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Parts for Kenmore Freezer 2539280213 - AppliancePartsPros.com

Does the compressor run continuously except when the unit is in defrost?

Is the evaporator fan running?

To check for low freon remove the cover in the freezer and check the coils. The frost should be fairly even across the coil. If they only have frost in one area (usually where the freon enters the coils) then it is probably low freon.
Be sure that the unit has run several hours without a defrost. If you check them shortly after a defrost then you may come to the wrong conclusion.

Check the defrost thermostat. If it is deformed/bulged, replace it.
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Do you think the problem is with having lowFreon, failure of the temperature control device or a failing compressor? [/COLOR]
Cannot say without more troubleshooting.
I doubt it is the temperature control as the unit does seem to be trying to reach set point.

[COLOR="Blue"]Why would it leak water?[/COLOR]
Check the drip tray to see if it is overfilling, the water is mots likely from the defrost.

Check the door seals.
It could be that they are leaking. This would cause a heavier than normal frosting up of the evaporator coils which could account for overfills in the drip tray. It would also cause the unit to have problems trying to reach set point temperature.

Take a 2 inch wide strip of paper. Place it between the door seal and the frame, then pull it out to see how the seal is. Work your way around the door.
Check the hinge side of the seal st see if the seal is grabbing as the door closes and is twisting. If it is a light coating of vaseline or white lithium grease should solve this.

Check that the freezer is level )front to back) or leaning slightly to the back.

Check the door's bottom door hinges/cams/ramps. The door rides up and down on the ramps and is riding down when closed. This helps hold the door closed.

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Does the compressor run continuously except when the unit is in defrost?
Honestly, I'm not sure how to tell. The freezer makes an almost continuous humming noise but I think that is the air circulating.[/COLOR]
Usually you can hear it also you should be able to feel it vibrating.
Since your graph shows the temperature always dropping after a defrost cycle, my guess is that it is always on.

[COLOR="Blue"]To check for low freon remove the cover in the freezer and check the coils. The frost should be fairly even across the coil.
I checked about 1 hour before an expected defrost cycle. See attached picture. The frost was light but seemed to be heavier on the right and left ends than the fin area.[/COLOR]
Normally you would expect more frost on the tubing ends as there is less mass (the fins) to distribute the cold.

Not greatly though.
I did find about a 3/8" thick slab of ice on the interior floor just behind the removed panel.

[COLOR="Blue"]Check the defrost thermostat. If it is deformed/bulged, replace it.
Where is this thermost located? I didn't see any part that looked obviously deformed, but I could inspect the high res pictures again if I know where to look.[/COLOR]
It is the black device with a metal face clipped onto the top left of the evaporator coils.

[COLOR="Blue"]Why would it leak water?
Drip tray is bone dry at the moment.[/COLOR]
Sounds like the drain is plugged

[COLOR="Blue"]I found that water was leaking out of the door itself. Not sure if this was always the case, but it was this time. While I had the door open to remove the back panel I could hear something falling within the door itself. It sounded like ice falling within the door. Is that possible?[/COLOR]
Yes it is.
Most newer unit us styrofoam in the door as insulation. Older units use fiberglass. If there is a crack etc. in the door's inner plastic panel warm moist air can get into the door. This then reduces the insulating efficiency so the problem gets worse. It would be a good idea to take the door apart and find out what is going on. Could be you are loosing a lot of your cooling through the door.

[COLOR="Blue"] Also, where is the drain to the drip tray? I couldn't find it but then again maybe it's under that slab of ice.[/COLOR]
Often itb is directly under the evaporator coils. Does sound like it is plugged.

[COLOR="Blue"]Check the door seals.
I don't feel any cool air escaping from around the door, however I did the paper check anyway. The paper pulls out with some resistance, but not alot. How should it feel?[/COLOR]
This sounds OK

Just a note on your graph:
The second lower temperature is where the freezer should be re: 0 to 5 degrees F. It will be higher during and after a defrost cycle but should stay below freezing which it does.
I imagine that the first part of the graph is higher due to you opening the door.

Also the more food in the unit the less temperature variation you will see.

Looks to me that it is doing a pretty good job.

Yes bags of ice will simulate a freezer with more food in it.

I am assuming that all monitoring is done with the evaporator cover in place.

Yes, I buttoned it all back up and let it run for about 8 hours before doing the last monitoring. Next, we'll add a number of bags of ice, let it run for day, and then do another 24hr temperature recording to see if it's more stable. Thanks for all your help!