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Whirlpool Gold 26 cu ft side-by-side too cold! (GS6SHEXMQ00)

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Posted: Tue Aug 24th, 2010 05:02 am

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RufusBSaye
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Hi Y'all...

Background: Based on temperature readings, since purchase in 2003 we've always had the temperature settings for freezer set at 1 (warmest) and fridge set at 2 (snick colder).

We've also ensured that the fins under the unit are kept vacuumed clean (with several cats, mandatory), even going to the trouble of CAREFULLY tilting the fridge back about 10 degrees in order to get the vacuum wand under, about once per year.

Issues recently started with the ice-maker seemingly dying...

Went through various checks, and noticed that the freezer temp was near 0 F - so, on a whim, raised the fridge temperature. Voila! ice was produced, and icemaker issue was probably due to a frozen water line...

Here's an odd one...

Fridge and freezer temps have dropped again, and ice production is sporadic again.

Compressor turns on and off - not a continuous run situation. Cycle timing seems to be working, as I hear the compressor and fans cycle, and there is a temperature rise as (I think) defrost cycle kicks in.

Not sure what could cause the temperature control to go wonky...

As a licensed electrcian familiar with electronics and industrial controls, my only constraints are 1) time - i.e. due to possibility of food spoilage, I can't have unit offline for a long period... 2) and I won't mess with the compressor & refrigerant.

Ideas? Questions? Any troubleshooting tips? possible parts required?

Thanks in advance...

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Posted: Tue Aug 24th, 2010 07:25 am

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RegUS_PatOff
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Does the Evaporator Fan run
(whenever the Compressor runs, and the Freezer Door Switch is closed)

What are the Fridge Freezer temperatures ?

Controller / Thermistor senses Fridge temperature and controls the Compressor.

GS6SHEXMQ00 Tech Sheets

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Posted: Wed Aug 25th, 2010 04:06 am

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3^rd Post

RufusBSaye
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Thanks for the reply...

When compressor cycles, evaporator fan runs - good airflow due to OCD vacuuming

Fridge temperatures are pretty steady at around 40F +/- 2

Observed freezer temps bounce between -10 & +10

Thanks for tech sheet - I'll try diagnostics tomorrow after work...

Will post results.

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Posted: Wed Aug 25th, 2010 04:13 am

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4^th Post

RegUS_PatOff
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RegUS_PatOff wrote: ... Controller / Thermistor senses Fridge temperature and controls the Compressor.

Fridge temperature seems good.

If Fridge Door is opened alot (and for long times), Compressor will run to maintain Fridge temperatutre,
resulting in Freezer temperature gets colder if it hasn't been opened as much ...

Freezer temperature will also rise during Defrost time ...

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Posted: Thu Aug 26th, 2010 12:41 am

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5^th Post

RufusBSaye
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Well...

Went through the basic tests, with no time to dig deeper (and empty fridge out) until the weekend.

Anyway, tests started with the thermistor "passing".

Sidenote: I'm skeptical that temperatures are calibrated properly, or ever were - we found from day 1 that setting temperature to 4 in both compartments resulted in excessive cooling - for example, food would freeze in refrigerator. Our mistake was in not challenging the status quo as a warranty claim, because <after all> the unit worked very well, otherwise.

Evaporator fan and compressor operation confirmed.

One test suggests a possible issue may be a defective defrost heater... While I wasn't able to put a voltmeter on the terminals and/or breakout the connections to check voltages, connectivity and DC resistance, I noticed frost on the freezer's back wall (that covers the defroster, I assume) implying all is not well there...

I suspect a non- or partially-operating defroster may be source of the ice-maker issues that started all of this...

Let's assume that the defrost circuit components are the issue and get fixed.

Is there method available (e.g. pots, or built-in calibration routines) to calibrate thermistor output vs. temperature result? (I have some instrumentation experience... plus have calibrated bench metters and scope...).

Finally, how are the thermistor leads terminated? (Accurate testing means taking it out-of-circuit) And where is the thermistor located?

Any help, suggestions, and/or documentation is greatly appreciated... Thanks already!

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Posted: Thu Aug 26th, 2010 01:46 am

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6^th Post

RegUS_PatOff
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some tests on page 1

GS6SHEXMQ00 Tech Sheets

GS6SHEXMQ00 Parts List & Diagrams

Thermmsitor

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Posted: Thu Aug 26th, 2010 02:11 am

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7^th Post

RufusBSaye
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Thanks! (I think...

)

I say that because you've given me a lot of bathroom reading

Will get back to you Saturday...

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Posted: Sun Aug 29th, 2010 03:37 am

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8^th Post

RufusBSaye
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After some other chores and stuff, finally emptied out freezer and fridge and got busy.

After removing shelves and baskets, small amount of frost on freezer back wall was not that much upon closer examination. Removed basket supports, opened up rear panels, and reran diagnostics... hmm, everything looks good. Only slight amount of frost on actual evaporator coils.

Doublechecked defrost heater: DC resistance at 21 ohms. Supply connections had 106 volts when supposedly off, but figured out that was just SCR/TRIAC leakage... Evaporator fan definitely OK.... While I was at it, checked out water solenoids,

Hmm... With time running a bit short, some conclusions to this point:

1) Compressor OK - temperatures can be extremely cold.
2) Didn't have time to check resistance out of circuit, and thermistor may be a bit out of spec but probably quite functional - fridge temperature regulation pretty good.
3) In that vein, freezer-to-fridge air damper seems to be working... possibility exists that control circuit is causing temperature balance issues between fridge and freezer.

Then recalled that original issue was irregular icemaker operation. Ice-maker had stopped completely in last 2 days... So, wrestled it out of position and went ewwww-yuck. The coating on the bed of ice-maker is breaking down, exposing bare metal and mineral desposits forming... And probably increasing the amount of work ice-maker motor was doing. Tried jumper trick to start icemaker cycle - no response.

Looks like simplest solution may be called for. Will be ordering ice-maker as a first step.

And the exercise wasn't a total loss, as I sure as heck know how to take apart and put the fridge back together...

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