Model: GSS20IEPHWW, Serial: MG283464, 5 years old.

History:

1. Problem started with the light going dim and the water would not dispense. Forums said to replace the main board. So I had the main control board (WR55X10552) replaced by GE a few months ago. Worked fine (should have done it my self to save money).

2. Then the water dispenser stopped. Reading the repair forums they say that moisture in the door foam may cause dispenser tube to freeze and that GE had a repair for it by installing the dispenser heater service kit (WR49X10173). I first tried adjusting the thermostats to a warmer setting to see where the water was freezing (I have some tubing for the water dispenser in the refrigerator side and it felt frozen). Then I unpluged the refrigerator and let it defrost manually (all day). There was a lite build up of frost on the rear panel inside the freezer and I did need to soak up some water as it defrosted. Worked fine for about a month.

3. It froze again (there was a build up of frost on the rear panel, I did not check the evaporator coil at that time). I let the refrigerator defrost again (unpluged all day) and it seemed like I had to soak up a few pints of water from the floor (drip pan was also full) as it was defrosting. Did some dust cleaning around the condenser/coil and fan under the refrigerator and checked the water tubes that I could see for leeks, none found.

I turned the refrigerator back on and set the thermostats, but the next morning it was still warm inside the refrigerator. Not having done anything to the refrigerator but cleaning I hit the forums to see what could be wrong. I checked the condenser fan under the refrigerator, it runs, checked the circulating fan in the freezer, it runs, but I do not hear the compressor motor running anymore. The refrigerator just stopped cooling.

Testing to see if the main board was the problem I reinstalled my old board to see if it would start to cool again, but it does the same as the new main board. I opened the refrigerator panels and could not see anything visually wrong.

I did find a wire with a connector thats not connected to anything. Its coming out of the bottom of the refrigerator just above the condenser. Is it suppose to be connected to something (I can't find it) or is it a test lead?

What would cause the refrigerator to stop cooling after a manual defrost?

Can anyone help (foods getting warm), thank you.

Just because the heater is dark looking doesn’t mean it is bad however that is what causes the ice build up on the back wall of the freezer most of the time.

The heating element probably didn’t have anything to do with the compressor not starting and I am not sure what to tell you on that because it is working now.

I am fairly sure the defrost heater didn’t have anything to do with the water line freezing up you may have to install the heater you mention above. It is possible that because the refrigerator wasn’t defrosting the refrigerator was running continuously causing the line to freeze but even so it shouldn’t have frozen. I would order the water line heater if it freezes up again.

As for the fact that the compressor didn’t come back on I would keep an eye on it for a few days and if it messes up on you again post back and we will try to help.

Hope this helps!
GE Refrigerator Repair Guide

Still having a problem with this GE refrigerator. (Model: GSS20IEPHWW, 6 years old)

I did replace the defrost heater in Dec 09. Worked fine till now. And again the defrost quit. Would anyone know what would cause the defrost heater to burn out so often?

Short repair history;

1. Sept 09 - replaced mother board (due to the "water dispenser light going dim and the water would not dispense"), it fixed the problem.
2. Nov 09 - the door water dispenser stopped working/frozen (defrosted frig and covered the water tube inside the bottom of the refrigerator, made a styrofoam box around the tube), it fixed the problem, did not install the heater kit for the door water dispenser.
3. Dec 09 - replaced the defrost heater "WR51X10053 single tube" (due to freezing of the coils), it fixed the problem.
4. Sept 10 - defrost heater burned out again, have ordered the defrost heater "WR51X10053" and the Temperature sensor (thermistor) "WR55X10025" (should arrive in about a week from this post).

Do I also need/should replace the Thermostat, defrost "WR50X10068".

Ref to the heater: There was moisture inside the tube and the coil inside was broken and burnt. I don't know if water got inside the tube and caused it to burnout, or if the water entered during defrost from the ice buildup, or if something else caused it to burnout (hopefully not electrical).

Thanks for any help,

Dan

Thanks for the quick reply, wanted to order everything at the same time if needed.


Thanks, I was hoping I wouldn't need to replace it.

Originally Posted by: applianceman

The single heater doesn’t last as long as the double heater (WR51X10101), which is what you should be replacing the single with. If the heater is the problem replace it with the double heater and it should last longer.

I have already ordered the (WR51X10053) figured they would send the dual heater, but now I see it has it's own number {guess I should have looked it up}. I'll order the dual next year when this one burns out.

Q. Is it normal for the heater to burn out like that, within one year? The original heater that came with the refrigerator lasted for five years. Or do I have an impending electrical problem?

Thanks