In this article, we discuss the problems with a Samsung freezer not freezing as it should. If you have been having trouble with this, you have come to the right place.
Table of Contents
Samsung Freezer Not Freezing – What to Check
If your Samsung freezer is not freezing as it should yet it is running, check the following:
1. Evaporator Fan Motor
Check the evaporator fan motor by testing for continuity between the windings. If there is no continuity or the motor is making a strange noise, replace the fan motor.
The evaporator fan is responsible for drawing air over the evaporator coils and circulating the air throughout the freezer. If the fan is defective, it can’t circulate air so the freezer won’t get as cold as it should.
2. Frost
Check the sides of the freezer to see if there is frost on them. If there is, then there could be frost on the evaporator coils. And if there is frost on the coils, they won’t be able to circulate cold air into the freezer.
To be sure the coils have a frost buildup on them, open the interior back panel of the freezer; you will see the coils. So if there is frost on them, you will have to defrost the freezer manually.
Now, if the freezer has an automatic defrost system yet frost built up on the coils, then one or more of the components of the defrost system is defective. Contact a professional to take a look, determine which part is causing the problem and fix it.
3. Setting
Check the temperature setting of the freezer to be sure it is set to the coldest point. If you are not sure which point is the coldest, consult your owner’s manual.
However, if your freezer has a manual dial, the coldest point is the highest number and the warmest point is the lowest number.
And if your freezer has digital temperature control, the higher the number, the warmer the temperature in the freezer gets.
4. Compressor
If the compressor is humming, then it is not the cause of the lack of freezing in the freezer. But if it is not humming, unplug the unit and plug it in again. This should reset the compressor and enable it to reload. But if doing this doesn’t get the compressor running again, you need to contact a refrigerator repair agent to help repair it.
5. Condenser Coils
Check the condenser coils behind the unit to see if they are dirty. Clean them with the soft brush head of your vacuum cleaner. Then, dust any remaining dirt away with a soft cloth. Repeat this process every 3-6 months.
Dirty condenser coils will not be able to dissipate heat from the unit. This will eventually reduce the cooling ability of the freezer.
6. Air Circulation
The freezer will be able to freeze only if there is a proper circulation of air. And air won’t circulate properly if there is any item in the freezer blocking the air vents and preventing the fan from pushing air through.
Therefore, be sure that the air vents are free of any obstacle. Additionally, rearrange the contents of the freezer to make more room for air to move and cool the compartment.
7. Content
If the freezer contains too many items, cold air will not move around efficiently. Reduce the content of the freezer so that air can circulate better and get the freezer to freeze faster and better.
8. Seal
Check the seal around the door of the freezer to see if it is worn or leaking. This is especially true if the freezer has put in a few years of work.
Close the door of the freezer tightly and feel around it to see if you can feel cold air seeping out. If you can, then you know the door seal is bad.
But if you cannot, try the dollar bill trick. Open the door and close it again on a dollar bill. Then, try and pull the bill out without opening the door. If you can’t, you know the seal is still sealing tightly. However, if you can, you know it is time to replace the seal.
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Here is a video showing the simple step you can take to fix a Samsung freezer not freezing…
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Samsung Freezer Making a Noise and Not Freezing – What to Do
If your Samsung freezer is making a noise and is not cooling, it could as a result of the evaporator fan freezing up and not circulating well.
The noise you hear is the blades of the fan hitting the ice. And because the fan cannot circulate well, there will not be enough cold air to make the freezer to freeze. It is important to defrost the freezer manually in order to remove the ice buildup.
To defrost it manually, unplug the freezer from its dedicated wall socket. Then, take all the contents of the freezer, which are perishable, out and store them in another freezer or a cooler.
Place towels around the bottom edge of the freezer so that they will absorb melting ice. Also, place a pan or tray to catch the water.
Give the freezer at least 24 hours to fully defrost. This is so that you will be sure the ice that has built up on the fan fully melts.
Plug the freezer back in and give it about 2-3 hours to cool enough for you to store food in it again. After doing all these, the noise will disappear but there is no guarantee it will not return. So, you need to check why ice is building on the fan and fix it.
If your freezer is supposed to defrost automatically, then the defrost components are malfunctioning. To accurately verify what the cause of the problem is, contact a qualified refrigerator technician.
In addition to the above, the noise could be coming from the compressor. The compressor tends to rattle when it is about to pause. The pause should last for about 10 seconds and the compressor starts again.
However, the noise is not loud. So if it is loud and the pause is too long, there is a problem with the compressor. And it will affect the cooling ability of the freezer. You will need the services of a technician to fix it.
Samsung Refrigerator Ice Maker Not Freezing – Solutions
If your Samsung refrigerator ice maker is not freezing, that means it is not able to make ice. There are a few factors that can affect this:
1. Freezer Temperature Is High
Check the temperature of the freezer to see if it is below 100F or -120C. If it is, then the temperature is not the problem. But if the temperature exceeds this point, the ice maker will not freeze enough to make ice. Typically, the temperature should be at 00F or -180C.
If you did not set the high temperature yourself, adjust the temperature to the right point. Then, check the condenser coils for dirt. Clean them if they are dirty.
Additionally, check the evaporator coils for frost buildup. Thaw the frost by manually defrosting the freezer. But this will also tell you that one or all the components of the defrost system has malfunctioned if your freezer has an automatic defrost system.
2. Water Inlet Valve Is Faulty
A faulty water inlet valve will not be able to supply enough water to the ice maker. Also, if it does not have enough water pressure, it won’t be able to get water to the ice maker. Consequently, the ice maker will not be able to make ice.
So, if the pressure of the water is up to 20psi, then test the power of the valve. If there is power and good pressure yet there is not enough water to make ice, replace the ice. And if there is no power in the valve, replace it.
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3. Ice Maker Is Defective
The cause of the ice maker not freezing enough to make ice could be that the ice maker has become defective. But before you replace it, check the water line, the water inlet valve and the fan to see if they are faulty. If they are all in good working order, replace the ice maker assembly. This is because most of the parts of an ice maker don’t come separate from the ice maker itself.
4. Water Pressure Is Low
The supply of water to the ice maker usually comes from the house where the refrigerator is located. If the water pressure in the home is low, it will affect the water which the inlet valve will supply to the ice maker.
Water pressure which is less than 20psi won’t be sufficient to get the ice maker to make ice. This is rarely the case but check the water pressure in the home. If it is less than 20psi, contact a plumber to fix the problem and see if it solves the ice-making issue.
Other parts you can check for faults are the water filter, the ice maker mold thermostat, the door switch, the ice maker module, ice maker switch and the ice level control board.
Samsung Freezer Not Freezing But Fridge Is Cold – Fixed
If you have a Samsung fridge freezer with a fridge that cools and a freezer that does not freeze, check and fix the following:
1. Evaporator Coils
One of the primary reasons a freezer does not freeze while the fridge is cold is frozen evaporator coils. The coils are behind the inside rear panel in the freezer, so empty the freezer and remove the access panel. Inspect the coils for frost accumulation. If that is the case, leave the fridge freezer off and open the doors so that the frost can melt.
If your Samsung fridge freezer has an automatic defrost function, the frost may indicate a problem with the defrost system. Therefore, troubleshoot further after defrosting to determine the fault defrost system component and replace it. Check the defrost timer, defrost thermostat, and defrost heater.
The evaporator coils release cold air after the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air. But if the coils are frozen, which happens if warm air enters the freezer and condenses on the cold coils, the frost forms and traps the cold air. Consequently, there will not be enough to freeze things, although the freezer and fridge wil remain cold.
2. Vents
Inspect the freezer vents to ensure nothing obstructs them. The vents allow cold air to pass into the freezer from the evaporator coils, and if ice, dirt, or any item obstructs them, the freezer will stop freezing. The first step is rearranging the items in the freezer to see if it improves cooling and freezing.
But if the problem persists while the vents are unobstructed, ensure they are fully open and ice des not cover them. Put a hand over them while the freezer runs to feel the air from the coils. If they are not strong or cold enough, you must check the coils and clear them of ice if necessary.
3. Temperature Setting
Another crucial aspect is the temperature setting. The freezer must be at an optimum setting to freeze. Typically, the setting should be 0 degrees Fahrenheit and must not exceed 5 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range enables the ice maker to produce ice and the freezer to preserve food.
However, higher settings create a warm temperature that may cause foods to spoil. Therefore, adjust the temperature one degree at a time until you achieve the right setting. Press the freezer temperature button until you can select the temperature and give the freezer 24 hours to run and stablize the new setting before adjusting it again.
For models without a digital setting, use the temperature control knob or dial inside the freezer to adjust the settting. Keep it at mid-point for the best results.
4. Door Gasket
Inspect the door gasket to ensure it is not weak. A weak gasket cannot create a tight seal to keep the warm air out. As a result, the freezer loses cold air, compromising its capacity to freeze. Replace the gasket with a compatible type to improve the freezer’s freezing capacity.
5. Condenser Coils
Dirty coils trap heat in the fridge freezer, makig it difficult for the cooling system to function. While it may affect the entire unit, the fridge may remain cold because it does not need much to cool.
The freezer, on the other hand, needs the compressor and fans to run at a certain speed before it can freeze. Therefore, clean the coils to remove the dirt trapping heat in the system. A vacuum cleaner or coil cleaning brush will do the job.
Top Half of Samsung Freezer Not Freezing – How to Fix
Here are the possible reasons why the top half of your Samsung refrigerator is not freezing:
1. Poor Circulation of Air
Poor circulation of air can make the top half of the refrigerator not freeze. While the refrigerant of the freezer is flowing well, the cool air it is producing goes nowhere. It gets trapped at the bottom. Therefore, the bottom half freezes well.
Check the air vents and remove any item blocking it. And rearrange the items in the freezer to make for better air circulation. When it gets better, the top half will begin to cool and freeze subsequently.
2. Clogged Air Filters
If the air filters in the vents of the freezer are clogged with dirt, it will affect the flow of air into the unit. With time, the flow of cold air will become too poor as not to reach different parts of the freezer. Therefore, replace the air filters and see if it will fix the issue.
3. Defective Evaporator Fan
Check to see if the evaporator fan is frozen solid or if the fan motor has become defective. You can thaw the ice from the blades if there is any. But if the motor is defective, you need to replace it. A bad evaporator fan will not be able to circulate the cold air in the freezer.
4. Frozen Evaporator Coils
Frozen coils will be unable to dissipate heat from the refrigerant as it goes back to a gaseous form. Consequently, the refrigerant can carry the heat into the freezer and cause its cooling ability to reduce.
Defrost the freezer manually to thaw the ice on the coils. And if they are dirty, clean them with a soft cloth so they can work efficiently.
Recap
It is rare to find a Samsung freezer that is not freezing. However, when this happens, you know hat there is a defective part of the refrigerator that needs replacing.
Sometimes, it is difficult to find that particular faulty part. So the best approach is to contact a qualified refrigerator technician to do the job for you. A few extra dollars but it could save a lot of stress and time.
At this point, we would like to remind you to unplug the refrigerator before you touch anything for repairs. Even if you just want to check some parts, it is still important to unplug it. Doing this will prevent accidents in the form of electric shocks and damage to the unit.
In addition to the above, if you have work gloves that can work for refrigerator repairs, use them. They serve as extra protection when working with electrical appliances.
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