GE PSS26SGPASS Troubleshooting & disassembly

[LA Germann]

Hello All!

Long time lurker/user, first time poster.  Absolutely love this site!

Today's priority (for me) is trying to troubleshoot a GE Profile PSS26SGPASS that may have several issues going.  The fridge was purchased new around 2004/2005.  (I'm old and I drink to forget things like this.)  I'll start by stating this thing has been noisy/loud for a couple of years. I'm talking jet plane taking off kind of noise that can be heard from the basement.  This started a couple of summers ago, and I just assumed it was because it had to work harder because we don't use air conditioning and Cincinnati summers can be hot and humid.  (We're weird, we don't really like A/C, we prefer the whole house and ceiling fans.)  Along with this, a few months back, the produce in the crisper drawers started freezing, mostly the bottom drawer—but sometimes the upper drawer would have frost, too.  Didn't matter what the setting for the bottom drawer was, even with the citrus setting, produce would have ice on it.  Not frost, ice.

The loud jet noise continued into the winter this year, and seemed to have stopped a couple weeks ago.  The silence was nice, so I didn't think much of it.  Anyway, noticed Saturday the freezer temp was 8°, so I "reset" it and monitored it. (The fridge side was 37°.)  This freezer is packed full (it's always packed), we don't have kids to leave it open and the cats have yet to grow thumbs. Sunday/yesterday it hit 10°.  We emptied the freezer last night and the fridge today.  It's still making ice, but the cubes are really clear with large bubbles, so they're slow frozen. The bin was full of fused ice, with the exception of the new clear ice.

Research tells me it could be something as simple as a Damper Control Assembly, BUT I can't even start to take this thing apart—I'm stuck on the first screw!—in the light housing at the top of the fridge.  Is there a tiny screw inside the plastic knob on this thing or is the plastic knob supposed to be the screw-head? I'm about to go all Elmer Fudd on this thing and the husband's not here to talk me down or take the hammer away.  I've found several links that show disassembly, but nothing addresses or shows this _____ screw!

Also, I actually found a service manual for this and ran some of the diagnostic codes—Code: 0-3, the Mode for Temperature Control Panel to Dispenser Board Communication FAILED.  Code: 1-1 the Mode for the Fan Speed Test—the manual says "Each fan will run for 10 seconds, then stop.)  None of the fans ran that long, they ran 5 to 2 seconds, tops.  Did the Refrigerator Reset, too, Code: 1-5. and the freezer automatically read 0° and still does, the fridge side is showing now at 54°.  Just stuck back-up fridge/freezer thermometers into each side, so we'll see what those read shortly.

I have more questions, but thought I'd start by getting my observations out there and ask about how to get that light shield screw out.

Sorry for the vomiting of info, but ya never know what could be a good clue.

[DurhamAppliance]

Use this diagram to explain what screw you are having problems with.... 

[DurhamAppliance]

Ok... i think I understand... the plastic knob is the screw

Edited February 8, 2016 by DurhamAppliance

[LA Germann]

The knob and location looks like part 208, but the schem doesn't show a screw just the knob ...

Tried a small pair of needle-nose on this earlier, 'cause the grip on this set was worn down and I didn't want to mark, crush or bust the knob.  Guess I'll get some real pliers out ... how much could a fancy-headed screw cost?  ... not sure I really want to know ...

[LA Germann]

Just tried to turn this with a decent set of pliers, thing wouldn't budge.  Heard some good cracking of plastic starting though ... not sure what might be starting to crack.

 Here's a grainy side shot and a shot from underneath this bugger. 

 

[LA Germann]

[LA Germann]

Durham, would you pull me a part number for 208 in that drawing, please?  That piece is not showing in any of the diagrams I can find, and it's only showing as a knob.  I don't care much about a two dollar screw and/or knob, but the the light shield is 40 bucks if I break it because I'm misunderstanding what that part is.

[DurhamAppliance]

part number Part number: WR01X10431

 

Edited February 9, 2016 by Samurai Appliance Repair Man
Added part link.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

I've never worked on one of these yet but from the parts picture and description it is just a plastic 6-32 thread nut, so the threaded stud should stay in the roof of the refrig and the nut should unscrew in standard lefty loosey, righty thighty directions.

And, surprisingly for a GE part it's only $2.60 at APP, (I expected it to be at least $10 packed in a GE bag!)

Edited February 9, 2016 by Budget Appliance Repair

[DurhamAppliance]

Your description is correct Budget... hard for me to understand why it's so difficult to remove... usually finger tight.

[johntech]

should be able to losen it with pliers then remove it the rest of the way by hand. I've worked on many of these including 1 today. It does seem like its going to break because it is so fragile but I haven't had one break yet.

[LA Germann]

Thanks guys.  Sorry for the response delay, had to walk away for a while. 

Yes, it's a simple plastic nut—but the sucker was practically welded on.  Soaked it in PB and let it sit for a few hours and finally pliers got it off.  It was definitely NOT "finger" tight.

Now that I've got this thing torn apart, I'm not sure what the problem is.  I pulled the Fresh Food Fan and Mullion Damper from the top back of the fridge and everything appears in place—both the damper and the fan.  The damper is closed and in place and the fan looks whole and where it should be.  Could this still be the cause the freezer losing temp and the crisper drawers freezing?  Given that it's at the top of the fridge and the issue is with the freezer losing temp and the crispers freezing, I doubt it's this damper.  Though with all the jostling of taking it apart and looking it over, it's prolly not long for this world now.

There's a second fan at the bottom of the fridge, but it's not where shown in the manual I have.  The manual shows a vacuum formed, solid stair-stepped interior.  This thing looks nothing like the pix or the schematics.  I'm fairly mechanical, but without a manual showing what I've actually got, I'm a little afraid to tear into the bottom of this blind.

It did FAIL the 0-3 test mode for the Temperature to Control Panel to Dispenser board Communication, but I can't find/figure out what that relates to.

The fan speed tests were off too, none of the fans ran for more than a few seconds, not the 10 called for.

The 0-7 test for the thermistors all passed too. Not that means anything with my luck.

Thoughts, ideas?  It is beer-thirty here ...

 

 

[DurhamAppliance]

Are you certain the damper door is opening and closing properly? Connect it to the fridge and see if it moves... Use the damper test in diagnostics. 

The temp to control panel community  test always fails. 

Your thermistor tests only lets you know the board recognizes the thermistor... it had no bearing on sensor accuracy. In any event,  change the fridge compartment sensors and the freezer evap sensor.... they are cheap enough. 

Your noise could be from the damper assembly fan or damper assembly door being stuck or obstructed by frost.. or a broken door hitting the fan...if, that is,  the noise was coming from the fresh food section. 

 

Instead if testing fans individually,  put the system into 100% run mode and listen to them..... now on some models,  100% run mode doesn't activate the beverage fan or any fan not energized on the j2 connector so don't let that through you... You can always test fans using a 9volt battery. 

 

 

 

[LA Germann]

Redid the damper test with visuals on the part and both damper door and fan seem to work fine. The fan had a little noise to it, but that could be because the piece was angled so I could see into it.

Never had a problem with frost at the top of the fridge and the waterline for the dispenser has never froze up.

100% run mode ran the damper fan.  Hit turbo and the beverage fan ran solid.  Futzed around, and think it may be the evaporator fan.  Could barely hear it with my head stuck in the freezer and what I did hear sounded like it was out of kilter.  The back of the freezer side was where the jet noise seemed to have emanated from, too.

[LA Germann]

I'm done.  Spouse has barred begged me to stay out of the tool room and swears we don't have a multi-meter.  (He has been known to lie about these kinda things.)  Repair company my mom swears by is coming out tomorrow.  This from a woman who would'a had this thing fixed by now.

Thanks for all your help and knowledge Durham, it is greatly appreciated!

[DavidDeaven]

I found this while investigating the custom cool "woodpecker noise".  

In case others find this thread... I've been down a few of these paths and captured some solutions here   

http://www.deaven.net/~deaven/Make/arctica.html