Frigidaire fridge: Identifying what's bad


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Old 11-17-22, 02:11 PM
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Frigidaire fridge: Identifying what's bad

On my Frigidaire FPBS2777RF0 (EDITED, corrected typo), a French Door style fridge, the refrigerator part isn't cooling but the freezer is just fine.

My initial research says it's likely either the... a) thermistor... b) the defrost thermostat... c) the fan blade... d) the fan motor... and finally, e) the board.

I'm leaning to suspecting the fan blade and/or fan, because (a) occasionally for years, I'd hear an occasional tik-tik-tik, while everything was working, and also, because there's a whirring noise when I don't open the door, that sounds possibly like a motor spinning freely without the blade there to provide resistance.

Anyway, Are there any up-front troubleshooting steps to help make a more educated guess at what's bad? There are lots of articles etc. on how to fix each, but I haven't found a good "big picture, start here first" to help hedge my bets that I'll make the right guess the first time, as to what to check.

For example, it'd be taking a buncha stuff apart in the refrigerator section to get to the thermistor, and taking the freezer door and drawer off and taking a buncha stuff apart in the freezer section to get to the fan/defrost thermostat/etc.

Also, any suggestions as to what usually goes bad on Frigidaires? (for example, on older Whirlpool washers, you could safely say "usually" it was the motor coupling, although lots of other things could have gone bad too.) Is there any similar "it's usually this" for Frigidaire refrigerators?

Thanks in advance
 

Last edited by JohnQFlorida; 11-17-22 at 03:52 PM.
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Old 11-17-22, 03:27 PM
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You won't hear the motor at all if there are no blades on it.
The blades hitting ice near the evaporator coil is one problem.

Typically a tic tic noise is a problem with an electric damper.

That model number is not listed. Please double check and confirm.
 
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Old 11-17-22, 03:59 PM
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Thanks for the reply. I edited the original post, and the correct/actual model is FPBS2777RF0
 
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Old 11-17-22, 04:55 PM
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I'll ramble a bit with various thoughts:
  1. The refrigerator thermistor, aka (some online stores) calling it a temperature sensor; Part of me is tempted to go pull it and test it on a multimeter. The other part of me is thinking that the display of the fridge is showing the correct temperature, so prolly not this.
  2. What're the odds of the fan blades only, vs. the fan motor?
  3. The whirring noise I mentioned is from the ice maker, I can make it go back on when I open the door by pressing on the door-open switch, that's probably totally unrelated.
 
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Old 11-18-22, 04:42 PM
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That's better.

You need to look at the tech sheet that is supplied with your fridge and put the fridge into diagnostics. It's either on the back or under behind the kickpanel in the front.

It is PUB A02858901 and I've attached the pdf below for you to use.

Never mind..... it won't post.
Check your registered email for it.
 
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Old 11-19-22, 01:02 PM
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I have more new information, but of course, it's Saturday, so wait for the part, I must.

The coils were iced over big time. At first I was hoping it was because the door hasn't been swinging shut all the way lately, which can be a legit reason for icing over. Additionally, the temperature sensor had been pushed off of the tubing that goes to the coil due to the ice buildup, so it wasn't in place.

However... it does look as if the Defrost Thermostat is bad. It's Closed (shows continuity) at room temperature, which I believe means definitely bad. It also shows closed in ice water (which I realize is an imperfect test, not quite cold enough), but I believe that being closed/has continuity at room temp. is a dealbreaker regardless, right? Also, when closed/showing continuity, it doesn't read 0.0 ohms, it reads 0.6. That may be nitpicky with my $9 digital multimeter, but it does read a perfect 0.0 when I put the leads directly together.

Also, a tip for anyone who has this same or similar model fridge; For an easier way to see if the coils are frozen over, It's quite a bit less trouble to empty the refrigerator part, take out all the shelves and drawers, than it is to empty the freezer, take off the freezer door, etc. Once all or most of the shelves are removed, there are two square holes in the far left and right back corner of the fridge, openings down to the coils. You can see the sides of the coils through those holes if you lean in and try hard enough. And see ice, or not ice.
 
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Old 11-19-22, 01:13 PM
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It's pretty rare for the defrost thermostat to get stuck shorted.
Typically they burn open and there is no defrost.
If it does short..... the freezer is in danger of melting and you would not have any ice buildup.

That thermostat is there strictly to keep the plastic from melting during defrost.
Unfortunately it doesn't sound like your entire problem.

DF stat - 5303918568
 

Last edited by PJmax; 11-19-22 at 01:32 PM.
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Old 11-19-22, 02:54 PM
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I'm wondering if the the temperature sensor that also clips to the copper tubing (near the defrost thermostat) having been pushed out of position by the ice buildup kept the defrost thermostat out of the picture.

And maybe that the door malfunctioning started the whole cycle. The door has been not closing, and several times, including the day the fridge finally stopped cooling, it had been open a bit for hours.



At least, that's what I'll tell myself...
 
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Old 12-02-22, 05:47 PM
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I'll add one more piece to the puzzle, in the interest of helping other dummies (such as myself.)

The defrost thermostat specs (as imprinted on the thermostat itself, and also listed in the Service Data Sheet) in this specific case and on this specific unit, are Celsius, not Fahrenheit. (Most Defrost Thermostats list their temperatures in Fahrenheit, and they list an "F" after the second number too, to be clear. That didn't really register with me at the time, so my earlier testing and thinking it was a defect that it was closed at room temp, was incorrect.)

So what I did earlier, seeing 57/43 on the specs, was to assume "hey, it's in a freezer, the 57/43 must be Fahrenheit." Converted to Fahrenheit, this won't open/cut out until 135 degrees F. PJMax hinted at that, but I didn't quite get the hint.

Thanks again, PJMax.
 
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Old 04-14-23, 06:24 AM
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I'm having the same problem .............

Frigidaire FFBN1721TV 4 door - freezer is fine but fridge won't cool. Also the control panel on the front of the right fridge door won't let me adjust the fridge temp - I can adjust the freezer temp and do all other control panel functions. Could this still be a fan issue or something else like a bad board?
 
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Old 04-15-23, 12:08 PM
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Welcome to the forums.

I may move your post to its own thread. It'll be here for now.
I'd unplug the unit and let it sit for a while.... maybe 15 minutes and then try it.
It may reset itself.
 
 

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