The evaporator is frosted over. When I attempt a forced defrost the evaporator fan stops but the compressor stays running. Is this the board causing this?

When the evaporator fan motor stops running the top half of the back wall of the freezer will frost over and the the only reason the lower portion stays cool is because cold air falls. More than likely you have a a dc motor fan and its bad, but be wary with ge, the main control board could also go bad causing the fan not to run.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/jason_4570d45317834dd3

hi chris
dave here hope i can help

I would test the defrost timer, defrost heater or defrost limit switch

TESTING AND REPLACING THE DEFROST TIMER
This timer activates the heater that melts frost in the evaporator for 10 to 20 minutes every 10 to 12 hours. In the process, it turns the compressor off and on. If it fails, the compressor may not run. Or the heater may not go on, eventually causing a hidden ice buildup that blocks the cold-air flow and disables the evaporator fan. An access hole lets you test the timer. If the timer isn't in the control panel, look behind the front grille or behind the rear access panel. If the compressor fails to run turn the timer until it clicks. If compressor goes on, timer is faulty. If unit isn't defrosting automatically and turning timer stops compressor or fan, timer is faulty.
Before replacing timer, spray it with electrical contact cleaner through access hole and turn it a few times. Stop just before a click and wait to see if timer advances on its own.
To replace timer, unplug the refrigerator and open control panel. Remove screws holding timer to panel and pull of leads. If wires aren't in a plug, move then one at a time to new timer.

EVAPORATOR AND DEFROST HEATER
In a frost-free unit, the evaporator coils, their fan, and the deforst heater are located behind the freezer's back wall or under its floor. The fan, which circulates cold air between the coils and the two food compartments, is controlled by the door switch, the thermostat, or both. To check the fan, open both doors, wait for the compressor to go on, and hold in the door switch. If you can't hear the fan running, test the fan(below).
The defrost heater, which melts frost on the coils, is cycled on by the defrost timer(above). If the frost melts before the end of the defrost cycle, the defrost limit switch turns the heater off. The heater may be a metal rod, a wire wrapped in foil, or a coil inside a glass tube. All are tested the same way. Test terminals for the heater are often located in the control panel or under a doorjamb; check the wiring diagram. Or test the heater leads inside the evaporator compartment.

TESTING THE EVAPORATOR FAN
To remove the evaporator fan, unplug unit; open back panel(or floor) of freezer. Then unscrew housing holding fan, and take off leads going to fan motor. With VOM(Volt-Ohm Meter) on RX1, probe motor terminals(except green ground wire terminal). Look for moderate resistance(50 to 200 ohms). Replace fan if much lower or infinity.

TESTING THE DEFROST HEATER
Open control panel. With VOM on RX1, probe test terminals. Look for 15-to 100-ohm reading. If infinity, turn defrost timer(as above); retest.

TESTING DEFROST LIMIT SWITCH
Trace and disconnect leads. With VOM on RX1, probe leads. Look for infinity reading when switch is warm, zero after 20 minutes in working freezer.

Hope this sources your problem
Thank you for using Fixya.com

dead if the compressor is running and theres no cooling or frost on the evaporator you have leaked out all your freon only way to fix is call a pro about 600$ to fix

Check if evaporator fan is running. Is there any frost buildup on freezers evaporator cover? If so you have a defrost problem (bad heater, defrost thermostat, thermister, defrost timer or circuit board ). If no frost and the freezer is warm then you most likely have a sealed system problem(leak, restriction, bad compressor) which is costly to repair.

depending on the model, 1-5 years. 5 reasons for fridge and/or freezer getting warm: 1- the evaporator coils are icing up and won?t let air circulate. 2- the evaporator fan is not working to circulate air. 3- there is no refrigerant in the system. 4- no power to fridge or compressor. 5- the condenser coils have no air circulation check under the fridge behind the vent. if it is too dusty or the fan isn?t working, it is not getting enough airflow to cool down. replace fan and/or vacuum out the dust. if there is no power to the fridge, the light will be off. if the compressor is not running, there is a defrost timer that cuts the power temporarily to the compressor to melt ice on the coils. it?s located under the fridge behind the bottom vent. If the timer is off and the compressor is not going, the compressor or the main board is bad and needs replacing. there is also a temperature sensor on the evaporator coils that tells the defrost coil to turn on and when to turn off. if the defrost timer is on but the coil is not heating up, replace the sensor. if it still won?t heat up, it?s the timer or the coil. the easiest way to tell if there is no refrigerant- the freezer wall is warm and the compressor is loud. if there is no refrigerant, it may be more cost effective to replace the fridge. if you feel no air coming from the freezer vent, the fan needs replacing. If you feel air moving in the freezer but not the fridge, the channel from freezer to fridge is blocked. if the freezer has air and the rear freezer wall has frost on it, the evaporator coils are iced up and need defrosting. causes: 1. low refrigerant 2. no fan 3. too much humid air in fridge/freezer due to door open or bad door seals 4. the condensate drain tube is clogged 5. defrost cycle not functioning properly if the seal around the door is ripped or not completely sealing, or there is condensation at the bottom or the walls of the fridge, replace the seal(s). no air, no fan. Replace if the refrigerant is low, it just needs a top off. but you need to be certified by the epa to move refrigerant, so get a professional. there defrost cycle starts with the timer. at a certain time of day for a specific time, the timer turns the compressor off and turns on the heater element located at the bottom of the evaporator coil. this stays on until the coil temp sensor reaches a certain temperature to let the timer know that the coils are defrosted and turns off the power to the element. the defrosted water drains to the condensate pan. if the timer is bad, it will never go into defrost, or never get out of it. if the element is bad, the coils will never defrost. if the temp sensor is bad, it?ll go into defrost, but it will either tell the timer that it?s always frozen or already defrosted, resulting in the element never turning on (stays frosted) or never turning off (eventually burning out the element). defrost solutions: unplug the fridge. remove the wall of the freezer that is frosted/icing up. use a hair dryer to melt the ice. do not get too close. you will see a drain under the evaporator coil. make sure it is not blocked. the water should run freely to a condensate pan under the fridge that evaporates the condensation with the hot line from the compressor. once the coil is free of ice, frost, and water, replace the panel and repair any of the problems that caused the icing up. plug the fridge in and turn it on. If it frosts up within a week, there is still an issue that not been taken care of.

5 reasons for fridge and/or freezer getting warm: 1- the evaporator coils are icing up and won?t let air circulate. 2- the evaporator fan is not working to circulate air. 3- there is no refrigerant in the system. 4- no power to fridge or compressor. 5- the condenser coils have no air circulation check under the fridge behind the vent. if it is too dusty or the fan isn?t working, it is not getting enough airflow to cool down. replace fan and/or vacuum out the dust. if there is no power to the fridge, the light will be off. if the compressor is not running, there is a defrost timer that cuts the power temporarily to the compressor to melt ice on the coils. it?s located under the fridge behind the bottom vent. If the timer is off and the compressor is not going, the compressor or the main board is bad and needs replacing. there is also a temperature sensor on the evaporator coils that tells the defrost coil to turn on and when to turn off. if the defrost timer is on but the coil is not heating up, replace the sensor. if it still won?t heat up, it?s the timer or the coil. the easiest way to tell if there is no refrigerant- the freezer wall is warm and the compressor is loud. if there is no refrigerant, it may be more cost effective to replace the fridge. if you feel no air coming from the freezer vent, the fan needs replacing. If you feel air moving in the freezer but not the fridge, the channel from freezer to fridge is blocked. if the freezer has air and the rear freezer wall has frost on it, the evaporator coils are iced up and need defrosting. causes: 1. low refrigerant 2. no fan 3. too much humid air in fridge/freezer due to door open or bad door seals 4. the condensate drain tube is clogged 5. defrost cycle not functioning properly if the seal around the door is ripped or not completely sealing, or there is condensation at the bottom or the walls of the fridge, replace the seal(s). no air, no fan. Replace if the refrigerant is low, it just needs a top off. but you need to be certified by the epa to move refrigerant, so get a professional. there defrost cycle starts with the timer. at a certain time of day for a specific time, the timer turns the compressor off and turns on the heater element located at the bottom of the evaporator coil. this stays on until the coil temp sensor reaches a certain temperature to let the timer know that the coils are defrosted and turns off the power to the element. the defrosted water drains to the condensate pan. if the timer is bad, it will never go into defrost, or never get out of it. if the element is bad, the coils will never defrost. if the temp sensor is bad, it?ll go into defrost, but it will either tell the timer that it?s always frozen or already defrosted, resulting in the element never turning on (stays frosted) or never turning off (eventually burning out the element). defrost solutions: unplug the fridge. remove the wall of the freezer that is frosted/icing up. use a hair dryer to melt the ice. do not get too close. you will see a drain under the evaporator coil. make sure it is not blocked. the water should run freely to a condensate pan under the fridge that evaporates the condensation with the hot line from the compressor. once the coil is free of ice, frost, and water, replace the panel and repair any of the problems that caused the icing up. plug the fridge in and turn it on. If it frosts up within a week, there is still an issue that not been taken care of.

Check to see if the condenser fan at the back underneath near the compressor is running. If no check fan.

Are the condenser coils near there warm or room temp. should be warm


How to check stuff>
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/refrigerator/refrigerator.php


Is the evaporator fan in the freezer running. It blows cold air into the fridge side through a damper in the wall between the freezer and fridge. Make sure the damper is open.

Below the evaporator fan is the evaporator coils. Remove the back cover inside the freezer to observe the frost pattern. Light frost everywhere(NORMAL) or a partial pattern of ice(LOW ON FREON) or nothing(LOW FREON OR COMPRESSOR PROBLEM).
heavy frost-
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.

You can turn the defrost timer till it clicks and everything shuts down. The heater should now come on. If it does, replace the timer. If it doesn't, check the heater and defrost thermostat. Turn the timer again till everything starts back up to end the defrost cycle.

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 the compressor motor running.If no check starter/overload relay.
Check to see if the condenser fan at the back underneath near the compressor is running. If no check fan.

Are the condenser coils near there warm or room temp. should be warm


How to check stuff>
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/refrigerator/refrigerator.php


Is the evaporator fan in the freezer running. It blows cold air into the fridge side through a damper in the wall between the freezer and fridge. Make sure the damper is open.

Below the evaporator fan is the evaporator coils. Remove the back cover in the freezer to observe the frost pattern. Light frost everywhere(NORMAL) or a partial pattern of ice(LOW ON FREON) or nothing(LOW FREON OR COMPRESSOR PROBLEM).

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.

You can turn the defrost timer till it clicks and everything shuts down. The heater should now come on. If it does, replace the timer. If it doesn't, check the heater and defrost thermostat. Turn the timer again till everything starts back up to end the defrost cycle.


Your evaporator coils frost up in normal use and every eight hours or so the entire unit shuts down and the defrost heater comes on to melt the frost. This cycle last about 20 minutes. The melted frost drips into a drain pan and through a drain tube to the drain tray under the freezer/refrigerator where it's evaporated by the condenser fan.

Check to see if the condenser fan at the back underneath near the compressor is running. If no check fan.

How to check stuff>
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/refrigerator/refrigerator.php
Is the evaporator fan in the freezer running. It blows cold air into the fridge side through a damper in the wall between the freezer and fridge. Make sure the damper is open.

Below the evaporator fan is the evaporator coils. Remove the back cover in the freezer to observe the frost pattern. Light frost everywhere(NORMAL) or a partial pattern of ice(LOW ON FREON) or nothing(LOW FREON OR COMPRESSOR PROBLEM).
If the evaporator coils behind the back panel of the freezer are icing up heavy because of auto defrost failure that will stop the circulation of cold air
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.