Have an upright freezer that is not cooling. The last time I checked (I've turned it off since then), it was cooling very slightly - probably 60-70* F. My guess is the compressor is out or something - anyone know how I can either fix it myself, or someone that can repair it?

It's unbelievable that many of my relatives have had freezers for 20+ years, outside (garage/carport) in the elements, and never had a single problem. I buy one, and BAM! Broken within 6 months. I've got a feeling I got screwed by a shady seller.

Contact Henry Hefner on the forum...He's a great guy and should be able to tell you what to do...

Oh, and out of curiosity, was the seller one of your family members? Cause it might not be that they are shady, it could be that they just don't like you....

My freezer was almost 15 yrs old when I bought it and that was 23 years ago and it sits in the garage! lol Been thinking about replacing it too for fear I might come home to a defrosted freezer sometime. Like you said though, some relatives have freezers in their garages that are old and work fine, my Mom has 2 in her garage and both are over 30 yrs old.

Thoroughly defrost it.

My frost free upright freezer have never, ever worked properly. It gets a build up of ice on the bottom that is from water coming in through what looks like a vent close to the bottom. I had it on extended warranty for years and years and years. Repeated repairs calls never, ever fixed the problem. It will allow the food to defrost if the ice is now cleaned from the bottom and out of the vent area.

When the ice builds up in the bottom and starts backing up into the vent, I just take a hammer and gently break the ice and clean it out. If there is ice in the vent area, I can put a high velocity fan that thoroughly defrosts it in 30 minutes.

It is 20 y/o now and works beautifully except for this pesky problem.

TexasBlonde,

I never tried letting it completely defrost and start up again. I did (obviously) when I bought it and started using it, but I see what you're saying.

LSS, I'll contact Henry. Good guy

Did you get it fixed? If it is freezing around the coils, it could just need freon.

My problems is a flaw in the design or engineering. In fact I have basically the same problem with the refrigerator by the same company. There are three vents at the top of the frig and they become blocked with ice. If that happens, the frig does not stay cold. I have to open it and set the fan to blow on those vents to defrost it. They it works beautifully until they get clogged again.

The Energy Star Rating has driven the new freezer manufacturers to install smaller compressors which do not hold up nearly as well in hot environments as the older models.

If you plan to put one in the garage, the best bet would be to find an older model.

The new ES models belong inside a temperature controlled environment, even at that- I doubt they'll last as long as their predecessors.