[Gregavi]

Hi,
I have a Whirlpool ED25PQXFW02 Side X Side about 10 years old. Recently the fan in the freezer started making noise so I emptied it and took the inside back panel off to expose the fan motor. I discovered a lot of ice on the coils. The fan motor was stopped so I took a hair dryer and melted all the ice off the coils, around the fan and push started the fan and it started spinning on its own. Now we are a week later and the fan seems to be spinning still (based on the sound it's making when I open the freezer door) but starting to make that sound again and I now have giant ice cycles in my freezer .The refrigerator section is around 55 degrees F with the dial set to almost the coldest setting. I’m a General Contractor so I’m pretty capable of doing fairly extensive repairs, if I know what the problem is. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[richappy]

In the bottom of the control housing locate a large hole. Stick in a flat bladed screwdriver and turn the defrost timer till the compressor stops. If no defrost, you either have a bad defrost heater, or thermostat that clips to the top of the evaporator. If you get defrost, replace the defrost timer AP3110896

[Gregavi]

Thanks Richappy,

So I assume you mean, if, after several hours, all the formed ice in my freezer disappears, then it is the timer. If not (still have ice everywhere) I have a bad defrost heater, or thermostat. Is this correct? I assume the defrost heater is under the unit near the defrost pan? Where is the thermostat located? Thanks again.

[richappy]

The defrost heater is below the evaporator behind the freezer panel, thermostat clipped to the top of the evaporator.

[Gregavi]

Thanks again. It appears it is the defrost heater or the thermostat since I tried manually turning off the timer and it did nothing. How do I determine which of those it is or should I replace both?

[richappy]

You can temporarily short the thermostat leads and test, most probably a bad thermostat, I think you have a calrod heater type( steel alloy), that rarely fails.

[Gregavi]

Another theory was given to me by an appliance repair guy:

“Normally I would say that you have a defrost problem, but when you describe it as having ice cycles in your freezer, as opposed to frost, then I have to believe you have a problem with water leaking from your ice maker system, most likely the fill tube that directs the water into the ice maker is somehow allowing water to flow behind the back wall of freezer, and then building up to eventually obstruct the fan blade. Either the fill tube was dislodged, or you have a problem with the valve solenoid not closing completely, thereby dripping up into the fill tube, clogging it with ice, and when the ice maker calls for water, instead of going into the ice maker, the water flows behind the wall.”

What about this possibility? I do have 2" dia. ice cycles forming and it is directly below the ice maker.

Thanks again

[Gregavi]

Update: Replaced fan motor, problem solved.

Thanks for your input.