460
Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
defrost a refrigerator or freezer, the unit must be
unplugged. The contents of the refrigerator or freezer
must be stored in a cooler or in a different refrigerator
or freezer until the defrosting is complete. The doors
are propped open so the outside air can thaw the frost.
To accelerate the defrosting process, a large pot
of very hot water can be set inside the cabinet. A hair
dryer or a heat gun can be used to blow hot air on the
frost buildup to speed its removal. Keep the heat gun a
safe distance from the cabinet walls and move it back
and forth to avoid warping or otherwise damaging the
cabinet walls.
Caution
Removing Ice
Never use a sharp object to remove ice from the
evaporator. Doing so may puncture the evaporator.
The chance of damaging the evaporator is too great
to risk forcible removal of the frost in an attempt to
speed the defrosting process. While evaporator repair
Removing Ic e
Never use a sharp object to remove ice from the
evaporator. Doing so may puncture t h e evaporator.
kits are available, the durability of a repaired evapora-
tor is much less than that of an undamaged evaporator.
When the defrosting is complete, remove any
water that has accumulated. Wash the inside of the
cabinet with a solution of baking soda and water and
thoroughly dry it.
19.2.4 Moisture and Ice
in the Cabinet Insulation
The presence of moisture and ice in the cabinet
insulation means there is an air leak in the outside
cabinet shell. The leak allows warm, moist air to enter
this space. When the warm air strikes the cold inner
liner, any moisture in the warm air condenses on the
cold surfaces.
When this occurs in the refrigerator cabinet, the
insulation becomes wet. The moisture causes the insu-
lation to lose its heat-insulating qualities. When insu-
lation becomes ineffective, it causes the following two
symptoms:
• The condensing unit runs more often than normal.
• The outside surface of the refrigerator feels colder
than normal.
In a freezer compartment, the condensed mois-
ture will form ice in the insulation. The symptoms will
be the same as in a refrigerator. If this condition contin-
ues, enough ice will soon build up to cause the sides of
the cabinet to buckle. The leak in the cabinet shell must
be located and completely sealed.
Most freezers provide a small opening through the
inner lining. This connects the insulated area with the
inside of the freezer cabinet. The temperature inside
the freezer is much lower than the insulation tem-
perature. Therefore, any moisture will tend to escape
through this small opening. It will then condense on
the evaporator surface.
19.2.5 Ice Maker Problems
An ice maker requires the proper functioning and
timing of all components. If an ice maker is not func-
tioning properly, check the following:
• Make sure the ice maker has been properly installed
and is connected to water and electric power.
• Make sure the freezer compartment is at the
proper temperature. Check the temperature of the
mold to determine if it is above 15°F (–9.5°C). If
the freeze temperature is above 15°F, it is not cold
enough to close the ice maker thermostat.
• Make sure that several ice making cycles have
been completed and the ice maker is in the
freezing cycle.
Gasket material with
preformed corners Magnetic strip
Sealed Unit Parts Co., Inc.
Figure 19-7. A universal refrigerator door gasket replacement
kit. This kit includes door gasket strips and magnetic material.