Residential refrigerator

[fronty]

One of my friends says his freezer quit working first and then his refrigerator quit cooling. I guess this was over a couple day period. I was thinking maybe it was a refrigerant leak. I'm hoping it isn't since this is a residential refrigerator and it would be a pain to braze a piercing valve (or use process tube), find the leak, etc... What are some other things I can look for that would possibly cause this probelm?

[bago mike]

Don't start guessing before you look at it, Why would you think gas? Is it a frost free refrigerator? If it is, then there is severial other thing to check out first. Gas is the last thing I would think about. Evaperator fan motor, defrost timer /heater/stat, will do this, check for frost first. Don't be so quick to open the system with a valve. That is how you will get the name "Gasser"

[markwolf]

Mine is a frost free but freezes up about two times a year.The wife packs the freezer full to the top & restricts airflow causing the duct to freeze shut.Of course its the manufacturers fault for expecting air to flow across the coil!

[referrob]

household refer only has 1 comp cant lose freezer then cooler day or so later. he must have a traulsen over under with innteli control- that would explain why it puked out. :D

[ar_hvac_man]

The whole unit quit at once. The refrigerator still felt cool because of the half frozen food.

[atozsvc]

I think the starter relay problem.ikicking on and off.

[rayr]

[QUOTE=atozsvc;1407004]I think the starter relay problem.ikicking on and off.[/QU

[refrige-nate]

checking for a leak would be the last thing that i do, along with all the things everyone else said it could be another thing could be the bi-metal overload inside the comp finally broke after tripping a bunch of times.

[ar_hvac_man]

I think the starter relay problem.ikicking on and off.

How can u tell?

[Diceman]

I would be looking for the nearest dumpster.

[fronty]

Opening the system is that last thing I would do. I will probably recommend just tossing it like Diceman said if it is a refrigerant leak. I just wanted to be prepared. It has been quite a while since I worked on any refrigeration. I hope it is an electrical problem. I'll take a look tonight.

[atozsvc]

If it is iced up at the freezer compartment. the freezer not working first.
So defrost sytem is not the problem.
The cooling fan is hard to malfuntion,I choose the overload protector,the domestic compressor is overload is outside,I never see it with inside yet.

[frigeman]

The largest single problem we have with houshold refrigerators is they fail to defrost. When that happens the evaporator is blocked up with ice it is 15-20 degrees in the freezer and 50-60 degrees in the food section.

The timer, defrost themostat, or defrost heater could be bad and not defrosing. Or possiably all three.


Check that first and then go on from there.

[frigetater]

and if it is a side by side, I hope you got narrow shoulders:D

[fronty]

OK... Here is what I did.

The entire evaporator coil was iced up. I checked the defrost thermostat for continuity and it had it. The defrost tstat is wired in series with the heater. I then unplugged the heater and checked for resistance. I was showing resistence. Therefore, I started to look for the defrost timer. Well, I couldn't find the ones I am used to. The old mechanical kind where you can advance the timer to check it. It is an invensys appliance control solid state board. I hope this thing is the defrost timer. I couldn't find a schematic and I did my best to trace wires. The Terminals are:

W BR R OR B PK



I really don't know how to test this thing. How do I test it? Or should I just replace it based on my diagnosis? Here is a picture of the control.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q125/fronty2/03_14_0.jpg?t=1173895521

[fronty]

I talked to one of my friends who works at sears and he said it is an adaptive defrost timer. I guess to check it (advance timer); I was supposed to hit the door switch 5 times within 5 seconds or 10 times within 10 seconds depending on which one it is. Since I did my prior diagnosis, I'm just going to replace the board by process of elimination. Any feedback would be great though. Maybe, I'm missing something.

[fronty]

I replaced the board and everything works fine now. I borrowed a schematic from my friend and learned how to advance the timer. I just need to turn the tstat off and then plug in the refrigerator. It will go into defrost (heater comes on) for 18 minutes or the defrost stat closes. Thanks for the help.

[HVACJOEK]

fronty what was the make of the refrigerator???:cool:

[atozsvc]

magtag.

[atozsvc]

It is hard to pull the panel at the top.There is a notch .OUCH !do not break it.

[hvacmike33]

Try cleaning all the crap out from under it! :D

[fronty]

fronty what was the make of the refrigerator???:cool:

It was a Kenmore (aka Whirlpool).