Question about freon types for refrigerators

[akie54]

Hi everyone,

I am still new in this forum and this is my first post. I hope you could help me.

I am trying to repair my refrigerator (its cooling effect is getting poorer) so I am trying to refill its freon. However, I am confused as to which type of Freon should I use.

I know there are 2 types of Freon: R12 and R134.

Can I seek your advise regarding when should I use R12 and when should I use R134?

Your help is much appreciated!

[train123]

Your fridge should have a tag clearly marking which freon is used in your unit, usually this is marked on the model number tag. In North America, R12 hasn't been used in on new fridges about 15 years. If your fridge is somewhat new, it'll likely use R134A.
Do not mix the two freons and adding freon to your fridge should be the last thing to try.
The number one cause of poor cooling is related to your defrost cycle no longer working. Ice buildup on the evaporator coil (the coil in the freezer compartment) will make it increasingly difficult to remove heat from inside. Any frost buildup in the freezer compartment is a sure sign of this problem. Lack of frost is does not exclude this problem, you need to remove the inner covers in the freezer compartment and look at the coil. The coil should be free of ice.
The other cause is a clogged condenser coil (the one on back or bottom of the fridge) or a bad condenser fan depending on your fridge design. All that heat being removed from the fridge has to be transfered to the surrounding air so anything preventing good air flow past that coil will reduce the ability of the fridge to cool. This coil should be vacuumed or checked at least once a year.