Samsung French Door Refrigerator RF28HFEDBBCAA-09 - Freezer Not as Cold

[linekona]

Model Number

RF28HFEDBBCAA-09

Brand

Samsung

Age

1-5 years

Hi,

I have a Samsung RF28HFEDBBC AA-09 French Door where the freezer is not as cold as it used to be. I was hearing a loud sound like a fan was about to die just prior; noise went away shortly after and then noticed things in the freezer don't freeze hard or when making ice in ice cube trays it take much longer to get hard. The temperature on the door display shows as before 0 and 37. Is it the evaporator fan motor that went bad in the freezer? Is there a way to test or confirm that it is this fan that went bad?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Jake]

Hi,

The freezer fan should be running at all times when the refrigerator itself is running, if the refrigerator is running and that freezer fan motor is not running and the freezer temp. is rising, then you will need to replace that freezer fan motor.

Usually the freezer fan motor is getting power, but not running, due to the motor bearing going bad. You can use a multimeter SET on DC Volts and see if your getting power to it, your meter should read about 12 Volts DC.

Here's the evaporator(freezer) fan motor for your model you can order:
DA31-00146H Motor


When you click the part link you will see a HOW TO video that shows you how to replace it.

Let us know how it goes.

Jake

 

[linekona]

Thanks for the reply and info. This is very helpful. Will let you know how it goes. BTW, would you happen to have the tech data sheet and service manual for this refrigerator model?

Thank you!

 

[Jake]

Yes, here it is: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TAr7JobRaVaf6Z4MRf-2JFC-3xJolr1T/view?usp=sharing

Let us know how it goes.

Jake

 

[linekona]

Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. Will report back after fix.

 

[Jake]

Ok, sounds good.

Jake

 

[linekona]

Replacing the freezer evaporator fan didn't seem to help. As a matter of fact, it seems worse now. Before the replacement, ice would be made maybe a day to a day and a half. Now, it's not making any ice at all. I put a thermometer in the freezer and it will read 25 degrees Fahrenheit at the lowest temperature. I tested the old evaporator fan using a 12V powertool battery and the fan worked.

I should've done the same with the new fan before installing it to make sure it was good, but to me it doesn't seem like the fan is the issue since the old one seems to work fine. The temperature on the display on the door shows 0 and 37, just like it always has when the refrigerator was working perfectly, but stuff in the freezer is not getting frozen.

I also do notice that the defrost cycle seems to run more often. Don't recall it running this often before when the refrigerator was working okay. Also, the freezer light does come on when I open the freezer door so the light switch in the freezer seems to be okay. I guess the next to test would be to test the connector itself in the freezer when it is running to see if I'm getting the right voltage 8-12 volts? Thanks.

 

[Jake]

I guess the next to test would be to test the connector itself in the freezer when it is running to see if I'm getting the right voltage 8-12 volts?

Yes, absolutely, see if you get 12 volts DC at that evaporator fan motor electrical connector when it should be running.

If no 12 Volts DC, then your control board is the problem.

Here's the control board for your model:
DA94-02679B


Jake

 

[linekona]

Thanks, Jake. To test the evaporator fan connector when the refrigerator is running (I will have the freezer door off and the back cover off inside), what are the things to do to make sure that power should be going to the connector? I believe the freezer door light switch needs to be depressed and there may also be a delay before the fan may actually come on after the refrigerator is turned on?

Thanks!

 

[Jake]

All you do is tape the door switch closed and make sure the compressor is running and take the volt reading at the electrical connector to the fan motor.

Jake

 

[linekona]

Thank you, Jake. Will give that a try.

 

[Jake]

Ok, sounds good.

Jake

 

[linekona]

Hi, so an update on this issue. I replaced the evaporator fan and temperature sensor in the freezer compartment and also the main board. I also verified the evaporator fan is spinning when power is applied, but the freezer compartment is still not getting cold enough and freezing items in it despite the temperature on the door display displaying 0 and 37 (freezer and fresh foods compartments respectively). The fresh foods compartments seem to be working properly as things gets cold enough in there and the ice maker is making ice.

Also, when I put a thermometer in the freezer compartment, it registers around refrigerator temperature, which is just below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I also do noticed that the compressor seems to cycle off and on more often throughout the day ever since this issue started. I don't recall it cycling off/on that often before.

What else can it be that's not causing the freezer compartment to not freeze items? Is it the compressor? The refrigerator is a little over 5 years old. Any help on this is greatly appreciated!

 

[Jake]

Yes, its likely the compressor is faulty and not staying running to get the freezer down to 0 degrees.

Check your owners manual warranty, some models have a 7 year warranty on the compressor.

Jake

 

[linekona]

Thanks, Jake. I checked it says 10 year parts, 5 years labor (just missed the labor. fridge purchased 11/2016). I will need to call. Thanks.

 

[Jake]

Ok, at least you have 10 years on the compressor.

Let us know how it goes.

Jake

 

[linekona]

So just wondering, could it still be the compressor even when the fresh foods and ice maker areas seem to be working okay? Thanks.

 

[Jake]

Yes, because the freezer evaporator coil should be getting a thin layer of frost on all the coils.

Have you looked at your freezer evaporator coil to make sure that's the case?

Look at the BOTTOM photo below.

Jake

 

[linekona]

Hi Jake, yes , the two times I've opened the freezer back cover, there was no frost at all on the coils. Even when the refrigerator has been running for a while, I'll remove the upper storage tray and feel along the back cover area and it doesn't feel like freezer temperature. It feels more like the fresh foods temperature or barely cool enough. Yeah, what I also find really strange since having this issue is how often the compressor seems to cycle off and on. And when it cycles back on, it makes a really loud noise, but will eventually quiet down after a few minutes as the compressor gets up to speed it seems.

I've also tried turning on the Power Freeze mode and the temperature on the door display will show -8 degrees Fahrenheit but the freezer temperature does not seem to change at all. It still feels barely cool and doesn't seem to get any cooler with this mode enabled.

Thanks.

 

[Jake]

Ok, then yes it sure sounds like a compressor problem to me.

Jake