6 yr old unit. After a defrost ice builds up quickly inside of freezer fan area so blade hit it and make a racket. Freezer very coid, but refrigerator section warming to 55 F. Is this a defrost timer, defrost heater or defrost thermastat? How to tell difference, or would you replace them all?
The first thing you want to do is open the freezer and see if the fan inside there is running. The reason is the freezer cools the refrigerator side by circulating air from the freezer. If the fan is running then your problem is one or more parts of the defrost system is malfunctioned and in return your problem arises. There are three parts to the system, the defrost timer or in some cases control board, defrost thermostat also known as a bi-metal, and the defrost heater. The defrost system is set up to operate as so. The defrost timer or control board will turn the machine off, in some cases every 8 hours, some 12. During this time period the defrost heaters, located behind the freezer wall and rest underneath the evaporator, yet wires to them run up the side of it, are energized and emit heat that raises upward to melt the ice that has formed on the evaporator coils. The bi-metal or defrost thermostat is at the top of the evaporator. When the heat from the heater starts to reach the bi-metal, it breaks the circuit turning the heater off. The whole purpose of this is because the freezer cool the refridgerator side by drawing air across the coils and blowing to the other side via the evap fan motor. In my opinion, if you change one part of the defrost system change them all because usually when one part fails another will follow, so save yourself the time and the food loss, the cost difference is minute.
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SOURCE: ice is forming around fan in back of freezer compartment
The defrost system is not doing it's job. I bet if you took the panel off below the fan you will see more ice on the cooling coils. There should be a light coat of frost on the coils but not a heavy ice build up. There is a heating element at the bottom area of these coils which should be defrosting all this ice.
1. A defrost timer turns this heating element on.
2. The heating element melts the ice.
3. A thermo disc attached to the coils will turn the heater off.
One or more of these are not doing it's job.
SOURCE: Fridge not cooling and Ice build up in freezer
It sounds like that when you noticed the fan was not working the refrigerator was also in defrost mode. This is not saying that the defrost position that you happened to catch it in was a normal function. If the defrost element was not on during defrost this will not allow the ice buildup to melt away and clear the evaporator for a fresh clear flow of cold air during normal running time. Also if the defrost thermostat is bad it will not allow the defrost element to come on during the defrost cycle. In short one of all four items could be the problem. Let me know, Sea Breeze
SOURCE: Whirlpool Refrigerator fresh food section cool but not cold (freezer ok).
The most likely problem is in the defrost system. Behind the freezer panel there is not only an evaporator fan, but also the evaporator itself, and a defrost heater, termination bi-metal, and drain pan (or trough). You will likely find ice build-up in the evap coil. This could be caused by the defrost timer, the heater, or the termination bi-metal.
Have a service tech look at the unit.
SOURCE: Warm Fridge Section, Cool freezer section
Problem seems to be solved. I unplugged it for a short time and plugged it back in. I'm guessing it needed to be re-set.
SOURCE: 15 yr old GE TBX18SA refrigerator. Not cooling.
Remove the screw , on the left side of the control panel , and pull the panel , from the left side , outward to the right . You should now see , slightly to the right , from the middle , a black screw , a hole with slot , and slightly higher to the right , a hole with a white piece , with a hole in it . Now , the hole with the slot , turn with a screwdriver , until you hear/feel a louder click . Turn this slowly . When you hit the right click , the refrig will shut off . Remove the inside rear freezer panel ( and ice maker if equiped ) , by removing 3 or 4 screws , pop off the grill piece , and may have to twist the ice maker receptical slightly , to remove . If you do not see the heater on ( red ) , below the coils , then the heater is most likely the problem . pt # WR51x464 . Your old one , has a glass tube , but the new one , is calrod . I believe 2 screws hold this heater on .. If the glass heater does come on , then the problem is the defrost timer ( the piece you turned with the screwdriver ) which is removed , by removing that black screw and bending the panel out slightly . Pt # WR9X520 .
Instructions on how to test the defrost heater are found on the same page as the 67002493 Defrost Heater Assembly
If after testing these parts you don't find the problem then the problem will go to the defrost control found inside the fresh food compartment and behind the control panel=> W10207861 User Control and Display Board. I hope the problem is one of the two first parts I mentioned because the W10207861 User Control and Display BoardHi,
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heatman101
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