Brand:GE Model Number:GNE27JYMWFFS Main Symptom: Coils Frosted Over What happens & when: Fan runs continuously, coils iced over.
The parts diagram shows a defrost thermostat (241 on diagram, part # - WR50X10069), however the appliance I have in front of me does not have this part in the freezer. There are 2 thermistors, one on the back panel the protrudes into the freezer compartment, and one attached to the defrost coil. Would I be correct in assuming one of these control the defrost coil? Specifically the one attached to the coil?
Both thermistors show roughly 5.5 kΩ at 75 degree room temp, which appears to be correct when referencing a GE resistance table.
I thawed the coil and put it back in operation for now, however I assume the problem will return. Any idea on what a good next step might be?
Error Code (if any):
Parts or tests already tried:
Photos / video link:
Thank you for the information. These docs should be quite helpful. The refrigerator is back together and freezer set to 1 degree F. Has been running for at least 3 hours now the fan in the freezer has been running the whole time. Not sure if that is relevant information. Internal temp was 3 degrees F when I last checked.
After simply defrosting with a hair dryer and returning to service, this refrigerator has frozen up again. The drain does not appear to be clogged, as there is no evidence of liquid water ever being in the drain pan. It appears that the defrost cycle has just not been activated.
The documentation provided appears to state that the appliance uses an adaptive defrost cycle, and in order to test the defrost heater I need to put it into service mode and run test t11. Does this sound like the correct next step?
I will add that both thermal fuses have continuity.
Placing the unit into service mode and performing test t11 revealed that the defrost heater did not turn on. The heating coil remained at 38 degrees. I assume the test ran as it should, all fans turned off as well as the compressor. After approximately 3 minutes the freezer fan turned on again. the coil did not heat up the entire time.
Testing resistance of the coil on the defrost heater harness (black to black) results in a reading of 42.6Ω (with the unit off). Seems that is an acceptable reading. Should I perform the test again and take the resistance on the main control board between pins 1 and 3?
Wait a sec. I just ran a test t4 (thermistor test) and thermistor 4 is showing as open. When i perform the ice water test on this thermistor the resistance climbs very slowly. After approximately 10 minutes in ice water the value is still around 15Ω, although slowly climbing.
In regards to me saying that the thermistor was not plugged in -
When I ran the t4 test initially, the test results showed that thermistor 4 was open. I then realized that the defrost heater harness was unplugged, so i plugged it back in and re ran the t4 test. That test showed that all 5 thermistors were in a pass condition.
When testing the resistance of the evaporator thermistor it was unplugged, and the value was around 15Ω and climbing after 10 minutes in ice water. That is low, but would it be low enough to cause this problem?
When I performed the t11 I did not have the evaporator thermistor in ice water, and I now see on that in the service manual it states that if the thermistor is above the cut-off temp, which I believe to be 67F, the test will not perform. I’m not sure of the temp when it was performed so I will re run the test once the freezer has cooled down and test voltages on the main control board.
Does this sound like the next best step for troubleshooting?
An evaporator thermistor reading 15 ohms (Ω) in ice water indicates a failed thermistor and is definitely low enough to cause cooling problems.
On standard GE refrigerators, the thermistor should read approximately 16,300 ohms (16.3 kΩ) at 32°F in ice water. A reading of only 15 Ω is essentially a short circuit.
This incorrect reading can cause the main control board to receive inaccurate temperature information, which may affect cooling operation, fan operation, and the defrost cycle. I would recommend replacing the evaporator thermistor.
Thanks for your help, I’m really stumbling this morning however. I’ve been mistyping. The reading was 15kΩ and climbing. I’ll perform the test again just to verify. Once I finish the t11 test.
This unit does not have an attached wiring diagram. Do you happen to have a copy? I’m trying to find pins 1 and 3, however there are a number of blue wires. There does appear to only be one pink, so I believe I’ve identified pin 1.
Okay, t11 test completed a second time. No voltage between pins 1 (pink) and 3 (blue) while the test in running. 42Ω between pins 1 and 3. So that’s 42Ω on the control module as well as on the defrost harness.
I did verify the evaporator thermistor is reading 15.5kΩ at 32F
Ideas for next steps? It seems the control module is not supplying voltage for the defrost coil when commanded, but I have no idea why.
At some point during all of the power cycling and testing, the refrigerator will no longer begin cooling on it’s own after being power cycled. Turning off power and turning back on results in all controls and lights coming on, however the compressor does not run. The control board led blinks 1x every 3 seconds or so.
If I press the fridge and freezer buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds, the display will say OFF, which I believe turns off the refrigerator control. If I then adjust the temperature, the compressor will start as normal and begin cooling.
I don’t know if the compressor would start eventually, however I just wanted to add that info if pertinent. I waited 10 minutes after one power cycle before turning off the controls and then adjusting temp to get the compressor to run.
The behavior you’re describing appears to be normal programming for the GE control board, along with the refrigerator’s compressor short-cycle protection. Based on these symptoms, the board does not appear to be faulty.
GE refrigerators can have a built-in delay before the compressor restarts after a power interruption. This allows the refrigerant pressures to equalize and helps protect the compressor from attempting to restart under excessive pressure.
The LED flashing once every few seconds can also be a normal heartbeat indicator showing that the control board is powered and operating.
When you put the refrigerator into OFF and then reset the temperature, you are essentially resetting the controls and requesting another cooling cycle. The fact that the compressor then starts does not necessarily mean the control board is bad.
As for troubleshooting the no defrost cycle, any suggestions?
"Okay, t11 test completed a second time. No voltage between pins 1 (pink) and 3 (blue) while the test in running. 42Ω between pins 1 and 3. So that’s 42Ω on the control module as well as on the defrost harness.
I did verify the evaporator thermistor is reading 15.5kΩ at 32F
Ideas for next steps? It seems the control module is not supplying voltage for the defrost coil when commanded, but I have no idea why."
Although Since you’re also getting continuity through the defrost heater/limit circuit from the main-board connector, the heater circuit and wiring appear intact. If you are commanding defrost in the proper diagnostic test and still getting 0 volts from the board, that points strongly toward the main control board not supplying power to the defrost circuit. GE troubleshooting information likewise directs you toward the main board when the associated components and wiring test correctly.
