Now at my wits end with this fridge. Model: KSRG25FVMS02

1) The fridge compartment will not cool. Might as well be a pantry. No airflow into this compartment from the freezer. Even put my hand over fully open air diffuser assembly and could not feel any breeze.

2) Freezer not cold enough. Though the freezer compartment seems to be working just fine, after measuring with a thermometer, I was shocked that it only measures 18° F (-9° c)

3) Frost build up on evaporator coils. After disassembling the airflow duct system I discovered the build up on the picture I have attached. However, the evaporator fan is still working.


4) The icemaker is not working as well. Figured it would need a minimum temperature before it can start making ice.

Prior to everything going south, the fridge started to make these cycling like noises along with some clicking sounds. My guess is that the defrosting coil is the problem but I might be wrong.

 

most icemakers harvest at 15 degrees.

The evaporator is not defrosting. There are three parts to the system.
1) The defrost heating element.
2) The defrost thermostat.
3) Adaptive defrost control board.

The easiest way to handle this is to remove the front kickplate and find the Whirlpool tech sheet. Look good.... it may be taped under the bottom of the fridge. It's only one or two pages. It will tell you how to put the fridge into defrost for testing.

I usually have them. I can't find that one.

W10238215

 

Thanks, Pete. I found the service sheet on the kickplate - which I had removed so as to vacuum the condenser coils.

I had already unplugged the fridge 2 hours ago so that I could remove the heating coil for testing for resistance. Would I be able to conduct this electronic defrost control test after 2 hours of no power to the fridge?

My biggest challenge is figuring out what this test on the service sheet means. My apologies, its my first time ever trying to fix a fridge.e.g. where and what is this bi-metal they are talking about?

 

The bi-metal is the defrost thermostat. It cycles to keep the defrost heating coil from melting the plastic in the freezer. It needs to be checked when it's very cold. It opens at roughly 50° which means it must be checked below that for closure.


It clips onto one of the refrigerant lines.

 

Took the following from the service sheet but do not understand how to turn off the thermostat. Is it just the sliding control for either the freezer or fridge?

STEPS TO ENTER ELECTRONIC DEFROST CONTROL TEST MODE (IF APPLICABLE)

OPTION #1 STEPS (BI·METAL CLOSED):

#1 - POWER OFF TO REFRIGERATOR FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS

#2 - THERMOSTAT OFF

#3 - POWER ON TO REFRIGERATOR

OPTION #2 STEPS (BI-METAL CLOSED)

#1 - THERMOSTAT OFF 15 SECONDS

#2 - THERMOSTAT ON 5 SECONDS

(REPEAT STEPS 1 AND 2 TWO MORE TIMES)

#3 - THERMOSTAT OFF

ENTER TEST MODE

IN 3-8 SECONDS, CONTROL WILL TURN ON DEFROST HEATER.

DEFROST HEATER WILL TURN ON FOR 18 MINUTES OR UNTIL BI·METAL OPENS.

TO TERMINATE TEST EARLY, REMOVE POWER FROM REFRIGERATOR.

NOTE: IF OPTION #2 DOES NOT WORK, TRY OPTION #1 BEFORE REPLACING CONTROL.

ALWAYS CHECK CONNECTIONS BEFORE REPLACING CONTROL.

HELPFUL HINT: UPON ENTERING TEST MODE, A RELAY TURNS OFF THE COMPRESSOR AND TURNS ON THE DEFROST HEATER.

LISTEN FOR THE RELAY TO CLICK.

IF RELAY CLICKS ONCE UPON ENTERING TEST MODE, CHECK FOR DEFROST HEAT.

IF RELAY CLICKS TWICE (ALLOW UP TO 30 SEC BETWEEN CLICKS), CHECK FOR BI·METAL OPEN.

* * IF BI·METAL IS BY·PASSED FOR TESTING (IF APPLICABLE), DO NOT OVERHEAT EVAPORATOR AREA.

 

Thanks Pete. Had sent my last message without having noticed that you had sent me a response.

 

So that would mean the freezer would need to be below like 45°.

 

I did the forced defrost as per the service sheet.

The defrosting coil immediately turned red hot and I could visually see the ice melt. So, the coil is definitely working.

That leaves two likely suspects: The bi-metal defrost thermostat or the control board. I did not see the bi-metal open up on the thermostat. My money is on the thermostat. I could be wrong. Anybody thinks its something else - before, I place the order for the part.

 

It's not the thermostat. The thermostat opens to turn off the heating element.
If the heating element was working..... it means the thermostat is closed.

I need to look again to see if your fridge uses an adaptive defrost board. The one manual I looked at showed it.

 

Update:
Just removed the thermostat and tested it with a multimeter. Seems to be working

At room temperature I got a reading of 56 K Ω

I placed the thermostat into my chest freezer and at 14° F it was reading 0 K Ω and multimeter was beeping.

I guess this means the thermostat works. Leaving just the control board.

 

The defrost thermostat is in series with the heater element.
If the thermostat was bad.... the heating element would not have heated up at all.

 

I ordered a new defrost control board (adaptive control board). It has worked perfectly for a week.

However this morning the control board started the same clicking sound I got the last time the older one gave up the ghost. Does this mean this one week old one has just died? Bummer!

I heard that it might be possible to just replace those fancy control boards with a manual timer which kicks in at a preset interval. Not as energy efficient but gets the job done. Anyone knows more about this and whether it is even possible with my type of fridge.