[kcroto]

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,

[richappy]

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