GE Profile PTS25LHP: stops freezing

[zebazga]

Hi. My top freezer on my GE Profile PTS25LHP periodically stops freezing. This has been going on for a few months, but it never seemed to stay warm for very long, and sometime never went above 20 degrees or so.

However, the week of Christmas the freezer warmed up to the 30s for roughly 48 hours. Warm enough that ice cream pints melted :-(

This past week, the freezer warmed up to the 50s and for roughly 96 hours. When the freezer hit the 30s or so, the refrigerator also warmed and stayed basically the same temperature.

Any ideas if it's something simple or if I should just call a repair company?

Thanks.

[Dan O.]

Intermittent problems

GE Profile PTS25LHP

That model number is incomplete, did you get it right off the appliance's model and serial number identification tag?

Any ideas if it's something simple

Not without actually checking the appliance out *at the time of failure*. You can read about some possibilities at the following link:

LINK > My frost free refrigerator is not cooling properly. What might be the problem?

or should just call a repair company?

If you do, make sure it is malfunctioning *at the time*. If it is working when they arrive they may not be able to pinpoint the cause. Intermittent problems are the hardest to find and usually need to be present to do so.

If it is currently working, you might want to call a couple of *local* appliance repair depots (preferably a GE *factory authorized* service depot) now to see how fast they can respond to a request for service should it stop functioning again.

PS. While waiting for service don't change anything to do with the refrigerator. Don't fiddle with the controls or disconnect it from power. The service technician will need to see it in is operating but malfunctioning state.

JMO

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

That model number is incomplete, did you get it right off the appliance's model and serial number identification tag?

I thought the rest of the model info was extraneous info like color. The full model is PTS25LHPARWW and the serial number is ZF 302731.

Intermittent problems are the hardest to find and usually need to be present to do so.

While I'm disappointed to hear that intermittent problems are hard to find, thanks for letting me know. Since there does seem to be at least a two-day window when it happens, I hope that will provide enough time to get someone out while it happens.

In the meantime, I'll read the link you provided and check for things like lint, air leaks in the area, etc.

Thanks for your response.

[Dan O.]

I'll read the link you provided and check for things

Probably the most important for your symptom is whether the compressor and internal and external fans are running or not. (The compressor and fans should run together.) The compressor running but NOT cooling will limit the possibilities that will need to be tested for. Keep notes of anything odd you can determine yourself so you can tell the technician when he arrives.

LINK > Home Service : How to Request Service

Since there does seem to be at least a two-day window when it happens, I hope that will provide enough time to get someone out while it happens.

Many big companies can be booked up a week or more in advance which is why I suggest you try to find someone locally now whom might be able to come on shorter notice. It will also depend on how busy they are at the time. After weather or power fluctuations refrigerator problems are common. Getting someone right way (ie. in less than a week) might be more difficult then too.

Good luck!

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[zebazga]

Probably the most important for your symptom is whether the compressor and internal and external fans are running or not.

Is there an easy way to determine this? When the freezer was warming up, something was running nonstop. Normally I never hear/notice any refrigerator noise. This wasn't incredibly loud, but loud enough to notice it and to realize it never stopped until the temperature finally went back down.

How would I tell if that was a fan or the compressor?

[Dan O.]

Is there an easy way to determine this?

It depends. Sometimes only feeling it for vibration will give an indication other than actually testing its power consumption with a meter. Whether than can be done without moving the fridge will depend on how it is installed.

How would I tell if that was a fan or the compressor?

Trying to isolate exactly which component on the fridge it was coming from (see the following link).

LINK > My refrigerator is making strange sounds. What is wrong with it?

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[zebazga]

Well, everything worked fine for a month. There was nothing obvious that seemed wrong. I could hear a fan running very quietly. When the freezer next warmed up a month later (on a Wednesday once again), I called and got a repair guy out.

It was on it's way back down to cooling when he got out there and was only running about 5 degrees warm. He ruled out the fans and the compressor. He said that really only left the mainboard (motherboard?). Said they'd replaced many of these lately. I wasn't thrilled with it being the answer only because everything else had been ruled out. There was nothing blatantly wrong with the board when he pulled it out.

Roughly $300 later, I have a new mainboard. So far it hasn't warmed up again, but it was a month last time.

Now I'm trying to decide whether to also replace the ice maker. I turned it off several years ago because it stopped working (long before the freezer warming problems). It would drip some water and have a short icicle. Finally it stopped making ice.

Now it's making ice again but I do sometimes see a short icicle. Not sure if I should spend ballpark $100 to replace the ice maker on what they say is probably a bad seal.

I hate deciding when to stop investing money in repair money pits.

Thanks for the help.

[Dan O.]

Now I'm trying to decide whether to also replace the icemaker. It would drip some water and have a short icicle.

I really doubt that has anything to do with the icemaker itself unless it is physically cracked somehow and leaking or unlevel and dripping.

If the water valve was not fully stopping water flow to the icemaker when the icemaker tells it to, it would slowly overfill leading to dripping.

Finally it stopped making ice.

A 'seeping' water valve frequently causes a buildup of ice in the icemaker fill tube that goes through the rear of the cabinet. If left long enough it will completely close, restricting all water from getting to the icemaker.

The water valve not closing tightly when the icemaker shuts off power to it could be caused by a defective water valve (see the following link) or just too little water pressure getting to that valve to hold its diaphragm tightly closed.

LINK > GE PTS25LHPARWW Water Valve

Poor water pressure to the fridge's valve could be caused by a plugged sediment screen (if installed) where the water line connected to the fridge's water valve or more commonly, the use of a 'self piercing' saddle valve on the house water pipe.

Only a drill type saddle valve (if not a regular plumbing tap) should be used for a refrigerator water line connection and only installed on the side or top of the water pipe, not bottom where lime and scale etc. can easily buildup to restrict its aperture resulting in reduced water pressure to the fridge's valve.

Most fridge installation instructions specifically warn against using self-piercing saddle valves because of problems that ensue with time because of them.

Now it's making ice again

If the freezer was warmed up or defrosted in the mean time, working again could just be a one sign of the possible frozen fill tube scenario mentioned above.

I suggest you look for signs of ice coating the inside of the icemaker's fill tube. If there is any I suggest you look into your water supply line and the type and location of valve installed on your water pipe for it.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~