Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/4/2011(UTC)
Posts: 8
|
My 11 yr old Amana side by side fridge stopped cooling lastnight. The freezer started thawing and the temp in the fridge has stayed at about 45 all day today. The wall between the fridge and freezer was very hot to the touch and The condenser cooling fan was not working. I vacuumed out as much as I could front and back and gave the cooling fan a push and it started working and has been since. It has been a couple hours and the temp is now about 42. The temp control was always at 4 1/2 and is now turned up all the way. I am wondering if I should replace the condenser fan motor or is the condenser already damaged from the high heat? How long should it take to get back to a normal temp and what should that be? Should I get a stock type motor or is a universal motor available? Any help with this would be very much appreciated. I really cant afford to buy a new fridge right now. Thank you:)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Moderators
Joined: 7/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5,222
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
|
Originally Posted by: dgetty  My 11 yr old Amana side by side fridge stopped cooling lastnight. The freezer started thawing and the temp in the fridge has stayed at about 45 all day today. The wall between the fridge and freezer was very hot to the touch and The condenser cooling fan was not working. I vacuumed out as much as I could front and back and gave the cooling fan a push and it started working and has been since. It has been a couple hours and the temp is now about 42. The temp control was always at 4 1/2 and is now turned up all the way. I am wondering if I should replace the condenser fan motor or is the condenser already damaged from the high heat? How long should it take to get back to a normal temp and what should that be? Should I get a stock type motor or is a universal motor available? Any help with this would be very much appreciated. I really cant afford to buy a new fridge right now. Thank you:) Dgetty, Very good deduction and observance, you're pretty much on target. The condenser and condenser fan motor are very important to the cooling process of the refrigerator. So, yes you will need to replace the condenser fan motor. Part number: AP3120994
And not to worry about the condenser coil, just keep it clean, and you'll be fine. The reccomended food temperatures are: 3 to 5 dgrs F. in the freezer and 38 dgrs F. in the refrigerator. So you'll be pretty close, soon and until the fan stalls again. Good Luck, :) :) :)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/4/2011(UTC)
Posts: 8
|
Thanks for the help Joe. Unfortunately, I think I will be fridge shopping after all. When I spun the fan and it started working again, I checked it the next day after work and the freezer was about 3 dgrs and fridge was about 30. I then unpluged it and replaced the fan and now it wont get cold again. Freezer about 25 and fridge about 45 dgrs. Everything is running and sounds normal but not cold.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Moderators
Joined: 7/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5,222
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
|
Originally Posted by: dgetty Thanks for the help Joe. Unfortunately, I think I will be fridge shopping after all. When I spun the fan and it started working again, I checked it the next day after work and the freezer was about 3 dgrs and fridge was about 30. I then unpluged it and replaced the fan and now it wont get cold again. Freezer about 25 and fridge about 45 dgrs. Everything is running and sounds normal but not cold. Dgetty, This isn't going the way we want it to. At this point, my best guess would be a bad defrost timer, Part number: AP4246797
There's a possibility that we have a double contact or an intermittent contact in the timer. You may want to try one more repair, before you replace the fridge. :) :) :)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/4/2011(UTC)
Posts: 8
|
Is there a way to check the defrost timer or bypass it? I just had the back inside panel off the freezer side and the only thing that was iced up was a small round piece that looked to be clipped on to the top of the coils in there. It has a blue top and was covered with ice so i cleaned it off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Moderators
Joined: 7/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5,222
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
|
Originally Posted by: dgetty Is there a way to check the defrost timer or bypass it? I just had the back inside panel off the freezer side and the only thing that was iced up was a small round piece that looked to be clipped on to the top of the coils in there. It has a blue top and was covered with ice so i cleaned it off. D, Does this look familiar Part number: AP4247470
Is this similar to the part that was iced over ? And here are some basic defrost timer circuit checks, so you can check with a meter. Checking the Defrost Timer:
Disconnect all wires from the timer and attach ohmmeter probes to the terminals specified in the accompanying chart. If no continuity is indicated, the timer is defective. To Test Turn Timer Check Between Knob To Terminals Timer Motor circuit : Leave as is 1 & 3
Defrost circuit : 1st Click 1 & 2
Compressor : 2nd Click 1 & 4 Good Luck,
:) :) :)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/4/2011(UTC)
Posts: 8
|
Yes Joe, that is the part that was iced up on top. I assume it is the thermostat. I have the defrost timer off and am checking it. Im not sure I understand what you mean by Timer motor circuit: leave as is 1&3? I am not getting any continuity from 1 & 3 at all while i turn the knob more than a complete revolution. When it clicks and I have continuity at 1 & 2, meter keeps beeping until next click at which point, 1 & 4 beeps until the next click and its back to 1 & 2 again. The first check I did was 1 & 3 before I turned the knob at all and no beeping, then turned knob complete rev and still nothing. I really appreciate your help although my wife is getting impatient and doesnt want to waste any more money on it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Moderators
Joined: 7/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5,222
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
|
Originally Posted by: dgetty Yes Joe, that is the part that was iced up on top. I assume it is the thermostat. I have the defrost timer off and am checking it. Im not sure I understand what you mean by Timer motor circuit: leave as is 1&3? I am not getting any continuity from 1 & 3 at all while i turn the knob more than a complete revolution. When it clicks and I have continuity at 1 & 2, meter keeps beeping until next click at which point, 1 & 4 beeps until the next click and its back to 1 & 2 again. The first check I did was 1 & 3 before I turned the knob at all and no beeping, then turned knob complete rev and still nothing. I really appreciate your help although my wife is getting impatient and doesnt want to waste any more money on it. D, Great job, you did everything correct. You need a new defrost timer, there should have been resistance(a beep) on terminals 1 and 3, no matter where the timer was set. I'm pretty sure you'll be fine once you get it replaced. :) :) :)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/4/2011(UTC)
Posts: 8
|
Why would the timer have gone bad all of a sudden like that and can it be bypassed temporarily to see if it cools?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Moderators
Joined: 7/14/2010(UTC)
Posts: 5,222
Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
|
Originally Posted by: dgetty Why would the timer have gone bad all of a sudden like that and can it be bypassed temporarily to see if it cools? D, You don't have to bypass anything, just manually advance the timer into the second click so that terminals 1 and 4 have a closed circuit. once you set the control and plug in the power cord, it should start to cool. As for the failure, there's not a lot to say, but, it can and does happen. It could have been a weak circuit and the power spike finished it off. Good Luck, :) :) :)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Jump
You can post new topics in this forum.
You can reply to topics in this forum.
You can delete your posts in this forum.
You can edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You can vote in polls in this forum.
Important Information:
The AppliancePartsPros.com uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
More Details
Close
