"George" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:13:36 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

We have an old (c 1980) GE 'Frost Free' fridge
(freezer-on-top).

CY: Ah... generally expensive brand.

Both the freezer and the fresh-food areas cool down only to about
50F. The evaporator fan runs, and seems OK. The evaporator coils
are 'cool', but not so cold it hurts to touch them. The defrost
heater is not on.

CY: 50F is a bit too warm.

The compressor runs, but shuts off after less than 10 mins.
The compressor is quite hot - you can touch it, but it would
burn, if you applied pressure. (The compressor fan is running,
but shuts off along with the compressor.)

Questions:
- Is that too hot for a compressor? IIRC, my father used to
say that a motor that you couldn't touch was too hot. Even if
true, does the same apply to compressors?

CY: I think your Dad is right. Sounds like the compressor is
running way too hot.

- Would they have a 'self-resetting' temperature cutout on
the compressor, where it would keep recyling after cooling down?

CY: Yes, there is such a device.

- Any other reasons why the compressor would shut off, when
the freezer is nowhere near the setpoint temp?

CY: Either too hot, or too much current draw.

Thanks,
George

CY: As you didnt ask for ideas what is the problem (or how
to solve the problem and make the fridge work again) I'll
limit myself to answering your questions.

I opened up the junction box on the end of the compressor. There was a
two-wire thingy in there, that I suspect is a thermal switch. The next
time the compressor shut off, I hit that thing with some spray coolant,
and the compressor started. So, I think the compressor is too hot, for
whatever reason.

If you (or anyone) has more ideas, I'd be interested to hear them. To
be frank, though, we'd already been talking about getting a new fridge,
so anything more I do to this one would have to be pretty cheap.

Thanks,
George
These are common symptoms of low refrigerant charge. Although that may be
the problem and can be fixed, it may not be worth it on a unit that old.

Don Young