anyone know anything about refrigerators?

[troy.70R/T]

I have a problem with my refigerator. It is a frost free refigerator and has never needed to be defrosted before. However in the last 9 months it has started frosting up. I defrosted it once and then it worked fine for about 4 months but it has slowly frosted up again. The fan in the back that blows the cold air down to the fridge still works. when it is defrosted it is plenty cold in freezer and fridge part. Freezer -20 and fridge at 34.   can anyone give me any ideas what might be wrong. It is just a garage fridge but I don't want to buy a new one if I don't have too.

[squeakfinder]

  I don't work in freon refrigeration but the fundamentals are the same as anhydrous ammonia which I do work in.
The typical thing that fails is the defrost timer. The simplest and least costly fix would be to unplug the refrigerator every few months.

[skip68]

Isn't 34° a bit cold for the refrigerator side?    I've always thought it should be around 38°-42°        
I'm thinking you're running it to cold.   

[Steve P.]

Depending on how old the frig is, it can be a few things. If it is an older unit, (PRE COMPUTER), it is more than likely the defrost timer. The timer is typically set to basically shut off the frig. for an hour or so every night. Some learn by when the door opens least and other simply have 1 setting.

Today's expensive piles of crap are completely run by a computer that is built into it.. Ours has 3 boards in it that have already been changed 2 separate times over the last 6 years. The new ones really do learn when you use it most and least and defrost accordingly. Only the new ones actually have a heating coil that works in the same way as you putting a toaster in the fans path and quickly melting away the frost. But they also have crazy issues. Our "LAST" issue was the defrost never turning OFF... We are lucky the pile of crap didn't burn the house down as it damn sure melted the white plastic lens that covers is and a light. It has an OVERHEAT thermal probe in it that did not work either..

When working properly, these new refrigerators do save you money every month in your power bill, but the repairs and loss of food in our case has been horrifying. All the repairs have been under our extended warranty. (7 of them). The first time it went out was when it was just 1 year old and we were away for the week. Worse was that just before leaving we went shopping and loaded the freezer for the month. A local grocery store does some real strong meat ads about once per month, so we try to buy then. We returned home and the house smelled like death!!!!!!

It yours is pre-computer, YOUTUBE will be the place to see how to change the timer. If that works and you like your frig, buy new door seals for it now and save them in a cool dry place in the original bags so you will have them when it's time to replace them.. Try to keep that fridge forever....  hahaha... We have one from 1988 in the garage that is ugly and smaller but NEVER gives ANY trouble....

What ever you do, stay away from SAMSUNG APPLIANCES.... Of 5 BN units we bought when we remodeled this house, the washer is the only thing that has not has work done on it. Worst of all was the Microwave. We have been in this house just over 6 years. 

[troy.70R/T]

Thanks Steve and Squeakfinder. I will look on youtube. The fridge is a 1999  and a Roper brand. If I do decide to buy parts to fix it is there a good place on the internet to buy them from. Thanks again guys

[NHCharger]

I've had this problem with some of the fridges at my rental units, it's always the same problem. There is a drain tube on the back side of the freezer that drains any condensation down into a pan below the refrigerator. The condensation is minimal so the water just evaporates. Over time the tube becomes plugged with debris causing the water in the tube to back up, intially causing a frost build up, then a ice build up. These are HotPoint, an offshoot of GE. Find an exploded parts view of your model and see if it has this drain tube.

[BB14404SPD]

I've had this problem with some of the fridges at my rental units, it's always the same problem. There is a drain tube on the back side of the freezer that drains any condensation down into a pan below the refrigerator. The condensation is minimal so the water just evaporates. Over time the tube becomes plugged with debris causing the water in the tube to back up, intially causing a frost build up, then a ice build up. These are HotPoint, an offshoot of GE. Find an exploded parts view of your model and see if it has this drain tube.

Also check the heater and bi-metal that are attached to the evaporator.

[A383Wing]

If we weren't not meant to have midnight snacks....why is there a light bulb inside the fridge?

[polywideblock]

check your seals there could be a crack in the seal letting outside (moist)air into fridge

[A383Wing]

your -20* seems a bit too low for freezer, and the fridge side should be around 40*ish....should be up around "0" for freezer...we had this issue a while back...it was the circuit board inside that was faulty....cost about $300 for a guy to get the part and fix it...works fine now

[myk]

For food safety purposes, keep your fridge side at 41* or lower...

[hawkeye]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnRKj7_BtNw   
Lots of good how to videos out there.  If it is still cooling, it is an easy fix.  The electronic ones are a little more complicated but none of it is brain surgery.