The compresser is cycling, hot to the touch and the food has defrosted

Microwaves work by friction. They blast water molecules in the food so they move fast, just like rubbing your hands together makes them hot. Some types of microwave in defrost mode actually apply FULL POWER for a short period of time so to make the product warm to the touch. This heat then penetrates down to the core of the food, ensuring full defrost. In your case the heat was sufficient enough to heat the dry paper towel to set it on fire.
Bread is better defrosted on the low power setting as sliced bread is very thin. Items should only be defrosted on the defrost setting that are thick and need to be completely defrosted on the inside. Remember microwaves only penetrate the surface of food, making that hot. Thermal conduction does the rest.
You should never use paper towels in a microwave unless the instructions for doing the food say so. You wouldn't put a paper towel in a gas or electric oven, so don't put them in a microwave.

Your fridge has was is called an adaptive defrost control. Not only does the period between defrost cycles change but also the time duration of the defrost cycle itself. The device is programmed to keep track of the appliance usage and how long it takes for the evaporator coil to be thoroughly defrosted. It will then calculate the amount of time required and adjust itself accordingly. If there is ice over the drain and on the bottom of the evaporator then your defrost element is working fine, that's why there is ice there. By what you've described it looks like your defrost drain is plugged up with old food pieces or plastic etc. The first thing to do is thaw out the drain completely including the drain tube which can be done by squirting hot water down it. Then blow it out with compressed air and run another few shots of hot water down it. You should see the water collecting in the defrost tray below. Once this is done plug in the fridge and let it run for a day or so and you'll probably find that it's running just fine again.

The compressor will normally be 100 to 110 degrees. I would suspect the thermostat or mouse damage in the freezer area. Also, if you keep it overstocked, to the point of poor air circulation, you could just have ice blockage. Put the frozen food in a styrofoam cooler or a good heavy corrugated box and give the unit a good full defrosting.

Using the Auto Defrost feature on my microwave oven

How do I use the Auto Defrost feature on my microwave oven?
To use the Auto Defrost feature on your microwave oven, please do the following:

1. Unwrap food, place on the turntable, and close the door.
2. Touch Defrost.
3. Select food by entering 1 for Meat, 2 for Poultry or 3 for Fish, or touch Defrost repeatedly to scroll through the food selections.
4. Enter the weight in pounds:
   
   Meats and Poultry can be set from 0.2 to 6.6 lb (90 g to 3 kg).
   Fish can be set from 0.2 to 4.4 lb (90 g to 2 kg).
   
   Doneness may be adjusted at this time by touching Cook Time.
   
5. Touch Start. The display will count down the defrost time. When the cycle ends, "End" will appear in the display, and the end-of-cycle tones will sound, followed by reminder tones.
6. Touch Cancel Off or open the door to clear the display and/or stop reminder tones.

The Defrost system has 3 categories: Meat, Poultry and Fish. It should not be used for food left outside the freezer more than 20 minutes and frozen ready-made food. Use the following chart as a guide.


Here is your owners manual:

http://www.whirlpool.com/assets/pdfs/product/ZUSECARE/GMH5205XVQ_Use%20and%20Care_EN.pdf

In case of a problem or clarification or my solution was insufficient, don't hesitate to post me a reply.

If you are satisfied, rate my solution with the "thumbs" or (even better) add a testimonial.

Sounds like one or more of your defrost components are bad. Those components are defrost heater, defrost thermostat, and defrost timer or board depending on model.

Defrost cycling is poor.
Locating the defrost timer hiddenbehind the back bottom corners of the fridge at the bottom, in some units it's located in the ceiling of the fresh food section,and some behind the cold control cover. Once you locate the defrost timer,slowly turn the screw like wheel in the middle of the defrost timer with astraight screwdriver until the fridge shuts off. You are now in defrost. If thedefrost heater(s) comes on now, replace the defrost timer and defrostthermostat. If the heater(s) does not come on, you can ohm test the defrostheater for continuity or volt test for 120 volts to the heater(s). If you haveno power to the defrost heater(s) you can also bypass the defrost thermostat tosee if the defrost heater will come on, join the 2 wires together to bypass thedefrost thermostat. If the heater now comes on, replace the defrost timer anddefrost thermostat. If the heater itself is bad, defrost the fridge with a hairdryer, replace the defrost heater* and defrost thermostat. If the defrost timerseems "hot" to the touch or is noisy ( like a ticking or screechingnoise )...replace it. Once defrost cycling is cleared, you will get better cooling in fridge compartment also. Thanks.

Hi and welcome to FixYa. I am Kelly.

In the fresh food compartment center overhead within about 6 inches of the front of the unit there is a circular hole. Inside that hole you will see a dial with 2 tabs on it. Use your thumb or a squared off utensil and rotate the tabbed dial slowly until you hear an audible "CLICK" The refrigerator should stop running and the defrost cycle begins.

After 45 minutes (+ or - 10 mins) the compressor should start again. Once the compressor starts, check both the evaporator fan in the freezer compartment and the condenser fan in the bottom rear of the unit to make sure they are turning at full speed.

If the compressor does NOT after 90 minutes re-start, rotate the defrost timer tabs of the dial in the overhead of the fresh food compartment until you hear it start again. The fact that the compressor did not start in under 90 minutes indicates a defrost circuit problem.

A slow running evaporator fan or condenser fan will cause poor cooling. Also in the back of the unit, check the right side of the condenser coils for lint / hair build up. If it is blocked the front outside chassis of the freezer section will be very warm almost hot to the touch. Clean as needed with a vacuum if you do find any lint buildup.

Once more thing is to check the ice maker. Quickly touch the bottom of the ice maker. If it is VERY hot to the touch then there is a problem with the ice maker itself and the mold heater can cause your freezer to warm up and overall unit performance to degrade.

A complete checkout of the ice maker can be found here: http://www.american-appliance.com/catalog/newsdesk_info.php?newsPath=12&newsdesk_id=34

Your parts can be found here:
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=48360

Scrolling the left side of the page will access all sections of the unit.

Thanks for using FixYa.

Kelly


It sounds as if you have an automatic defrost problem.

Your frig is not going into the defrost cycle. Locate the defrost time and advance it one click. Remove every thing from the freezer section of the frig and remove the rear panel. Observe to see if the defrost heater gets hot.
If it gets hot, replace the defrost timer. If it doesn't get hot, unplug the frig and take a multi meter and while the freezer is still cold check to see if the defrost thermostat (a round disk with two wires comming from it located on the evaporator) and make sure the curcuite is closed.If open replace defrost thermostat. If closed check the resistance across the heater. If no resistance, replace heater.

I'm not familiar with the Samsung refrigerators, but on most side-by-sides the evaporator (cooling) coils are located within the divider partition between the two sides.... along with the defroster 'heater' coils. During the defrost cycle, this panel may feel warm/hot to the touch. Are the freezer/refrigerator sections staying as cold as they should be otherwise? If they are also TOO WARM, then you may have a 'defrost cycle' relay or timer motor malfunctioning.

also see if the fan works properly.

Good luck..

CHECK AND MAKE SURE YOU CAN HEAR YOUR EVAPORATOR FAN RUNNING (INSIDE MOTOR). IF IT IS NOT RUNNING ... AND YOUR COMPRESSOR IS RUNNING. THE MOTOR OR DEFROST TEMENATION SWICTH COULD BE DEFECTIVE. IF NOTHING IS RUNNING ... TRY TO LOCATE THE DEFROST TIMER(USUALLY LOCATED WHERE YOUR COLD CONTROLS ARE) YOU SHOULD SEE A SMALL HOLE WHERE YOU CAN MANUALLY TURN THE TIMER WITH A SCREW DRIVER.IT CAN ONLY TURN IN ONE DIRECTION. IF THE MOTOR IS RUNNING. CHECK TO SEE IF COMPRESSOR IN THE BACK IS RUNNING ... IF IT ISNT AND IS "HOT" (BE CAREFULL) SEE IF THE CONDENSER MOTOR NEAR THE COMPRESSOR IS RUNNING ... IF NOT ... THE COND. MOTOR IS BAD ... THAT MOTOR RUNS IF POWER IS GOING TO THE COMPRESSOR ALWAYS. IF COMPRESSOR IS HOT AND NOT RUNNING AND COND. FAN IS RUNNING .... UN PLUG FRIG AND WAIT TILL COMPRESSOR IS COOL TO THE TOUCH. THESE COMPRESSORS HAVE AN INTERNAL T-STAT THAT PROTECTS THE COMPRESSOR IF IT SHORT CYCLES.IT SOMETIMES GETS SO HOT IT DOES TAKE HOURS TO COOL OFF. THERE IS ALSO A DEFROST-TERMINATION SWITCH THAT CAN GO BAD. CONSULT A LICSESED FACTORY CERTIFIED COMPANY TO GIVE YOU A FIXED-PRICE DIAGNOSTIC TEST.