Question about LG LRBC22544 Bottom Freezer Refrigerator
CathyM for the model you listed, your defrost is controlled by the main board located in back. It should defrost about every 7 hours of compressor run time. Located on the right side of the evaporator is a harness that has a thermistor and a fuse. This thermistor tells the board when to defrost and when to terminate the defrost. Before ordering any boards, I would ohm out the fuse on this harness. It's tucked in a plastic casing right with the thermistor. The harness will unplug and you can ohm it out at the connector. On most of the LG's I find with defrost problems, this fuse has been the culprit. If it is bad, the heater will not funtion. I will see if I can attach a picture of it. Now I don't mean to overide any of Krazytechs excellent information, just wanted you to know how this defrost system works. Catriver.
Posted on Aug 31, 2007
Sure, your ADC that you are talking about is part of that main board. Behind the toe panel, (front grill) there should be a tech sheet that will show you how to go into the service mode. Here you can test the defrost system. Some of these main boards have a test button on them and some models, you have to do a key dance on the refrigerator controls. In your initial post you had the error code ER FF of which is a freezer fan failure. You did not state whether you had a defrost error. Now you don't want to start ordering all kinds of parts if you don't need them. The evaporator is right under the freezer fan in which Krazytech skillfully guided you through. On the right side of that evap is the thermistor and fuse harness. See if you can find the tech sheet and we will be able to help you get down to the real problem. In the meantime check out the pic of the meter. It shows testing a solenoid, instead you will be checking a fuse link. Catriver.
Cathy, ok, you can visually check the main board in back to see if it has a test button. It would be close to the center, grey in color. If you don't have it, you will have to go throught the control panel. On the panel you would press express freezer key and the colder key on the freezer temp side for 3 seconds. 1rst part of the test the compressor will run, the freezer fan will run, the damper will open, the defrost heater will be off and the panel should show all the lights lit. Press the same keys again to enter the 2nd phase. The compressor will turn off, the freezer fan will turn off, the damper will close, the defrost heater will turn on and the display should show 222. Now if you have the back panel off in the freezer you should be able to tell if the defrost heater is on. It should be melting the ice on the evap. If it is not, the next thing to do is check that fuse in that harness. Unplug the harness. With your meter, touch the leads to the brown and red wire leads on the connector. It should show continuity, you should get a reading. If you don't get a reading, that fuse is open and your heater will not come on. Let me know how you are making out on the whole deal...Catriver.
OK CathyM, you are a good tech, I don't think you need any parts at all. You don't have to test the fuse because the heater came on. To me, it sounds like you are sucking moisture into the freezer area, therefore the ice build up around the fan. If your door seal is sealing good you can rule that out. On some models, especially in humid areas I find moisture will be sucked up the drain tube into the freezer when the door is opened. I use a simple solution by taking a cap off of a hairspray can or spray paint can and fill it with water. Then I put the end of the drain hose into the cap. When it defrosts the water fills the cap and runs into the drain pan. With the end of the hose into the water, no air is sucked up into the freezer area when a door is opened. Anyway, I glad you learned a bunch about your model. If you have any more questions...just post. Catriver.
Cathy, Im talking about the drain tube that goes to the drain pan in back by the compressor...Catriver.
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You have a defrost problem.. Error FF most likely a freezer fan motor. can you hear the fan in the freezer running? if you want to replace it your self let me know...
Posted on Aug 26, 2007
you can do it.. just remove all the shelves in the freezer. remove the back panel and you will small fan in the back remove mounting screws and unplug fan and motor ... most LG come with a new fan blades but check you new one ... go to a local appliance parts store and get a new motor... good luck you can do it...please let me know
yes you will have to remove the ice maker. you can remove the back panel without removing the support bars just remove the screws and they may have covers over the screws...and slide it down or up and it should clear the supports...let me know how you are doing.
I think your motor must have stop first to get ice around it.. or it will make a horrible noise without the fan you will get the ice build up ...you may also have a ADC problem but first will have to replace the fan motor...
dS=failure of the defrost sensor,
dH=failure of the defrost mode itself
FF=failure of the freezer fan motor.
your defrost system has 4 parts
1)adc is the Adaptive Defrost Control
2)defrost heater
3)Defrost Termination Thermostat
4)fan motor
defrost system is electronically controlled and called an adaptive defrost control or ADC. 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
If I where you I would change the
2)defrost heater
3)Defrost Termination Thermostat
4)fan motor
and put it all back together with your old ADC.
run the Refrigerator keep any eye on the the freezer if it is not defrosting correctly then you will have to replace the ADC... check a local appliance parts store for the parts to save on shipping or you can find them online too.. make sure you have your whole model number and serial number.. good luck I hope this helps
the defrost heat is a pencil size bar around the coils in the back of the freezer. the defrost termination thermostat is a round quarter size what has two wires coming out of it and is clipped on the coil .one wire goes to the heater..it may run fine until it needs to defrost again and it will freeze up again if one the 4 items is not working
Your welcome please take a minute to rate the problem solving assistance feedback .. Thanks
HI again,
the ADC can be in two different places just under the controls in the refrigerator or in an access panel in the back..sorry that I don't know which one on you model... good luck and that will solve you problem..
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Hi - Thanks for the reply. Yes, for one day the fan was really loud (between the first time it showed ER FF and the second time it showed ER FF). Now, it doesn't sound at all and the ER FF comes on right away after I unplug and plug it back in. I think it is burnt out. So, now I have the refrigerator off since last night. I would like to replace it myself if it is not too dificult.
Ok, I will try it and let you know. Thanks!
Hi - I took out the shelves in the bottom freezer and I don't see a back panel. Unless it is the whole back panel of the freezer with one screw and the ice maker attached. Is this what I should remove? If so, should I remove the icemaker also, and the support bars that hold the shelves in place?
Hi - I had to remove the support bars, I cracked the back panel slightly, hope it is ok. Also chipped off a plastic piece that holds the support bars. And chipped off a piece of a vent. Anyway, when I pulled the panel off, there was big ice chunks, still melting from last night when I turned off the fridge, in the area of the fan. The fan could have been impeded by the ice chunks, thereby over-heating the fan's motor. Do you think this is a motor problem or something else caused this? I read another very recent post on the same problem and it mentioned something about a computer problem. What do you think?
Yes, fan motor no good now. Also, it was making a horrible noise, like an airplane taking off...for a day, 2 days ago.
What is an ADC problem?
According to Rascal Flat on Oct 27, 2006, the ice builds up because the faulty computer shut the fan off early in it's cycle and slowly the ice builds up and impedes the fan. Is this what you mean by an ADC problem?
Thanks.
ok, makes sense. After I take the fan/motor out, where do I find a replacement? And do I replace the ADC also?
Where is the defrost heater and the defrost termination thermostat? I plugged refrigerator back in and it is running fine now, silent, fan is spinning, all seems fine.
Ok, thanks for everything. very helpful!
Hi again - I am still in the process with this fridge, I will gladly give you feedback when I wrap it all up. By the way, if I wanted to replace the ADC (defrost sensor), where would I find that on the refrigerator?
Thanks.
I would like to replace the ADC; I don't know where to find it on the refrigerator. If you know where it is on my fridge, please reply.
Thanks!
Thanks Krazytech, I am going to try and order the parts today. I think it is located in that access panel.
To Catriver - Thanks for the great information. You don't know how much I appreciate it. I think you are saying that instead of replacing the ADC board, just ohm out the fuse and maybe my problems will be solved. I am a rookie when it comes to this stuff so I don't know what you mean about "ohm out". Actually, I don't know where the evaporator is either. I will hunt around for something that looks like the picture you provided. How to I "ohm out" the fuse? Do you think I can do this? I am not kidding, no one around here works on LGs. They all tell me that they recommend against buying them. One repair place told me to defrost it manually every six months and there is nothing else that they can do - LGs have defrost problems. Another place said they don't do LGs because it takes months for parts and you have to go directly through them. One place use to sell them; but they don't anymore because of all the problems. Sears told me that since I am out of warranty, I am on my own.
Anyway, thanks again. If I could find out what "ohm out" is and where that evaporator is located, I will try and do it myself.
Thanks for everything!
Hi Catriver - First off, I understand the diagram you sent over. I have one of those ohm readers. Bad news is the front grill. When I take it off, I run into a white metal piece. no tech sheet. And to take the white metal piece off, I need to take the front levelers off that the fridge is resting on. there is a circuit sticker on the back of the fridge. And I have my user's guide but that doesn't show much of anything at all. My fridge only said ER FF. No defrost error. It didn't defrost properly though, for a year now. and there was those ice/frosty chunks blocking the freezer fan and causing my fridge to shut down in the refrigerator section.
Hi Catriver - I did as you said using the control panel. It seemed like both parts of the test went well. Display showed 222. The defrost heater sounded like it was on when it was displaying 222. I left it on for about 5 minutes and liquid started to drip down and sizzle. I didn't check the fuse in the harness yet...I will try and do that right now. I put the fridge back to normal mode now.
Thanks Catriver. So I don't need anything but to do what you recommend? Are you talking about the drain hose that hangs out near my icemaker?
The drain tube goes into the ice bin. And the ice sticks together all the time. Hopefully the cap will solve all.
Ok, I will look for it. Thanks for everything, you have been a great help! All the diagrams and photos and all. excellent job!
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