KitchenAid KSC23C8EYY02 - not sure what to do

[Rhubarb Tau]

On 6/9/2018 at 2:53 PM, evaappliance said:

So yes rhubarb , you got us old techs number , we are afraid of making 10 return calls ,and having the customer shifting the anger from the design flawed appliance to us just because we were trying to help them by trying to make something out of nothing

Was offline for a bit moving house, just got back online.

I hear you, I wasn't trying to play down concerns about these units. They're more complicated, with more potential parts to cause weird problems, and the Mfgs don't give us enough information to confidently diagnose the weird edge-cases that we run into every so often. I've had my share of repeated call-backs for problems that, if they'd happened to a mechanical-controlled unit, I could test directly and rule out suspect parts.

I guess all I was trying to say; I got started about 3 years ago in this industry. I see older units from time to time, but units like this are what I've been cutting my teeth on. I wish they were simpler, and had more diagnostic info, but I've got to believe they're fixable, just to get to sleep at night. Otherwise, my career prospects are looking pretty dim.

[evaappliance]

Sometimes i get wound a little tight about the stuff that they have been putting out the last 10 or so years  .  We do everything by the book  and still can’t fix them right ,    We do everything tech line says and can’t fix it right .  Just like the guy having this problem with his fridge ,  if it were one of our calls , what would we do ?  And to your point , you are right , the good o’l  days are gone so we will have to adapt to stay in business, but i just can’t believe the lightning speed things are going down !  I figured things would be ok till my social security starts in like 11 more years and there would be enough good stuff for me to fix till then BUT nope , not gonna make it !  Didn’t mean to say anything towards you personally, sorry !

It’s these appliance companies and their cheap made , high dollar , no accountability, product that grinds my gears !

[UrbyTuesday]

so I've got the freezer log and can't tell much from it.  looks to me like everything is working properly. I don't really see a 'defrost' happening but I see a rise and fall of the temp from about -9 to 5 degrees.  Seems about right. the spike at 6.15AM Jun 11th is a door opening event I believe.

i've read some this morning about waterlogged styrofoam.  loses its insulation properties.  just ordered replacements for the two pieces which have direct contact with the RC evaporator and are heavy as metal.  no way those things are insulating properly. and they surround the evap coils on both sides.

maybe not probable, but it is a POSSIBLE explanation as to why this problem has come on somewhat gradua, 'worsened' or otherwise has developed over a long period of time time.  the fridge worked just fine for 3.5 years. but I am guessing that the worse these pieces get waterlogged with each successive freeze/thaw cycle, the less insulation they provide and the faster the evaporator freezes up.  

given the slim margins for error these poorly designed units apparently operate within, this at least seems like something that needs to be eliminated as a culprit.  

https://www.searspartsdirect.com/part-number/w11028224/0046/106.html

https://www.searspartsdirect.com/part-number/w10837626/0046/106.html

I will get them replaced and report back in a few months or as soon as it freezes up again.

 

[evaappliance]

14 minutes ago, UrbyTuesday said:

i've read some this morning about waterlogged styrofoam.  loses its insulation properties

Very true ! It causes all kinds of crazy things on any refrigerator. Sure can’t hurt to try . Good luck !

[UrbyTuesday]

okay well i will report back after i get it changed out.  in any case, here's the freezer temp log.  as you can see, it pretty much tells me nothing except that it seems to be working well and that it spiked to 27 deg Wed at noon.  and that could have easily been the kids or my wife grabbing stuff.  when the door is shut though, it seems extremely consistent.

[evaappliance]

I don't know as much as the other guys on this particular refrigerator , but I think it is a little to cold in the freezer, I would try bumping it up to where your low number is 0  or -1 .   

[john63]

On 5/15/2018 at 1:55 AM, LearningTech said:

 

 there is no defrost system for your fridge it defrost by blowing air.

 

Wow.

Must've been designed by the same guy that invented "Continuous Clean" ovens.

We all know how well those ovens remain spotless

It's an engineering equivalent of "A Bridge Too Far"...a vain attempt to offer the wonderful technology of dual cooling...but with a single defrost heater for the freezer only.

Nice...

Likely works flawlessly...if no food is stored...and the doors are never opened.

 

[UrbyTuesday]

So....I do appreciate the replies!  A couple of questions.

1) is this not what a normal freezer's temp log looks like?  I know this unit is poorly designed, but what does a typical freezer log look like?

2) with the temperature bump, you are saying i'd want it between say, -1 low to +9 high vs the present levels of about -9 low and +2 high ?   is that typically a one for one change...like i need to turn up the freezer temp control 10 full degrees? I'm thinking not.  I'll try bumping it 3-4 to start.

[evaappliance]

1 hour ago, UrbyTuesday said:

I'll try bumping it 3-4 to start.

yes ,      the temps you have there are what you would want in a deep freezer .  most freezers on refrigerators are not designed to be that cold. 

[UrbyTuesday]

okay. thanks for the info!

i swear, i have built a scratch wiring harness for a custom turbo motor and built out data center server projects ad nausea....but refrigerators/freezers, HVAC, AC electricity and ponytails for my daughter continue to escape me.