Kitchenaid KSRL25FTss00 Compressor Running Too Long

[w5jv@hotmail.com]

Put your thinking caps on guys.  I need help.  My Kitchenaid (AKA Kitchen-Ache) Side by Side Refrigerator quit cooling and it turned out the evaporator fan had quit working.  The OEM piece was not available so I put in a "generic" which seemed to do the job.  However, now my compressor is running too long and is obnoxiously loud.  I'm not an A/C-Regrigeration expert so I don't know what to check.

I put a thermometer in the freezer and it says 10 degrees.  Move it over to the refrigerator and it said 55 degrees and slowly falling.  After a day it was down to 40 degrees.  This AM it was achieving high 30's and I have the digital controller on the top of the refrigerator compartment set for 37 degrees.  Prior to the fan failure we had always kept the controller on 33 and it didn't seem to mind.

Can anyone tell me what to check (you'll have to spell out the steps for me) to see if there is some other component that is problematic?  The rear evaporator wall is icy cold but no ice build up yet.  We quit using the ice maker a long time ago and use manual trays now.  If a drop or two of water falls on the back wall, it freezes.

Help ! and thanks in advance for any clues,

Signed: An Aching Kitchen-Ache owner :-( ....

[16345Ed]

The obvious thing to do is start with OEM replacement fan. You could be over stressing compressor with fan that is not rated for your unit. 

 

[16345Ed]

Dirty condenser coils

A light that doesn't shut off

A door that doesn't close. 

 

These would all cause compressor to run. 

[evaappliance]

Ome is still available,     sometimes aftermarket is ok if your sure the moter is spinning the same direction as the original. Very common thing to happen with aftermarket moters if your not paying attention 

[w5jv@hotmail.com]

THanks guys.  Two questions:

On the fan rotation, which direction should it be turning or better, should it be pulling air across the evaporator fins below it or pushing air on them?

Second question:  We bought a coil brush made by G.E.  Nice tool but we can't figure out how to clean the bottom of the Vee shaped wires because they are running horizontal.  I can poke the GE brush through the larger holes and have bent it a little to shake some dirt loose but how in the world do you clean the Vee shapped wires that are horizontal to the front or rear?  What a strange thing to plan in a box.

 

 

[evaappliance]

it pulls the air through the evaporator ,  I usually just use a good shop vac. on the coils . be careful when poking around the condenser coils   

[w5jv@hotmail.com]

The Kitchenaid KSRL25FTSS00 seems to be back to normal.  One suggestion I got was to assume the obvious: that the generic evaporator fan was not sufficient for the large refrigerator.  So, I bit the bullet and bought the exact Kitchenaid replacement fan and took another morning to change it out.  The plastic fan only pushes on one way as the top of it is sealed and so the can cannot be even mistakenly reversed.  After start up, all the problems went away and the box is now back to normal.  Many thanks for the input on this and the encouragement.

I must note here that the evaporator fan seems to be the heart & pulse of the refrigerator.  Yes, the compressor cycles its Freon but it is the fan that makes it all work.  Thanks again guys; I much appreciate the help.

Cheers from Baton Rouge