be due to a defrost timer, which is causing the fridge to go into defrost cycle. Usually it takes 45-60 minutes for refrigerator to come out of defrost cycle. If the timer goes bad then it will not come out of defrost cycle and can result in this kind of issues. It can also occur due to defrost thermostat, it allows current to pass through it at temperatures of 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit and prevents current from passing through it at 40 to 60 degrees. This is difficult to test, though, because it takes a prolonged, very-cold temperature to turn it on. The defrost thermostat is snapped onto the top portion of the evaporator. The thermostat sends temperature information to the processor. The defrost heater must be replaced when replacing the thermostat.

1. Remove the lower fan duct work from the evaporator cover.
2. Remove the 1/4-in. evaporator cover screws and remove the evaporator cover.
3. Disconnect the defrost thermostat wiring connector.
4. Remove the defrost thermostat from the evaporator.

I hope the above helps.......

Take care.

If the evaporator coils behind the back panel of the freezer are icing up because of auto defrost failure that will stop the circulation of cold air and eventually affect the freezer too.
How to check stuff>
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/refrigerator/refrigerator.php check defrost timer, defrost heater, defrost thermostat. In most newer models the timer has been replaced by an electronic control board. If the heater and thermostat are ok it’ll be the control.

You can turn the defrost timer till it clicks and everything shuts down. The heater should now come on. If it does, replace the timer. If it doesn't, check the heater and defrost thermostat. Turn the timer again till everything starts back up to end the defrost cycle.


Your evaporator coils frost up in normal use and every eight hours or so the entire unit shuts down and the defrost heater comes on to melt the frost. This cycle last about 20 minutes. The melted frost drips into a drain pan and through a drain tube to the drain tray under the freezer/refrigerator where it's evaporated by the condenser fan.

check damper control

It could be some many things, to save time let me give you this check list:

• Check the temperature setting
• Assure that there is enough room for air flow in the refrigerator or freezer
• Check for air flow restrictions in vents
• Test the temperature control
• Clean the condensor coils
• Check the door seals
• Test the door switch
• Test defrost heater
• Test defrost timer
• Test evaporator fan
• Check for a clogged drain tube
• Check for refrigerant leak

Do what you feel qualified to do.

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