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I have a new Whirlpool side-by-side refrigerator that has a cooling problem.
I'm wondering if anyone has seen a similar problem on their fridge and what it took to fix it.
When I change a setting, I let it stabilize for 24 hours before recording the temperature.
I have three digital thermometers and three different brands, and they all give the same temperatures as I have set them on the same shelf to verify consistency.
So here's what I see:
The freezer cools well and at the default setting (3 bars), it stays around zero.
If I set it any colder, it can drop to -15, so I leave it at default. The freezer is fine.
With the refrigerator at the default setting of three bars, the top shelf will be about 37-38 and from the middle shelf down it'll be 41-42 degrees and goes no lower.
With the refrigerator set to 4 bars (freezer at 3), the top shelf stabilizes to 34-35 degrees and from the middle shelf on down is 41 degrees, with the very bottom being a degree warmer than the middle.
With refrigerator set to 5 bars (freezer at 3), the top shelf drops to 32-33 and the milk gets ice crystals. The middle shelf on down is 41 degrees.
These temperatures are what is seen the first thing in the morning, and during the day. As might be expected, they go up a bit when the door is opened and we're getting stuff, but soon returns to the stable value. I don't record those variations, only the minimum temps.
One of my thermometers is a remote wireless one with two sensors, so I don't have to open the door to check.
The fridge is about half full from normal right now because I'm not putting meat or spoilable products in the fridge at this time.
The service guy has already been out and replaced a part, but that didn't affect the problem.
I have tried setting oth freezer and fridge to 5 bars, and that's when I get -15 in freezer and 32 in fridge top shelf, but still 41 on bottom shelf drawer.
If it's new, it's under warranty. Call them and get them to check it out. If they suggest you try this or try that, I'd ask them to send their instructions or a l8nkbto their instructions via email.
Why? DIY repairs can easily lead to voided warranties. Not a good idea.
The crisper drawers at the bottom of the fridge are supposed to be just a tad warmer so your veggies don't freeze. I'm sure my crispers are lower than 41 degrees, though. (maybe I should put a thermometer in there and check it out)
Whirlpool generally makes good refrigerator. Call on the warranty and get it checked out. If the fridge is defective, get it replaced now and don't wait.
Coming back to add perhaps there is a small circulating fan that is not working and not moving the air around inside the fridge? That should be fixable under warranty.
What I'm curious about is whether other people have a similar temperature variation from top to bottom. I've done some more Internet reading, and it appears that side by side refrigerators do have a tendency towards being colder at the top and warmer at the bottom. But no one posts their actual temperatures, so I'm wondering if mine is atypical. So I'm asking people what their temps are, if they know.
What's normal these days? Is it a 2 degree gradient or 6 degree that's common?
In the past, I've always kept meats like bacon low in the fridge, but storing meat over 40 degrees isn't good. So I could just use an higher shelf, but I prefer not to be constrained.
Follow up on my OP.
The refrigerator steadily got worse over the next couple of weeks.
It began to run almost constantly, but the fridge part never dropped below about 45 degrees. I got a rental for the interim.
Whirlpool and the service contractors were good, they came out many times replacing various parts including the compressor and coils. They worked over the phone with the factory technicians. Eventually they decided it was an unfixable factory error of some kind and gave me a refund of the refrigerator price.
One lesson learned.
Consider not getting the warranty from the big box store. They do absolutely nothing during the first year factory warranty period, but they facilitate finger pointing if there's a serious problem and replacement is needed. You can get the manufacturer extended warranty later.
One lesson learned.
Consider not getting the warranty from the big box store. They do absolutely nothing during the first year factory warranty period, but they facilitate finger pointing if there's a serious problem and replacement is needed. You can get the manufacturer extended warranty later.
Extended warranties are not worth the paper they’re written on- that’s been true for several decades now. Nothing has changed!
They are chump-change generators for those that “back them”, and the retailers that sell them!
Extended warranties are not worth the paper they’re written on- that’s been true for several decades now. Nothing has changed!
They are chump-change generators for those that “back them”, and the retailers that sell them!
Ah yes.. And the same people who say this are often the ones yelling and screaming when something dies 4 months outside the warranty period thinking that they deserve to be covered under warranty.
Honestly.. I don't entirely disagree with you. Extended warranties have freaking rocket scientists crunching the numbers so that they make money. Those aren't being offered because a company wants to be nice or break even. But.. it is.. Insurance.
My rule is. If you can't afford to replace something.. Get the extended warranty.
The best example is a car. You should have warranty coverage, at least on major components, throughout the time you will be paying on it. I've bought three new vehicles, got extended warranty (Though the manufacturer) on all of them for powertrain. I've broken even once, lost money once and.. The third time? Got TWO transmissions replaced under the extended warranty. Which would have been out of pocket if I didn't have it.
The last thing you ever want is to be paying on a vehicle that is sitting in your driveway not running.
That being said.. You buy a toaster at Walmart and they ask if you want the service plan.. Hell, no.
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