My freezer had been working fine up until a few weeks ago when I turned it off then back on a few minutes later. After that we could get water to freeze but fruits and vegetables along with ice cream ended up being squishy. Yesterday my wife put a thermometer in it and found that the temp was around 30 degrees so she turned it from 5 to 6 and the temp increased to 32. Last night we defrosted it overnight then turned it back on to 1 this morning and a few hours later it was at 30 degree so she turned it up to 2 and checked it a few hours later and the temp was up to 60 and is staying there. The freezer itself is around 10 years old.

Do you have any ideas as to what I could do?

Thanks!

It sounds like the relay/overload has failed. Do you hear any clicking down by the compressor? Use an ohm meter to check the overload on the compressor. It should read closed. See if the compressor is hot to touch.

__________________
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: BEEHIVE APPLIANCE....... 1985-1988
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: HANSEN REFRIGERATION. 1988-1998
OWNER/SERV TECH: RICK'S APPLIANCE REPAIR...1998-2001
SERVICE MANAGER:Used Appliance store..... 2004-PRESENT
ONLINE SERV TECH: ApplianceBlog.com ApplianceJunk.com
LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE:..................... 1977-1979
CERTIFIED TYPE 1; TYPE 2.....REFRIGERATION SERVICE E.S.

The compressor definitely feels like it is well over 100F. Exactly how high do you consider hot?

On the good side the warranty on the compressor is 10 years and it is just under 10 years old.

The compressor is making what sounds like a buzzing sound but more like an old alarm clock going off...

What 2 points on the compressor should I be checking for overload? Im a programmer and don't often pull freezers apart.

It definately could be the compressor. Was the compressor running?

__________________
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: BEEHIVE APPLIANCE....... 1985-1988
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: HANSEN REFRIGERATION. 1988-1998
OWNER/SERV TECH: RICK'S APPLIANCE REPAIR...1998-2001
SERVICE MANAGER:Used Appliance store..... 2004-PRESENT
ONLINE SERV TECH: ApplianceBlog.com ApplianceJunk.com
LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE:..................... 1977-1979
CERTIFIED TYPE 1; TYPE 2.....REFRIGERATION SERVICE E.S.

Well it the freezer is plugged in and on 1 so it could be running but Im not exactly sure how to tell.

Feel the compressor. You should be able to feel it running.

__________________
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: BEEHIVE APPLIANCE....... 1985-1988
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: HANSEN REFRIGERATION. 1988-1998
OWNER/SERV TECH: RICK'S APPLIANCE REPAIR...1998-2001
SERVICE MANAGER:Used Appliance store..... 2004-PRESENT
ONLINE SERV TECH: ApplianceBlog.com ApplianceJunk.com
LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE:..................... 1977-1979
CERTIFIED TYPE 1; TYPE 2.....REFRIGERATION SERVICE E.S.

It is not running now and it is very warm/hot and I don't think it was running before.

Feel the compressor. You should be able to feel it running. Is it starting to get cold? Can you see any frost lines inside the freezer?

__________________
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: BEEHIVE APPLIANCE....... 1985-1988
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: HANSEN REFRIGERATION. 1988-1998
OWNER/SERV TECH: RICK'S APPLIANCE REPAIR...1998-2001
SERVICE MANAGER:Used Appliance store..... 2004-PRESENT
ONLINE SERV TECH: ApplianceBlog.com ApplianceJunk.com
LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE:..................... 1977-1979
CERTIFIED TYPE 1; TYPE 2.....REFRIGERATION SERVICE E.S.

Ok, Is there a fan by the compressor?

__________________
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: BEEHIVE APPLIANCE....... 1985-1988
SERVICE TECHNICIAN: HANSEN REFRIGERATION. 1988-1998
OWNER/SERV TECH: RICK'S APPLIANCE REPAIR...1998-2001
SERVICE MANAGER:Used Appliance store..... 2004-PRESENT
ONLINE SERV TECH: ApplianceBlog.com ApplianceJunk.com
LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE:..................... 1977-1979
CERTIFIED TYPE 1; TYPE 2.....REFRIGERATION SERVICE E.S.

I just turned it back on and the compressor started running making a little bit of noise but it sounds normal to me (kind of like an AC compressor running).