When your freezer runs continuously or stops freezing properly, needless to say, it’s time to diagnose and repair the problem. If not, you’ll end up with a higher than necessary energy bill and you also risk significantly decreasing the lifespan of your freezer. Not sure what to look for to diagnose your issue? Don’t worry. You’ve come to the right place! Keep reading and we’ll go over all there is know about how to diagnose a commercial Frigidaire freezer.
Common Commercial Freezer Issues
Over time, it’s not uncommon for commercial Frigidaire freezer parts to wear out and break down. And to be able to repair your problem, you’ll first need to diagnose the source of your problem.
Freezer Is Not Freezing
When your commercial Frigidaire freezer isn’t freezing, you’ll want to start out by checking out the following parts and components.
Condenser Coils Are Dirty
Condenser coils keep your freezer cold. Over time, debris gets caught in these coils, which can prevent your freezer from being able to properly disperse its heat. If the freezer isn’t able to release heat, the compressor works overtime. And when your compressor works overtime, it uses more energy than necessary and can also cause unnecessary wear and tear to the appliance.
To diagnose this problem, take a look at your freezer’s condenser coils. If the coils are clean, you’ll know they aren’t the problem.
Evaporator Fan Motor
The evaporator fan motor moves cool air throughout the freezer. To diagnose a broken evaporator fan motor, open your freezer door. You should be able to see a small switch on the inside of the door. Press and hold the switch. After a few seconds, the fan should turn on, and you should be able to hear a low hum. If the evaporator fan motor doesn’t kick on, it’s likely broken and needs to be replaced.
On the other hand, if you can hear the fan, but the freezer isn’t cold, your issue lies elsewhere inside the unit.
Main Control Board
If your Frigidaire freezer’s main control board is broken, it can cause several problems. One of the most common problems, however, is that the freezer will no longer keep its contents frozen. To start, you can try to reset the control board by unplugging the freezer, waiting 10 to 20 minutes, and then plugging the freezer back into the outlet.
Temperature Control Thermostat
A temperature control thermostat keeps the temperature of the freezer consistent, by turning itself off when the inside of the unit reaches the desired temperature.
The best way to diagnose a broken Frigidaire freezer temperature control thermostat is to use a multimeter. Alternatively, you can contact us for help diagnosing and repairing a faulty thermostat.
Freezer Runs Continuously
A continuously running freezer creates an unnecessary energy draw, which can cost you more money than you’d like to spend. To diagnose this problem, you’ll need to check the defrost heater, timer, and seals for broken or defective parts. Let’s review how!
Defrost Heater Assembly
The defrost heater is part of your commercial Frigidaire freezer’s defrost system, which prevents unnecessary ice buildup on the unit’s internal components. When the defrost timer goes off, it triggers the defrost heater, which functions to warm up the freezer’s part and melt any ice buildup from the coils or other part. During this part of the cycle, the freezer shouldn’t make any noise. However, if your defrost heater is broken, the freezer will run continuously.
Defrost Timer
Your unit’s defrost timer should run several times a day. Again, the timer’s purpose is to melt the frost that builds on the evaporator coils. If the defrost timer doesn’t go off, the evaporator coils will ice over and likely cause additional problems. To test whether the defrost timer is broken, turn the timer by hand until it clicks. This will cause the fans and compressor to shut off. If the heater and defrost thermostat are in good working order, the heater will turn on.
Sealed System Leak
The Frigidaire freezer sealed system is also known as the cooling system. It’s the system that moves coolant throughout the appliance, circulating cool air inside, and dispersing heat to the outisde.
To diagnose a sealed system leak problem, check the freezer coils for any visible signs of coolant leaks.
Freezer Coils Are Frozen
Do you see a lot of frost buildup on the coils located at the back of your commercial freezer? Frost buildup could mean that humid air is finding its way into your freezer. Frozen freezer coils will stop airflow. This will prevent proper cooling. To diagnose the issue, check the freezer door gasket and defrost the thermostat.
Door Gasket
Your unit’s door gasket creates a perfect seal that stops air from getting in or out of the freezer. If the freezer door gasket is ripped or torn, that seal is going to be broken and will allow humid air to leak into the freezer, causing the coils to ice over. You can test the door gasket by closing the freezer door on a slip of paper.
Then, if it takes a hard pull to remove the piece of paper, you know your gasket is forming a proper seal. On the other hand, if the piece of paper can be remove with little resistance, you can be sure the door gasket is not creating a proper seal.
Defrost Thermostat
The defrost thermostat detects whether or not the evaporator coils have reached the right temperature. When the evaporator coils reach the right temperature, the defrost thermostat will trigger the defrost heater. The defrost heater will turn on and prevent ice from forming on the coils and inside your unit. Therefore, if the defrost thermostat isn’t working, the defrost heater will not turn on.
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