Replacing the evaporator in the refrigerator, price

The evaporator is the most important, but too vulnerable part of any household refrigerator. If this unit fails, you need to quickly respond to a breakdown and replace the broken part.

What is an evaporator? This is a refrigerator assembly that converts the refrigerant (freon) from a liquid state to a gas. That is, the process of evaporation takes place in it. The compressor creates pressure, and liquid freon flows from the condenser to the evaporator zone. In it, the freon takes on the heat formed in the refrigerator, as a result of which it cools, and the freon goes into the condenser. When the evaporator is not working, cooling does not occur, and the refrigerator does not cope with its main function – maintaining cold.

In this publication, we will look at the causes and signs of evaporator failure, find out what types of parts are and how the evaporator is replaced in the refrigerator.

What are evaporators

Modern refrigerators use several types of evaporators. So that you are not afraid of the price of repairs, it is worth finding out the type of part and orienting in the prices for it in advance.

Open type

In small refrigerators, as in older models, an open type is often used. In everyday life, it is simply called a freezer. It looks like a sheet bent in the shape of the letter “O” or “C”.

This type is considered the most vulnerable. If, due to mechanical damage (improper transportation or careless defrosting), scratches or cracks appear on it, the tightness of the part is broken, and freon leaves the system. You will need to replace freon, and the cost of these works is rather big. That is why the masters categorically do not recommend using sharp objects to chip ice during defrosting.

Closed “weeping” type

The self-defrosting evaporator is located at the back of the refrigerator. It is filled with foam insulation and protected by a back wall. The advantage of such a device is that washing and defrosting is facilitated, and the part is reliably hidden from possible damage.

In models with a closed type, moisture settles from the side of the rear wall, some of the drops freeze. The advantage is that ice and snow “coats” do not form, as in models with an open type of evaporator in the refrigerator compartment. When the motor pauses, the frozen condensate thaws and flows into the drainage hole at the bottom of the chamber. In such models, the coldest place in the chamber is just from the back wall.

The freezer compartment usually houses a second evaporator, either in a closed, partially closed, or open design.

Separated type

It can be located both behind the wall of the chamber and behind the partition. It is forcibly blown by a fan. Usually, parts that are outside the refrigerator compartment are installed in models with the No Frost function.

The most reliable are closed tubular parts hidden in the walls of the refrigerator. This design maximally protects the assembly from inadvertent damage by the user.

Note! Based on the type of item, you can find out the cost of repairs in advance by searching the online store or finding out the price of a new item at the nearest outlet. It is very important that the analogue corresponds not only to the brand (Atlant, Indesit, Ariston, Nord, Liebherr), but also to the refrigerator model. Therefore, immediately inform the seller of the brand, model and year of manufacture x / o.

Reasons for the failure of the evaporator

To troubleshoot, you need to accurately determine the cause of equipment failure in order to avoid repeated breakdowns in the future. Usually, breakdowns occur due to violation of the rules for using the refrigerator, but mechanical damage is not excluded, as well as factory defects. At the same time, it is impossible to navigate by the price of the refrigerator – whether it is defective from the factory or not.

Specialists from leading LG service centers (and not only) report factors that may adversely affect the health of such a part as an evaporator:

1. Incorrect installation of the device (close to furniture, radiators, or in direct sunlight) causes a malfunction in camera temperatures. The same effect can be achieved if uncooled food (hot pots, etc.) is often loaded into the chambers. 
2. Blockage of the evaporator capillary. Both poor quality sealant material in which the condenser tubes are immersed, and wear and tear of equipment during prolonged use can be to blame for this. 
3. Refrigerant leak out of the loop also knocks the node out of normal operation.

How to change the evaporator in workshops and at home

Urgent repairs today are carried out both in the workshop and at home. If it is possible to repair the equipment without transporting it to the workshop, select this option. Additional moves will not benefit either the refrigerator or your budget.

Evaporator replacement steps:

• Disassembly of the refrigerator body, removal of the user control panel.
• Removing the evaporator from the tubes.

• Soldering from the tubes of the old evaporator.
• Cleaning the filter-drier (before this, freon is bled from the filter through a special valve).

• Pressure testing of the system and search for freon leaks using a device – a leak detector.

• Troubleshooting. If the breakdown can be eliminated by soldering the evaporator puncture, soldering is carried out. If repair is not possible, the master will replace the part.

• Checking the pipes of the motor-compressor for integrity.
• Vacuuming and draining the system from moisture.

• Filling the compressor with refrigerant, starting the device for test operation.

It is this sequence of operations listed above that will guarantee that the newly installed evaporator will last the allotted time. Avoid artisanal repairs, do not rely on your own strength (in the absence of experience and tools) and use the services of professionals.