Freezer is fine, refrigerator is too warm.

Refrigerator & Freezer Repair
141

Gene,

After reading this document at: [url]http://www.servicematters.com/maytag_library/docs/16010154.pdf[/url]  . I realize that by setting the freezer to 9 (the coldest) actually reduce the air flow to refrigerator to minimum. Last night I set the freezer setting to 2 and this morning the refrigerator cools down to 39 F. Everything seems to be working now. I will let it run for a week to see if it holds.

Frank

142

Frank,

I bet you fixed the problem. Good job.

Gene.

143

Hi GENE, i have similar problem IE the freezer is fine but the refrigerator is too warm. we did try to unplugged the frig overnight and restart the next morning . no result so fa. ours is a GE prfile artica model PTS25SB . ANY suggestions , advice? thanks tracy1

144

[LEFT][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]am sorry if my english is not good[/FONT][/COLOR]
[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/FONT]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]i got LG GR-359SQ MULTI AIR FLOW the freezer looks fine but the refrigerator part is warm then I took the cover off and I sow massive ice build up on the lower part of the evaporator tube or evaporator coil then I defrost the ice its worked good but again after 20 days happen same problem again I defrost now until now three times happening same plizz help me if u know the problem:( [/FONT][/COLOR][/LEFT]

145

Tracy,

Did you see frost built-up in the freezer?

Gene.

146

Sam,

This is a duplicated post.

Answered here: http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/refrigerator-freezer-repair/12004-ihave-lg-refrigerator-ice-build-up-problem.html

Gene.

147

I have a Maytag model MZD2766GEW. Several months ago I had a defroster issue that, with help from posts here I was able to repair. I left town for a week and just returned to a mess. My fridge does not seem to be cooling at all, freezer or fridge. No ice buildup on freezer side. The condenser fan is running, and the compressor seems to be coming on, although it seems to cycle on & off quite often.

Any help on what else to check?

Thanks,
Corey

148

Hi Corey,

How often? Are we talking about minutes or seconds?

Gene.

149

Gene,
Thanks for getting back to me. I just went out and plugged it in. I am hearing a click (solenoid?). The compressor seems to be coming on for 15 or 20 seconds, then off for a minute or two. Then repeats. The compressor seems to be very quiet. I place a screw driver against the housing and with my ear against the screwdriver handle I can hear a hum.

Does any of this help?

Thanks again,
Corey

150

Corey,

The first thing I would do is replace the relay and overload for the compressor. If it would not help then the compressor itself is bad.

If the problem is a bad compressor then this job has to be done by a certified technician.

Here are the break down diagrams for the Maytag refrigerator Model MZD2766GEW

Gene.

151

[quote=Gene;34507]Tracy,

Did you see frost built-up in the freezer?

Gene.[/quote]
no it did no. Besides the last two days everything was “back to normal” and i can feel cold air came out from the front “opening” ( i wonder what 'would be the right the name of this part). Then today, when i came home the refrigerator is getting warm again…what could it be the problem here?
thanks

152

Gene,
Thanks once again for the help. One more dumb question.

I am looking at the plastic housing that holds the overload and relay on the side of the compressor and am not certain how to remove it from the compressor. Does the whole assembly just pull off? If so, in what direction? I just don’t want to break anything!

Thanks,
Corey

153

Never mind Gene, Figured it out!

Thanks!

154

Tracy,

Does the fan in the freezer run properly?

If it does then can you feel cold air coming into the fresh food compartment?

Here are the break down diagrams for the GE refrigerator Model PTS25SBMARBS

Gene.

155

Hi Gene,

I followed your guide to isolate the cause of the problem I have which is as per the title of this thread Freezer is fine, refrigerator is too warm.

I have a Whirlpool, GB22DKXGW00.

I located the defrost timer under the freezer. Turned the shaft CW until it clicked. After the 10-15 min waiting period I could not hear any sizzling noise. Neither in the freezer, nor in the vecinity of the defrost timer. My daughter checked for the noise as well and she also could not hear anything.

I then removed the panel and checked the continuity across the defrost heater and the defrost thermostat. I found continuity for both which means they should be OK. While melting the ice formed behind the panel, I could even see when the thermostat cycling open.

So it the thermostat and heater are OK, and according to the lack of sizzling noise, the timer should also be OK. That would mean all items are working but I still have ice formed and a warm refrigerator.

I am not quite clear what would generate that sizzling sound. In a way I would think that no sound means something is wrong with the timer…

Would you please let me know what could be the problem. I removed the ice and the refrigerator will work for a while, however, I’m sure if I don’t correct what needs to be corrected it will stop cooling again.

Thank you.

Dan

156

Hi Dan,

Did you remove wires from the defrost heater prior to check it for continuity?

The sizzling sound comes from defrosted water dripping onto the hot defrost heater.

Here are the break down diagrams for the Whirlpool refrigerator Model GB22DKXGW00

Gene.

157

Gene,

I disconnected both the heater element and the thermocouple. These two items are installed in series so a first disconnection was between them two, then I disconnected the other wire of each. In total I disconnected in three points. Therefore, when I checked the continuity, each of these two parts were fully disconnected.

Gene, with your explanation about the source of the sizzling sound, I think the failed part is the defrost timer. As I mentioned, I could not hear anything close to a sizzling noise. That means there’s no watter dripping because there’s no heat generated.

Before concluding that the defrost timer is not working properly, I was/still am somehow confused by this part of the procedure:

“5). Wait about 10 to 15 minutes, open the freezer door and see if you can hear a sizzling noise. If you can, then the problem is the defrost timer which has to be replaced.” So if I can (hear the nosie) the problem is the defrost timer? It seems to me it’s the other way around (if I can not hear the noise then the problem is the defrost timer). Am I missuderstanding something?

Would you please clarify this for me.

Many thanks,

Dan

158

Dan,

The defrost timer is just a switch, operated by a motor. There are two pairs of contacts, one of them provides power to the compressor and another one - to the heating circuit.

If the motor is bad, it’s causing the compressor contacts to get stuck, then it will never switch to the defrost cycle. When you manually turn the shaft that means you manually switched the defrost “on”, and sizzling sound proves that the defrost circuit is fine. In your case it looks like the defrost pair of contacts in the defrost timer is bad and the correction is to replace the defrost timer. Also I would recommend to check wires to the defrost timer.

Gene.
P.S. You can check the defrost timer for continuity according to the Wiring diagram.

159

Gene,

Thanks for all the good info thus far: here is my situation.

Frigidaire Top Freezer model.

I had the ice build up on the coils in my freezer compartment. I manually defrosted everything (hairdryer) and put everything back together. Same problem arose in about 2 weeks with a warm fridge compartment. (more ice on the coils).

I am looking at the three parts (heater element, defrost timer, and thermostat). I ohm tested the heater element and got infinity (switching the probes around if that mattered).

I did not run any ohm tests on the thermostat as I am not sure where to connect the probes to (should I cut and strip the wire and then reconnect?

Here’s the kicker; my defrost timer is one of the electronic ones you mentioned. I read somewhere that on my model (frigidaire FRT21H7ASB2) you need to toggle the light switch 5 times within 7 seconds and it should manually put the refrigerator into defrost mode. It does not do this and continues to run when I toggle the light switch.

The fridge does actually shut off occasionally (is this defrost mode? if so is the timer ok?) If it is defrost mode, I am looking for a glow from my heating element when the fridge is off, but there is no glow, the heating element is not turning on (obviously because of my problem).

This would lead me to believe the thermostat needs to be replaced; however, not being able to manually put my fridge into defrost mode has me concerned it might be the electronic timer. Everything else seems to point to the fact that the timer is working. If you could give me any advice as to which parts to order or further tests to run, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks so much.

Mark

160

Hi Mark.

The defrost heater is bad. No doubts about it. I would recommend to replace the defrost thermostat too because the part is inexpensive and will make the repair more reliable.

Gene.