I have replaced the timer and defrost thermostat. During the defrost cycle the heater stays on for about 5-8 mins. I don't think that is enough time to melt the ice. Twice I have removed the back panel and melted all the ice on the evaporator coils and then it would cool properly for about 3 days, then the ice buildup starts again and the refrigerator starts to get warmer. What else could be the problem?
Can you locate the model number of your Kenmore? The number should look like this 521.345678 and located around the inside of the fresh food section door.
It could be that the defrost heater came on the time you were watching bugt may have a bad connection or a defective defrost element. You need to test the heater for continuity to assure that the element is not broken. the defrost timer and defrost thermostat being new eliminates that as being the problem so I think your element or the connection is the most next likely cause, Let me know I don't mind helping, Thanks Sea Breeze
Defrost Heater Testing for Continuity
If the refrigerator begins to warm after cooling normally and is not related to defrost I want you to pull the refrigerator away from wall and remove the lower cover that covers the compressor area. Then unplug and feel the top of the compressor. If the top of the compressor is too hot to keep your hand there then you most likely have a start component problem. Start relay, overload and start/run capacitor may need replacing. Let me know what you find, Thanks John Tripp
You are welcome, Sorry it took so long to see that you had clear or somewhat clear ice surrounding the evaporator tubing. Leaks do happen but defrost problems happen a thousand times more often. I guess I picked up on the part where you said (But there is a slight frost buildup on the panel.) There should be no frost buildup on the panel between defrost. Good Luck Barry, Thanks JT
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The defrost cycle is in most fridges is controlled by two items working together. These are the defrost timer and the defrost terminator. The defrost timer switches power between the compressor and the defrost circuit. The defrost heater and compressor are never powered at the same time - it is a "one or the other but not both" arrangement. The defrost heater gets its power through the defrost terminator for up to about 20 minutes every 8 hours of so. More on this below. These times vary by manufacturer.
The defrost terminator is a simple, non-adjustable thermostat. Most have two wires and are physically clipped to the freezer coil. When the defrost terminator senses a cold temperature, it passes power from the timer to the defrost heater. It will continue to pass power to the heater until a predetermined temperature is reached (about 50 degrees F for many of these), then it shuts off. So, when the fridge is in normal cooling mode, the power is sent to the compressor by the timer. No power is on the defrost circuit. After 8 hours, the timer switches power to the defrost circuit. Since the freezer coil is cold, power is passed by the defrost terminator to the heater. The heater gets warm and melts the frost / ice on the coil. It will continue to heat the space until either: a) the timer runs out (about 20 minutes) or b) the defrost terminator senses the freezer coil temperature has reached 50 degrees F. At either of these points, the heater shuts off. The fridge compressor will not turn on again until the timer expires (about 20 minutes) AND the fresh food compartment thermostat has detected that the temperature has risen.
If the heater is shutting off after only 5 - 8 minutes (but compressor remains off if it was running just prior to the defrost cycle starting), it suggests to me that the defrost terminator is hanging in free air - rather than clipped against the freezer coil - or is defective and should be replaced. If the compressor turns on immediately after the defrost heater turned off (and the defrost heater was energized only for 5 - 8 minutes), I would suspect a defective defrost timer.
Under no condition should the timer be sending power to the defrost circuit for hours. Twenty to 30 minutes is all the time needed to melt frost / ice from such a small space. If the timer is passing power to the heater for this long, it is possible that you have mis-wired the switch (assuming you disconnected it for one reason or another), or it is has failed and needs to be replaced.
I hope this helps & good luck!
SOURCE: Defrost problem diagnosis
you will need a multimeter. check continuity thro the heater and stats mounted on the evaporator
SOURCE: refrigerator/freezer not cooling evenly top to bottom
good then go ahead and ohm out the sensor and the relays to see if the resistance is close to the normat. 70 degrees is roughly 1000 ohms. relay you are lookling for continuity or open. then you can also ohm the fan motor too. let me know what you find;.that will determin whts bad and whats good
SOURCE: kenmore fridge not get cold enough and coils icing again
check all heaters on frezer side and check coil under unit to make sure clean ajust timer at the top of icebox side behind plastic plate where light bulb is it shold be onthe right side top turn until unit turns off then turn one half this is the timer for defrosting cycle.
SOURCE: bad defrost timer/ thermostat???
It definitely sounds like you have a bad defrost timer, that is the reason the coils are icing up on you. The next issue, which may or may not be related is the freezing of items in the refrigerator. Usually the cold air is transferred, through a vent with a damper, from the freezer and into the refrigerated section. The "thermostat" for this section is actually usually just a lever to adjust the position of the damper. That being said, usually when you have a problem such as you are having, it is either a stuck or broken damper (or damper component). Hope this helps
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SOURCE: Hello\r\nI am trying to troubleshoot my Kenmore Refrigerator
If the coils are not icing up you do not have a defrost problem. Check that the evaporator fan is operating. Thats the one near the coil. You will need to close the door switch to see if it comes on. If it is working next check that the damper is opening this alows cold air into the fresh food section. Without the full model # I am not sure if your defrost thermostat operates the fan. Check the wiring diagram to see if the t-stat feeds the fan. If it does and there is no power at the fan replace the t-stat.The problem is likely to be either the fan or damper motor. Try this link for more testing info
http://appliancehelponline.com/sxsevapfan.html
http://appliancehelponline.com/sxsdamper.html
http://appliancehelponline.com/sxsdefrosttstat.html
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I have forced the timer to shut off after about 6 hours. I have done that several times and I don't see any ice buildup during the cooling cycle. Could the cooling cycle be lasting too long?
As a last resort I replaced the defrost heaters along with the defrost thermostat again. It worked fine for about a week, then gradually the frig started to warm up again. I tried shortening the cooling cycle by manually turning the timer after about 8 hours hoping that there wouldn't be as much ice buildup. I am totally lost now the only thing left is a new refrigerator which I can't afford at this time. I need some EXPERT advice on this one. Thanks
I removed the back cover and felt the compressor. I was able to keep my hand on it for about 10 seconds before getting too hot to the touch.
If too hot to keep hand there then this is a start relay, overload and possibly a run capacitor that needs to be replaced. I would not leave the refrigerator plugged in until these are replaced. Not having the model number limits me to recommending these parts. If you ask for parts anywhere they will need your model number to get the correct parts for you, Thanks JT
The model number is 36358772890. Should the compressor be cool to the touch? I have been having this problem for about a month now. The frig has been on all this time. It keeps things cool just not cold. For example the milk is cool but it used to be cold.
Compressors cycle many time every day and it is possible that the start relay is beginning to fail. What happens is the compressor may start and run for a while and then cycle off due to reaching the set limit of the thermostat. When it tries to restart it will cause the overload to click and this stops the compressor from starting in turn causing temperatures inside the fresh food section and freezer to rise. The compressor should be warm if running properly. If compressor then fails to start the compressor will become too hot to keep hand on top. If the compressor runs all the time and there is no frost build up and temperatures are high then you may have a problem with a Freon leak. So I need to know if the compressor runs all the time or is shutting down while fans continue to run and if overheating when it shuts down. In most cases this is fixable, JT
As far as I can tell the compressor is on all the time, I don't hear it cycling on and off. But there is a slight frost buildup on the panel. Like you mentioned it could be the start relay. Maybe I should replace it and the overload.
You Model has a WR62X80 Run Capacitor shown on link belowhttp://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/R...
WR7X253 Relay and Overload Kithttp://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/R...
Below is a link to a user manual PDF for your model...JThttp://appliance911seabreeze.com/3635877...
I would rather you insure the compressor is stopping while the fans continue to run. I hate for you to spend extra money until we are on the right trail here. Just make sure the compressor is continuing to run when the temperature begins to rise. If the fans continue to run but the compressor stops this points to a start component problem...JT
When was the last time the refrigerator went into defrost? You said there is a slight layer of frost building up on the panel? Can you take some time and again remove that rear panel and describe to me what you see? JT
Thanks for the manual and the part #s. The last time it went into defrost was about 9 hours ago. I removed the panel and the ice buildup is the same as before covering the lower coils and surrounding plumbing. The compressor never shuts off during the cooling cycle. If I understand correctly the compressor should shut off when the temp set by the thermostat in refrigerator section is reached and should come back on when the temp rises above that temp. So the compressor should be cycling on/off several times during the cooling cycle or maybe it shuts down once and never comes back on thereby the ice develops on the coils. Does this make any sense. Thanks
If the ice buildup is clear ice and it only takes up a few rows and the other rows that make up the rest of the evaporator have water moisture droplets on it your refrigerator is most likely suffering from a Freon leak. This will be why the compressor runs all the time. If this is what you see I believe it is time to shop for a new refrigerator. Please let me know if I am wrong, Thanks John Tripp
The ice buildup covers most of the lower half section of the evaporator coils, between the bottom heater the top heater. It is clear ice similar to the ice cubes. If a technician came out would he be able to detect a leak? You don't think changing the relay or overload would solve the problem?
I am pretty sure if a Technician came out they would charge you about half the replacement cost of a new refrigerator just to tell you the same I have and I doubt that you would be lucky enough to find a Technician with enough patience to locate the leak. Most leaks happen in the freezer or the discharge side (condenser) Usually when it happens in the freezer the leak will pull in air and moisture into the sealed system really messing up pressures and the compressor oil. It is possible you have a slow leak somewhere and if you know someone that could add a couple ounces of Freon that would hold you out for a while and sometimes a good while. But to have a Technician come out, I just would not trust that route. I would look for a new refrigerator before being bound to them first. You are welcome to chose any way you feel is best to repair or replace I just would not have a technician come by and take what little money I had left to replace my refrigerator. No at this time I believe you have a leak and changing any parts will not help at this time. Thanks, John Tripp
Thanks for all your help.
You are welcome, Sorry it took so long to see that you had clear or somewhat clear ice surrounding the evaporator tubing. Leaks do happen but defrost problems happen a thousand times more often. I guess I picked up on the part where you said (But there is a slight frost buildup on the panel.) There should be no frost buildup on the panel between defrost. Good Luck Barry, Thanks JT
ice melts
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