7 replies to this topic

[ramja]

Did the required Google searches and found this to be a common problem and a recognized design/engineering flaw to the extent that GE has a $57 "Vegetable Drawer Insulation Kit" that is supposed to fix things. (I will spare you my rant on what a ridiculous rip-off this kit is - $57 for two pieces of formed styrofoam , a one foot foam hose and a few square inches of thin self adhesive foam sheeting!) Most of the kit is to insulate the water tank, its hose and the water filter. The foam sheeting is the only item that is supposed to actually moderate the cold air flow into the vegetable drawer. So we unload the refrigerator and I remove the plastic parts to get to the piece with the vents that need to be covered up. Turns out they already had metallic tape on the inside closing off the vents - probably a mid-production attempt at a fix. Sent the kit back.

However I am left with the too low temp in the drawers. The main damper and fan assembly (which has been replaced twice, first by a GE repairman, then by me) seem to be OK because the main compartment temp correctly hovers around 37 where it is set. The bottom "Custom Cool Drawer" is set to the 43 degree setting, but it is staying in the 33 - 38 degree range with overnight dips to 32.

Is there a temp sensor that controls the fan at the back of the bottom drawer that might be involved in this problem?

Other sensors or anything else I should be investigating?

[appl.tech.29501]

could have a bad thermistor in the custome cool compartment


It can be tested if you have a muiti meter.

Thermistor LInk

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

If you have the old style thermistors, replace it. May still be bad even if they're the new ones.

[ramja]

Well - still trying to resolve this. Was on vacation for a couple of weeks and the lightly loaded drawers stayed in the 30-36 degree range. I have new thermisters on hand and was going to replace them today. However, based on several days of monitoring drawer temps with an old fashioned thermometer I am beginning to suspect an air damper or motherboard problem. Decided to run the self-diagnostics before replacing the thermisters. Took off the top light cover and removed lights - simultaneously pressed the four temp control membrane buttons and nothing happens. Repeated several times and could not get self diagnostics to start. The service manual ( http://appliance911s.../PSS26MSRSS.pdf ) says you need to set both FZ and FF to 5 before the 4 finger salute. However, that is for the single digit (1-9) temp control board. I assume I have the 3 digit model (see attachment). There are no instructions in the manual regarding an initial state for the 3 digit models.

Should FZ and FF be set to something specific before pressing all four buttons?

If not, any ideas on why self-diagnostics is not starting?

(BTW - that 38 Custom Cool drawer consistently reads 4-6 degrees high - thermometer reading was 34 when pic taken.)

Attached Files

•  ControlPanel-IMG_2944.jpg   20.54K   11 downloads

[RegUS_PatOff]

may be the same diagnostics as this model:
Diagnostic pages 31-9118 Artica SxS Dual Evap w Electronic Touch.pdf

[ramja]

Thanks Regus - it is that type of control panel. And appl.tech.29501, your comment about a bad thermister in the Custom Cool system is probably right on. At times the electronic CC temp 6 - 8 degrees warmer than a real thermometer in the CC drawer. I did the full set of self-diagnostics and everything passed, including the 5 thermisters - but I'm thinking the thermister test is more of an "are you alive test" not an "are you accurate" test.

Anyone having these symptoms who has the Custom Cool system (but no Turbo Cool FF evaporator) really must get the GE Custom Cool Manual 31-9075 at www.geservicenet.com/cc/prodtrng/Docs/11/31-9075.pdf
I realize the problem is either the thermister or one of the two different dampers in that compartment. (Or thermister AND one or both of the dampers.) The heater strip seems OK because the Quick Thaw feature brings the drawer from below 30 to above 40 in 10 - 15 minutes or less. Can I draw any conclusion about the health of the single damper unit from this? Are the CC dampers high-fail-rate parts like the upper damper?

When I do the disassembly to replace the CC thermister is there any way to test the damper functioning? From the drawings those dampers appear to be more robust than the problematic upper damper, but if there are no obvious crooked or broken damper doors how can I test them? I plan on having replacement dampers on hand, but I would really like to avoid installing them if the current ones are OK and the thermister is the only problem.

[ramja]

Tore into the Custom Cool unit yesterday - turned out to be broken dampers. The dual damper controlling flow to the freezer had BOTH doors broken. The motor shaft has a flat face that split the plastic slot in the door. I assume the motor shaft puts pressure on the door for a tight seal and simply cracks the slot in the door over time. Both doors were broken at that shaft connection point and were stuck half-way open. I examined the single-door damper behind the fan and it had an obvious crack, but was not yet completely broken - replaced it too. Temps are all good now.

[kdog]

Maybe This:

http://www.repaircli...ber=wr17x11508
wr17x11508