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Question about refrigerator coils

8 months ago

Hello.


I am trying to clean fridge especially the components that need to be cleaned as part of maintenance. I came across lot of videos where they suggested that I need to clean coils.


I own Maytag fridge and when I opened the back panel, I found below components. Am I correct in assuming that the coils are the one with blue arrow? The pipe (identified by red arrow) is going from the black component and is connecting to the coils. Did I identify coils correctly?


Thank you!






Comments (9)

  • PRO
    8 months ago

    yeah the condenser coils would likely be behind that shroud where the fan is, however appliance manufactures aren't really about making these appliances serviceable.


    They want people to buy a new one as opposed to maintaining one.


    Also it appears from the refrigerant tubing present that it might be aluminum. In addition to that the refrigerator may contain flammable refrigerant as many modern refrigerators contain propane, or Isobutane. The charge is typically quite small but the boom up close probably would not be fun thing to endure.


    So depending on what you use to clean the coil or how you are going to go about doing that? At the very least take it into a well ventilated area. If you cause a refrigerant leak trying to clean it? I doubt it would be a cheap repair, and if older buying a new one is probably the better option.


    If it's an older fridge it might have R134a which isn't flammable. But I think those didn't have a condenser fan the condenser was a blackish kind of grill that covered nearly the entire back of the fridge back in those days.

  • 8 months ago

    Agree that the coil is most likely behind that black cover. Honestly, I'd just leave it alone.

  • 8 months ago
    last modified: 8 months ago

    Thank you both. Are you saying that there could be more layers of coils? I am seeing one layer of coil in the picture which I cleaned. This is 2004 maytag.

  • 8 months ago

    I can't even access the coils on our Bosch Dual comp. fridge is on the side panels of the fridge. No clue if encased in foam but regardles, in-accessiable

  • 8 months ago

    What is the refrigerator model number?

  • PRO
    8 months ago

    I am seeing one layer of coil in the picture which I cleaned. This is 2004 maytag.


    This is probably R134a or some refrigerant before that. The pink white sticker on the compressor kind of indicates this but I would always verify that before you go poking around on stuff especially in a not so ventilated area in today's world of changing refrigerants for sport and given this is over 20 years old fridge not worth the trouble of messing around if it is still working.


    The condenser fan blades and the shroud in general gives clues that the "dirty side" of the condenser is hidden and not truly intended to be cleaned. The scoop of the fan blade of the fan suggests the air is pulled from the front of the fridge thru a ducted air channel possibly and blown back across that of the compressor. So the dirty side of that coil (a smallish kind of radiator looking metal box. see picture below.)


    Here's a picture of one. Not a cheap part by the way and while this one in the picture is a copper coil, the one for this fridge may be aluminum?


    The dirty side of the coil would be on the opposite side of the fan. So how you gonna get to it to clean it without breaking it. Number one rule for maintaining something is that if you break it, you know how to fix it. Or if it isn't broken, don't try to fix it -- take your pick.




    What do you mean it's going to cost me $2000 to repair my 20 year old fridge? I can buy a new one for that much.


    The why... money and econ 101. The little wouldn't do it so the little got more and more... to the point it's better to buy a new one.

  • 8 months ago

    Thank you, all.


    My model number is MTF1893AR. ChatGPT could not find manual for this model but claimed that the closest series is MTF1893ARW


    When I looked up the manual for that series (https://www.searspartsdirect.com/manual/2qwc4hvre8-003048/maytag-mtf1893arw-top-mount-refrigerator-parts), it mentions about "No Clean Compressor" on Page 14.


    " A clean condenser means more efficient refrigerator operation. Thanks to the unique design of the No Clean Condenser, there is no longer a need for routine condenser cleaning in normal home usage surroundings. Some operating environments may be particularly dusty or greasy. In these situations, the condenser can be periodically cleaned to insure maximum efficiency. "

  • 8 months ago

    @Austin Air Companie It is using R134a refrigerant.

  • 8 months ago
    last modified: 8 months ago

    MTF1893AR doesn't include the last letter which is the color code. W (white), Q (bisque), S (stainless steel), B (black). The owner's manual doesn't change based on color.

    Whirlpool bought Maytag in 2006. Documentation for many Maytag products has since been added to Whirlpool's professional service portal, which now has a "guest search" for non-paid public access.

    Maytag MTF1893AR* Refrigerator

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