Fridge not cooling (but freezer is)

[telstarbox]

We have an upright Swan fridge freezer about 6 years old. It was in storage for 6 months and we've recently set it up in our new house.

It makes the normal fridge sounds and the inside light comes on , but the fridge doesn't seem to get as cold as before. The freezer seems to be fine (ice cubes haven't melted!) Any ideas of what we can do?

[Diver300]

There are two kinds of fridge freezer. The frost-free ones direct cold air to the fridge and the freezer with fans and flaps, so they control the temperatures separately. The simpler type just controls the fridge temperature and the freezer temperature is set colder by design, and isn't controlled.*

Both types have a control on the fridge temperature.

The fact that the ice isn't melting isn't a good measure of the freezer temperature. It should be about -18 deg C, and it can be a lot warmer than that before the ice melts.

Is there are temperature control on it? Have you measured the temperature?

*This type can have problems with not operating at all in cold buildings, because the fridge bit is cold enough, and the freezer thaws.

[mrcharly-YHT]

How long did you give it to settle before switching it on?

Many fridges need to sit for a bit after being disturbed.

[ian]

Have you checked whether there's a fat bloke hiding inside?

[T42]

That which maketh blokes fat, doubtless.

[Wombat]

Is the fan that wafts the cold air up from the freezer section to the fridge section jammed or otherwise not working?  Obviously its not iced up (which they sometimes do), as you've only just recommissioned it.  Sometimes its hiding behind a cover on the inside of the back (or the back of the inside, whatever...)

It was repeated failure of that, which led to the demise of our last 2 Hotpoint fridge freezers.  Unsurprisingly the new one isn't a Hotpoint!

[hellymedic]

Does the light go off when the door is closed? Is the light LED or incandescent?
Is there a switch in the hinge you can tape?

I'm only used to ancient appliances!

[T42]

Is the fan that wafts the cold air up from the freezer section to the fridge section jammed or otherwise not working?  Obviously its not iced up (which they sometimes do), as you've only just recommissioned it.  Sometimes its hiding behind a cover on the inside of the back (or the back of the inside, whatever...)

It was repeated failure of that, which led to the demise of our last 2 Hotpoint fridge freezers.  Unsurprisingly the new one isn't a Hotpoint!

Sounds like what our Samsung fridge/freezer is suffering from.  I bunged a thermometer in early this morning and ten minutes ago it was showing 10°C.  OK for drinks but none too sure about the 10-day-old boiled ham.

[SpaceBadger]

I had exactly the same problem, only after a longer period of storage. I’m told either refrigerant had leaked (no obvious sign if this was what happened), or in some way evaporated. Either way, it stopped being capable of cooling a even a semi filled fridge. The freezer worked fine, which solved the cold beer problem. Couldn’t find anyone who could or would repair it. It was, sadly, new fridge freezer time.

It stood for well over 24 hrs after being moved and was stored upright.

[telstarbox]

Thanks everyone! I've tried cleaning the cooling matrix and compressor as they were dusty.

[telstarbox]

If anyone's interested, it wasn't working because it was leaking pentane into the kitchen :/ so unfortunately it's going to the tip.