LFX25991ST Troubleshooting my LG Refrigerator

[crosenbusch]

I need help troubleshooting my compressor. I tested the resistance across the three windings (prongs on the side of the compressor). I got a reading on one of the combination but "open" on the other combinations. While both compartments are warm, the freezer is at least cooling. It's about 40 degrees. It would seem to me that if the compressor is bad, it would not be cooling at all. The condesor coils are definitely cold. Is it possible that I could get an open reading when testing the compressor, but it can partially cool?  

It is a LG Linear Compressor.

I also checked all of the components of the defrost system  everything tested good, except the temperature sensor.  I couldn't get a resistance reading on the sensor, so I am going to try that first since it's only a $10 part  

 

 

 

 

[Techonamission]

Hey Cosenbusch.  I doubt you have an open winding on one of the the compressor windings as it probably would not run if that were the case.  I'd suggest two things.  1) take the freezer evaporator panel off.  Run the fridge and watch the frost pattern over the evaporator coils.  The coils should produce a fresh white glaze of frost over them like the dew on your hot tub cover just froze over...but not a big frothy fluffy ice like a snow man or snow-cone (that is a defrost problem-google rhyme ice for definition).  If only half or part of the coils are frozen over and the other half are stainless steel/aluminum looking and wet (after 20-40 minutes of run time) then you probably have a bad compressor or sealed system leak. 2) if you have a clamp meter (and know how to do an amp draw) you can put your clamp meter on one (1) of the two (2) power supply wires to the compressor.  Run the unit and watch the clamp meter reading.  For a healthy fridge like yours you should get a reading of roughly 1.2-1.75 amps.  Anything under 1 amp you have an inefficient compressor or a refrigerant leak.....I'd advise replacing fridge.  

PS I see way too many LG linear compressor refrigerators with sealed system failures within the 4-10 year range.  Had a 4 year old french door linear go out on last friday.      

[Budget Appliance Repair]

The key is this is a LG Linear Compressor.

They do fail too often and soon.   Testing is also different, only two of the three compressor terminal pins are used, unlike a traditional compressor.

[rbmappltech]

I have replace 4 lg linear compressors in the last month with simlear problems as you have in your fridge . You may have a sealed system leak, but most of the time it's the compressors that go bad in a LG fridge.

[jack.jimenez32]

On Monday, January 02, 2017 at 10:47 PM, santacruzappliance said:

Hey Cosenbusch.  I doubt you have an open winding on one of the the compressor windings as it probably would not run if that were the case.  I'd suggest two things.  1) take the freezer evaporator panel off.  Run the fridge and watch the frost pattern over the evaporator coils.  The coils should produce a fresh white glaze of frost over them like the dew on your hot tub cover just froze over...but not a big frothy fluffy ice like a snow man or snow-cone (that is a defrost problem-google rhyme ice for definition).  If only half or part of the coils are frozen over and the other half are stainless steel/aluminum looking and wet (after 20-40 minutes of run time) then you probably have a bad compressor or sealed system leak. 2) if you have a clamp meter (and know how to do an amp draw) you can put your clamp meter on one (1) of the two (2) power supply wires to the compressor.  Run the unit and watch the clamp meter reading.  For a healthy fridge like yours you should get a reading of roughly 1.2-1.75 amps.  Anything under 1 amp you have an inefficient compressor or a refrigerant leak.....I'd advise replacing fridge.  

PS I see way too many LG linear compressor refrigerators with sealed system failures within the 4-10 year range.  Had a 4 year old french door linear go out on last friday.      

Linear compressor run at much lower amperage readings like a .6-.9 reading. Also the windings on linear compressor are different. Your issue is probably because the piston inside the compressor has stopped stroking causing a low suction return. Depending on model also you might have a leak if it's a 2 door freezer with French door. The leak usually runs through the yoder loop at bottom trim piece between freezer door 

[braebyrn]

Jack.jiminez32, Thank you for the information on this.  I have an LG LFD25860ST with the french doors with the freezer on the bottom and cannot locate a refrigerant leak and suspect the Yoder Loop.  It looks like the condenser lines going into the refrigerator box are aluminum on this model, are they usually repairable?  I cannot find any information where the lines actually go inside the refrigerator box casing.  If there are any drawings available, I haven't found them.  Maybe a stethoscope and a good charge of nitrogen will uncover the leak?  

 

 

[Melanie]

My LG LFX31925ST had stopped cooling overnight.  LG ran system tests on it over the phone and couldn’t get a reading.  They sent technician out and he said it was the Linear Compressor, which was luckily still under the 10 year warranty.  So he comes back a week later and spends 2-3 hours fixing it.  It works when he leaves, but was failing in the defrost cycle.  So they came back a week later to replace a sensor.  Well that just made it worse.  The refrigerator stopped warming completely when he put that sensor in.  Now they come back and test everything and tell me that I have leak in the Yoder Loop.  So I have a brand new compressor & sensor in a refrigerator that is not fixable.  I’m so mad.  My fridge was only 8 years old.  By the way I have a side by side Maytag in the garage that is over 20 years old!  Not buying LG again!!

[houptee]

On 6/5/2019 at 10:24 AM, Melanie said:

My LG LFX31925ST had stopped cooling overnight.  LG ran system tests on it over the phone and couldn’t get a reading.  They sent technician out and he said it was the Linear Compressor, which was luckily still under the 10 year warranty.  So he comes back a week later and spends 2-3 hours fixing it.  It works when he leaves, but was failing in the defrost cycle.  So they came back a week later to replace a sensor.  Well that just made it worse.  The refrigerator stopped warming completely when he put that sensor in.  Now they come back and test everything and tell me that I have leak in the Yoder Loop.  So I have a brand new compressor & sensor in a refrigerator that is not fixable.  I’m so mad.  My fridge was only 8 years old.  By the way I have a side by side Maytag in the garage that is over 20 years old!  Not buying LG again!!

The yoder loop tubing can be bypassed but a LG tech would probably not be allowed to do it per their policy. Try and get a local independent appliance shop to bypass the yoder and recharge the system. You might get a few more years out of it.