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slabghost

slabghost

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Recently my refrigerator, a Whirlpool with top freezer, began getting warm. Freezer box was full and everything frozen so I thought. Maybe it's too full and blocking air? So I emptied it and sure enough I found the coils covered in ice. So I says to myself. Yes! There's the problem. Not defrosting!
So I check some you tube vids and find the electronic defrost controls do fail regularly. So I check around for a replacement. None local. So I defrost the freezer coils and search online. The electronic defrost controls are over $100 a piece! Egad!! So after I defrost the whole thing I decide to try it once again. Now the stuff in the freezer is warming too. :head bang:
Okay back to you tube and I find a vid of a guy who replace the expensive control board with and old defrost timer. I order one for about $10. Alrighty then this will fix it I'm thinking. So I use the big freezer. A big box on the porch. A few days later I get my new old style timer. So I get that installed and clean all the dust and cobwebs from the condenser fan and coils. The ones underneath the frig. Great! Now I'm sure I got it fixed.
WRONG!!! :head bang:
Next day the freezer box is still just barely cool. :rant: WTH! So I open it all up again and the freezer coils are covered in frost and the little fan is just twitching. Not turning at all. Okay maybe that needs a little lube. I removed and cleaned it and lubed with silicone. Reinstalled and it runs. Good sign but now I'm gun shy. I put my hand up close to the blades and don't feel much airflow at all. So back to Amazon and Ebay. Damn! Some of those fans are over $200! After looking at hundreds of options I order a universal replacement fan. OEM failed and the unit is only 3 years old and the direct replacement fan was over $60. Universal was $17. Then began the long wait. It was supposed to be here by monday shipped from Florida. Christmas shipping got pretty slow. Finally friday it arrives and I get it modified and installed. Same rated rpm and physical size. So I shorten the shaft a bit with bolt cutters and adapt the wiring and .... WOW! Lot's of air flow now. I can feel it on my face outside the freezer. :yahoo:
Align it a tad so the fan stops rubbing and put it back together. Now the owners manual says it takes 24 hours to cool sufficiently for use. It does but isn't really at full function cooling for another day.
Happily I can now say it is once again fully operational and working like new! :yahoo:
So if you too have an issue with a warm frig you might want to change that freezer fan first. If I can be of any help post here or pm me.
 
Total cost for repair was under $40. Cost of food loss was probably over $100. Still a lot cheaper than a replacement unit. Or a an appliance repair service call.
 
I had a similar situation with our 18 year old frost free unit and found it was the heating coil for the evaporator coil for the defrost cycle. The thin alloy brackets had corroded and the heater was not close enough to the evaporator coil. I also replaced the thermal cut out switch and the timer thermostat switch. I still need to replace my fan to get back full efficiency( I also replaced the door seal). I noticed the other day that it was continually running and found that the door had dropped ( probably from me leaning on it for balance after my hip surgery) so I need to space that back up so that the seal can work properly. :doh:
I was seriously looking at a new fridge before doing the repairs but my biggest concern was that the new replacement probably won't last half as long. :head bang:
 
Probably not. Door hinges have a good bit of adjustment built in. You may be able to just loosen one side of the hinge and adjust the door to fit right. My frig is only 3 years old which is why I went with aftermarket parts along with the lower cost. OEM fails try after market is my rule.
 
Good detective work V. Glad it's jamming now.

And stuff made today just doesn't last, I have a chest freezer and a refrigerator both made by International Harvester , 1949 models, both still work fine. Go figure.
 
[video]https://youtu.be/oa1ez7yL_T4[/video]

:smilie_happy: :hihihi: :mrgreen:
 
Well Joel. I remember that show. In this house I am "the man". Back in the late 80s I was trained for HVACR and major home appliances. I only worked the job a few months before wife at the time decided we needed to move back to Ohio. Been employed at other capacity since then. So it would be kind of like you looking for a wing or transmission mechanic.
 
:hihihi: :good:

It's still funny.....that's the FIRST thing I thought of when I read the first post... :smilie_happy:
 
You'll notice my first guess was an air flow problem. And after trying several other things the fix was get more air flow. I'm a bit out of practice in trouble shooting the frig or I was. Yes that was a funny episode with Andy.
 
I removed the fridge door and replaced the cam spacer with a thick stainless washer and also gave the mounting plate with pivot pin a little realigning with a ball peen hammer. With the freezer door open you could see an air gap when looking down at the top of the fridge seal. With the mods this is no longer a problem and there is now a vaccum again when first closing the door. I still think that I should replace the fan but atm I will just continue to monitor the fridges performance. Sorry about no pictures except the model information one. :doh:
Westinghouse 530 frost free

Westinghouse 530 frost free

 

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