LG Fridge Isn't Cooling - The Main Reasons. (1)

1. LG Fridge Isn't Cooling - The Main Reasons. This article was written by Serge from Serge Appliance Repair from Ottawa, ON. The LG refrigerator is one of the popular brands in the Canadian market. Its advantages are energy efficiency, modern design, and durability. The LG company usually provides a 10-year warranty for the cooling system and the refrigerator compressor. The main reason the LG refrigerator is not cooling is a faulty compressor. In this article, I will share my experience troubleshooting the primary issues with the LG refrigerator. Every refrigerator brand has its common problems. You can find enough information online explaining why LG could stop cooling properly. My purpose is not to explain all its possible issues, but to concentrate on the most common ones. When a new customer calls me and reports that their LG refrigerator isn't working, I know it will be one of three variants. I will explain all of them. 1. The refrigerator is not cold at all. The food in the freezer is defrosted, and the fresh food compartment is at room temperature. That could be a compressor or freon issue. The compressor is the heart of any fridge, providing the coolant circulation in the system. When it stops, the refrigerator dies. There are two compressor types: conventional, which operate with 120v AC, and inverter, the modern type, which utilizes variable DC voltage. New LG fridges usually come with an inverter compressor, which was introduced as more economical and quieter. The conventional compressor may stop because of its starting relay, which can be quickly replaced. The inverter compressor utilizes a special electronic inverter board, which is more expensive and requires a highly qualified technician for troubleshooting. The compressor itself can also be damaged. In this case, the new compressor should be installed. It could cost about $900 or more. This process will include soldering and freon charging. The compressor replacement is the most expensive and knowledgeable operation in domestic refrigeration repair. Sometimes the compressor runs correctly, but the system has no coolant. When a refrigerator loses over one-third of its freon, its cooling will be almost zero. If there is a small amount of freon in the system, it has leaked away. A law requires a technician to locate and repair the leakage before recharging the system. The standard method for leakage searching is nitrogen testing. We can inflate the system with nitrogen and achieve a high enough pressure to detect any small holes in the tubes and connections, which could be caused by corrosion or compressor vibration. The high-pressure nitrogen will widen the holes and exit with easily detectable noise. When the spot of leakage is identified, we can repair it by soldering, replacing the tubes, or the entire part, such as an evaporator or a condenser. After that, we can charge freon according to the manufacturer's specifications. 2. The refrigerator is not producing enough cooling. Usually, my clients tell me that the food in the freezer stays frozen, but the temperature in the fresh food compartment is about 12-15 °c ( instead of 2-4 °c). The freezer's temperature will be about - 7 to - 10 °c. Different reasons might cause this problem. If any refrigerator's parts are broken, the fridge won't be cold enough. However, when we talk about the LG refrigerator, the main reason is a faulty compressor. The specific case of the LG compressor malfunction is called a poor compressor or a weak compressor. The compressor will work, but won't provide a sustainable refrigerant pressure in the system. The most reliable method for diagnosing this issue is to install the piercing valve on the low-pressure side of the fridge and check the coolant pressure. The normal pressure is 0-2 psi, but in the case of a weak compressor, it will be around 15-20 psi. Any faulty compressor is not repairable and must be replaced. This repair costs from $800 to $1200, including the compressor, freon and materials. I suggest you contact LG customer service to see if your refrigerator is under warranty. Look at this: LG compressor lawsuit