GE bottom freezer fridge (PDS22SBRALSS) encoder/control panel problem?

[rcdr]

Hi,

I have a GE bottom freezer fridge (PDS22SBRALSS) which is exhibiting a strange behaviour.  The inside control panel (encoder at the top of the fridge) is dark.   When I press either the “colder” or “warmer” buttons for either the fridge or freezer, it beeps as normal for each press. When I stop pressing and wait for a sec or so, both the fridge and freezer temperature displays light up and then goes dark and there are 5 beeps.  The LEDs appear to show the current fridge and freezer temperatures.

Can anyone provide guidance on how to fix this problem?  I’ve look through the user and service/repair manual but there is no mention of the beeps (which I assume are diagnostic codes) nor the display problem.  Are there any GE documents that deal with this issue?

My suspicions are described below.  I would power down/up the fridge to see if anything changes after I have a better handle on what is going on.    Aside from the display problem, the fridge and freezer appears to be working (ie keeping everything cold) so I am worried that if I reset it, that I might have a nonworking fridge or one that is set to some default temperature.

I can’t change the target temperatures currently.

Suspicions:

1.       1.  Encoder/control panel inside the fridge is broken (would need way to test before ordering) 

2.       2. The inside door switches are broken?  I’m not sure how this is possible since the inside fridge and freezer lights go on/off when I push them.

3.       3.  The control board at the back is bad (would need way to test before ordering) 

Thanks

[dfphoto]

above for knob encoder I believe 5 and 5 = the 0F-37F so if you want warmer go down if 5 goes up to 8 that might make it colder but the range is 34-47F the freezer can go -6 to +8

ON the control panel you seem to have a very weird refrigerator for the control of temp... . The factory set the temps to 0-37f the display goes black

To adj...

 

Hold warm and cold together then the set light will light up then press colder or hotter to change allow 24 hours to see a change... write back to say it  worked or not since this is free thanks.

after you changed the temp the actual will light up in 5 sec. wait and see what the temp gets to in 24 hours but they say it can be off depending on usage and door open close etc..

Edited September 3 by dfphoto

[rcdr]

Thanks dfphoto.

To clarify my original post, my GE bottom freezer fridge (PDS22SBRALSS) has internal electronic controls.  The controls are located at the top of the fridge, inside.  There are two displays with two corresponding buttons (colder/warmer).  I likely shouldn't have used the word "encoder" in my original post as that might mean analog controls.

I get the same effect as originally described when I simultaneously press the colder and warmer buttons.  I've tried this button pressing three ways:  (1) simultaneously for the fridge buttons, (2) simultaneously for the freezer buttons, and (3) all four buttons together. I get exactly the same effect as stated.  One beep and nothing. No display.

When I press any of the buttons separately for a bit, I get one beep.  When I let go, after a brief pause, I get 5 beeps and then both displays light up, showing what appears to be the current temperatures.

I'm trying to figure out if the 5 beeps is some sort of error code and has any meaning to debug this thing.

Since the fridge still works, I'm waiting for the weather to get colder (in case I break it) so I can try a power down to see if it fixes the problem, else will need to likely debug if the problem is with the electronic controls or the main board in the back.   The service manual doesn't appear to deal with a problem like this.

Any help/guidance would be appreciated.  Thanks J

 

 

[dfphoto]

measure the voltage coming to the board and out of the board the control with 5 as the setting is the encoder its probably dead takes either 12vdc or 5vdc if no dials at all just unplug the machine for 1-5 min.