GE refridgerator & Freezer stopped Cooling
 

I have a 2004 GE refrigerator that stopped cooling both fridge and freezer 5 days ago.

I unplugged it and plugged it back in. The compressor tried to start but appeared to kick out on overload about 20 seconds later. I unplugged it and resorted to ice. I tried the same thing the next day. I also have a power meter that I can watch and noted the power draw would go to 900watts and then fall back to 100 watts, entire house load at the time, when the over load kicked out.

I thought it was a stuck motor on the compressor.

About the third day when I plugged it in and power jumped up to 400 watts but quickly fell back close to 200 watts, which I took to mean that the motor started.

I took the fridge to the garage where I could work on it. I pulled the back covers, the compressor runs on plugging in but the high pressure line does not get hot, it warms up after a while. the low pressure line only warmed up and I expected it to be cool.

I checked the thermistors and they all were about 6.9 K which for the 65 degrees is about correct.

I did check both sides of the board for signs of burning but saw nothing nor smelled nothing. Non-conclusive i realize.

I unplugged the temperature control board but see no change.

Any more thoughts on how to proceed?

Thanks,

When the compressor runs, it should vibrate. If so, but you get no cooling, you have a bad compressor/refrigerant leak.