I’m trying to diagnose my refrigerator. It will only cool to 60 degrees. If I have the meter set to Ohms and I touch the two meter probes together it should read zero correct? Mine keeps bouncing between .2 to .5. My intent is to check the thermostat to see if it is working. When the thermostat switch is off it should read zero correct? When the switch is on what should it read? Any other thoughts on the fridge problem would be helpful.
Thanks, DT
On a side note, my freezer works fine.
DT
The wires and probe tips have a slight amount of resistance. When you touch them together the meter usually reads a tiny amount above zero. You didn’t say what range the meter was set to, but let’s assume it was 200 ohms. Point 2 out of 200 is 0.1% of full scale, an insignificant amount.
I’ve never worked on a refrigerator but I fix water coolers for Culligan every day. The thermostats in there look like a short when you’re above the set temperature and an open when your below. In other words, the thermostat turns on the compressor until it gets cold enough and then it shuts it off.
That’s all I know!
Rootski
What type refrigerator?? I have a maytag that will occasionally freeze up solid in the coils in back of the side-by-side freezer. There is then no flow into the refrigerator.
Its a GE top freezer.
DT
You most likly have a defrost problem. take the back cover off the back of freezer and see if its froze up. if it is check the heater coil for zero to 50 ohms then check the defrost cut out(a small quarter size piece with two to three wires) for short or very low resistance. this needs to be done before defrosting as it opens up about 35 degrees. hope this helps. remember to unplug frig before making tests. no need to light your self up.
Quote:
You most likly have a defrost problem. take the back cover off the back of freezer and see if its froze up. if it is check the heater coil for zero to 50 ohms then check the defrost cut out(a small quarter size piece with two to three wires) for short or very low resistance. this needs to be done before defrosting as it opens up about 35 degrees. hope this helps. remember to unplug frig before making tests. no need to light your self up.
Totally agree. Cold freezer, warm fridge = defrost problem.
Do as SC says above. Also, there is a small defroster fan that can go out as well. Also, make sure the defroster drain tube isn’t clogged such that the melted frost can’t escape to the evap pan and therefore ice is building up.
You may need to call for professional help, because it can be tricky to diagnose all the compoents of the defroster system. You have a defrost timer, defrost heating element, defroster fan, all, one, or some of which could be bad.
Bottom line is it’s probably saveable at reasonable cost.
Grouse
I fixed the problem without needing the meter. I pulled the back of the freezer off and found that the Styrofoam piece that direct the cold air from the freezer to the fridge was locked up with ice. It is back to normal now with zero money spent. 
DT
Quote:
I fixed the problem without needing the meter. I pulled the back of the freezer off and found that the Styrofoam piece that direct the cold air from the freezer to the fridge was locked up with ice. It is back to normal now with zero money spent.
DT
Be aware that you may still have a defroster system problem. That ice shouldn’t be built up there in the first place.
First thing I’d do is run a fine wire through the defrost drain tube that runs out the back of the fridge and down to that evap pan by the compressor. Often this drain tube gets blocked and then the water that’s melted by the defrost system cannot escape and overflows, blocking up other systems.
Keep a careful watch on it. Hopefully you’ve fixed it, but how did that ice get there in the first place is what worries me.
Grouse
I’m assuming that as well. I can’t find the defrost timer switch for this unit. Some GE’s are close to the thermostat but I didn’t see one. I have a GE model #GTH18EB.
DT
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
