Testing and Replacing a GE Defrost Sensor - WR55x10025
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- čas přidán 9. 07. 2024
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This video will discuss how to diagnose, test and replace a defrost sensor for a GE side by side refrigerator.
Common Symptoms of bad sensors (part #WR55X10025) include:
- Too warm or too cold in freezer or refrigerator section.
- Freezer not defrosting long enough or defrosting at all
If you need to order a defrost sensor, please do so through this affiliate link. It helps the channel and is appreciated!
GE Temperature & Defrost Sensor: WR55X10025
OEM GE Part: amzn.to/3mxY6rk
Cheaper Aftermarket Part: (I do not recommend aftermarket defrost parts due to safety concerns)
Tools needed will be:
1/4 nut driver
Multi-meter
Wire Strippers
Lighter
Soldering Iron / Solder
Shrink Tubing
Time Stamps:
0:20sec - What does a temperature sensor do?
0:43sec - Tools needed for testing
0:52sec - disassembly of rear panel
1:20sec - Common symptoms of failed sensors
1:45sec - Unplug refrigerator
1:56sec - Plug identification - J1
2:10sec - Meter Lead locations and wire locations
4:15sec - Thermistor definition
5:05sec - GE thermistor and temperature sensor chart
5:34sec - Thermistor bench testing and ohm resistance test
7:45sec - Proper installation techniques for GE temperature sensor or defrost sensors.
9:30sec - How to solder the defrost sensor in place
13:46sec - Soldering Kit affiliate link: amzn.to/2KzmBjT
14:21sec - Freezer disassembly to access defrost sensor GE side by side refrigerator
15:58sec - Defrost sensor removal
17:35sec - New defrost sensor installation
21:00sec - Freezer reassembly
22:03sec - Thanks for watching, please be sure to subscribe and like! - Jak na to + styl
Hi Everybody, Welcome!
If you have technical questions please check out www.Patreon.com/GraceAppliance
By becoming a channel supporter, you'll get priority response to technical questions, technical data sheet requests, and help support the channel so I can produce more repair videos.
Thanks so much! Andy
Hi andy thank you very much for your lovely videos .would you please send me a wiring diagram for GE side by side refrigerator. my email address is :hcrcco@gmail.com . thank you so much
I have a model GSS22JERF GE fridge, freezer cooling OK but fridge warming up. After watching CZcams on potential fixes and removing panel in front of evaporator coils that were totally covered in ice found the defrost heater was burnt out. I have parts coming for replacement, my question is I see two sensors in the freezer section one on top of coils and one below, one in the fridge section, but there is a defrost thermostat in the freezer section also above coils, when you tested the board for the sensor readings I didn't see any reading for the defrost thermostat, how do I test that on the board to see if I need to replace it? I tested the sensors as in your video and they checked out OK
Thank you Andy! Very informative video, I love CZcams! has been very helpful..
Thanks again,
Mike
Dear Andy, Your fluency & technical adequacy & simplicity in describing the issue is the main competency amongst the various DIY videos I've. ever seen in the media, Thanks .
Thank you so much! Glad they were helpful for you.
Kind sir, thank you for all your help with these videos. I have already replaced 2 of those sensors some years back, and I keep revisiting your videos when the defrost cycle has a new problem. Wish you all the best. A happy viewer from Greece.
your repair videos are the best on the market Thank You
You’re most welcome! I’m glad they were helpful. Stay in touch.
very thorough video. Easy to follow.
Thank you for expressing how vital it is to solder & heat shrink the wire connections for safety and proper performance. Many people will use wire nuts without realizing the dangers of condensation and how it affects un-insulated wiring. My # 1 rule, I always solder and heat shrink all wire connections. I have the exact same refrigerator and mine has NO ground wire with a clip on the end??
This is a great video, thank you for posting!
this is a nicely done video full of great information, thanks alot
Thanks, very helpful as the thermistor is definitely the issue. Now to fix it...the right way, not the easy way!
Thanks for the kind words John! Good job diagnosing it and let me know if you run in to any snags along the way.
Andy
Thanks for your video. After testing a high limit therm in hot water, which passed, I cut out the temp sensor. I left it in a running freezer near the coils with a mutlimeter attached. Few hours later, freezer reads 0 degrees, temp sensor reads 8.4K (whoops). I found out that on some older GE refrigerators they installed junky sensors. These have a rounded front and black on the bottom near the wires. I'm going to order 2 sensors through your link. I'm just going to keep this POS going a little while longer (you have no idea, I got it for free, it had been dropped!!) until I find a great buy on a new one. Thanks again.
Hey William! You’re welcome and good job on the diagnosis. Keep me posted if you happen to hit any snags as you go along. Stay in touch! Andy
@@GraceAppliance Hit no real snags outside the fact that the wires I had to cut inside the thing were pretty short. Was a PITA to work a soldering iron and heat shrink inside that small space. The POS has apparently been working for a month now without icing up again. Seems like problem fixed. I'd love to buy a new one but since my furnace just went out, now I have to buy a bunch of parts to rebuild it too. Ugg.
@@williammchugh4361 awesome news! Thanks for the follow up. Stay in touch.
Great stuff Andy...Thanks
Appreciate this as well as your other helpful and informative videos relating to GE side by sides, I've got a 20 year old one which has been pretty rock solid for the most part. Recently replaced the defrost heater, thermostat, thermistor and evaporator fan motor. An FYI, perhaps? When testing each of the thermistors at the board (thanks for the shortcut tip, btw) I found accurate or in-spec readings only if resistance was measured when the J1 plug was detached from its socket, i.e., unplugged. Readings were way off when attached. Not sure what's up with that. Regardless, it's now operating like new again. Thanks again!
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I agree it's best to do the measurements unattached.
The GE side by sides are typically pretty trouble free with the exception of fan & defrost issues. Compressor wise, they are often very solid. That's what you'd hope for.
20 years out of anything these days is unheard of, unfortunately.
Great video. I use silicone on the wire nuts after the installation.
Thanks Taylor! I’ll give it a try.
Tks for nice demo and tips
You're most welcome. Stay in touch.
Great video! Thanks!
Thank you andy video was very helpfull.
Awesome video very informative
When checking resistance, the yellow wire (fresh food) sensor read 7.4 but the white wire (freezer temp sensor) and the brown wire (defrost sensor) both read Ol. Does this mean the sensor is bad or is it the control board that’s bad?
Great video!
SUPER JOB NICE WORK ANDY
Thanks for the kind words Phillip, Stay in touch! Andy
Thank you. very meek and great.
Great job
Two questions: 1. How are you supposed to solder in the small space of the freezer. 2. How can you perform the ice water test witbout removing the sensor
Facts
That was great. Thanks a lot
hi sir
i think you make the best video here
Muhammad Afghanzada thank you very much! Thank you for watching.
Hello. GREAT video! What leads are you using to test from the board?
Hi, thanks for informative video! Question, are all three readings on the multimeter supposed to be the same? When testing the last wire(brown) which I believe is the evap coil sensor, it’s about half of the other amounts at 0.5. The other two are about 1.4.. does is mean that the coil sensor is bad? For context, the defrost heater element isn’t turning on during the cycle.. I did the continuity test in other vid so I think the thermostat is ok? Thanks for your time, and any help/info.!
Mine came up to 13.13. Is that close enough to assume this is still good? It did up very slowy gradualy from about 9 up to 13.13 before it stopped, if that means anything. ice cubes and water was about 32-33ish.
Very helpful!!
Awesome! Glad you found it helpful. Stay in touch, Andy
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How you know wich wire from the main board goes to the sensor, they all look the same? And wich plug ?
Andy does the forced defrost mode in a Samsung bypass the defrost sensor, and can a sensor issue be interment?
Hi Andy,
I hope you can help I watched your video regarding the sensor.
I have a ge fridge freezer and im in the UK .the compressor has been changed recently by a qualified engineer and has checked and cleaned everything , but the problem is that once turned on the freezer will reach -18 but the next day it will go to 3 degrees and starts to melt everything and then it will take hours to get to minus again.
Hope that makes sense even the engineer is baffled by this so I thought I would reach out to you.
Do you think it could be one of the sensors
I used the wire nut but capped it off with a glob of silicone to keep moisture out. Dont know how to solder and do jot have the tools to do it. Hopefully whaf i dis works for awhile.
Excellent video A++++++++. Thank you
Hi Andy,
First, let me say I love your videos! I bumped into them just by accident the other day, and I'm glad I did. They're professional, calm, thorough, detailed, just a real pleasant place to watch and learn something useful.
But I have a problem, and I hope you can help. We have a GE Profile French door bottom freezer refrigerator, model PFCS1PJXASS, bought new in 2008, and very similar to the side-by-sides you focus on. It has several issues, the most important being that the freezer won't stay consistently cold. This has been going on for several months now, and has gotten worse recently. When it misbehaves, it goes through large temperature swings, with actual temperatures inside varying anywhere from -7°F to as much as 36°F (I keep it set at 1°F). In contrast, the fridge section stays pretty consistently around 38°F, which is where I have it set.
I've cleaned the "squirrel cage" around the condenser, and generally underneath the entire unit (a little dusty, but not bad). Using your videos, I've visually checked the outside part of the main control board (didn't remove to check for burned solder joints on the back side), and the interface display on the front, and didn't find anything obviously wrong. I found online a description of how to run diagnostics from that display, everything looked OK there too.
Finally today I ran through your video (this one) on testing the thermistors, and got some unexpected results. Assuming my J1 connector matches the one in your video (can you confirm that?), and based on some information I got from a service manual for a very slightly older version of my fridge, this is what I got (temperatures inside unit very high because I turned it off for quite a while today):
J1, pin 1 (fridge), actual temp. 42°F, measured 9.54kΩ
J1, pin 2 (ambient air), actual temp. 66°F, measured 7.30kΩ
J1, pin 3 (freezer), actual temp. 45°F, measured 11.74kΩ
J1, pin 4 (evaporator), actual temp. 45°F (maybe a little higher?), measured 11.53kΩ.
I fully expected to see a bad freezer thermistor, but that one actually tested pretty close to what I would expect based on the charts I've seen. Likewise the ones for the evaporator and ambient air. Surprisingly (to me), the thermistor for the fridge seems off a good bit; I interpolated from the charts, and estimate that the fridge thermistor is "acting like" it's at 52°F (actual temp inside 42°F).
Is it possible that a bad fridge thermistor could be causing the problems I'm seeing in the freezer? I'm almost convinced it is, so I'm going to order a couple of thermistors and at least replace that one, and see what happens. But I would value your input, do you have any other ideas?
One thing I should mention… One of the "other" issues with this fridge is that one of the fridge section gaskets is torn and brittle, and I plan to replace it (freezer gasket seems good). I don't feel any cold air around any of the gaskets, but I suppose this could be part of the problem too.
Also, I had an appliance repair guy come out to take a look last week, and he's puzzled about what's going on here. He took the freezer apart to check the frost pattern on the evaporator; it seems fine, and we're not seeing any defrost problems. The fans and compressor are all working; I don't know for sure how well or whether they're operating at all the appropriate times, but they work.
Thank you!
Hey Ed,
Thank so much for the kind words and for watching.
Sorry to hear about your issues with your freezer.
So, I agree with everything you’ve written. I agree the pins appear to be the same from what I’m seeing too. I agree that the fridge temp sensor seems out of spec. However, I wouldn’t expect this to cause issues with your freezer temp and certainly not as wild as you’re seeing.
Either way, I’d start there.
The first thing that came to mind was a defrost issue, but you state no issues there.
Other things that come to mind that might cause this symptom is a restriction in the sealed system. However, this would also affect the frost pattern on your evaporator. I’d want to get eyes on the evaporator when you’re having the issues with warm temps.
If you find that the evaporator does not have a light coating of frost on +/- 90% of the rungs of the evaporator, I’d suspect it has a restriction (I.e. clog) in the refrigerant lines.
Outside if that, I’d verify that the evaporator fan is not cutting in and out...same for the compressor.
If all this checks out, I’d suspect a failed control board not making the right decisions based in the sensor feedback, but I wouldn’t start there.
If you wanted to send some pictures if the evaporator when frosted and cooling well vs not cooling well, feel free: GraceAppliance@gmail.com
Thanks and let me know if you have any questions.
@@GraceAppliance Hey again Andy, thanks for getting back to me so quickly!
As I write this, the temperatures in both the freezer and the fridge are about 45 degrees, not good. The condenser fan is running, and I believe I can hear the evaporator fan running as well. But I can't tell if the compressor is running or not, it's cool to the touch.
I'll go ahead and replace the fridge temp sensor, and see if anything changes. I'm starting to question my assumptions here, especially about potential defrost issues; I'll keep an eye on that, assuming we can actually get this thing working again.
I'll try to get some photos of the evaporator, under both conditions if possible, but that's a bit of an effort given that you have to take half the freezer apart to get to it. A restriction in the sealed system doesn't sound cheap, what would be involved in trying to repair that?
And how can I tell whether the evaporator fan and/or compressor are cutting in and out?
Thanks again!
Ed
Hey, it doesn’t sound like the compressor is coming on when it should. It should always be running when the condenser fan is running (I.e. the fan by the compressor).
It should be warm to the touch and you should be able to hear it humming softly.
Given that it runs intermittently, I will make the assumption that the compressor is good. My money would be on failing relays for the compressor, but a control board issue can also cause this same symptom. (Or, a compressor drawing too many amps, but let’s put a pin in that one)
Let’s also forget about the frost pattern for now as it sounds like the issue is the compressor not running consistently.
If you have a meter, you can check for 120vac coming to the two wires leading to your compressor. If it cuts in and out, that’s a bad board. But, if you have 120vac constant, but still the compressor won’t come on, the board is good and it’s very likely the relays.
Let me know what you find there.
@@GraceAppliance Okay, this is starting to make more sense… This particular model has an inverter compressor. I do have a meter, but it's not clear to me how to test for 120vac with this setup. Should I be looking to test the inverter output, and how would I do that exactly? And when you talk about possibly failing relays for the compressor, do you mean relays on the main control board, or something else?
Sorry, my mistake. You don’t have relays at the compressor.
The inverter board would be where you’d focus your attention then. You’ve got 2 wires leading from the main control that supply the inverter board with something like 3.5 - 5 vdc. This is a signal wire to tell the inverter board to produce voltage. If you’re getting this voltage to the inverter board, the main board is doing its job and it would be the inverter board that was at fault.
Tomorrow I could look up some more detailed specs on how to diagnose if you needed.
We’re on the right track though for sure.
Hi! Great video. My freezer is too cold -10f. Both freezer sensors are off showing about 12.5 and 14.5 ohm at the freezer temp. Of 10 below. Could both be bad or possibly the board?
Hey Joel,
Thanks for the kind words.
When you say both freezer sensors, I imagine you're saying the temp sensor for the freezer section as well as the defrost sensor?
Either way, if you're not having a defrost issue, I wouldn't worry about the defrost sensor right now, but would definitely start with the temp sensor inside the freezer section. (i.e. not the one on top of the evaporator) Start there because it's infinitely cheaper than a new board.
Before any of that though, i'd double check check that the condenser coil behind the refrigerator is clear of any dust. Often, what will happen is that the coil gets dirty which causes the fridge to run warm, the fridge trys to keep the fridge temp at the desired 38', and runs the compressor how ever long that takes and since the fridge gets its cold air from the freezer - the freezer runs cold because of the increased run time of the compressor to satisfy the fridge temp. I hope that makes sense.
Any way, check that first. If you're confident you're getting an fairly accurate temp reading in the freezer then proceed to the freezer temp sensor if the sensor reads out of spec.
Let me know if you run in to any snags or have any questions.
Thanks!
Andy
Hello I have a whirlpool fridge freezer, fridge and freezer are cold, but fridge section is not going to the temp setting that I have on the control panel, for example the setting on the control panel is set to 2c but fridge section gets to around 5-6c not lower, checked everything and all looks ok, so something is telling the damper door to close early, Would this be a sign of a faulty temp sensor?
Nice Video
very informative ,I would of used a insulated butt connector's.Question I have the GE side by side works excellent until we have a power outage or interruption we have to wait 6 -22 hour's before compressor & fan come's on why ?
Hey, thanks.
It’s most likely a failing control board. The relays on the board get weak over time. They make connection via what is essentially a small electro magnet (I.e. the relays coil). It sounds like you need a new board, but given that it’s intermittent, unfortunately there isn’t a way to confirm this diagnosis beyond replacing the board. You just have to go by the symptom you’re having.
I change my thermistor, but I’m still getting an Open reading. Could it be that the control board went kaput?!
How do you know if the R134 in the refrigerator is synthetic or not?
What’s the ratio +/-on thermistors ? Thanks
GOOD VIDEO, 5 STARZ
My door panel displays -9 degrees temp on the freezer ..never changes.. is defrost sensor the problem?
Hello Sir, I have a question for you. I have tested 2 brand new GE thermal parts. Same part number as what’s in your video, I also preformed the test off the circuit board as per your instruction and on all tests I show an open “OL” I tested my meter on resistors that I have and I get the correct reading so I know my meter is working properly. Any help would be great as my friend is loosing food. Thanks
Would a bad thermometer be the cause for a freezer to work but not the fridge ? Then when loaded with food both only get to around 40-45
I think you should update your post. If you use the caps you should be able to seal it with silicone. It is not only easier, it works just as good.
Thanks for the input and for watching.
Hello, may I ask how can i know the model of my deforest sensor? I wanna change a new one for my LG refrigerator(GBB59PZGFS), but failed to find the model. I wanna confrim it before buying a replacment. thank you in advance
Where can we find the technical specifications showing the ohms and corresponding temperatures you showed us for our fridges? Your videos are the best, btw.
Hi again Andy and thanks for the quick reply. I've got a GSS25SGMD-BS (2002) that had a defrost heater installed (GE Service) last Dec. 2017. Several months ago she started making noises occasionally and several days ago the fresh food side as well as the freezer side started heating up. I pulled the panel and it was caked over with ice. Cleared that and tested the defrost heater which is good. I purchased a thermostat (X10068) and sensor/thermistor (X10025) to self install with the idea to try the cheaper fixes first before calling for service. After learning so much from your videos I'm realizing that among other things I could also have a evap fan and/or control board issues. I'm not great with a multi meter but I can continue with testing to narrow it down. Would love it if you can suggest a priority list of steps to try. Thanks and much appreciated.
William Green hey!
I’m so glad they’re helpful!
So, if the evaporator fan is turning, that will not cause frost build up, it ‘can’ cause frost build up but usually not nearly as severe as a defrost issue.
If you’re having severe frost build up on the evaporator, it’s certainly a defrost issue.
You’ve replaced 3 of the 4 parts that have to do with the defrost, only leaving a bad board as a suspect.
In this video: czcams.com/video/XeZfpB7ok90/video.html
It shows how you can jumper wire the defrost heater which will cause your heater to come on. This will tell you for sure that your heater and hi limit thermostat are both good. If you’ve replaced the defrost sensor on top of the evaporator already, go ahead and replace the board and you’ll be in good shape.
If you’ll look in the description, there are affiliate links to the common parts you’ll need and if you purchase through these links it helps the channel a ton. Thanks and please let me know if you have any questions! Andy
Thanks for the great videos.
But I still have issue. My freezer won’t defrost. I checked the defrost heater and it was bad so I changed it along with defrost thermostat. Still it’s not defrost. Please help me.
You fix your problem?
Hello there! Are all the sensors identical?
ty again u always save me ..anyway to repay you
You're welcome! Thanks for watching.
Not sure if you still check this but worth a shot. I have a gsh22jstess side by side GE. My issue is the fridge is way too cold, even on the lowest setting. It seems the freezer just keeps blowing cold air in. The damper is just a simple plastic sheath, it blows open when the freezer fan blows. II checked the fridge temperature sensor and it passed ice water and room temp check. However when I checked resistance on panel on the back, I got goofy readings from all 3 sensors (the fridge one read way too warm, and the two freezer ones were too cold, but were the same). So I'm not sure if the control board test even went properly to use those numbers. If one of the sensors is bad in the freezer, could that cause the freezer to run too often and thus push way too much cold air into the fridge?
I have the same issue, i replaced the board and the 3 sensors, and the fresh food section freezes everything on top. I also noticed that it runs for 20 minutes, turns off for 5-8 and starts again. It never ran like this before. Did you get a chance to fix it?
Hello, Andy! I am a reader from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Congratulations for great tips and tutorials. I was just wondering if this thermistor is the same used along the evaporator fan, in the freezer and fresh food compartment.
If your fridge is a GE, in most cases yes they are identical. So long as they are the same shape and size, they are the same to my knowledge. The length of wire may change along with the part number, but the thermistor itself is identical from what I've seen.
Andy thanks for these videos and great job. I did have several questions regarding the evap and condenser fan operations and the timer mode. Once you have established correct voltage from the main board, how can we be assured that both fans themselves are operating correctly, particularly if visually we can see the blades turning. Is there others tests/methods to identify fan problems not related to voltage issues? Also can you say what component governs the length of time the defrost heater is on and off. How can you diagnose if that is an issue causing ice build up? Thanks and Merry Christmas. Junie
Hi Junie,
Merry Christmas to you as well.
So here is a video that will show you how to jumper the fans in order to have them run at full speed.
You're right that just because a fan is spinning does not necessarily mean it's good. Especially when talking about the evaporator fan motor which (if it has 4 wires) is a variable speed motor. The voltage from the control board will vary depending upon a frequency feedback via the blue fan wire to the board. If your meter has a Hz setting, you will be able to confirm the tachometer on the motor is is working order.
You can also use this Hz to varify what speed your motor should be turning at.
czcams.com/video/PwsoOpUbxvk/video.html
As to your defrost question, the time it keeps the defrost heater on is based on how many times the door is opened, for how long, compressor run time, 100 hours of no defrost max, etc ect. There is a general description of this in the tech sheet for your model, but not super useful info as I remember.
What issues are you having exactly?
Here is a video on the most concise way to diagnose a defrost issue that I know of:
czcams.com/video/XeZfpB7ok90/video.html
helpfull
My freezer seems to be staying in defrost to long. the ice melts a bit then it refreezes into 1 solid chunk, it burned out the ice auger. It only seems to happen about once a day, I put a new board in it about a year ago (for a different problem)and a bit after that I added the heater in the door panel to stop the waterline from freezing. I tested the sensors and all 3 are reading around 9K. based on the chart in the video that's off because it was cold (just unpluged) but it seems odd to me that all of them would read the same? Any thoughts?
I'm having the exact same problem. Even with the freezer cold my defrost sensor read 5k like it was room temp. The other freezer sensor read close to 9k like yours and the fridge one was in between. I'm wondering if we aren't getting a good connection at the board with standard leads. Mine are much fatter probes than his, so they might not be making good contact. Maybe we have a ground issue also?. I swapped out my defrost sensor thinking this was the issue and bench tested it. Reads perfect (5k at room temp and 14.5k in ice water), so I know that's not the problem now. Did you happen to figure this issue out?
No I ended up replacing the fridge. Good luck with your repair.
@@Dave-su1zz Thanks for the reply. I actually figured it out later the same day I replied to your comment. The condenser coil under the fridge was packed solid with crud and wasn't exchanging heat well. I recently switched to this used fridge from a relative's house and it just slipped my mind that I hadn't cleaned out the coil yet. I had already done so on the previous fridge and got garbled in my mind. Once I cleaned the coil it hasn't done the old ice chunks (melting and refreezing) problem since. Hopefully this keeps up. What a relief.
Hey I understand you’re G.E. only but I’m getting 25ohms on the thermistor whenin a cup of water. How does that sound
Yes Andy ,
Both fans inside are running the fridge side is cooling and is also cooling not freezing. From the back I cleaned off any dust that was on it . There was a little water on the pan . And as soon as I plug the fridge the motor started running . Do you have a video on this procedure??
Hi Samuel, I'm sorry I don't believe I do have a procedure for testing the amp draw on a compressor. However, this is an example of the Amp meter that I own and believe I picked it up at Home Depot. www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00HFYKSMY/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1534632539&sr=8-1&keywords=SOUTHWIRE+400A+TRUE+RMS
The process though is very simple - with the compressor running, you'd set the meter to AMP measurement setting and place the clamp portion over the black (i.e. power) wire leading to the compressor. There's no probes to hook up, just simply clamp it over the wire.
The reading should be between 1A - 1.75A. Less amp draw means that the compressor is not having to work as hard as it should typically (i.e. not having to compress any longer) and thus the motor runs without having to work as hard and thus draws less power.
I hope that makes sense. Let me know if you have any questions.
Andy , thank you very much for taking the time and explaining this issue. I will continue on with this and keep in touch.
You're most welcome. I'd be very curious to know what the evaporator looks like. If you remove the back wall of the freezer inside - it will tell you every thing you need to know.
Like 90% of the rungs on the evaporator should be coated in a light frost. If only like 10% are coated in frost - it's for sure a failed compressor.
Will adding solder to the thermistor connection change its resistance in any way thus affecting how it works and sending faulty electrical signals to the motherboard?
No, it’s as close a repair as you could get to the original wire. It should not cause a noticeable difference in the resistance.
@@GraceAppliance ok thanks man I love your videos and thanks for the quick replies.
Is there only one sensor? Is there a defrost timer on a GE GSL25IGRE BS refrigerator? Thought it went out, but cleaned coil. Working well, but won't cut off. Think it is the sensor?
Hey John,
Sorry to hear about the issues you're having with the refrigerator.
You've got the same setup as shown in this video. You have a temperature sensor in the refrigerator, a freezer temperature sensor, and a defrost temperature sensor - which is the sensor that would tell the refrigerator when to go in to defrost and for how long.
The defrost 'timer' is your main control board.
If the temperatures are correct (should be about 0'F in the freezer, and 38'F in the refrigerator) I don't tend to think this would be caused by the sensors.
However, I'd also want to verify the true temps with a thermometer. If you find that the freezer temps are way below 0'F - say, -15F....that would indicated probably a failed temperature sensor. If you haven't noticed things in the refrigerator section freezing on the top shelf, your fridge side is likely ok. And, if you don't notice any heavy frost build up on the back wall of the freezer section interior wall, you likely don't have a defrost issue (which would also show warmer temperatures)
The first step would be to determine the actual temperature in both cabinets and then you'd be able to test the temp sensors as shown in the video.
The readings change based on their true temperature so you'd need to know the true temp to get an idea if the sensor is out of specification.
I hope that makes sense.
If you find that one of them is bad, the part is the same for all 3 of the parts we're talking about:
grace-appliance.myshopify.com/products/general-electric-wr55x10025-refrigerator-temperature-sensor
Let me know if you have any questions at all.
Thnxxx sir
You're most welcome! Keep in touch.
Fantastic video Andy....this gave me some good insight on what to look for and diagnosing my problems
I'm glad i found you on YT...keep up the good work...
I've got the GE Profile Model #PSS26NSWASS - while your video is not the actual model, it helped allot, and THANKS ALLOT for that...
If I can ask, whats your thoughts on temp running at 63F and not droping.....is it that same defrost sensor may be stuck....? i changed the fan 3 years ago but never the sensor....so it may be acting up now....?
Hope to hear from you soon...
Hey Tony! Thanks for the kind words.
The quickest way to determine what kind of issue you're having (if the compressor and both fans are working) is to remove the back wall inside the freezer. This will expose your evaporator coils.
You should have a light coating of frost on most of the coils here. If you have heavy frost build up, it would be a defrost issue. If no frost, it would indicate a sealed system (refrigerant or compressor) issue.
Let me know what you're seeing.
Thanks! Andy
thank you ,Next
I have a GE model from 2002 and when I measured the resistance with the connector plugged-in to the board the numbers were quite a bit different than when measured with the connector removed. Is that typical? Since your video shows the measurements being taken with the connector still on the board I expected the values to be the same either way.
My fridge was cold though, so the numbers with the connectors removed was 16K, 15.5K, 34.1K, 57.7K going 1, 2, 3, 4 (it has wires in all 4). With the connector plugged-in the values were 8.07K, 7.88K, 11.12K, 12.95K. Temps were 37 fridge and maybe 0 or so freezer (it was running just before unplugged and checked).
I replaced the control board in our GYE22HSKMSS but it's still not cooling the fridge properly. The replacement board made no change in operation. The fridge cools for about 15 minutes but then stops. Is this what I should try next? Was really hoping this board would be the fix but that doesnt seem to be the case.
Have you tested to see what ohms you are getting for the refrigerator temperature sensor as shown in this video?
If I'm reading it correctly, your freezer temperature is as expected, but the refrigerator side is what you're dealing with, correct?
If the temperature sensor is failed, the damper door will not open to allow the cold air from the freezer to get to the fridge side.
Also make sure you do not have any food blocking both the upper and lower vents inside the fridge section.
@@GraceAppliance The fridge has 2 evaporator coils, one in the fridge and one in the freezer. Last night, I found a guide to put the fridge in to service mode using the front dispenser to run diagnostics test. The temp sensors all passed the tests. The new fridge evaporator fan failed, it was reporting 0 rpms. I put the old fan back in and it passed, showed proper functions. The original fan did not work at all with the old computer board. After taking the fridge out of service mode with the old fan and new control board the fridge appears to be working properly. I put a glass of water with a temp probe in and it was 33F this morning. So far the fridge is working properly for now.
Great to hear that!
Just FYI, the diagnostic test will only tell you if the sensor is open circuit or has continuity. But, if the panel gives you a temp # (like 45F) you can then use that number to see if it matches up with the true temp from a separate thermometer.
Thanks for the video. Are the pins on the control board the same for all GE side-by-side refrigerator? Mine has the control board on the back like in your video but not sure all the pin wiring are the same.
Yes, there are two different part numbers for the boards that all the GE side by sides use, but they all share the same wiring to my knowledge. However, some of the fridges have different features depending on the model, obviously. For example, some of them will have 2 temp sensors on the refrigerator side where this refrigerator only has the one.
What issue are you trying to figure out? Also, what’s your model number?
I have the GSL25JFXLLB model. The problem I am having is the frig sometime didn't get cold enough, especially the right side. When this happened, the freezer side would get slightly warmer too, enough for the ice to partially melt. I notice the compressor was not running during this warm period. Then the compressor kicked in and ran as though nothing was wrong in the first place. I had replaced the defrost heater 2 years ago after the ice build up which was easy to diagnose. Now I am thinking maybe the defroster thermostat is on the friz.
So I went and checked the control board and it looks like the one in your video, which doesn't have any connection to pin1. The measurement for pin 2 was only 8KOhm and the other I remember them to be in the 13KOhm range. All the fans appeared to be running. I cleaned all the lint from the condenser grid like you show so it should run better now.
So can a balky defroster thermostat cause an intermittent warming? Also because the right side sometime got warmer, is there anyway to trigger the damper door from the control board to see if it is still working?
Thanks.
Hey!
It defiantly sounds like you’re on the right track.
A failing defrost sensor can defiantly cause these symptoms because it will keep the defrost on for too long.
The defrost sensor is tested between pins 4 (black) and 5 (blue and white) on J1connector near the top right of the control board. (Shown in this video)
But keep in mind the Ohm reading will change depending on its temperature, so if the freezer internal temp is around 0’F your evaporator sensor you test between pin 4&5 should read about 42.5k Ohm.
As far as testing the damper function, yes - by leaving the Freezer and Fridge door open for 3 minutes it will activate the damper door, but for your scenario a failing damper won’t cause the Freezer to get too warm so it’s likely not your issue.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions!
some are different based on the models....I've got a GE Profile and its a bit different...
GE Side-by-Side ONLY - Refrigerator Repair Videos
Where can I find the leads you’re using my meters leads are to big
What reading should they be. Had two in the 4 ohm range and one at 6.5 ohms
I have no specific knowledge.
Perhaps the wires are not in the same order as in this video.
Perhaps the control board is affecting the reading because it has a different design. Unplug the cable and check the readings on the cable, that will isolate the control board.
Case of defroster does not work: If it's not the thermal switch(on in ice water, off in air), heater is good ( has 22 ohms resistence) and defrost thermister seems ok(+2C, 4 more than freezer thermister), then the problem is the control board=expensive, correct?
Hi Scott,
Sorry to hear about your defrost issue.
You are correct that of the heater is good, sound like it is...and the high limit thermal cut off sounds like it’s good.
Then it leaves the defrost sensor or a bad control board.
Now, the defrost sensor may or may not be ok based on what you told me because it’s reading changes based on temperature. Please watch this video on how to test the defrost sensor.
Testing and Replacing a GE Defrost Sensor - WR55x10025czcams.com/video/CG-2FnQ43Hs/video.html
If it passes this test, you’d need to replace the control board. Which, yes isn’t cheap. Around $200 for the part usually.
You should also watch the video called visual inspection of a GE Control Board which may help you quickly identify if your board has failed. Sometimes you’ll have a burned solder joint on the back side of the control board.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks
i have a fridge whirlpool WRR56X18FW01 is is a fridge just a fridge no freezer. that being said. how hard or what do you have to do to make it a freezer. can you make it a freezer.
Hey Tunnelwind, most times it will be easier to take a freezer and make it a refrigerator because the defrost components are already in place. Yours appears to also have conventional defrost components. So, in theory it should work also as a freezer assuming the evaporator is large enough to achieve these temps.
The way I would approach it is to direct wire the compressor using a hard start Rco810 (use the 810 not rco410) this way if power is on, the compressor runs. Also, you'll need to find a way to also have the fans run full time when the compressor is on. I'm not 100% sure what to recommend there.
But, beer brewing guys often use this same method when turning a chest freezer in to a refrigerator. They'll use a on/off switch that has a connected thermostat that you'll insert in the freezer cabinet to monitor temp.
I hop this info helps!
Hello Andy. If I may ask where can I get those leads on prongs. They’re neat cause they are thin.
Yes, I'm in love with these leads. I don't recall who makes them anymore as I just picked them up at my appliance parts shop on a whim. They are Suuuuper handy, but do tend to jab you in the fingers if you carry them in a tool bag as I do.
These aren't the same, but still pretty cool because you can adjust the length to your desired length.
express.google.com/u/0/product/7899301061649871051_2583438762543865542_6136318?mall=Southeast&directCheckout=1&dclid=CLaU1OjQpNwCFUavTwodoO8CsA
GE Side-by-Side ONLY - Refrigerator Repair Videos Nice Thank you!
Great video! Would you happen to have schematic reading? How do you get those J1 plug to test it?
Robert Munguia hi Robert, the sensors change resistance based on temperature. The chart in this video will show you these readings. They are the same readings regardless of you are testing a defrost or temperature sensor.
What sensor are you dealing with.
I'm sorry if my reply may be slow. I'm moving the next two days.
5min 4sec in this video will show you the appropriate ohm readings for the sensors depending on its current temp. I hope that helps.
I can not tell what brand of refer mine is. Do all brands take different thermisters?
johnnyohness hi, yes they do. While they're all tested in the same fashion, they'd all have different resistances that you're looking for given a specific temperature.
If you'll send me your model number from the tag inside your refrigerator section I'm happy to look to see what I can find.
Thanks!
hi,after replacing main board refrigeator stated right up but runs constantly,refrigerator side way too cold freezing milk,how do i reset temp???got fridge side set at 3 and still feezing
Hi David, please send your model number and the first 6 digits of your serial number. Thanks!
model #GSH22JSTC SS,serial LM204173
Hey, thanks.
First, I’d check that the coils are clean. Seems counter intuitive, but dirty coils will run the compressor for too long trying to keep the freezer at correct temp and can cause this symptom. Not likely, but rule that out first.
The more likely causes would be either a defective damper door / motor between the freezer and fridge section. This can be tested by leaving the doors open for 3 minutes. You’ll hear a motor that sound like a drawbridge closing. It should run both fans and the damper door should shut. You shouldn’t feel air coming from the freezer side at that point. If you do still, it’s likely a faulty damper door assembly. Either it’s frozen shut or has gone bad.
Or, a failed temperature sensor on the fridge side. You’ll need a meter to measure the ohms resistance as shown in this video to confirm this.
Let me know do you have any questions.
How do you know if the thermistor is bad? Open circuit?
Where are the other 2 thermsistors?
Hi again Andy, I tested all 3 of the sensors and I am not getting any readings at all. What exactly does that mean? I watched the other video testing the heater and thermostat. Everything checked out OK. The heater came on by jumping it and the ohms were good.
To be more clear, I am not getting any continuity at any of the sensors at the board. I have taken all 3 out and bench tested them and they were good
@@allenbryant5953 hi, have you fixed your issue? not sure if your issue, but testing the sensors for continuity is incorrect test. Should be testing for resistance which is the ohms on the multimeter. When doing my test, my defrost sensor was frozen in water giving a reading of 5.8. Based on the specs should be around 14k! He gives ranges in video, hope that helps.
Do you have a link for the shrink tubing
Hey Barry, here is an affiliate link to a similar kit that I started with. The variety is nice because it will let you know why size you end up using the most and then you can buy those by the roll of you ever wanted.
amzn.to/34YTUqn
So i tested my board and i didnt get any reading , so that means the sensor is bad?
My sensor in my g.e. fridge isn't two wires it's one. Do I peel back outer cover to get to the two wires? PFE29PSDESS THERE IS 2 IN FRIDGE.
Yes, once the old sensor is cut from the fridge (leave as much wire available as you can) you'll be able to separate the two wires from each other by splitting them with your fingernails.
Great VIdeos!!! I have a PSCS3RGXCFSS and i ran the self test labeled 0 7 for thermistor sensor testing and my results were p1,p2,p3,p4, and 05. i cant find anything for that 5th sensor. can you share anything regarding what sensor 5 is and where it is located or is this simply a generic feature set on my mainboard and it has capability to support 5 but i only have 4? i'm afraid that the bad 5th sensor is causing some issues but wanted to ask you first. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE GREAT WORK!
Hey Brian,
Most of the side by sides will have 3 sensors total. A freezer temp sensor, a defrost sensor and a fridge temp sensor. Some will have (and I believe yours does have 4) the only difference is that the fridge will have 2 sensors because it has an evaporator in the fridge section. One is a temp sensor and the other an evaporator defrost sensor.
The closest wiring schematic I can find on your fridge is actually a digit off, but should be really close to what you've looking at.
On the J1 plug you'll have J1-1 = Blue/Red (fridge defrost sensor), J1-2 = Yellow (fridge temp sensor), J1-3 = Red/White (freezer temp), J1-4 = Blue/White (freezer defrost sensor) and J1-5 = Blue (+5vdc power).
Let me know if that's what you see on your board. Thanks!
Also, I don't even bother with the self tests when it comes to thermistors because the test will only tell you if the sensor has failed (i.e. is an open circuit), but it does not give you the OHM readout so you can see if it's in specification. So, you'd need to do an OHM test with your meter and match that reading up to the true temp of the sensor at the time of the test.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Also, what symptoms are you dealing with?
@@GraceAppliance true but in this case all 4 sensors ohm out the same so that's good. what has me mixed up is the self test claiming sensor 5 to be a status of 0 instead of P. i was trying to identify if there was even a 5th one and why would it think there was? THANK YOU for taking the time to help me!!! I truly appreciate it!
@@AllThingsBambu yeah, I don't believe there to be a 5th one. You're most welcome and let me know if you have any questions! Andy
why were you testing onboard? You should unplug the connector so you don't measure resistance from the board itself. Or am I just mistaken?
Hey Robert, you’re correct. You an be sure that you isolate the sensor that way if you suspect you’re getting a bad read. I’ve never had any issues either way, but it is a great idea. Good catch.
cambie el control board y el compresor no trabaja ni el abanico.
Hi Andy......do you have videos dealing with the condenser fan not functioning for a GE PFS22MBWABB? Also after watching your video on the side by side, I was going to check out the condenser and evaporator fans via the ohms readings from the P1
plug on the main control panel. However my P1 does not have a blue and white wire.
My temperature control panel in the refrigeration section does not light up. What do you suggest? I have been told that whenever it does not work it reverts to default settings and is not actually necessary. True?
Thank you so much. You do a great job in your videos.
Doug
Hey Doug,
Sorry to hear you're having issues with your fan not working. So, this channel I focus mainly on side by side GE so the information here may not be 100% transferable to your french door fridge, but you have the same control board behind your refrigerator as what's shown in this video (WR55X10942P) So, the plugs will be the same, but the wiring schematic/colors will likely change.
The closest video I could recommend would be this one: czcams.com/users/edit?o=U&video_id=PhQKqF5MgDE
Which deals with how to check voltage from the main control board to the fan motors. I'd start there to ensure you have appropriate voltage being sent to the fan motor. Your fan motor WR84X10055 has 4 wires on it so it won't line up exactly with my schematic, but look at about the 9:00sec mark in this video. You'll be looking for between 12-14 volts DC from the main control to your fan motor. Alternatively, and probably more simply you can check the voltage directly at the fan motor plug vs at the control board.
All that aside, the problem in your case will likely be control board related vs fan related because you mention the lights are not coming on at the control panel. The fan not working is probably a side effect of the board having failed, so one can easily chase that rabbit trail all to lead back to the failed board.
You are correct about the fridge going in to a defaut or fail safe mode, but only if the board is unplugged. If the touch panel has a short in the board, once unplugged (i.e. removed from the circuit) it would allow the fridge to fire up and run. You can disconnect the wires from the temperature control inside the refrigerator at that point, or at the main control board if you are able to identify the correct harness there. Either one.
Inside the temperature control housing, you should have a wiring diagram / tech sheet tucked away in there. Hidden well.
So, i'd just start there with the fridge unplugged, unplug the harness, and plug the fridge back in (with the harness disconnected). If the fridge fires up as normal - you've identified it as a shorted temperature control. If no change, I would look more closely at the main control board.
I also have a video about the common failure points that you can visually examine in this control board:
czcams.com/users/edit?o=U&video_id=zbmAqizE128
I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any questions! Let me know what you find once you disconnect the temperature control harness.
Andy
Hello Andy ,
Hope your in good spirits...after replacing the condenser motor my freezer is still not freezing ! ? What do you suggest I check next???
Thank you.
Hi Samuel,
When you removed the panel covering the fan, do you see that the evaporator is completely covered in a light coating of frost? Or do you see massive amounts of snow covering the evaporator?
GE Side-by-Side ONLY - Refrigerator Repair Videos
The motor I replaced is down on the back of the fridge...# wr60x10220 part # motor cond fan .
@@samuelsanchez4885 ah, I understand.
So, it was not running before, but is after you replaced the fan motor.
If your compressor is running, and both fans are running (inside the freezer and behind your refrigerator) and your condenser coils are not covered in dust... The freezer after running for 24 hrs should be getting to around 0 degrees.
If that's not the case, I would think that the fact that the compressor was overworked with the condenser fan not having been working. This likely damaged your compressor and no longer is able to maintain temp no matter how long it runs.
Of course, I'm just going by what what I've seen before. To test this theory, one would need an Amp Meter which measures how much power the compressor is using.
The compressor should be pulling about 1.25A once started up.
Just to confirm, your compressor is running while the condenser fan is running?
Make sure you disconnect the plug from the board when you do this test, otherwise you will get incorrect readings from board components (this happened to me)
How do I disconnect the plug from board?
Andy I have a ge side by side refrigerator model#pfss5rkzhss that intermittently every 6-8 weeks fails to go into defrost mode and the freezer and fresh food sections become very warm. I then disconnect the power for approx. 8-10 hrs restore power and refrigerator will resume normal cooling.I have metered out the evaporator heater and defrost thermostat in freezer section and they are within normal specs.Also metered thermistors and they also meter out within the specs.I am unsure what else to check I believe the main control bd should be running a defrost cycle approx. at 24hr intervals.Does this problem sound like to you that I have a defective control board.Appreciate your thoughts. NOTE- I did replace the main control board in November of 2018 and had no problems until july of this year.
Hey Giantdude,
If you’ve watched this video, it will show you how to Ohm out the defrost circuit from the board. If you get the appropriate resistance there, you can say the heater and also the high limit thermostat are both good.
The defrost sensor (on top of the evaporator) sends a signal to the control board for when and how long for the board to stay in defrost.
When that sensor is totally covered in ice, your reading on that sensor should be abound 14.xx K ohms. And should be about 5k ohms at room temp.
If that were your reading and your defrost circuit tests good, it’s a bad board.
Do you recall the readings for the defrost sensor?
Andy I have a GE profile refrigerator that occasionally does not go into automatic defrost mode and I do it manually by disconnecting the power for approx. 10-12 hrs, I checked your video on testing the ohm resistence on j1 terminal on control board.I METERED THE RESISTENCE ON J2-4.8K,J3-11.8K,J4-12K from pin5 terminal. Do you think that the sensor reading 4.8k in fresh food section could be causing the refrigerator to intermittently fail to go into auto defrost mode.Appreciate your opinion. Thanks.
Hey! Sorry for the slow reply.
I’m not sure of your model number, but the majority of the GE temp sensors are the same. The resistances you provided may or may not be correct because they vary based on what temperature it is currently in the fridge / freezer. The 4K Ohm range will typically mean it’s close to 70F in the fridge cabinet. However, this wouldn’t cause any variation on the defrost cycle. The specific sensor that controls that would be the defrost sensor on top of the evaporator itself.
If you wanted to send your model number it may help in giving a little more precise answer, but the short answer is that intermittent defrost (as long as the defrost sensor is ok) would most likely be a failed control board. (Or poor connection at the heater)
I hope this helps.
Andy the model# is pfss5rkzhss.I am suspicious of thermistor in freezer compartment but am unsure where it is located.Temperature in fresh food section when I took reading was approx. 42-44f. I changed control board in refrigerator in November 2018. Is sensor in fresh food section behind right corner bracket?
@@giantdude86 I agree that the temp sensor sounds like it's bad if the true temp was 42'F at the time of the test. That read out indicates the sensor thinks it was 70F+/-.
So, i'd repalce that for sure.
But, it doesn't have to do with the intermitment defrost issue. Your defrost sensor is the same part number that I've shown in this video Part # WR55X10025
and can be tested using the same concept as the other temp sensors using the chart at 5:05sec of this video.
I'd start with the defrost sensor especially since the board has recently been replaced.
Another thing worth checking is the install instructions for that board (step 2) has a list of serial numbers that require a modification to the wiring harness and i've seen it cause goofy issues like this - but usually right after the install - not months later. It probably doesn't apply to you, but Just thought i'd let you double check on that:
www.scribd.com/doc/115029528/WR55X10942-Installation-Instructions
Thanks Andy appreciate your help
@@giantdude86
Also, I'd unplug the fridge, remove the control board and inspect the back side of it for a burned solder joint as shown here:
czcams.com/video/zbmAqizE128/video.html
Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
Excellent 1.21/2023
Hello I have a GE GSL255JGDBLS with warm freezer (27°)and warm Fridge temperatures(64°) I tested continuity on all three thermistors, 4.75, 8.38, 11.33 respectively. Is it safe to say the issue is not related to any sensors? TIA
Hi Andres,
Sorry to hear about your fridge issues.
The first thing I’d check for is a defrost issue. That is, is there heavy snow or frost build up on the back wall of the freezer section?
The numbers you provided aren’t really making sense to me. You’ve got 3 separate sensors, a defrost which is located on the top of the evaporator, and a temp sensor for the freezer and the refrigerator. The lowest the temperature, the higher the resistance number should be.
If you aren’t seeing evidence of frost build up on the back wall of the freezer, I’d remove the back panel and visually inspect the evaporator for a good frost pattern. I.e. is there light frost coating the evaporator on each rung of the evaporator after the compressor has been running a couple hours. If not, this would point towards a sealed system issue (i.e. refrigerant or compressor issue)
The evaporator frost pattern tells all.
GE Side-by-Side ONLY - Refrigerator Repair Videos Hi thanks for the quick reply. I apologize. I failed to mention these numbers are the results on my meter testing the J1 connector in the back panel and yes I am getting frost on the inside back wall of the freezer section.
Hey Andres,
Ok, you’re having a defrost issue and you’ll need to figure out which of the 4 possible parts that is giving your issue.
It’s going to be either the defrost sensor (likely given your readings as your defrost sensor should be reading around 16k ohms if it’s covered in snow right now), the thermal cutoff, the heater itself, or a bad control board.
Start by watching this video and let me know if you have any questions!
czcams.com/video/XeZfpB7ok90/video.html
GE Side-by-Side ONLY - Refrigerator Repair Videos So I tried this test and I got nothing. How do I know which of the two is bad between defrost heater and thermostat?
Hey Andres,
Perform these test with the refrigerator unplugged:
1) remove the back wall of the inside of the freezer to access the heater.
2) remove the 2 phillips head screws holding the heater to the evaporator.
3) lift up on the heater slightly as you're pulling toward you to remove heater from evaporator. (it's on hangers on either side)
4) remove the 2 wires leading to either side of the heater
5) perform an OHM test between the two terminals on each side of the heater.
If you get no OHM reading, an OL, or no change on the meter - it's a failed heater. A good heater would show resistance.
Let me know the reading you get on the heater and if needed we could look at the high limit thermostat, but I can count on one hand the number of these I've seen fail so I wouldn't start there.
Thanks!
Hey Andy, thanks for the very educational video. Would you know why I get no ohm/continuity reading testing on the J1 connector for any of the 3 sensors? I’ve been having issues with my fridge/freezer being warm and with your videos I’ve learned it’s a defrost system issue(ice build up on evaporator) the heater works using the jumper cable method and before I cut a sensor out to test and order a new one I would like your professional opinion. I’ve narrowed it down to rather sensor or board issue. Does the ground on the panel in the back over the evaporator have any thing to do with the J1 connector test? I feel like my ground isn’t making a great connection but is making connection. Thanks in advance.
Model # GSL25kGRE BS
Serial # MG279431
Board # wr55x10492
Hey Robby!
Intersting.
So on your model wiring is the same as what’s shown in the video. I can’t think of a reason that all 3 would show open. I’d double check that the meter is set to Ohm test. Also, try unplugging the J1 connector from the board and test without plug connected.
Also, theses connectors do not give much room to insert the meter lead so you may need to be sure you’re jamming the lead in fully to make good contact on the metal portion if the wire.
Based on the diagram, I don’t believe your blue/white has anything to do with ground connection. But, it is a shared wire between all 3 of these sensors. So, perhaps a damaged connection somewhere? I’m not sure, but it is possible I guess. Check the tings above first though before following that rabbit trail.
That’s my initial thoughts. Let me know what you find. Thanks!
if you can,t find the sensor for your fridge and your going to spice it in, are all these sensors generally the same ? just use the matching ohm chart ?
Many times you can find a suitable replacement within the same brand, yes.
What is your model number and maybe I can help find what you need?
@@GraceAppliance Hi, thanks for your quick post back. I have a whirlpool GB2FHDXWB02 with bottom drawer freezer.
@@npsmith7699 super frustrating!
I came across this exact scenario recently as well, where the sensor isn't shown on the diagram. We ended up just needing to find one that looked similar as you mentioned and be sure to confirm the ohm chart and then verify ohms from old part to new part to make sure they're in the same ballpark as each other before install.
@@GraceAppliance OK, thanks much !
I'm curious as to what a defrost issue would look like. My used fridge and freezer started getting warmer and after watching your videos, I think it may be a defrost issue, but it's not all the coils, its mainly a solid freeze on that copper line that runs along the blue wire on the freezer side. It seems to stop once it reaches the coils though. I'm stumped. Was hoping you might have some input.
Hey Matt,
If I’m understanding you right, not all of the coils are frosting up is that right?
Only the first run or two of the evaporator is frosting up?
(And Assuming the compressor is running and not cutting on and off)
If so, this isn’t a defrost issue, but rather some type of sealed system issue. Meaning either the compressor is shot (I.e. not compressing as much as it needs to), or is low on refrigerant which means it would have a slow leak somewhere in the system.
Let me know and I’m glad to help as much as I’m able.
Thanks!
@@GraceAppliance not even the first run or 2. Frost is only accumulating on that copper connection
Yeah, all this points toward a sealed system issue which isn’t a diy task nor is it cheap unfortunately. Most times, a sealed system issue will scrap the fridge. I'm sorry for the bad news.
@@GraceAppliance originally the fridge and freezer worked, but was leaking water. I contributed that to the broken water hose in the door (which will not be hooked up or used. I locked the settings) or the humidity when plugging it in for the first time. But seemed to work fine for about 5 days. After that temperature started dropping, but never hit room temperature. I cleaned the coils around the fan (worked without it cleaned, so I assumed it wasnt the issue), replaced the heater coil, didnt help, and watched your videos trying to find the next step. Havent yet tested the sensor, thermostat or control but seeing as it wont stop running I'm thinking those may not be it. Also, not sure how relevant it is, but there is some rust in the bottom as it sat in a garage for a year
MattDangerChapman if the bottom of the pan has rusted through, this could certainly cause a leak by letting the defrosted water drip to the ground. Or, perhaps it made ice cubes when it was running ok and when it got warm the cubes melted?
Either way, if compressor is running for hours yet the coils still do not frost up beyond the first few rungs, it’s not defrost related.
Have you ever used wire nuts then sealed them off with silicone?
Not personally, but I have known folks who have done so with good luck. They also make weather proof wirenuts that I've seen, but not used.
I like to do a lineman's splice and put solder on that. It will be there until the planet ends. Haha
What about yourself? Any tricks?
@@GraceAppliance I have done it both ways. I actually prefer the soldered splice also. Not necessarily for shrinkwrap to seal it off, but the joining of the wire ends themselves with solder. If not careful with the shrinkwrap, I could see where condensation could still be a problem. I do try to make sure the ends seal tightly and try not put anymore heay than necessary between the ends.
Good video.
Hi - at the risk of hoping for "free consulting", on a PFS22MISBBB (french door, bottom freezer), I had warm-fridge/cold-freezer, so suspected the thermistor in the 'roof' of the fridge. I tested it - I'm a E.E., so validated the temperature vs resistance curve...and it was OK. The digital diagnostics, however show failures on "fresh food" (#2) and "freezer" (#5) thermistors.
Two questions come of this: First, diagrams suggest only the one thermistor...it would seem the defrost sensor would be in the freezer compartment, but videos and and exploded views aren't helping - - ? Second, is it possible that the failure code for #2 (per the factory diagnostics sheet) is a false-positive; wrongly indicating a failure on a thermistor that doesn't exist? THANKS!!
Update; there still seems to be one "false positive" - e.g. checking for a 4th thermistor, when I have only 3 - BUT, there was a failure: The sensor on the evap coil had no "T-curve"..it was a 4k resistor irrespective of temperature. Will replace tomorrow, and we'll see if the issues abate. Thanks for a great video.
Hi Paul,
Not a problem at all. I'm happy to help you as much as I'm able.
Some models will have multiple temperature sensors inside the refrigerator section and the temp sensors will occupy the 1st and 2nd left pin spots on the plug referenced at 2:58sec of this video. I'm on my phone right now and can't look up your schematic, but would check inside your fridge section for a 2nd sensor if you see 2 wires as shown in this video at 2:58sec.
The defrost sensor is located on the top of your evaporator and requires removing the rear panel inside the freezer section to access that.
... Here's the thing, the components you're talking about are sensors and a control board to make the decisions based on the sensor responses. But, it seems odd that 2 sensors would fail at the same time. Also, since the sensors are within specification - one could assume they are good right? Well...not always in my experience. Also, I don't think you'd get an error for a non existent sensor. My guess is you have 2 fridge temp sensors.
I always leaned toward replacing the sensors before jumping right to a failed control board. They are, in comparison, waaayyyy cheaper than a board.
I'd try new sensors to see if this does in fact resolve it based on the error codes, but if not a new control board would be in order.
With multiple sensor errors as is your case, I kind of suspect a failed board, but would recommend new sensors with a new board anyhow so I'd just start with the sensors.
I hope that helps.
Paul Smith excellent work! It definitely sounds like you found the offending sensor! Way to go.
I’m betting that solves it for you.
Keep me posted if you have any question or issues. Andy
If your evaporator is all frosted up and you’re checking the sensor for ohms at the control board what would my meter be reading if the sensor is good and if it’s faulty?
Hey, it would depend upon what temp the evaporator is. At 36'F it should be around 14k ohms, 5k ohms at 77'F. The evaporator would be more like -5'F I'd think so I'd expect it to read about 36-48k ohms would be in the ballpark of a good sensor.
Given the guess work involved in determining the true evaporator temperatite, the best way I know of to submerge the sensor itself in ice water and look for 14k ohms, because that's a standard temperature that is repeatable in the field.
In the event that the evaporator has a defrost issue the sensor would be fully encased in ice and thus you'd know it's 32'F.
GE Side-by-Side ONLY - Refrigerator Repair Videos Thank you for your response. If the evap is totally frosted up and the sensor is attached directly to the evap line as shown in your video then as you said it would most probably be -5 degrees and I can check that at the control board. I just found out maybe it was you, but GE was bought out by Haier, a Chinese company. Is that just the appliance line only? It was said that it happened a year ago.
@@josephfolsom2030 yes, that's correct. Haier bought GE and as far as I know it was just the appliances section.
Uggg
GE Side-by-Side ONLY - Refrigerator Repair Videos I have been a tech for over 37 years. I’m an old school guy and have to look to you younger ones to help the old dog learn the new tricks. It keeps my mind active. I retired from working a state job after 30 + years last March, and was doing appliance repair on the side while there. Needed to supplement my retirement to afford my health insurance. Just to be frank about it, the Lord literally exploded my appliance repair business to where it’s a full time job. I’m leaving out a lot of the details of how miraculous this really was.
Awesome Joseph! He did something similar in my business as well. It lead me away from the repair side as full time, but still it's such a great skill to have. It applies to so many other things you might work on.
You’ll notice the defrost terminator is 141 degrees F cut out, I’ve always wondered how many refrigerators GE has melted or houses they’ve burnt down with a heater stuck on defrost. I personally replace these units with an 80 degree terminator when i’m inside one of these things, much safer and yet plenty of time to insure a defrosted coil as determined by the evaporator thermistor while not interfering with the boards adaptive defrost capabilities. I sleep better at night, how about you GE ?
That's super interesting! Makes a ton of sense.
Notice too how many boards have blown out heater relays / board caught fire, etc.
When you're as big as GE...never mind. LoL
Interesting point there
This is the first time in my 53 years of life that I have ever heard of such a thing. Quite interesting, and certainly eye opening also ! However, unless there is a corporate cover up hiding this potential problem, I’m just going to assume that it’s not really anything to worry about…ummm…knock on wood 🤔 !
Hey Andy, I tested my sensors and found all 3 were off in value by quite a bit. Knowing the likelyhood of that actually being true was slim to none I unplugged the harness from the board and tested all 3 again. Sure enough all 3 were reading the correct ohms value. I would guess my main PCB is bad then I assume?
mike walsh
Before I replaced the board, I'd double check that you don't have clean coils and nothing blocking your air vents, but given the fact that it's running on the cold side, you are likely in good shape there.
I'd agree, it sounds like it could be a bad main control board. That's about the only thing I could think that would cause it to run 24/7 like you're experiencing.
where fo you access this sensor
Rohan Persaud hi!
Usually you will have 3 (possibly 4) different sensors in your refrigerator. You have temperature sensors which control the temperature for the freezer section and one (sometimes 2) for the refrigerator section. These you would be able to see behind a small plastic housing on the wall inside the freezer or refrigerator section.
Then you will have a defrost sensor which controls when and for how long the refrigerator goes in to defrost for. This sensor is located on top of the evaporator which is located behind the back wall inside the freezer section.
All 3 of these sensors are the same part number and are tested the same way.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks!
Turns out the sensors are fine but the 5 volt section of the board that feeds them is dead. The 5 volt regulator is good but the 12 volt section that feeds the regulator is also dead. New board on the way. Old board can be fixed by replacing all the electrolytic capacitors in the switching supply (upper left corner).
Can u use any sensor
I hope you see this and can answer my question. My GE model # GSS20IEPDWW gets very warm after defrosting, takes hours to cool back down. I disconnected the defrost heater and it works perfectly, just have to manual defrost periodically. Parts lists I find online list WR55x10025 as the replacement thermistor. My concern is that the electrical specifications listed on the Technical Data sheet for the thermistor are very different than the one you showed and tested in your video. Mine shows these values @0F 62.79K @37F 24.48K @77F 10.00K. Should I have ordered a different thermistor, if so, would you know the proper part number? Thanks in advance.
i.imgur.com/8vvWfDT.jpg
Hey, that's the correct part number and also the same one I tested in my video. So, I'm not sure why the difference in the technical info. Sorry to say.
Hey, thanks for the speedy reply. Awesome video work, would have been much easier for me if I had found it before troubleshooting mine...lol