It is usually such a worry to find that your freezer is no longer freezing. What to do? In this article, we focus on how to fix the problem of a Thermador freezer not freezing.
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Thermador Freezer Not Freezing – How to Fix
The following are the first things to check if your Thermador freezer is not freezing:
1. Circulation of Cold Air
When items are too close to the air vents in the freezer, they will prevent the proper flow of air from them and consequently, the circulation of air will be poor. In the same vein, packing the freezer too tight will affect the natural flow of cold air.
Therefore, keep the vents free. Don’t keep food like eggs and meat too close to them. And arrange the contents of the freezer in such a way that air can flow and freeze every item.
Additionally, avoid putting food that is too hot in the freezer. Doing this will cause the freezer to take a long time in cooling. Besides, it could damage the freezer in the long run. Leave the food out so that it can cool before you put it in the freezer.
2. Temperature in the Freezer
The recommended temperature a freezer should be set is 0 degrees Fahrenheit or -18 degrees Celsius. This temperature setting enables the freezer to freeze fully and evenly.
Any temperature setting that is lower than the recommended setting will affect the freezer’s ability to freeze. So check the temperature setting of your Thermador freezer to ensure it is at the right point. If it is not, adjust it to the right point. Then, give the freezer at least 24 hours to adapt to the new temperature setting.
3. Door Seal
A torn or weak freezer door seal will easily let in warm or humid outside air into the unit, compromising the cold air inside it. If the freezer is old, the chances of this happening are high. In addition, if the seal is dirty, the dirt will prevent the seal from sealing tightly, even if it is not weak or loose.
To determine if the door seal is still sealing tightly, try the dollar-bill technique. Open the door of the freezer, place a dollar bill halfway in and close the door on it so that a part of the bill is sticking out. Then, try pulling the bill out while the door is still closed. If it doesn’t come out, the seal is working fine and doesn’t need to be changed. But if you can pull it out, then you know that the seal is weak or loose. You should replace it.
Clean the seal if it is dirty. Cold water alone won’t do it. Use warm water and a little mild soap. Do this often so that dirt doesn’t build on the seal and compromise it permanently.
4. Contents of the Freezer
Stocking the freezer to overflowing will undermine its capacity to cool and freeze. This is because the cold in it will have a hard time flowing around. In the end, you will find that some parts are freezing while others are not.
Reduce the freezer’s content to make room for the cold air. It will help improve air circulation and you will find that things freeze faster and better.
However, if all the above is in place yet the Thermador freezer is not freezing, check the following parts for faults:
1. Evaporator Fan Motor
The evaporator fan makes sure there is no heat in the freezer by circulating cold air through the evaporator coils.
Usually, in Thermador freezers, the motor of the evaporator fan turns off when the door of the freezer is opened. But when you press the freezer door’s switch, the motor begins to run again. This is despite the door of the freezer still being open. It happens because the fan senses that the door is open and the temperature will rise as a consequence. So it runs in order to keep the freezer cool.
However, if pressing the switch does not get the evaporator fan motor running again, you know that something is wrong with the motor. Replace it as soon as possible.
2. Start Relay
The start relay helps the compressor run together with the start winding. If it is faulty, the compressor is likely not going to run. And if the compressor does not run, the freezer will not cool or freeze.
Unplug the freezer and remove the relay. It is usually attached to the side of the compressor. Place a multimeter between its two terminals and check for continuity. If you don’t find continuity, replace the start relay. And if you get any smell like a burnt odor, the relay is damaged and must be replaced.
3. Condenser Coils
Some freezers have the condenser coils found in the walls of the freezer. Other models have the coils behind or under them.
There is no need to clean the coils if they are inside the walls. But if they are outside, they will easily gather dirt and grime so they must be cleaned. Leaving them dirty makes them less efficient in removing heat from the freezer.
Turn the freezer off and clean the coils as thoroughly as you can. Wipe them down with a little water and mild soap if they feel greasy. And be sure to clean them regularly to keep them functioning optimally.
4. Evaporator Coils
The evaporator coils cannot function right if there is a buildup of frost on them. They will be unable to release cold air for the evaporator fan to circulate in the freezer.
You need to check the defrost heater. It is the component that should defrost the coils as soon as they become too cold. With a multimeter hooked up to it, check the heater for continuity. If there is no continuity, replace the heater because it is likely defective.
You can also check the defrost timer and the defrost thermostat for faults. If any or both of them malfunction, it will affect the defrost heater’s ability to defrost the coils.
But for a temporary solution to the frosted coils while you sort out the defrost system problem, manually defrost the freezer. Unplug it from the main socket or power down the circuit breaker and leave the freezer without power for several hours or even up to 24 hours. This is dependent on the ice in the freezer.
When this is done and you turn the freezer on again, give it a few hours to cool and see if the lack of freezing problem is solved.
5. Temperature Control Thermostat
If the thermostat is faulty, it will be unable to correctly read the temperature of the freezer and supply the needed voltage to the compressor and fan motors so that they can run efficiently. And if these parts don’t run, the freezer will not cool or freeze.
Turn the thermostat from the lowest temperature setting to the highest point to check if it is defective. Doing this should produce a click, letting you know that the freezer is working fine. But if you don’t hear the click, it is possible that the thermostat is faulty. To make certain, test it with a multimeter to check for continuity. If there is no continuity, replace the thermostat.
6. Condenser Fan Motor
The condenser fan is tasked with the job of drawing air through the condenser and taking it over the coils. If the motor of the condenser fan is faulty, the fan won’t be able to draw air. As a result, the unit will not cool at all.
Try and spin the blades of the fan to see if they spin freely. If they don’t, check the bearings of the motor as they are likely to be worn out. But if the blades spin freely and no external object is stopping them from spinning, test the motor with a multimeter to check for continuity. If there is no continuity, replace the fan motor.
The main control board, the user control and display board or the compressor could have faults that lead to a Thermador freezer not freezing. But you rarely see this happening. So it is important to make absolutely sure one or all of them are faulty before removing and replacing them.
Ensure the other parts are working fine before checking the main control board, the user control and display board or the compressor.
Additionally, let a qualified refrigerator technician take a look at the freezer’s sealed system to check for any leakage. A sure sign of a leak in the sealed system is a lack of freezing in the top part or top shelf of the freezer. If there is a leak in the sealed system or a freon leak, you will need to buy a new freezer.
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Important Note: If your Thermador freezer is not freezing, be it a chest freezer, a deep freezer, a bottom-drawer freezer, an upright freezer or a fridge freezer, following the detailed guide in this article will help you solve the problem.
Always unplug the freezer or refrigerator from the wall outlet or shut down the circuit breaker that powers it before you run any test on it. Doing this prevents electric shock and any damage to the unit.
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