Refrigerator runs in cooling mode for 2+ hours.

[mrsilv04]

The things that you start to notice when you're trapped at home for weeks at a time.

Is it normal for a refrigerator to run in cooling mode for 2+ hours continous? Once it shuts off, then it is off for a couple of hours. I checked and the compressor, coil, and fan is clean, and it is maintaining its temperature.

I've just never been around enough before, to notice how long it runs.

 

[JC1]

How old is the fridge? My kitchen-aid (Whirlpool) side by side doesn't run for that long and it's from 2002.

 

[stockrex]

My one had the following issues, search for my cleaning thread on how to clean also:

1. The ice door was leaking moisture and freezer was icing up and heater would run and cooling and heater and so on and never stop the cycle
2. Ice was also forming in the refridge...
3. Fan and heat exchanger coils were clogged with dust.

Here what I did:
1. Turn on unit and used a room heater on the freezer side to melt the ice and remove ALL the ice.
2. Taped and sealed the ice door and added some bubble wrap and insulation below the tape, I don't use the ice maker anymore. thinking of buying an external ice maker.
3. vacuumed the coil and fan and everything I could reach

 

[racin4ds]

I don't think any refrigerator should be running for 2+ hours solid... mine is quite a few years old and runs for about 10mins every hour or so.

 

[Donald]

does not sound right.

 

[Rand]

need more info, how full is fridge, icemaker, model/age, what settings does it have and what are on..

my cheapo 2010 budget model tends to run for 15min/hour or so. but sometimes longer if I just loaded it up with gallons of room temp water etc.

 

[440Magnum]

Newer fridges run almost continuously, but throttle the load (either via evoprator regulator or variable speed compressor) as needed. It's more efficient than cycling. The irony is that I heard our Samsung fridge start as I typed this (probably was defrosting) and now the compressor speed is slowly ramping up.

The older conventional fridges I remember having seemed to run much longer cycles than I expected, but I honestly never paid that much attention to the actual minutes on/off.

 

[PimTac]

Clean your door gaskets and the door opening surfaces they close on. Inspect the gaskets for any problems. How old is this fridge?

 

[Lou_Boyle]

Redundant comment Would not let me delete in full.

 

[LvR]

If you have a design where you also have an internal circulating/distribution fan, make sure that it is running ............. if its not then it will take ages to get the temp down and to trigger the thermostat.

If all the above doesn't explain it then same thing goes for a very slow refrigerant leak ............. system takes ages to get to thermostat set-point

Is the external condenser coil at the back/under the fridge acting normal and getting real hot (you can touch it but don't want to hold it for more than a few seconds) on the one side closest the compressor and quite a lot cooler (5-10C) on the other side just before it enters the cabinet?

 

[LvR]

Could also check for a stuck/lazy defrost timer if fitted.................

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted by mrsilv04
The things that you start to notice when you're trapped at home for weeks at a time.

Is it normal for a refrigerator to run in cooling mode for 2+ hours continous? Once it shuts off, then it is off for a couple of hours. I checked and the compressor, coil, and fan is clean, and it is maintaining its temperature.

I've just never been around enough before, to notice how long it runs.


Can be. Mine does.

but ...

a) Whats the ambient room temp setting?( our house is around 65F in the Kitchen when the oven is not going)

b) Do you have the Freezer and Fridge set to NORMAL?

c) Is anything blocking ( in front of and nearly against) the air circulator fan in the freezer ? I try to leave a "tunnel" from my fan from back to front - that seems to help everything work.

lot of folks must have their freezers chock full these strange days

 

[AC1DD]

Originally Posted by 440Magnum
Newer fridges run almost continuously, but throttle the load (either via evoprator regulator or variable speed compressor) as needed. It's more efficient than cycling. The irony is that I heard our Samsung fridge start as I typed this (probably was defrosting) and now the compressor speed is slowly ramping up.

The older conventional fridges I remember having seemed to run much longer cycles than I expected, but I honestly never paid that much attention to the actual minutes on/off.


This.

The best thing to observe is does the unit maintain the proper temperatures? If so it probably is working as intended if not you have a problem.

Many people totally MISS checking to see if the CONDENSER coil is clean, but they check the evaporator coil.

CONDENSER coil is located at the back of the fridge usually next to the compressor, and they are often clogged with dust!

To access unplug the fridge! Then remove the metal or cardboard access panel at the bottom of the unit (usually screwed in) and you will see the condenser coils...
GENTLY use a vacuum brush attachment to remove the dust, then reinstall the access panel and plug in the unit start and observe function does it change?

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by AC1DD
Originally Posted by 440Magnum
Newer fridges run almost continuously, but throttle the load (either via evoprator regulator or variable speed compressor) as needed. It's more efficient than cycling. The irony is that I heard our Samsung fridge start as I typed this (probably was defrosting) and now the compressor speed is slowly ramping up.

The older conventional fridges I remember having seemed to run much longer cycles than I expected, but I honestly never paid that much attention to the actual minutes on/off.


This.

The best thing to observe is does the unit maintain the proper temperatures? If so it probably is working as intended if not you have a problem.

Many people totally MISS checking to see if the CONDENSER coil is clean, but they check the evaporator coil.

CONDENSER coil is located at the back of the fridge usually next to the compressor, and they are often clogged with dust!

To access unplug the fridge! Then remove the metal or cardboard access panel at the bottom of the unit (usually screwed in) and you will see the condenser coils...
GENTLY use a vacuum brush attachment to remove the dust, then reinstall the access panel and plug in the unit start and observe function does it change?


The newer ones are pretty hard to clean unless you tilt it backwards, unless I'm going about it entirely wrong. Mines W shaped, removing the panel only lets you get the front most row.

 

[JHZR2]

I don't know about two hours, but they do run longer. It's more efficient for a smaller compressor to run longer at high load, then a larger one to run shorter, apparently. They also can change geometry in some of them to operate differently.