Your Fisher and Paykel fridge is susceptible to common refrigerator problems like freezing problems. However, the solution to your Fisher and Paykel fridge freezing food is not as farfetched as you think.
In this article, we will discuss the reasons for this problem and how to fix them.
Table of Contents
Fisher and Paykel Fridge Freezing Food – Why and Solutions
The following are reasons your Fisher and Paykel fridge keeps freezing food and how to solve them.
1. Temperature Set Too Low
If the temperature of the fridge is set too low then it may be the cause of the problem. Check your manual for the ideal temperature for your fridge. If you do not find this in the manual then it may be 37°F-40°F as this is the ideal temperature for most fridges.
Some models do not show the temperature of the fridge, if this is the case with your fridge, then you need an appliance thermometer. Check the fridge temperature and if it is below your fridge’s ideal temperature or 37°F then increase the temperature.
However, ensure you do not exceed the maximum temperature as this will make your fridge too warm.
2. The Coils are Dirty
If the coils of the fridge are dusty or dirty it may cause the compressor to work overtime in a bid to maintain the fridge’s temperature. And this may result in the fridge getting too cold and cause the food in it to freeze.
To fix this you simply need to clean the dirt and dust off the coils. Before you do this, adjust the fridge to a position that will make the coils accessible. And turn off the fridge to ensure safety.
Use a vacuum to take off the dust and dirt from the coils and turn the fridge back on.
3. Worn-out or Leaking Gasket
The fridge door has a gasket otherwise known as door seals. And it helps to make sure the fridge closes off properly. However, if the gasket is cracked, leaking, or worn out, it may result in two things.
i. It may cause the refrigerant system to work continuously and cause the fridge to become too cold and freeze food.
ii. Or it will allow warm air to enter into the fridge. When this happens, the warm air will solidify and becomes frost and may cover the vents. This will then make the refrigerant sytem work overtime and cause the fridge to get too cold.
To check if the door gasket is worn-out, turn on a flashlight and put it in the fridge. Next, close the door of the fridge and if you can see the ray of the flashlight, then the gasket is bad and should be replaced.
How to Replace Your Fisher and Paykel Fridge Door Gasket
To replace the door gasket of your Fisher and Paykel fridge, follow the steps below.
i. Turn off the fridge and disconnect it from the power socket.
ii. Open up the fridge and then grab the top edge of the seal and slowly pull it off the track.
iii. Get the new seal; there should be a little plastic dot at each corner of the new seal. However, ensure you get a door seal compatible with your fridge’s model.
iv. Clip the plastic dot to the top corner of the track. Do the same at the other corner and the bottom edges as well.
v. Work your way up around the seal, clipping the seal back into the track.
vi. Go round the track again to make sure there’s no pump and the seal is laid on properly on the track.
vii. Close the door and turn the fridge back on.
4. Food Placed Close to Air Vents
Cool air which helps the fridge to maintain its temperature is supplied to the fridge from the freezer through vents. Where the vents are located are mostly the coldest parts of the fridge.
Therefore, if foods are kept in the path of the air vents, they will get very cold and may freeze up. To stop this, locate all the vents in your fridge and avoid storing foods in the path of the vents.
5. Broken Damper
The damper controls the amount of cold air that goes into the fridge. It does this by closing and opening periodically.
If the damper gets broken, it may stay open and allow too much cold air to enter the fridge. If this is the case, then the damper has to be replaced.
Watch this video for how to replace your fridge’s damper.
6. Malfunctioning Thermistor
Some models come with a thermistor that observes the air temperature of the fridge. It does this by reading the temperature and sends the reading to the control board so it can regulate the refrigerant system.
A malfunctioning thermistor will read the temperature incorrectly and this incorrect reading will be used by the control board. As a result, the refrigerant system may operate overtime.
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How to Diagnose Fisher and Paykel Fridge Thermistor
To diagnose your Fisher and Paykel fridge thermistor, do the following:
1. For safety, unplug the fridge from the electrical socket.
2. The control board is usually located at the ceiling of the fridge. Check and drop down the control board.
3. Remove all wire harness connected to the thermistor and take it out.
4. Put the thermistor in a glass of ice water.
5. Get a multimeter and use it to measure the resistance of the thermistor.
6. Your fridge has a tech sheet that shows the temperature resistance chart for your fridge.
7. If the readings you get on the multimeter do not match what is on the chart, the thermistor is malfunctioning. So, get a thermistor that matches your fridge’s model and replace the malfunctioning one with the new one.
7. Faulty Control Thermostat
The control thermostat regulates the fridge’s temperature by turning the refrigerant system off and on periodically. So, a faulty control thermostat may cause the evaporator fans and compressor to work overtime.
To diagnose the control thermostat, make sure the compressor is operating. Next, turn the temperature dial from the lowest to the highest level.
As you do this, listen for a click which is an indication that the refrigerant system has gone off. If there is no click, the control thermostat is faulty and should be replaced.
How to Replace Fisher and Paykel Fridge Control Thermostat
Follow the steps below to replace the control thermostat on your Fisher and Paykel fridge. You will need a flathead screwdriver, a Philip screwdriver, and a plier.
i. Unplug the fridge from the power socket.
ii. Take off the first shelf to make more room.
iii. Depending on your model, the control thermostat may be on the ceiling or the top side of the fridge. Use the Philip screwdriver and take off the screws holding the panel in place.
iv. Use your fingers and pull off the temperature dial. Afterward, remove the screw you see underneath the dial with the plier, turn it anticlockwise.
v. Pull out the panel and you will see your thermostat. And disconnect all wire harness connected to the thermostat. Next, gently pull out the thermostat.
vi. Take the new thermostat; use your finger to push the probe into the little hole.
vii. Reconnect all the wire harness back to the thermostat, ensure you do this correctly. Push the thermostat back in the panel.
viii. Put the panel back in place, screw it in. Put the temperature dial back on.
8. Call a Service Technician
If all of the above does not fix the problem, then we advise that you call a service technician. This may be the case of a malfunctioning temperature or main control board. However, these problems are not easy to handle by oneself unless you have ample technical knowledge.
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