Freezer working-fresh food area warm - GE PFE29PSDASS

[twalker]

I reviewed the flow chart on refrigerator repair, but I have a follow-up question to help troubleshoot my situation. I've had 2 problems in the last week and initially I thought they weren't related, but the timing seems to coincidental.

About 2 weeks ago, I noticed water under the lowest drawer. Then, about a week later I noticed it had turned to ice. I melted the ice with a steamer and noticed the drain was clogged. So, I found some sediment in the check valve, removed it, and the drainage problem is fixed.

But what prompted the above repair is that I noticed the fresh food area wouldn't go below 55F. I thought the two were related. I thought my evaporator fan had failed, and that's what caused the ice. 

My fan is running, but it is very weak. I have a GE french door unit, and the damper fan has failed, but I think that only cools the drawers and wouldn't explain the warm interior in the entire fridge. 

I am not feeling any air coming out of the vents in the air duct that empties at the top-center of the fridge. My evaporator fan is spinning----but I don't feel a lot of force when I put my hand over it. I don't know how much air I should feel in that test, but I can tell you I feel more air coming from the vent that leads to the ice maker, and I know that fan is much further away. 

So, my 3 theories are:

1)  my evaporator fan is slowly dying, and that's why I feel no air coming from the fresh air duct at the top of the fridge...or do these fans usually work fine until complete failure?

2) the failed damper fan is a bigger problem than I think it is, and that's why my fridge can't go below 54F

3) Or my latest theory is -- is it possible that the fresh air duct has some electronic control, and that control has now failed in the closed position---so the fan is working but the duct is closed and that's why I feel nothing out of the duct up top

In case it helps to know--the freezer and ice marker are working fine. In terms of the fridge---it is 32F at the area of the evaporator coil. If covered, the coil will frost over very quickly. I have left it uncovered because I'm in the middle of this repair, and if uncovered, it doesn't seem to frost up much at all.

Thanks for your help!

Tom

[Budget Appliance Repair]

The evaporator cover has to be in place for the air to flow over it correctly and force the cold air that is pulled thru the evaporator to the refrig section correctly.

With the cover in place and if you know the damp is opened correctly and you still don't feel a good strong air flow coming into the refrig section, open the freezer door and see if the air seems to flow correctly.   If it does seem to be blowing good with the freezer door open you most likely have an iced up return air duct that the air returns from the refrig section back to the freezer.

[twalker]

On  my french door model, where would I find that return air duct to the freezer? (sorry, learning as I go here -- I know they're connected in a side-by-side, but I didn't even know they are connected in french door model)

I removed the cover because those coils ice up really fast when it's on. Is this a sure sign that my fan is weak and should be replaced? I wasn't sure if fans work 100% until they die....or if they die a slow death...ie slow down for a time until they gradually die. So the biggest question in my mind, is do they die gradually? If so then I'm guessing that is my problem. 

[Slav]

2 hours ago, twalker said:

On  my french door model, where would I find that return air duct to the freezer?

I think your refrigerator model has 2 evaporators, one in the freezer and one in the fridge compartment... right? If so, there is NO return air duct to the freezer. Each compartment cools on its own.

The fridge evaporator fan could be dying a slow (wet) death. Try to spin it with your finger... if it stops as soon as you let go, it's going bad.

[Budget Appliance Repair]

Deleted - wrong info.

Edited August 28, 2020 by Budget Appliance Repair

[16345Ed]

99% of my warm FF section calls on this design are the fan. 
 

Part number: WR60X26866

 

But I always check for power and signal. 
 

Gotta verify all thermistors in spec as first step.