Why Is My Midea Freezer Not Freezing? Let’s Fix it!

It is annoying when freezers don’t work as you might have to throw away a lot of food. There are several reasons why the freezer might not get cold. Let’s try to find the solution asap.

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The reasons a freezer may not be working include

  1. The freezer is overpacked.
  2. There is too much ice (frost) in the freezer.
  3. Check the condition of the coils.
  4. The thermostat is not working.
  5. The starting relay is not functioning.
  6. The coil is broken.
  7. The compressor is broken.
  8. The motherboard needs to be resetted
  9. We need to add some freon

How Does A Midea Freezer Work

Freezers and refrigerators do not cool air. It may seem counterintuitive, but the actual process used to cool the inside compartment removes the heat in the air in the unit, and as the heat is removed from the air, the energy is reduced, and the air cools down.

The process that makes a freezer work is relatively simple, but it does involve multiple steps.

  1. Inside the freezer wall are curved pipes (called evaporator coils) filled with a liquid refrigerant.
  2. A pump is attached to the pipes. The pump sucks the refrigerant from the lines, turns the liquid into a gas.
  3. Turning the liquid into gas removes some heat from the freezer. 
  4. The effect is the same as sweat running down your hot face cools it down.
  5. The pump then pushes the liquid into a coiled pipe installed at the back of the freezer.
  6. The pushing action compresses the gas and turns it into a liquid.
  7. This action causes latent heat energy to be released into the atmosphere.
  8. Therefore, the back of the freezer is always warm to the touch.
  9. Once the heat is released, the refrigerant is pumped into evaporator coils, and the process is repeated.

In summary, when the refrigerant is in a gaseous state, it removes the heat from the freezer, and when it is pumped to the tubes at the back, it releases the heat it took from the freezer cabinet into the kitchen.

What Can Go Wrong With A Midea Freezer

Several possible issues can cause a Midea freezer to stop working or become less effective.

The Freezer Is Overpacked

If the freezer is packed solid and the airflow is restricted, the hot air will not reach the coils in the freezer wall, and no heat transfer can occur.

If the freezer is not reducing the temperature sufficiently, you should ensure that it is not packed too tightly.

It is recommended that you remove the freezer’s contents and place them in another freezer or fridge. It might be time to eat some of that delicious ice cream that you have stored in your freezer.

Clean the interior of the freezer and give it time to cool down. If it doesn’t reduce the temperature in this condition, the problem may lie elsewhere.

There Is Too Much Ice (frost) In The Midea Freezer.

If too much ice or frost builds up in the freezer, it may affect the freezer in two ways.

  1. The frost may clog up the vents, which give access to the cooling coils which keep the freezer functioning.
  2. Too much ice may have the same effect as an overpacked freezer in that it may restrict the airflow, and the warmer air does not reach the cooling coils.

If this seems to be the case, take the following steps.

  1. Empty the freezer.
  2. Switch it off.
  3. Thoroughly clean all debris, frost, and icicles out.

Switch the freezer on and close the lid. If the freezer still doesn’t cool down, proceed to the next step.

Check The Condition Of The Coils

If your freezer has exposed coils inside the freezing compartment, check that they are clean and no debris or dirt affects the operation.

If they are dirty, the dirt will either absorb the heat or act as a barrier that prevents the air from having its heat removed.

Use a vacuum cleaner to clean around the gaps and crevices, and use a warm cloth to clean the surface of the coils.

Close the freezer, switch it on and check the temperature. If it still does not cool down, continue with the diagnostic process.

The Freezer May Not Be Starting

A thermostat controls the temperature in the freezer. 

As the air temperature inside the freezer begins to heat up, the thermostat activates a relay, which causes a coil to send a burst of high amperage current (called starting electrical current) to the compressor that begins to operate.

When the temperature is reduced to the required level, the thermostat stops the compressor from working.

If the starting relay is damaged, the compressor won’t start, and the freezer won’t cool down.

The compressor is responsible for the low hum which freezers emit. 

It is easy to check if the compressor is not working because the freezer will produce no noise. To test this

  1. Switch off the freezer
  2. Open the hatch for a short while to raise the temperature in the freezer.
  3. Close the lid and switch on the power to the freezer.

It takes some minutes for the thermostat to start working, but if there is no noise coming from the freezer after a little while, there is a problem.

The issues which could be causing this problem are

  1. The thermostat is not working.
  2. The starting relay is not functioning.
  3. The coil is broken.
  4. There is something wrong with the compressor.

If you don’t have DIY skills, we recommend a trained technician identifies and resolves the problem. You can also try to reset the motherboard with the following steps:

The Freezer Evaporator Fan Is Not Working

The freezer has an evaporator fan that constantly runs and moves air around the cabinet to ensure an even temperature throughout.

Evaporator fans are designed to shut off when the door is open. Open the freezer lid and hold down the freezer door switch to check if it is working. If the fan does not startup, it may be broken.

The Seals May Have Worn

If the door, or lid, seals have worn, they may not be providing an airtight seal, which will result in cool air escaping and warm air entering the freezer compartment.

If the freezer is making all the right noises but not maintaining a cool temperature, this may be why.

Even if the freezer is working, a damaged door or lid seal will result in the compressor running for more extended periods, increasing your monthly electricity bill.

You might have to add some Freon

Freon is a cooling liquid. Over time some can leak. You can add some by using a refill kit. It is necessary to check how much your device needs before you add more. You shouldn’t add too much or too little. A scale can be used to check how much has been added. Be careful when you do this and wear protective equipment.

Newer devices can warn you when there isn’t enough freon in the freezer.

Conclusion

As simple as the technology which runs a freezer is, some things can go wrong, and the way to trace the problem is by following a logical sequence of steps eliminating every reason which is not causing the issue.

We take the science which makes freezers work for granted, but the reality is that freezers and refrigerators have changed the lifestyles of billions of people around the world. When they go wrong is the time that their impact is felt.

Midea freezers are made overseas. While they offer good value, things can go wrong. It is quite hard to find a technician that will work on them. For this reason, you might have to do some troubleshooting yourself.

This can take some time as you have to go over multiple steps. In most instances, it is quite easy to find out why your freezer is not freezing.

A small part that is broken can already cause problems. Luckily it is quite easy to replace these. If this didn’t help, you can always check the manual or reach out to the manufacturer.

References

https://www.midea.com/content/dam/midea-aem/my/refrigerators/upright-freezers/300l-upright-freezer-muf-307ss/MUF-307SS%20User%20Manual.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator

https://www.homeserve.com/en-us/blog/how-to/fix-your-freezer/

https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-how-do-freezers-work-144566#:~:text=The%20cooling%20pipe%20is%20connected,of%20the%20freezer%20cool%20down.