Even though Waeco fridges are built to work in tough climatic conditions, they are, however, not immune to the major problem of most fridges— cooling. If your Waeco fridge is not cooling, this article will serve as a guide for you to troubleshoot and fix it.
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Why Is My Waeco Fridge Not Cooling?
If your Waeco fridge is not cooling, here are some of the likely reasons and how to fix them:
1. Frosted Evaporator Coils
If the evaporator coils of your fridge are frosted over, it may not be able to cool enough or at all. The frost takes about 6 months to build up, and it insulates the evaporator coils and fan when it builds to a certain level. You must inspect the coils to determine whether or not frost has accumulated on them.
If there is a significant amount of frost on the coils, turn off the fridge and manually defrost it. Leave it off for some time, depending on the amount of frost, and keep a towel ready to mop the excess water. Ensure the gasket seals tightly and there is no cause for ice or frost buildup to clog the coils again. Otherwise, you may need service the fridge.
2. Defective Evaporator Fan
The function of the evaporator fan is to circulate air throughout all sections of a fridge. If the fan fails to work, the cold air may remain trapped in the evaporator coil compartment, which means the fridge cannot cool.
Conducting a continuity test can help you determine if the evaporator fan is the root cause of the cooling problem of your fridge. You can use a multimeter for this test and replace the fan motor or entire fan assembly if you find no continuity.
3. Defective Defrost System
All fridges come with a defrost system that facilitates cooling and defrosting. A typical defrost system has a defrost heater, a defrost thermostat, and a defrost timer.
The latter toggles the fridge between defrosting and cooling mode. If the defrost timer is defective, the cooling mode will not function. Consequently, frost will accumulate over time and reduce air circulation. Similarly, the cooling mode will not activate, causing the fridge’s temperature to rise drastically.
On the other hand, a defrost heater facilitates the melting of frost that has accumulated on the evaporator coils. Without the heater functioning well, the coils and other parts build frost over time and compromise the cooling capacity. This is especially true if the temperature setting is too low.
If both the defrost heater and defrost timer are faulty, your Waeco fridge will not activate its cooling and defrosting system. The same is true if the thermostat is defective, even if the timer is in good working condition.
Just like for an evaporator fan, conduct a continuity test to know whether or not you need to replace the defrost system.
4. Faulty Compressor
A compressor is to a fridge what a heart is to the human body. When your heart fails, the body stops functioning. Similarly, the fridge is as good as useless when a compressor fails. The fridge will not be able to compress the refrigerant to the high-pressure level needed to facilitate cooling.
The refrigerant is supposed to flow to the evaporator coils from the condenser in its high-pressure vaporized form, where it cools down. The air circulation over the evaporator coils is how the fridge gets cold, so if the compressor fails, the cooling system fails.
In light of this, disconnect the fridge from the electric power and wait a few minutes. Next, turn the temperature knob to 0 or OFF and reconnect the fridge to the electric power. Turn the temperature knob to mid-settings and listen to the sound of the compressor when the fridge runs. If there is no sound, consider calling a repairman to check th compressor and recommend a solution.
5. Low Refrigerant Level
Think of a refrigerant to a fridge the way you think of blood to the human body. If a human being loses blood to a certain level, death will be inevitable. In the same manner, if a fridge loses too much refrigerant due to leaks, it will not be able to cool, and eventually pack up.
If you notice your fridge door seals are bad, that means the refrigerant must be leaking. Turn off the fridge by unplugging it or powering off the circuit breaker. Then, hire a service technician to check the refrigerant level and fix possible leaks in the cooling system.
6. Dirty Condenser Coils
The condenser coils disperse heat from the system while condensing the refrigerant. However, the coils quickly get dirty, and dirt acts as a blanket that traps the heat. As a result, the system overheats and compromises the cooling system. Cleaning the coils once or twice every year is crucial to help them perform optimally.
You can use a vacuum cleaner or a condenser coil cleaning brush for the job. Alternatively, have an appliance technician clean the coils if unsure how to do it. You will find them at the back of the appliance.
7. Defective Condenser Fan
Another common problem with a fridge is a defective condenser fan. This fan blows air over the condenser coils and compressor to prevent overheating while they operate. Therefore, a defective condenser fan cannot cool these parts, which typically leads to overheating.
The compressor may shut off too often, restricting the cooling process. Also, the coils will build heat until the fridge no longer cools as it should. If you suspect the fan is not working, test the motor with a multimeter to determine its functionality. Replace the fan and motor if it shows no continuity.
8. Faulty Start Relay
You will find the start relay close to the compressor, as with other fridge models. It is the device that helps the compressor start when you turn the fridge on. The compressor will not start at all or will have a hard time starting if the relay is faulty.
And if the compressor does not run, the fridge cannot cool. Detach the relay from the compressor and run a continuity test on it using a multimeter. Replace the relay if you find no continuity or if it rattes when you shake it.
9. Defective Start Capacitor
The start relay works with a capacitor to help the compressor to kick start. If the start capacitor gets burnt, the compressor will not work, and the refrigeration cycle will not take place. Consequently, the fridge stops cooling.
Just like for a start relay, you need a continuity test to verify the working condition of the start capacitor of your fridge. If the start capacitor is defective, your only option is to get a new one. Some capacitors function as one device with the start relay, so you may want to get such a device and a protector from power surges.
10. Faulty Thermistor
Without the thermistor, your fridge will not understand the programming behind its start and stop cooling cycle. Or simply put, your fridge will not cool at all or cool continuously without a working thermistor.
Hence, if you notice that the source of your fridge cooling problem is the thermistor, replace it. Check out the video below to learn more about fixing a thermistor…
Check out these other articles on refrigerators not cooling for other brands…
- Dometic Refrigerator Not Cooling [Simple Solution]
- Engel Fridge Not Cooling [Quick Fix]
- JennAir Refrigerator Not Cooling [What to Do]
- Lec Fridge Not Cooling [How to Fix]
- Norcold Refrigerator Not Cooling [What to Do]
- Neff Fridge Not Cooling [What to Do]
- U-Line Refrigerator Not Cooling [How to Fix]
To Wrap Up
If your Waeco fridge is not cooling, ensure you run all the necessary steps to determine the source of the problem and fix it. Fortunately, there are simple steps to check faulty components, and this article explains the steps in detail. Follow the guide, run tests, and replace faulty ones. Alternatively, hire an appliance technician for further assistance.
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