GE fridge #GSS20IEPCWW not freezing OR cooling like it should & has Frost on Coils

[tnhottie025]

My GE refrigerator/freezer model # GSS20IEPCWW stopped cooling in fridge or freezing in freezer like it should. I removed back panel in freezer compartment and noticed the coils are frosted over. I replaced the dual element defrost heater and it didn't fix the problem. I did notice that the defrost heater does come on after the coils are almost completely frosted over. Any suggestions what I should try next to fix this? Is there a way to test the rest of the defrost components to figure out the exact faulty part? If yes then could you please give me step by step instructions on how to test the parts? With the price of shipping I would hate to have to keep ordering different parts not knowing if that will fix it. I do have a basic cheap Cen-Tech P35761 digital multimeter if it would help to test with it. All reply's are greatly appreciated.

[tnhottie025]

It seems like the drawer in the lower part of the freezer and the drawers in the lower part of the refrigerator are a lot colder than it is in the upper shelves of both.

[Dan O.]

Heaters working???

I removed back panel in freezer compartment and noticed the coils are frosted over.

Were the evaporator coils frosted across their whole surface or just part of it?

I did notice that the defrost heater does come on after the coils are almost completely frosted over.

How did you see that?

Is there a way to test the rest of the defrost components to figure out the exact faulty part?

I don't know if there is a way to force that fridge design into defrost but if you say the heaters DID come on, that would mean the heaters are good and the defrost system IS functioning. If the defrost system was malfunctioning it would not turn on the defrost heaters, ever!


Dan O.
Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[FordMan59]

Low on freon?

[akaothermick]

Faulty Defrost timer? it's a common problem.

[Dan O.]

Low on freon?

That might be a possibility depending on the extent of the evaporator frosting. We are still waiting to hear from the OP for clarification on that.

Faulty Defrost timer? it's a common problem.

The OP's refrigerator does not have a defrost timer. That model is electronically controlled. Besides, he said, "I did notice that the defrost heater does come on" so that would usually indicate the defrost function was being initiated.


Maybe the OP will get back to us with the answers to the questions posed so we can work toward the most likely cause rather than just giving wild guesses?

Dan O.
Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[tnhottie025]

Thank you for your reply's.
The evaporator coils were frosted over all except the top two. I thought the sealed pan fresh food drawers in the refrigerator seemed to be cooling I put a drink in the fresh food section and that night when I checked on it it was frozen, but anything in the top racks of the fridge is not very cold. Upon further inspection I noticed stuff in the bottom of the freezer will freeze but nothing in the top racks of the freezer will stay frozen.

[HayZee518]

circulating fan in the freezer section?

[Dan O.]

Freezer fan observation

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Is the freezer fan running?

That fan should run most of the time that the compressor is running. If it was NOT running when the fridge WAS trying to cool, excessive frosting of the evaporator would occur along with no circulation of air throughout the inside of the compartments.

Dan O.
Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[tnhottie025]

Do you happen to know where the fan is located so i can check it?

[Dan O.]

where is the fan is located so i can check it?

The evaporator fan motor is in the freezer compartment and on your model it is located right above the evaporator coil. It should run almost the whole time the compressor is running. If the compressor is running that fan should usually be running too.

Dan O.
Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[Dan O.]

GE evaporator fan motor replacement video help

Do you happen to know where the fan is located so i can check it?

You can see a video of accessing an evaporator fan motor at the following link. The motor shown is the one called for on your model but the video may not be for your exact refrigerator but should at least give you some guidance on accessing yours too.

LINK > Replacing a WR60X10074 Evaporator Fan Motor

Dan O.
Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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