40 replies to this topic

[plsbcheap]

I'm down with the Flu right now and low and behold my LG side by side give an error code today "Er FF". By most checks, it says it is a freezer fan problem. I saw something as simple as unplug the refridgerator for 3 hours, let it melt and it will be fixed!!

Even though I feel terrible, my wife will call someone if I don't take a look at it this weekend. I have been hearing the freezer fan rumble for about a week. When you open the freezer door it stops but usually starts back a couple of minutes after the door is shut. In addition to this I have had an ongoing problem for about 6 months where the icemaker does not work as well as it usually does and you have to pull out the tray and break off a big "stalagtike" of ice that forms underneath the tray. I guess it leaks when it feels and over time that builds to a 2-3" piece of ice. I'll post the photo today but the formation is really small right now. I would love to fix both problems.

I assume this Er FF code means the fan is no longer able to run. What can I do to fix this thing quickly? Can I remove the ice make and let it thaw out and stick it back in? Is there a repair manual that is downloadable for this model?
Many thanks,
"stalagtike" is starting to form almost in the middle of the picture.

Edited by plsbcheap, 06 July 2012 - 02:22 PM.

[RegUS_PatOff]

... LG side by side give an error code today "Er FF".
... I have been hearing the freezer fan rumble for about a week.
... icemaker does not work as well as it usually does and you have to pull out the tray and break off a big "stalagtike" of ice
... repair manual that is downloadable for this model?

1) yes, Freezer Fan error
2) "rumble" could be bad Fan bearings OR if Evaporator not defrosting, Fan Blades could be hitting frost / ice
remove the Eavporator Cover, and take a look at the Evaporator Fan
3) would seem to be a water leak ...
4) what model ?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Definitely bad freezer fan. Your replacement fan will be one of the fans on this page ==> http://www.repaircli...arch=Find Parts

[plsbcheap]

I have an LG side by side LSC27926ST



water leak? Does the ice tray (flemzy plastic) supposed to sit at an angle? Kind of tilted a litte bit? I wondered if the water runs over some where and forms the ice build up...

I am going downstairs now to clean out the freezer. Wife said the temp is up to 40 in the freezer. I guess that means the freezer is out when the fan is not running? Will the refridgerator still say cool? Is it possible that the freezer thaws and then it works again in the freezer for a period of time? I will remove the fan if I can get a diagram. thanks,

[RegUS_PatOff]

Evaporator Fan # 404A

[plsbcheap]

RegUS
I got the freezer cleaned out, then the ice maker removed and took this picture. I see the fan and assume the 404A in the diagram is the motor behind that fan. Does the error code tell us for sure the motor is shot? Or is there a way to test the motor before I replace. I don't know much about refridgerators but I'm now assuming the freezer generates the cool air for the refridgerator so I am screwed for the weekend unless I can get that motor fixed or replaced tonight or tomorrow morning.
I'll focus on the ice maker buildup issues after the freezer runs again. What all needs to be removed to get the fan out?
thanks,


can you give me the diagram in pdf, (full parts descriptions)? I should probably look up 405A, 406 etc.

[RegUS_PatOff]

Evaporator Fan area may be similar to LG LSC26905 Service Manual
http://appliantology...service-manual/

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Nice pix, as always, plsb!

Here's the link to your evap fan motor ==> http://www.repaircli...JB1029A/1330410

[plsbcheap]

I was hoping to get my LG running this morning BUT called LG and found out they have no parts available on Saturday / Sunday. I also called two local appliance parts places that are open but do NOT carry any LG parts. I could call a service company but I also believe the likelyhood that the tech would have this Evaporator Fan in his possession on site is very small. LG's parts distributor for the Southeast has a one line recording.... basically "we are closed" and hangs up. "Customer-no service" gave no options or proposals to help. I'm frustrated with LG. One of my "feet" is so shattered that it will not adjust. It likely broke during the setup in my home by the company I bought it new. Plastic and cheap. He probably saw it break when he was adjusting the height with a screwdriver but did not tell us. When I stuck a screwdriver in there last night it just fell to pieces.

And then there ice maker.Mainly just this weekly build up of ice/water under the tray. Here is an upshot taken yesterday before I unplugged the refridgerator. The ice is very small because I broke it off a few days ago.

In this picutre I am trying to show how the ice tray sits at an angle, kind of rolled forward. It is weird to me but may be the way they designed it to be. I don't think the stalagtite of ice forms from water running over the front of the tray though. That seems as if the water would run off into the ice bin. I just have never been able to tell where the build up comes from.


I'm waiting on parts........

[plsbcheap]

Here is my Saturday afternoon update and some steps of how to replace the motor (Evaporator Fan). Somewhere I saw the part number was replaced by a 1027A but after some research it looks like the original part number 4681JB1017D was replaced by the manufacturer with part number 4681JB1029A.

First, take out 4 screws and remove the auger that turns the ice bin (I am assuming you took the ice tray out already). Unplug the wire harness. Then take out the top left screw (into the ceiling) for the ice maker. Unsnape the wiring harness and kind of wiggle the whole assemby back and it will slide right out. Next take this bracket off the wall for ease of taking everything else out. I forgot to take a picture before I removed the back way so just imagine there is still a back wall there... :-)



Now the rest is weird. All the plastic feels like it is going to break with any slight twist. There is a center screw in the plastic wall (that hides the evaporator fan). After removing the screw kind of bow in the wall to the middle and pull in on all the point that have little arrows maked on the plastic wall. There is probably a correct way, I just don't know it....

that is how it will look. You expose the fan. Now you COULD take two screw out of the motor inserting your phillips between the fan blades BUT you will still have to deal with pull the wiring harness through and I would prefer just removing this wall too. It is weird as well, you just kind of pull it toward you to remove it. Here is a picture before I pulled it out, but when I put it back I did not get clear "feedback" that it is snapped in place.


unplug the wiring harness as you go until this wall is out. This is why you need that bracket off the wall, so you can just tilt the wall side ways to get it out. After you remove the wall just take the two fan screws out and remove the fan and wiring. It is easy and straightforward.




It is just that when you put it back in, I got no real feedback from the wall "snapping" into place etc.

I just put my fan back in (waiting on a new one) and the freezer is running fine. Freezer is down to minus 15 degrees. Now I wonder if it is really bad and will stop again OR was there ice build up (due to a leak in the ice maker?) and now that it is thawed it is good???

[plsbcheap]

okay, today is July 13th. I reassembled on about the 8th and waited 5 days. Ice maker has been making ice and everything "seems" normal. Refridgerator and freezer holding correct temp. This morning I took the following photos. The first shows the small ice build up below the ice tray. This will grow over time to be 2-3" long. The second photo is more disturbing. It is showing some crystalization and forming of ice around the water chute. I think it kind of melts away when new water runs into the ice tray but I don't remember seeing this before. I'm not sure I can say the ice maker has anything to do with this formation since the mechanical part in the freezer is just a catcher (tray) of the water and a motor to twist the plastic ice tray and dump it after it freezes. Can anyone tell my problem from the pictures? Is the water valve bad or what could cause this build up. BTW I have used the test button and watched the ice operation. I never saw a drip or anything on the water chute. It looks like it runs perfectly. But now I suspect that after a good while this is the problem that stopped my evaporator motor from spinning the fan (behind this wall).
Any help is appreciated.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

That ice growing off the icemaker fill tube is the tall-tale sign, replace the water inlet valve and most likely all problems will be solved. The only way ice can form on that fill tube in that matter is water valve leaking thru and since it's not a flow each little trickle of water that it lets thru has time to freeze and eventually with that ice build up when it goes to fill when it needs water the ice makes the water flowing in spill over and creates the ice buildup under the ice maker down lower.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Part link to the water inlet valve ==> http://www.repaircli...mber=LSC27926ST

[plsbcheap]

I took someone's advice back in July and did a "watch" on the freezer instead of just replacing the fan or water inlet valve. While it is likely still the water inlet valve I wanted to see what happens when I don't use the ice maker for a while. Does the fan stop? Does the freezer get warmer?

So the last 3 or 4 weeks I used the ice maker off and on. When I noticed the frost/ice build up around the chute I switched the icemaker off. I was most curious as to why the ice pile under the chute tube was there and did that have any effect on stopping the fan from running. When I worked on the refridgerator in early July the fan had stopped so everything thawed out.

Yesterday I noticed the temp creaping up again in the freezer from zero to 20 degrees. So last night I quickly took out the ice maker again, and the back wall (where the fan creates the blowing chamber) and look at what I found on the inner wall... A huge frozen chunk of ice build up. This is why the fan would slow and stop.


Now obviously it is water coming into the icemaker from behind the chute (where the water inlet valve is I suppose) but the ice build up on the ice maker (right at the base of the chute opening) could not be the cause of the frozen clump here because 1) it is six inches away 2) and it is up hill from the chute opening. The chute is about 8-10" long and a steep ramp to the ice tray that it dumps into. So I would love to rationalize why the ice build up behind the back wall. If the water inlet valve is letting to much water in, or sporatically dripping in water etc. it seem it would have to drop through a crack in the chute/tube to get behind the wall or leak where the chute comes through the back wall. The chute has openings on the top so could it fill up so full as water is rushing down the ramp that it jumps out of the top while the chute is still behind the back wall? Is my chute cracked and I just can see it? I would think if any of these theories were true that I would have seen Ice connect from the tube.

I would love your ideas and also instructions on replacing the water inlet valve and / or the chute. Is this valve maybe just on the back of my refridgerator or is there a post anywhere where someone has replaced it and provided helps?
thanks all.....

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Now obviously it is water coming into the icemaker from behind the chute (where the water inlet valve is I suppose) but the ice build up on the ice maker (right at the base of the chute opening) could not be the cause of the frozen clump here because 1) it is six inches away 2) and it is up hill from the chute opening. The chute is about 8-10" long and a steep ramp to the ice tray that it dumps into.

Not seeing what you man by "uphill" but I can certainly envision a scenario where a weeping water inlet valve would let water drops in through the chute which can then be blown to peculiar locations due to air flow eddy currents set up inside the freezer by the evaporator fan.

Besides, there's no need to conjecture-- the water can ONLY come from the outside and solid ice like that can ONLY come from liquid water (as opposed to water vapor which creates rime ice, not solid ice). And since the refrigerator does not produce water, this water has to come from the outside. The water inlet valve is the obvious source by deduction.

Replace the water inlet valve ==> http://www.repaircli...mber=LSC27926ST

[plsbcheap]

I can't believe it but I still have a major problem. Back in August I took the advice by Samurai and Budget and just installed a new valve. About and 80-$90 part. I was happy.

But...I STILL started to see the ice formation below the icemaker, on the motor casing (which turns the auger to dispense ice). See an above picture where I am shining the flashlight. This motor is approx 2" behind the ice tray which catches the water and up hill from the chute that is dropping the water into the trays. I suppose the water could splash backwards out of the shoot and fall there? Anyway right before thanks giving my refridgeration stopped again with the ERR message.
I saw that ice on the auger motor cover. The fridge could have been off as much as 8 hours since it was mid morning and I did not see the ERR when I went to bed. The freezer was probably about 32 degrees. I pulled out the ice maker and back wall where the fan runs again but this time I did not see a hugh chunk of ice "stalagtite" formed behind the wall as last time. Maybe it had already broken loose and dropped down in the freezer? I looked down behind the wall and all the radiator blades were white with frost. I powered down the refridgeration and back up and hte ERR went away and the fan runs again. I'm not sure what to do next. I could replace the fan motor BUT that would not eliminate the ice formation. It always comes back on when the power is reset. I could replace the water valve again but was it really bad from the beginning? I started seeing the ice formation on the auger motor within days but don't know if ice was behind the wall or not.

Is there any other possiblities such as another valve at the top of the freezer on the back? Or could the chute be cracked and if so how to replace it? I just can NOT figure out how water ever formed behind that wall to stop the fan. It is probably 4" behind the opening of the chute and 3-4" vertically "up hill" from the opening of the chute so that makes me wonder if it is coming out of the chute somewhere other than theopening. Thoughts?
thanks,

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Let's look at the water pressure in the supply tube that connects to the water inlet valve. If that pressure is too low, less than 40 psi, then the valve will not seat properly and will leak in the way you're seeing. Common causes for reduced water pressure:

- line-piercing saddle tap valves
- water supply coming from a reverse osmosis water filter system

[plsbcheap]

Samurai,
No line=-piercing saddle valve. It has a faucet type shut off valve. when I put the new valve on I did run it into a bucket to see if it was clogged. It was very fast, if anything I thought the pressue was strong. The house and plumbing is only 6 years old.

[john63]

Try this...


Disconnect the water line.

Have an assistant/helper hold the water line and bucket.

Turn on the water to full flow.

Begin turning the water valve handle---until pressure subsides somewhat.

Mark the spigot body and the handle with a sharpie pen and turn off water---reconnect the water line.

Turn on water valve until the marks on the valve align.

ALSO...

Your model refrigerator (by serial number) had an issue with over-freezing.

Remove plastic cover at the top of the refrigerator (phillips screws).

Read the check sum numbers---located on a sticker---on the microprocessor chip.

If the letters/numbers read: ED41----indicates that this is the original MAIN BOARD.

if the check sum is----E17B---then the MAIN BOARD has already been replaced and is the *updated* version.

Edited by john63, 26 November 2012 - 10:55 PM.

[plsbcheap]

john63,
that is great info. I suppose you are suggesting that the flow could be too strong therefore cause the splash or spill over?
Also, I can roll out my refridgerator tomorrow and check the top plate. I assume this is the long retangular plate? If I do have an original / old MAIN board, what can be done? Was it recalled or under any kind of extended replacement? Does LG do anything to help out?