Help appreciated with my Philco..

[bootsnslicks14]

After owning my Philco Fridge for over 6 years and using it daily most of those years with no problems, it decided it stopped wanting to get cold after I pulled it out of storage after moving.. I'm fearing the worst which is all the old R12 (I think that's the type of refrigerant it had in it) leaked out when it sat for 6 months...

The compressor comes on but it will not get cold at all...

Anyone have a guess at what else the problem might be?

Not sure of the year and model,but I do have some pics.

 

[bootsnslicks14]

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[bootsnslicks14]

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[funktionalart]

Here's a little bit of advise...

R12 coolant is not the first thing I would be concerned over. The most common cause for lack of cooling is going to be your cold control (thermostat) unit. I'd check that before anything else.

Second thing would be fully cleaning and examining the condenser coils--are they dust-laden and dirty?

Plenty of other people will see this message in short enough time so
I will leave big specifics to the real pros up here because there may or may not be Philco-specific issues related to your problem. The more knowledgeable may know whether or not there is a condenser fan on these units or not (I'm thinking no...but don't want to be wrong).

Give everybody a bit of time to see your message and before long you'll be seeing all sorts of useful commentary and advise. Hold tight (but don't think the worst just yet)!

 

[arbilab]

If it runs, at least the thermo is working that far. Has it been standing up the whole time? Things happen to certain models if they are laid down, standing a few days usually fixes it.

For everyone's reference, when you say "...not cold at all" do you mean your hand on the freezer walls feels only room temp? They should start chilling almost immediately.

Hate to think moving broke a weld and ALL the gas got out but OTOH if there is ANY gas at all it should feel colder than room temp within say 3 minutes. Evaporator status-- dust, fan-- will not alter this, just the temp it can reach after ~12hrs and recovery time when it's opened.

 

[goatfarmer]

If the compressor is running, and it is not cooling at all, the control is not the problem. It might have a miniscule refrigerant leak, and sitting 6 months helped it along.

 

About the only way to know for sure is to put a set of gauges on it, and see what shape the sealed system is in.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

With the compressor running stick your head in the freezer and you should hear refrigerant (or air) spraying into the evaporator.  If you hear nothing, you have a restriction which could just be oil in the capillary tube from the fridge being tipped over.  If you hear flow and it's not cooling at all, the freon has leaked out.

 

Ken D.

 

[bootsnslicks14]

Thanks to all replies.

@funktionalart: I am worried about the R12 since it's hard to come by and expen$ive. I doubt it's the thermostat since I let it run for over 24 hours straight and everything inside the fridge is still room temp.

@arbilab: Yes, it's been standing up for a very long time. When I say "not cold at all" I mean the freezer walls feels only room temp even after running for hours non-stop.

@goatfarmer: Yes, I was getting ready to do so, I'm guessing the system in these old fridges have high and low side just like the A/C systems in most vehicles?

@kenwashesmonday: I tried that and I do hear a hissing sound... Sounds like everything is pointing to a loss of refrigerant so far.. :-(

 

[rp2813]

Another auditory test:  Fill a pot or metal pan with boiling hot water and place it on the evaporator surface.  If you hear gurgling, there's still some refrigerant.  I've heard this referred to as "recharging" the system, which of course it isn't, but it might help you determine whether there's any R-12 left at all.

 

Same theory applies to making ice in metal trays.  Cubes will form faster if hot water is used in the trays instead of cold, and they are placed directly on the evaporator.

 

I'll defer to the physicists among us to explain why.