How to fix a bad defrost control timer frigidaire ffu14fk1cw

No reset button. Possibly defrost timer is bad or thermostat or control board

Hello friend, thank you for your post!

From what you have described you are having a problem with your Frigidaire freezer not shutting off and you feel it may be due to a defrost timer. This issue you are seeing could be a problem with your timer or thermostat. You might want to perform a reset on your freezer and you can do that by disconnecting the power cord from it for roughly ten minutes. If that does not help resolve your issue you might want to have a professional technician out to perform a diagnosis and repair. I hope this is helpful. -Matt

Frigidaire equips most of its refrigerator models with automatic defrosting capabilities. This means that owners don't have to set a calendar reminder to manually defrost. The internal automatic defrost control and timing mechanism is placed at the bottom of most Frigidaire refrigerators, next to the stationary pan that captures water - even the defrosted meltwater is automatically evaporated. You might be confused about how the defrost timer works, thinking it is broken. Frigidaire understood this might be an issue for some owners and suggests double-checking the defroster for normal operation because it may not be malfunctioning at all.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/how_12165725_troubleshooting-frigidaire-defrost-timer.html#ixzz32x8RyDGe

Good Morning Debbie,

I see that you are looking to see what turns on the defrost timer and evaporator fan on your Frigidaire refrigerator, model# FGHN2844LF2. Your appliance comes equipped with an Adaptive Defrost Control (ADC). To activate manual defrost, simultaneously press and hold the Fresh Food up (+) and Fresh Food down (-) keys for 5 seconds. A "d" in the freezer temperature window and "F" in the refrigerator temperature window will display when the heater is activated. To deactivate manual defrost, simultaneously press and hold the Fresh Food up (+) and Fresh Food down (-) keys for 5 seconds. A "d" and "F" will be displayed until the defrost cycle is complete. I hope this is helpful.

-Best Regards-

the defrost heater or thermostat circuitry is bad,you need to test both components,also the defrost timer control if the other parts test o.k..,the defrost tstat has to be below 32 degrees or it will test bad/open,when the evaporator coil gets iced up you cannot blow cold air through a solid block of ice,(NO air flow)means no cold air throughout the unit even with the evaporator fan running

the defrost circuit has a problem, allowing the frost/ice buildup..
remove the shelves, and back lower cover in the rear of the freezer to expose the evaporator coil, defrost heater, and defrost thermostat.
the defost heater should have continuity through it and the defrost thermostat will have continuity when frozen but test open when warmed.. if either bad replace.
if both test good look for bad connections in the freezer compartment wiring, and moly connectors otherwise the temperature controls are bad and it is an electronic assembly that incorporates the temperature controls with the deforst timer controls..
hope this helps,
best of luck,
ttfn

Check rear wall of freezer by feel for frost. Heavy, even frost indicates likely problem in the defrost system. Unplug unit. Defrost heater (in freezer behind rear wall panel), defrost thermostat (same area-must be checked at freezer temperature) or Defrost timer-located lower back outside of unit. Near compressor. Do continuity test on heater and defrost thermostat and if they show continuity (good), replace defrost timer. If not, replace the one that tests bad.

Defrost coils fully. Reassemble.

Please let me know if I have helped with comments and rating.

Refrigerator will work about 7-10 days after being defrosted until thick frost builds up again cutting off air flow to both compartments

If the evaporator coils behind the back panel of the freezer are icing up because of auto defrost failure that will stop the circulation of cold air and eventually affect the freezer too.

check defrost timer, defrost heater, defrost thermostat. In most newer models the timer has been replaced by an electronic control board. If the heater and thermostat are ok it’ll be the control.
How to check stuff>
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/refrigerator/refrigerator.php

IS THE FREEZER AN AUTO DEFROST FREEZER? IF SO, IS THERE FROST BUILT UP ON THE BACK WALL? IF FROST APPEARS ON THE BACK WALL, THERE IS A DEFROST FAILURE. THERE ARE THREE ITEMS IN THE DEFROST CIRCUIT. THE TIMER, HEATER, AND BI-METAL.
THE TIMER IS USUALLY LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE FREEZER DOWN NEAR THE COMPRESSOR IN THE CORNER. IT HAS FOUR WIRES ATTACHED TO IT. YOU CAN ADVANCE THE TIMER BY TURNING THE KNOB ON THE FACE OF THE TIMER. WHEN IT CLICKS LOUD AND STOPS THE COMPRESSOR RUNNING, IT IS IN THE DEFROST CYCLE. WAIT 5 MNUTES AND CHECK INSIDE THE FREEZER
TO SEE IF THE HEATER COMES ON. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HEAR THE FROST MELTING AND DROPPING ON THE HEATER. IT WILL SIZZLE AND POP. ALSO, LOOK FOR A GLOWING DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BACK PANEL.
IF THE HEATER IS ON, THE TIMER IS BAD. IF NOT, CHECK THE HEATER AND BI-METAL.
IF THE COMPRESSOR IS NOT RUNNING, CHECK THE COLD CONTROL TO SEE IF IT IS GOOD. IF THE COLD CONTROL IS O.K., THE START DEVICE ON THE COMPRESSOR MAY BE BAD. DOES THE COMPRESSOR HUM FOR A MINUTE AND THEN CLICK AND SHUT OFF. IT CAN BE EITHER THE START DEVICE (RELAY) OR THE COMPRESSOR IS BAD.

you say when you advance the defrost timer , id assume turn it ever so slightly the machine kicks on ad begins to freeze again?? then prior to advancing timer i would expect the unit to be totally dead(stuck in defrost mode).no fans,compressor or anything. that suonds like a bad timer or chck the wires going into the timer