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Your walk in cooler is essential to your business, and keeping it running its best supports your entire operation. If you’re having problems with your walk in, walk in cooler troubleshooting can often get your unit working again fast. If you need more help, contact us to connect with our techs on site in our Indiana facility. We provide fee-free support to all Polar King customers for the life of our products.

Why is my walk in cooler not cold?

There are a number of reasons why your walk in cooler may not be cooling properly. Check this walk in cooler troubleshooting list to see if any other these common problems apply to your unit.

Your walk in cooler may have:

  • The thermostat is set too high or too low for your application. If the temperature is set too high, it won’t reach the desired temperature. If it is set too low, it may be overworking the motor.
  • A malfunction. A failed component, such as your defroster, would prevent your walk in cooler from, well, cooling.
  • Lost power. Have your circuit breakers been tripped? Are you having a power outage? If you see other indicators, such as the interior lights failing to come on and stopped fans, lost power is probably to blame.
  • Entered defrost mode. Your walk in cooler enters defrost mode at various times during the day. Check back later to see if cooling has resumed. If so, defrost mode may be the reason it stopped.
  • Been overpacked. Is your evaporator coil frozen? This may indicate that there’s not enough room for air to circulate and move across the coil.
  • Too much warm air inside. If the door to your walk in has been left open for an extended period, it will raise the interior temperature. This issue may require more investigation into the behaviors of your staff because whatever event caused the door to be left open will most likely be over by the time the resulting problem is found.

Why is my walk in cooler freezing up?

If your walk in cooler is freezing, the first thing to check is your thermostat. Standard Polar King walk in coolers should typically be set at 34°F. Unlike freezers, most Polar King walk in coolers use air defrost, which requires the air temperature to be above freezing for defrosting to be effective.

If you notice that your fans and ceiling are freezing, this is most likely because there is too much warm air. When the warm air meets the cold temperatures of the walk in it forms frost. To prevent this, train your employees to minimize the length of time that the walk in is open and avoid leaving the door open for excessive lengths of time during deliveries.

Why is my walk in cooler compressor turning on and off?

If you notice the compressor turning on and off at initial startup, this is completely normal. Polar King walk ins have a bump start feature that causes the unit to start and stop 3-5 times, 3 seconds on and 5 seconds off, to pump out any residual liquid in the compressor.

If your compressor is turning on and off at a different time, it could be a loss of refrigerant. The condenser is controlled by a pressure switch that turns it on and off at a predetermined pressure. Without proper coolant levels, the compressor may not be able to maintain pressure for the proper intervals.

And it’s possible that it’s not the compressor that’s turning on and off, but actually the condenser fans, and that is probably due to changes in temperature, which affect the refrigerant pressure.

Why is my walk in cooler leaking?

Finding water on the floor can be tricky. Before you assume it’s a leak, see if you can determine where the water came from. Maybe a staff member had a spill that didn’t get cleaned up or water was tracked in.

Polar King walk ins have a smooth continuous fiberglass surface inside and out, which is not only more hygienic and provides for more efficient cooling, but also eliminates the possibility of leaks developing between the panels you’ll find on competitors’ boxes.

Although it would be rare to find water inside of a Polar King walk in cooler that is not due to employee activity, walk in cooler troubleshooting may reveal these possible causes:

  • Old caulking. Pipes and wires penetrate the roof in split systems. It’s possible that the caulk seal around the penetration has deteriorated and needs to be replaced.
  • Plugged drain line. Although it’s a more common problem in freezers, the drain line of your walk in cooler may become plugged, causing the fluid in the line to overflow.
  • Compromised door seal. The gasket around your walk in door creates a tight seal to prevent air from escaping, but air and liquids can pass through if it gets damaged.

Why does my walk in cooler smell?

There are a few reasons why a new walk in cooler may smell.

  • Fiberglass. The fiberglass in new walk in coolers will outgas for a few weeks after construction. This stage in the process is often completed on our lot before the product is delivered to you, but if your walk in is delivered before the process is complete, you can help speed the process by keeping the doors open for better aeration.
  • Caulking. The silicon caulking has a short curing time, during which you may notice a slight odor.
  • Curtains. The vinyl strip curtains may outgas for a few weeks after installation.

If your walk in cooler isn’t brand new, odors may be caused by:

  • Items stored inside. Polar King boxes are tightly sealed, so any fragrant items that are brought inside will have their smells contained — and combined — in a small area.
  • “Laying up”. Businesses that only need their walk ins on a seasonal basis may leave them dormant in the off-season. The problem is that if the units are not 100% dry when they are stored, mold and mildew can develop. Using a product, such as Damprid, to absorb excess moisture and odor can help.

Why is my walk in cooler contactor not pulling in?

If you’re asking about a walk in cooler contactor not pulling in, you’re most likely a contractor who needs more specific assistance than a website FAQ can give. Contact us, and we would be happy to provide walk in cooler troubleshooting assistance for any Polar King product at no change.

Why is the temperature of my walk in cooler rising?

If you’re monitoring the temperature via thermometer, you may be checking during a defrost cycle. Check to see if the fans are stopped. If so, it’s probably in defrost mode. If the rising temperatures of the defrost cycle coincide with high traffic times, this timing can be adjusted to happen during slow-traffic times.

What can I do to prevent problems in my walk in cooler?

Routine maintenance is essential to stopping small problems before they cause costly down time and keeping your walk in cooler performing at peak efficiency. It’s a good idea to set a routine maintenance schedule to perform maintenance tasks on a regular basis, such as:

  • Inspecting and clean coils to make sure they’re free of debris
  • Check refrigerant levels
  • Check gaskets to ensure that they’re undamaged.
  • Check caulking around penetrations to see if it needs to be replaced.

You should also create a relationship with a reputable local contractor so that they’re familiar with your equipment and you know who to call in the event of an emergency. If your contractor needs technical assistance, they can contact us at no charge.

Still king of the ice

At Polar King, we’ve been providing premium outdoor walk in coolers and freezers at the industry’s lowest lifetime cost of ownership for over 40 years. Our energy-efficient units are custom built to your needs with the Polar King Fiberglass Advantage — one-piece seamless fiberglass surfaces inside and out that prevent leaks, eliminate cracks and crevices where mold can form, and create a bright interior environment to work in.  We back our walk ins with an unbeatable standard 5-year warranty on compressors and a 12-year warranty on the structure.

Contact us today and find out why Polar King’s walk ins and service reign supreme.