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Hummer  
#1661 Posted : Wednesday, July 11, 2012 9:53:21 AM(UTC)
Hummer

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Joined: 7/11/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1

Hello,

Model Number: GE TBX18KKB

Symptoms:

  • Freezer was working fine, but fridge got up to 70 degrees. Yikes!
  • Had a guy out and he tested/replaced the defrost things and manually defrosted the coils.
  • Fridge got down the around 50 degrees and occasionally dips to 40, but runs constantly.
  • Doesn't seem to be moving much air into the fridge compartment. Is this a forced air system or is the density gradient the only thing making the air move to the fridge?
  • Freezer is still super cold and keeping my ice cream supply frozen.
Gene  
#1662 Posted : Thursday, July 12, 2012 12:39:05 PM(UTC)
Gene

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How did you set the temperature controls? If the freezer temperature set on the coldest or "E", move it close to cold or "A" point. Wait about 24 hours and check the temperature in both compartments.

Gene.
Brannan84  
#1663 Posted : Monday, July 16, 2012 5:29:26 AM(UTC)
Brannan84

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I searched but I couldn't find someone with a hotpoint fridge with the same issue and I am limited on time so I only read about 10 pages of this forum (and I'm certain I came to the right place for expert help).

Last night I noticed my fridge section wasn't as cool as it should so I opened the freezer side and noticed there was a glowing coil behind the freezer wall and there was a sizzling noise. I waited for a few minutes and unplugged the fridge since I was worried about the glowing coil since I didn't know at the time it was just the defrost and I was worried. I plugged the fridge up about 10 minutes later and waited for the fan to start running again which it eventually did. And the fridge side still wasn't cooling at all.
I checked and there was no blockages on the top part of the fridge where the cold air comes in. And I only found one small hole at the bottom of the fridge going to the freezer side and that wasn't blocked up either. I noticed after I plugged the fridge up that a little bit of frost was on the back wall of the freezer side. And about the same was on the wall this morning. I think I unplugged and the fridge during the defrost cycle and it hasn't been able to defrost all the way since them (correct me if I'm wrong).

The freezer fan used to make a terrible pulsing sound where it sounded like the fans speed would go up and down making it sound like the fan was struggling to spin. It doesn't do this all of the time so I didn't really worry about it. And when I plugged the fridge back in last night, and when I checked it this morning. The fan sounded normal and was blowing air on the freezer side.

From the looks of the diagrams for my Hotpoint fridge (model: HSS25GFTA WW) I don't think there is a fan dedicated to put air in the fridge side. I only see a little door opening in the "fresh food" side. My next course of action when I get home tonight is to pull the back panel off the freezer side and check things out.

So to recap, I unplugged my fridge when the defrost heater was on (which cut on by itself, so maybe not a faulty defrost timer). This was after I noticed the fridge side wasn't cooling. Fan is blowing cold air on freezer side but no air flow on fridge side.

Thanks so much for your expert advice!!!

EDIT: Maybe it's the temperature thermostat in the section b/t fridge and freezer sides. http://www.appliancepartspros.c...em-number-ap3185407.aspx
Item number: AP3185407
I turned the fridge temp setting down all the way but it still didn't cut on. Would the fridge side not cut on at all if the thermostat is not reading anything?
Simon / APP Team  
#1664 Posted : Monday, July 16, 2012 10:17:34 AM(UTC)
Simon / APP Team

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Hi.

Open the freezer back panel and if needed defrost the coils. Check for 12 hrs if the temperature will be OK. When you'll open the cover see if the coils covered evenly with frost.

Is the freezer temperature OK? Ice cream frozen?

Simon.
Brannan84  
#1665 Posted : Monday, July 16, 2012 11:38:14 AM(UTC)
Brannan84

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Yep, temp in the freezer seems fine. Everything is still frozen solid. The more I read the more I think it's the evaporator fan. I stopped by a local appliance repair shop during lunch today and the guy said the same thing. Or maybe it's the fridge side sensor going bad.

Also, something else has been puzzling me. The guy at the shop said the most likely cause is the evap fan, and reading through this thread also leads me to believe that. But it doesn't make sense to me since the fan is still running. Only sometimes it makes a noise, but the fridge side stays at the right temp. How else could the air be circulated to the fridge side since there are no other fans (besides condenser fan) in the fridge. There is a little flap at the top between fridge/freezer sides, and I push that open and close the freezer but still no air comes out the fridge side. I open the freezer side and it seems to be still open.

My plans tonight are to check out the evap fan and see if there are any issues with it. And as for the frost build up you mentioned. I never had any kind of build up before so I'm really hoping my defrost timer/coil are in working order. There was only a slight build up when I first unplugged the fridge. Which is probably why I saw the defrost coil glowing.

The only things that I could see being the issue are (if there isn't frost build up that I haven't seen):
-fridge sensor not letting that flap stay open for a long enough time.
-evap fan not working properly
Simon / APP Team  
#1666 Posted : Monday, July 16, 2012 3:21:22 PM(UTC)
Simon / APP Team

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Posts: 5,556

Hi.

Open the freezer door and check if any air will come through the damper control. If it will - then the air flow is restricted at the evaporator.

Post the results.

Simon.
jason71  
#1667 Posted : Tuesday, July 17, 2012 12:41:15 AM(UTC)
jason71

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you know I had that problem with my samsung it was the fan. I had a Ge before that and I had the tech out and he said it was a temperature gauge fault. It still was not fixed. I finally had enough and worked on it. It was the door on the fridge side it kept lowering to the floor and the light contact switch was not tuerning off so the light was alwasy on and it was casuing all the issues.
Brannan84  
#1668 Posted : Tuesday, July 17, 2012 5:16:44 AM(UTC)
Brannan84

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I think you were right Simon. I finally took the back panel off last night and the coils had a decent amount of ice. Not like a complete block of ice or anything, but more than I would have expected towards the top. I had some food I wanted to save so I took a hair dryer to the coils to save some time defrosting. When I made my first post I thought the 1/2 inch hole at the very bottom was the air return for the fridge side. But once I cleared some ice I noticed another larger hole that was behind the main panel on the freezer side. I never thought about one being there but it makes sense since the panel allows the fan to suck air from the fridge side to recirculate it back at the top. I cleared the ice and the fridge temp dropped right away. I set the temp to the coldest it would go last night and stuck the temperature probe from a meat thermometer at the bottom of the fridge side and this morning it was reading 32* and that's where the thermometer stops. (Not a high quality thermometer so it might not be exact)

I don't know if I have had the fridge running long enough to hear if the fan was making the pulsing noise anymore though. Do you think that the restricted air flow could have made the fan do that?

So now my new plan is to get a replacement fan to have on hand. I also think there might be something wrong with the defrost cycle since there was enough ice build up to block the evap return. Do you think I should go ahead and get the more efficient 9" double heater coil and replace the single coil I have? Or do you think it could be an issue with defrost limiter thermostat(GE WR50X10068 Defrost Limiter Thermostat, AP3884317 | AppliancePartsPros.com), or one of the 2 sensors on the freezer side?

Thanks for the suggestions and all the help!!!
sacrivercats  
#1669 Posted : Tuesday, July 17, 2012 11:37:40 AM(UTC)
sacrivercats

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Posts: 2

Hello,

Just like many others in this thread, my freezer is working fine but the fridge is warm. It seems that the problems stem from the coils so I've attached a couple pictures of the coils. I have a GE and the model number is tfx26kpdaww. Please let me know if you need any additional information from and any guidance/help would be greatly appreciated it.

Thank you,

Norman
sacrivercats attached the following image(s):
2012-07-15_17-41-02_167.jpg
2012-07-15_17-41-09_119.jpg
Brian Mc  
#1670 Posted : Tuesday, July 17, 2012 12:59:40 PM(UTC)
Brian Mc

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Posts: 2

Add another user with this issue. I have a Samsung rs265lbbp, and want to thank RNick (user) for posting up this link:

https://sites.google.com/site/rnssite/samsung

Got me to this point...

UserPostedImage

After the hair-dryer defrost, I tested the heater and it showed as open, so a replacement is on the way. Now I know why we got this fridge for so cheap, hope this replacement heater lasts at least a couple years.

Wanted to say thanks for the forums/info. It's a real bonus to be able to find info/details on an issue and fix it myself.
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