Refrigerator: Freezer part works well, fridge won't cool

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I've moved into a house with an Indesit fridge freezer. The freezer compartment seems to work really well - around minus 30°C. But the fridge part won't get below 12°C. The thermostat setting has no effect on the temperature even after I replaced it with a new thermostat and sensor. The pump runs permanently. The previous house owner says the fridge worked well and used to have ice in the back of the fridge compartment. I've only got water droplets. Can anyone explain and opine whether this is terminal or fixable at a reasonable price?

It's only a 1996 Indesit but fits into a built-in kitchen unit and sizewise, it will be difficult to replace. It's filled with propane.

Grateful for any advice.
 
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i am assuming its its short off gas and only has one compressor ;)


thus i am also assuming the part off the element within the fridge isnt cooling dowm so the shortage of coolant means its only circulating within the freezer compartment


this will also mean the compressor will run continuously which is expensive and may eventualy mean it will burn out prematurely

a temporary solution woud be to freeze some large ice packs[ or 2L pop bottles full of ice] and swop them every 6 hrs
also turn the thermostat down or up to a relativly warm setting to allow the freezer to reach a more normal minus 18-21 deg
 
Thanks for your reply Big All.

I've tried the thermostat at minimum cooling - it makes no difference. Temperature in fridge still doesn't drop.

You seem to suspect propane lost from the coolant circuit. Does this correlate with the good freezer performance? If there was a leak wouldn't all the coolant go? I guess getting coolant problems repaired is not economic against buying a new fridge.

There's only one motor. I don't know if there are separate cooling circuits for fridge and freezer. Is this unlikely?

If it's any use, the Indesit code number is GR1860UK.

Anybody else have any ideas?

Best Wishes,
 
the idea of moving the thermostat was to save the motor from burning out

i suspect the cooling element is 80% withing the freezer with a branch into the fridge

i also suspect the branch within the frige is empty with the gas ciclulating fully within the freezer part hence the freezer working continuously untill you turn the thermostat to match the fridge temperature then it will stop and if the fridge temperature dosn't rise the freezer will thaw out

unless you alter the fridge temprature by freezer blocks or some other method your motor will be constantly on or off as the fridge temp is constant :rolleyes:
 
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Don,t know if youve tried cleaning the condensor.This is the part of the appliance which dicipates heat.Usually the black wiry fence looking thing on the back of a fridge, but on some fitted appliances it is located in the compressor compartment and looks like a small car radiator.Ensure this is clean.If there is a fan attached to it then ensure it is running.
Does the machine definately run on propane.
 
Given the age of the machine, 1996, it could be the last of the r12 gas machines or early r600a (butane). Possibilities are a lack of gas, weak compressor or a blockage. Compressor changes and regasses are quite expensive so get quotes first.
 
Hullo All,
Many thanks to all for taking the trouble to reply. As suggested by Big All I tried freezing a lot of water containers then transferred them to the fridge part to get the temperature down. This gave me 3°C which then climbed again to around 12°C when they melted. So no advance.
The back of the fridge is definitely labelled propane and not butane. Sleepyhead's diagnoses of possible compressor weakness, gas leak or a blockage suggest high expense probably forcing me instead towards finding a new fridge of the correct dimensions for the space - could be difficult. Why do people not allow more room when they plan built-in kitchens?
Leachy's suggestion about the condenser - mine is nickel clean so inefficiency seems unlikely.

When the freezer food is used up I'm going to shut the whole thing off and leave it defrosted for 2 days. If this doesn't work I'll repeat this but turned upside down - an apparently wacky suggestion I had given to me.
If still no go then it's the scrapyard for this beast and a new fridge-freezer.
Best wishes to all,
 
Turning it upside down will only result in oil from the compressor getting into the system leading to a blockage. Old tale from the days of R12 gas systems.
 

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