Repairing Your Fridge
My side by side fridge is cold (sub 0* F) on the freezer side but hot 60*F on the refrigerated side. Not good for your food. Not good for you either if you eat the food.
This means that the refrigerant is OK. It takes a licensed pro to fix the refrigerant or compressor.
This involved testing live circuits with 117 VAC on them. Use caution as you don't want shocked.
This means that the refrigerant is OK. It takes a licensed pro to fix the refrigerant or compressor.
This involved testing live circuits with 117 VAC on them. Use caution as you don't want shocked.
Check the Defrost Timer
I put a dot of white out on the part that turns and the body of the fridge. After a couple of hours I noticed that the wheel had turned. This is one of the pieces that defrost the coils. Mine turned as it should so is eliminated as the problem.
Unload the Freezer
I put everything in a cooler and a couple of blue ice blocks in fridge side to keep it cool. Remove the shelves an take off the panel in the back
Testing
Live wires!! Voltages in the range of 117/123 VAC.
Be careful! If you have a pacemaker or other condition that a shock will kill you hire someone else!!!!
I had defrosted the coils by hand with a hair dryer a couple days ago to keep the fridge going. You will see the coils as a block of frost.
I had voltage at the feed wires. I had continuity at the element so I knew it was good.
There was no continuity at the defrost thermostat. Bad news this.
I found my model number and ordered my part next day from Amazon. Sears Parts Direct didn't have it in stock locally.
Be careful! If you have a pacemaker or other condition that a shock will kill you hire someone else!!!!
I had defrosted the coils by hand with a hair dryer a couple days ago to keep the fridge going. You will see the coils as a block of frost.
I had voltage at the feed wires. I had continuity at the element so I knew it was good.
There was no continuity at the defrost thermostat. Bad news this.
I found my model number and ordered my part next day from Amazon. Sears Parts Direct didn't have it in stock locally.
Swap Out the Bad Part
Simple enough with both pieces at hand. It was simple enough as the part is color coded and the wires had a male and a female end.
I then rotated the timer till I heard it click. I waited 3 minute for the defrost heater to kick on. No joy!!
Duh!!!
The defrost thermostat was room temperature. I rotated the defrost timer until the compressor kicked on. I let it run for a few minutes till the defrost thermostat had frost on it.
Success!! I was shocked at how hot the heater gets. It is essentially the same as the one in an electric oven.
I then rotated the timer till I heard it click. I waited 3 minute for the defrost heater to kick on. No joy!!
Duh!!!
The defrost thermostat was room temperature. I rotated the defrost timer until the compressor kicked on. I let it run for a few minutes till the defrost thermostat had frost on it.
Success!! I was shocked at how hot the heater gets. It is essentially the same as the one in an electric oven.
Reassembly!
Put the cover back in place.
Put the shelves back in place
Take the food out of the cooler and put them back in the freezer.
Hope I saved you some money.
Put the shelves back in place
Take the food out of the cooler and put them back in the freezer.
Hope I saved you some money.