Freezer is Cold & Refrigerator is Warm

[yos9694]

Check defrost thermostat.

Not so easy in that fridge set up. The defrost thermostat doesn't have a removable wiring harness on one side, so you have to cut the wire (later splice it back together with a wire nut). Then you can test for continuity. But it's probably not worth doing in his case.

Another thing that would be easy to test now (but probably not the issue) is the defrost heater. That has a wiring harmess connection on each end, so its easy to put a multi meter on the wires now that its already exposed.

[yos9694]

I had a similar thought because there's no heating element there, but I didn't come to a conclusion about coolant leak, why can't it be a broken fan that causes the issue?

I can see your fan in the picture. Turn on the fridge. Does the fan spin?

[yesitsme]

I would add,
I have a cold water dispenser in the fridge and my kids love to drink from it, they jump in all the time to get water or ice cubes, it the beginning of the summer the water dispenser wasn't working because it froze up, not knowing the reason I tried checking if it's the filter, I tried turning it and being that's its frozen I caused a leak in the filter housing, I turned off the water and everything worked fine till a few weeks ago when I fixed it, https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=117621.msg2494502#msg2494502
it started freezing up again

[yos9694]

I would add,
I have a cold water dispenser in the fridge and my kids love to drink from it, they jump in all the time to get water or ice cubes, it the beginning of the summer the water dispenser wasn't working because it froze up, not knowing the reason I tried checking if it's the filter, I tried turning it and being that's its frozen I caused a leak in the filter housing, I turned off the water and everything worked fine till a few weeks ago when I fixed it, https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=117621.msg2494502#msg2494502
it started freezing up again

Now accepting bets with 5:1 odds that its a refrgerant issue

[yesitsme]

Fan works

[yesitsme]

Now accepting bets with 5:1 odds that its a refrgerant issue

Do you see any reason why having a working dispenser has a correlation with ice build up?

[yesitsme]

Would dusty coils be able to cause this? It is very dusty
The problem have with refrigerant is its not DYI

[yos9694]

Do you see any reason why having a working dispenser has a correlation with ice build up?

Not because its working obviously. You're describing a lesser cooling problem that happened shortly before this bigger problem. It's a pattern of slow failure.

Despite what they say, you could definitely recharge coolant DIY. However, the biggest problem is that if you have a leak (and if the fridge is low it definitely means a leak) it will continue to leak even after you recharge- so unless you can find and repair the leak don't bother recharging the system. That stuff is nasty and I would not want to live with even a small amount leaking constantly into my house.

[srap]

Is your freezer packed?
Is your fridge leaking water on the floor?

Before you go and replace any parts:

1.  Put your hand near the fridge ceiling in the back.  In the middle of the ceiling of the fridge compartment there is a plastic housing component.  That is where the cold air from the freezer descends into the fridge.  Can you feel cold air coming in over there?  (You can wet your hand to have a better feel.)  If yes, fan is working.  If no, fan is not working or the hole is blocked with ice. 

2.  You can stick your fingers up into the hole to feel for a blockage of ice.  If your finger doesn't touch any ice, you can stick up a dull knife, ice pick or nut pick.  If it hits ice, then you know the chute has been blocked by ice, no/little cold air can get through, and the fridge will get warm.

3.  Behind the freezer back wall, in the center of the freezer floor, you will find a hole which is the top of the chute where freezer air descends.  Again, feel down with your finger or a long object.  Do you feel ice?  If yes, same as #2 above so defrost that chute (defrost fridge, pour hot water down the blocked chute [make sure to have a receptacle under chute on the top shelf of the fridge section to catch the descending water] or use a hair dryer [UNPLUG FRIDGE]).  If no, you may need to replace a part at that point.

[yesitsme]

I put everything back together and turned it on, am I supposed to feel air flow from the bottom of the fridge? I don't feel anything blowing

[CountValentine]

That is not the defrost issue. I would bet money that is a coolant leak.

If it was defrost you'd see ice on the coils. What you're seeing is ice on the pressured line. That means the compressor is working too hard, i.e. not enough refrigerant

He had it unplugged for sometime. The pan was filled with water and there was no water before he unplugged it. The ice melted off the coils.

Now this very well could be a refrigerant issue but if it is he is SOL. Unless they changed things these are sealed units and he will not be able to add refrigerant. This is why I said check the thermostat since it is easy to do.

Also if you don't want to go any further plug it back in and see what happens.

[CountValentine]

I put everything back together and turned it on, am I supposed to feel air flow from the bottom of the fridge? I don't feel anything blowing

See if the fan in the back is turning (not the one in the freezer).

[yesitsme]

Is your freezer packed?
Is your fridge leaking water on the floor?

Before you go and replace any parts:

1.  Put your hand near the fridge ceiling in the back.  In the middle of the ceiling of the fridge compartment there is a plastic housing component.  That is where the cold air from the freezer descends into the fridge.  Can you feel cold air coming in over there?  (You can wet your hand to have a better feel.)  If yes, fan is working.  If no, fan is not working or the hole is blocked with ice. 

2.  You can stick your fingers up into the hole to feel for a blockage of ice.  If your finger doesn't touch any ice, you can stick up a dull knife, ice pick or nut pick.  If it hits ice, then you know the chute has been blocked by ice, no/little cold air can get through, and the fridge will get warm.

3.  Behind the freezer back wall, in the center of the freezer floor, you will find a hole which is the top of the chute where freezer air descends.  Again, feel down with your finger or a long object.  Do you feel ice?  If yes, same as #2 above so defrost that chute (defrost fridge, pour hot water down the blocked chute [make sure to have a receptacle under chute on the top shelf of the fridge section to catch the descending water] or use a hair dryer [UNPLUG FRIDGE]).  If no, you may need to replace a part at that point.

I do feel air not very powerful though, by now it's empty but was packed

[yos9694]

I put everything back together and turned it on, am I supposed to feel air flow from the bottom of the fridge? I don't feel anything blowing

The fridge has its own evaporator and fan. Air should be coming out the top of the tower (do you have an air filter there?). It might turn the fan off when you open the door though, try holding down the door switch. Or you can do test 3 in diagnostics

[yesitsme]

See if the fan in the back is turning (not the one in the freezer).

Yes it is

[CountValentine]

The fridge has its own evaporator and fan.

Does it have its own compressor? This fridge has two compressors?

[CountValentine]

Yes it is

Then don't worry about feeling air at the bottom.

[yesitsme]

The fridge has its own evaporator and fan. Air should be coming out the top of the tower (do you have an air filter there?). It might turn the fan off when you open the door though, try holding down the door switch. Or you can do test 3 in diagnostics

Works

[yos9694]

Does it have its own compressor? This fridge has two compressors?

One compressor. They call it twin cooling. Its two evaporator coils but i think they are fed by the exact same pressured line. The one in the fridge is a lot smaller

[CountValentine]

One compressor. They call it twin cooling. Its two evaporator coils but i think they are fed by the exact same pressured line. The one in the fridge is a lot smaller

I am looking at the parts diagrams and don't see a second fan or evaporator coil for the fridge. Do you have a link?