Freezer is cold with frost and refrigerator is warm

Refrigerator & Freezer Repair
1

My freezer is cold with [FONT=&quot][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2]frost build up on the back panel in the freezer and the refrigerator is warm.

How to determine where is the problem - defrost timer, defrost heater or defrost thermostat?[/SIZE][/FONT][/FONT][SIZE=2][FONT=&quot][/SIZE][/FONT]

My refrigerator is magic chef mcbr1010w.

Thanks in advance
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3

Here are your parts
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/modelsearch.aspx?model=mcbr1010w

I cannot tell where the defrost timer is. It looks like it is at the back of the unit in a cover behind the rewar cover plate.
Usually there is a hole so that you can manually turn the timer cam.
Other common locations are in the control console in the fresh food section or behind the kick plate ate the front.

First remove the evaporator cover in the freezer so you can see the coils.
Do not let them de-ice.

If yes.
Manually force a defrost cycle by turning the defrost timer cam (Item 64 in Section 1) till the fans and compressor turn off.
There is usually a hole in the cover to let you do this without taking anything apart.
Now check the defrost heater to see if it is on.
Be careful you do not want to burn your fingers.
If the heater is on then the timer needs replacing, re: it is probably stalling during it’s rotation so is never getting into a defrost cycle.

If not on.
Unplug the unit.
Remove the wire for one side of the heating element (Item 24 in Section 1) from the wiring and measure it for continuity, usually around 20 ohms or so.

If the heater is OK
Remove one wire to the defrost thermostat (Item 20 in Section 1) and measure it, should be 0 ohms when frozen. Note that it opens just above freezing so must be frozen to check it. Also inspect it, if it is bulged at all replace it even if it measures OK. I am not 100 % sure about this parts as it is different than the normal clip on type thermostat.

If both the above are OK then odds are the defrost timer contacts are toast.
Best way to test this is a live test to see if you have 120 volts across the heater/defrost thermostat combo.