What this usually is on these models
A WTW unit that runs constantly and stays warm is working hard at something that is not cooling. A cabinet that runs without stopping and never gets cold is a heat problem until the condenser is proven clear, so the checks below start outside the cabinet and move in. The order below puts the condenser unable to shed heat first and a loss of refrigerant charge last, and that order is the point of the page.
What you observe
- The panel is lit and nothing ever starts — The electronics are alive but no cooling is ever called for.
- It was fine until the weather turned — The same unit in the same place, coping in spring and failing in a hot room.
- A sheet of ice on the cold plate — Frost thick enough to feel as a layer, with the cabinet warm despite it.
- NEAR MISS - freezes everything instead — Over-cooling is a control or setting question rather than a cooling failure, and the diagnosis runs the other way.
Ranked causes for these models
- The condenser unable to shed heat — Ranked first on this line: a condenser boxed in, dusty or pressed against a wall cannot give up heat, so the compressor runs and runs and the cabinet never reaches temperature. The unit looks healthy and performs like a broken one.
- A warm load or an overfilled cabinet — It belongs in the ranking because acting on it is free and because ignoring it leads to a wasted service call on a healthy unit.
- A door or lid that is not sealing — Then: on a compact cabinet the ratio of door to volume is large, so a leak that would be tolerable on a full-size refrigerator is decisive here.
- A loss of refrigerant charge — Last, and the reason the order matters: a system that has lost its charge runs continuously, stays quiet, and produces little or no cold at the plate. It is the least likely cause and the only one that decides whether the unit is worth keeping.
What to check first, second, third
- Give the condenser air and a clean grille — Feel the machinery end while it runs: it should be warm. A unit running continuously with a cool condenser has a different problem from one running continuously with a hot one.
- Judge the load and then leave it alone — Unload to leave clear space around the cold plate and at the air paths, keep the door shut, and give it several hours. A cabinet that comes down was overloaded rather than faulty.
- Test the seal at several points — Watch the door close on its own without a push; a door that rests a fraction open is the fault, whatever the gasket looks like.
Read this before you start
Safety
Switch off at the breaker or pull the plug before anything is opened, since a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Do not run the unit from a damaged lead or a loose socket while testing; a supply that sags under a compressor start also heats what it is running through.
Models in the WTW family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| WTW20 | alpicool:refrigerator:wtw |
| WTW25 | alpicool:refrigerator:wtw |
When to call a technician
Call when the unit clicks or hums every few minutes without a sustained run and a different socket has already been ruled out, and call at once for a burning smell or a trip. Both patterns point past the owner checks.
Other faults covered for this line
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
