Whirlpool Side by side Ref not cooling on Ref side


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Old 11-28-15, 02:00 PM
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Whirlpool Side by side Ref not cooling on Ref side

Noticed that the refrigerator side was not cooling. Freezer side seems normal. In the ref side, there was a large ice build up half way down the wall around the "return" vent. Hardly any air being blown into the ref side until I opened the freezer door. After many hours of trying to remove the ice build up by picks, hot water and a hair dryer, finally got water to run down to the catch basin below the ref. Not sure if I got all the ice out, but seems to be working again. What do you think caused this to freeze up and get all that ice?? Defroster ckt board?. Door seals are good, Ice dispenser flap is closed, don't want it to repeat if we are away for a day or so. Model GS5SHAXSQ Tx.
 
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Old 11-28-15, 03:16 PM
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You missed the end of the model number. I'll use 00.

Never pick at built up ice/frost. Way to easy to damage something. Trust me!

There is a fan that blows the air from the freezer to the fridge...... is that running ?
There are several things that cause an ice buildup problem. The easiest to check are the defrost heating element and the defrost thermostat. You could wait a week and then check out the frost on the evaporator coil in the freezer. It should be an even coating and with no ice buldup.

The control board is an issue all by itself.
 
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Old 11-28-15, 04:28 PM
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Sorry, this time I read the label on the inside of the Ref. it ends in a 01. Yes the motor is running, but like I said, when the freezer door is closed, very little air is blown into the Ref side. Open the freezer door, and plenty of air flows, indicating to me that the return vent is blocked. After I cleared the ice dam, air now flows whether or not the freezer door is open or closed. After much work, I got the panel off of the back of the freezer. the coils looked normal, no ice build up but to the bottom right of that, where I believe the vent is that returns the air for the fridge was solid ice. This is where I finally got water to flow thru after feeding it into the Ref side. The defrost thermostat I believe is just a switch on one of the lines that turns on the heat??? I was trying to figure out where the defrost timer is located, don't know if it is the old motor driven type or something more update like integrated into a circuit board or?? Tx for response.
 
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Old 11-28-15, 05:15 PM
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Your defrost cycle is controlled from the main control board. That is a costly part.

The defrost thermostat IS in one of the heater leads but it turns the heater element off not on.
It's in the line to keep the heating element from overheating and melting the plastic in the freezer.
 
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Old 11-29-15, 05:00 PM
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Ok, got it. Tx Pete
 
 

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