Both freezer and frig fan are not working. compressor and evap coils operating fine but without fans, coils eventually ice up

New side by side layout is fridge side by side upper 2/3, with lower 1/3 pull out freezer
Normally in modern frost free systems only the freezer has the evap, and the fridge thermostat operates a duct, allowing freezer air to blow into the fridge.
The compressor runs until the freezer is satified, the thermostat powering the compressor is only connected to the freezer. If the fridge requires cooling but not the freezer, there's plenty of freezer air to circulate into the fridge after the compressor has turned off. Eventually the cmpressor will start again when the freezer temp gets too high.

On twin evap models, the fridge fan motor cuts out when the fridge gets to it's setpoint, so no air circulation through the fridge evap, though liquid refrigerant flows through it to the freezer evap. Likewise, if the fridge needs cooling but not the freezer, then the compressor will start but the freezer fan motor will not run.

Old school cyclic defrost systems had the thermostat in the fridge, and the freezer kept running until the fridge coil was low enough to make the fridge cabinet down to temp.


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Jason,
MOST refrigerators get there cold from the freezer side and circulate it via a fan that's also normally inside the freezer. There are three motors normally in a refrigeration system. The inside Evaporator fan motor that circulates air across the evaporator coil inside the box, the Condenser fan motor near the compressor that cools the freon after compression, and the compressor itself. If you open the doors (and sometimes you may have to hold in the door switches) do you hear a fan running? If not you could have a couple things going on: 1. The fan(s) has failed. 2. The freezer Evap coil may of iced over and the fan too is frozen stopped. 3. Your condensing unit:(compressor, condenser fan, condenser coils) has a problem.
It is important to know if the compressor itself is running. If there is a loose connection to the compressor via the start/over load relay (normally attaches directly onto the compressor), or if the start/over load otself is bad the compressor will not run. Best way to tell is via gauges but I doubt your frig has ports. Check to see if your compressor is really hot. Could be bad start/over load relay or bad compressor. Try unplugging your frig for say 30 min then, with your hand on top of a cool compressor, plug the frig back in and see if compressor smoothly vibrates for at least 5 min without becoming very hot or shutting off even though fan continues to run. The fact your fan is running TYPICALLY means the thermostat is calling for lower temps and the fan/compressor kick in together.



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fan on the bottom outside cools compressor fan on inside moves air to ice box

I believe that because defrost is done by the mother control board this is why this is happening the part of the board that controls defrost is malfunctioning and the only way to resolve the problem is to replace the mother board part number WR55X10656 You can find the replacement board at these places below. Sea Breeze

http://appliancepartsse.blogspot.com/

http://appliancepartsse.blogspot.com/

Is there anything obstructing the fan area, ice build up ? It is normal for your freezer to get warm if evap fan is not working, it is essential for it to work :) A defrost cycle should kick on a timer or as needed (adaptive) and there should not be excessive frost buildup that it blocks your evap fan. I would have suggested you unplug your refrigerator for about 10 minutes and see if that resets your control board - if not, then you will need service - either replacing motor assembly or a faulty control board.

Really need to know what motor(s) are running (compressor, evap fan inside freezer compartment, condenser fan under fridge)?? Of course, check your temperature (thermostat) settings. Side-by-sides usually have 2 of them. They should be labled for refridgerator and freezer. The freezer control usually only opens a baffle from the freezer compartment to the refridge compartment. The refrigerator temp control is the one that controls the compressor on-off cycles and the temp of refrig compartment (this keeps the refrig compartment from freezing the milk and cokes) If the freezer control/baffle is set too far open, this will cause the refrig temp control to shut off too soon for the freezer temp to get low enough. These controls can get bumped out of the correct setting accidently from time to time.
To check the following, the fridge has to be running, or in a condition where it "should be" running: If compressor is running (condenser fan should be too), check if evaporator fan (inside freezer) is running. Open (freezer) door and hold door light switch in when you check evaporator fan operation (some fans stop when door is open) If it is not running you may have a bad evaporator fan motor. It could also be a bad defrost timer, causing the evaporator (also inside back of freezer) to ice-up. This blocks the air flow over evap. Also, there is a defrost terminator switch on the evaporator coil that stops the defrost cycle when coil is clear of ice/frost (but timer hasn't ended defrost cycle). If it is defective, that could also keep the fridge from going into the defrost cycle, or taking it out too soon. If it is the timer, change the defrost terminator as well. Depending on how handy you are, you may be able to check/change any of these parts yourself. If you don't know much about elecrical stuff, you should leave it to a repair tech. Hope this helps.

I have the same problem. The repair people replaced the control board, but it did not fix the problem.

Hello,

You have to replace the electrical components on the side of the compressor. The heat from the fan not running by the compressor more than likely has damaged them. These are a safety feature to save the compressor from damage when it overheats.

You can find the factory repair manual here. This will have all the part numbers and what you need to replace to take care of your refrigerator. The Top Freezer Refrigerator one will be about your machine. It covers all the FRT Models.

Thanks

Depends, for the newer models, you can change the evap fan motor thru the front, but if you have the older model, then you have to remove the freezer housing, ice maker assy then the cover to change the evap fan motor.