Electrolux EI28BS65KSDA Freezer cold Refridge warm

Refrigerator & Freezer Repair
1

Brand: Electrolux
Model Number: EI28BS65KSDA
Main Symptom:Warm Refridge - Freezer ok
What happens & when: Has happened numerous times over the past decade. Now seems more common. Tire of this condition.

Error Code (if any): High Temp warning alarm
Parts or tests already tried: Not much - previously always just turned it off for 24 hours.
Photos / video link: Nothing yet

All,

We purchased this Electrolux EI28BS65KSDA in January of 2015. It was a scratch and dent from our local Sears Outlet store. It was dented pretty decently in the lower freezer door. We were on a budget as the kids were young and we had just bought our farm home.

Anyways, over the past 10 years this unit would basically throw a high temp warning on occasion. Always seemed to me it was in the summer (high 80-90s) and on the most humid days (for example today where humidity is higher than 75% - 87 degrees ). I remember maybe one time it was cool outside this issue appeared.

Typically if the freezer threw any kind of warning it corrected itself within hours and usually it was found the kids left the door open on the refridger or freezer or both. (Even though the refridge has a alarm to remind). I should mention I have 5 kids and today they are all teenagers so this thing gets\has the use.

The refridge would take a day or so to recover. If it did not I would move the milk and freezer items and turn the thing off. Twenty four hours I would turn it back on and things would go back to normal and we would be good for typically months if not longer (next summer).

Another thing I have noticed, is during the routine cleaning of the refridge the area above freezer area (Floor of the refridge area) I would find a decent amount of ice. Typically a 1/4 inch that could be lifted easily with a butter knife and disposed into the sink as a large chunk or 3.

The recent occurence the refridge temp is displaying between 56 and 62 degrees. The freezer is at 0 and has been there for days. The freezer appears humid and their is ice crystals on the back wall of the freezer around the vent. I have not done the 24 hour off cycle as it appeared originally to get things back to normal on its own but just recently its back at the 56-62 degree refrige mark with the 0 degree freezer.

My feeling is the refrigerator is not receiving the cold air generated by the cooling system. As the freezer is cold, the compressor I am assuming is working fine, narrowing the issue down to probably air distribution or defrost system failures (combination of both). The freezer is full of stuff but I am guessing something in the distribution of air (Initially) is my overall issue.

Not knowing this refridge well, initially was somewhat intimdated by the large freezer door removal, but today I am getting (froggy) tired of this occurring. I have DMM knowledge and very basic understanding of AC. AI is discussing a thermostat, defrost sensor, and a defrost evaporator heater. What is the consensus, do we think this is a part issue or something I have to live with? Should I open it up and test the continuity of each part?

Thanks for the help,

Chris

2

Yes, you are on the right track. Based on what you are describing, I believe you are dealing with a defrost system problem, most likely ice building up on the freezer evaporator coils until the ice restricts airflow through the evaporator.

Determining whether this is an electrical defrost-system failure or simply a clogged defrost drain is fairly straightforward, although you will need to empty the freezer and remove the evaporator cover at the rear of the freezer compartment.

Once the cover is removed, look at the frost pattern on the evaporator before melting any of the ice.

If the evaporator is heavily covered with frost/ice from top to bottom, that strongly points toward a defrost-system problem. If the evaporator itself has a relatively normal frost pattern but there is a thick sheet of ice in the drain trough or on the freezer floor, concentrate on the defrost drain instead.

For this refrigerator, I would check the following:

1. Defrost heater — Part #5303918410

The defrost heater is located at the evaporator and heats the coil during the automatic defrost cycle.

With the refrigerator unplugged, disconnect the heater from the wiring harness and test across its terminals with a multimeter set to continuity or resistance.

The heater should have continuity.

  • Continuity / measurable resistance: The heater is probably good.
  • OL / infinite resistance: The heater has failed and should be replaced.

Do not perform resistance or continuity tests with power connected to the refrigerator.

2. Defrost thermostat / safety limiter and defrost temperature sensor

There are temperature-sensing/safety components associated with the evaporator that allow the control to monitor and safely terminate the defrost cycle.

A traditional two-wire defrost thermostat must be tested while it is cold enough to be closed. Testing one at room temperature and finding it open does not necessarily mean it is defective.

For a conventional two-wire defrost thermostat:

  1. Unplug the refrigerator.
  2. Disconnect at least one thermostat wire so you are not reading through the rest of the circuit.
  3. Set the multimeter to continuity or the lowest resistance range.
  4. Make sure the thermostat is cold. If necessary, chill the sensing portion in ice water for several minutes.
  5. Measure across its two wires/terminals.

When sufficiently cold, a closed thermostat should show continuity or very low resistance.

When warmed above its opening temperature, it should open and show OL/infinite resistance.

Therefore:

Cold + OL = suspect/bad thermostat
Cold + continuity = thermostat is probably good

The EI28BS65KSDA also uses a defrost temperature sensor/thermistor, so if the heater and safety circuit test correctly, the sensor and its wiring should also be considered before condemning the main control board.

3. Check the defrost drain

While you have the evaporator cover removed, inspect the silver drain trough directly underneath the evaporator.

If the trough is filled with ice, or you have been getting a sheet of ice across the bottom of the freezer compartment, the defrost drain may be frozen or clogged.

During a normal defrost cycle, water from the melting evaporator frost runs into this trough and through the drain opening. The drain tube carries the water to the drain pan underneath the refrigerator, where it eventually evaporates from heat and airflow around the condenser/compressor area.

If the drain is blocked, the water cannot leave the freezer and freezes again.

To clear it:

  1. Unplug the refrigerator.
  2. Completely melt the ice in the drain trough until you can see the drain opening.
  3. Use hot tap water—not boiling water—to flush the drain.
  4. A large syringe, turkey baster, or squeeze bottle with a flexible hose works well.
  5. Continue flushing until water flows freely through the drain tube into the drain pan underneath the refrigerator.

A flexible plastic line can also be used carefully to help clear debris from the tube. I would avoid using anything sharp or rigid that could puncture the drain tube.

The frost pattern is the most important clue.

If you remove the evaporator cover and find the entire evaporator packed in heavy white frost/ice, I would proceed with testing the defrost heater and the temperature-control/safety components.

If instead you find most of the ice concentrated in the drain trough and on the freezer floor, start with the drain.

One other important distinction: if you find frost only on a small section of the evaporator while the remainder of the coil is mostly bare, that is generally not a normal defrost failure. That pattern can indicate a sealed-system/refrigeration problem and would require a different diagnosis.

If possible, take a picture of the evaporator immediately after removing the rear freezer panel and before defrosting anything. The frost pattern can tell us quite a bit about which direction to go next.

3

All,

Thanks for the reply!

I was hoping to have a list of parts or a direction by this point.

On Wednesday morning got my Multimeter and my quarter drive set from garage and upon looking at the fridge again discovered the temps are sitting at 0 for freezer and 37 for the refridge. Now a day later they have not fluctuated.

This scenario has been a perfect example of what we have dealt with since we bought the thing.

Now one thing I have not mentioned is typically this thing sits in a “cabinet” and its a very tight fit. Typically when this thing acts up I pull it out from the cabinet. I am not sure but could this tight fit (less air flow) somehow play in the mix? Years ago I had this concern so I drilled out a couple 2 inch holes in the floor where the compressor etc would roughly be located.

I guess at this point would this situation point more towards a clogged drain line?

Should I pull everything quick apart and still test everything?

I usually subscribe to if its broke fix it but I also recognize sometimes taking things apart may add more issues? Thoughts?

Thanks for the help,

Chris

4

At this point I would take more of a wait and see approach, no need doing work that doesn’t need to be done.

Installation Clearance • Allow the following clearances for ease of installation, proper air circulation, plumbing and electrical connections: Sides & Top: 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) Back: 1 inch (25.4 mm) NOTE: If your refrigerator is placed with the door hinge against a wall, you may have to allow additional space so the door can be opened wider