Hi all, my original post is below;

"I have a problem with my fridge, it is a side by side. The top half of both
sides are not cold, all the food in the top half of the freezer side is
thawed and only the stuff in the bottom half of the fridge side is cold.
Anyone know what could be causing this? Should I call someone in or just go
look for a new refrigerator? Thanks."

Since then I have pulled off the thin piece of metal that covers the cooling
coils(???) and defrosted the freezer. After putting it all back together the
fridge ran great until today, frost is forming again on the metal cover.
Both the fridge and freezer ran amazing since the defrost. Am I right to
assume the defrost timer is broken? Or could it be something else? Please
give me your opinions as I am very new and inexperienced in fixing things.
Thanks

Question wrote:
Hi all, my original post is below;

"I have a problem with my fridge, it is a side by side. The top half of both
sides are not cold, all the food in the top half of the freezer side is
thawed and only the stuff in the bottom half of the fridge side is cold.
Anyone know what could be causing this? Should I call someone in or just go
look for a new refrigerator? Thanks."

Since then I have pulled off the thin piece of metal that covers the cooling
coils(???) and defrosted the freezer. After putting it all back together the
fridge ran great until today, frost is forming again on the metal cover.
Both the fridge and freezer ran amazing since the defrost. Am I right to
assume the defrost timer is broken? Or could it be something else? Please
give me your opinions as I am very new and inexperienced in fixing things.
Thanks

I think I posted something after your
original post. After doing what you did,
mine ran fine for 2 years and then did
it again. There are usually only 3
components
involved (unless it's one of those new
one with microprocessors, etc.). They
are the heater, a thermostat and the
timer. With an ohmmeter, the heater should
read a fairly low value, well under 100
ohms. The thermostat button should be
open when
above freezing, closed at low temps
like those normally found in a working
freezer.
On mine, both were good. I actually
saw, with the meter, the thermostat change
from closed to open as the ice melted
away. If you unit ices after a few days
or weeks, keep checking.

Question wrote:
Hi all, my original post is below;

"I have a problem with my fridge, it is a side by side. The top half of both
sides are not cold, all the food in the top half of the freezer side is
thawed and only the stuff in the bottom half of the fridge side is cold.
Anyone know what could be causing this? Should I call someone in or just go
look for a new refrigerator? Thanks."

Since then I have pulled off the thin piece of metal that covers the cooling
coils(???) and defrosted the freezer. After putting it all back together the
fridge ran great until today, frost is forming again on the metal cover.
Both the fridge and freezer ran amazing since the defrost. Am I right to
assume the defrost timer is broken? Or could it be something else? Please
give me your opinions as I am very new and inexperienced in fixing things.
Thanks



Is the fan inside your unit running so that the cold air is being
circulated??

Yes, the fan is working. I am going to start changing parts that are related
to the problem, starting with the Defrost timer. Anyone know where I can
locate this? I have searched the fridge with no luck. Thanks in advance.

I have purchased the new timer, I can't find anything that resembles it in
the fridge, unless they gave me the wrong one. My fridge model # is
GSS201EMA and it is GE.

Question wrote:
Yes, the fan is working. I am going to start changing parts that are related
to the problem, starting with the Defrost timer. Anyone know where I can
locate this? I have searched the fridge with no luck. Thanks in advance.

I have purchased the new timer, I can't find anything that resembles it in
the fridge, unless they gave me the wrong one. My fridge model # is
GSS201EMA and it is GE.



My refrigerators always had the timer mounted on the back of the unit.

Ken wrote:
Question wrote:
Yes, the fan is working. I am going to start changing parts that are
related to the problem, starting with the Defrost timer. Anyone know
where I can locate this? I have searched the fridge with no luck.
Thanks in advance.

I have purchased the new timer, I can't find anything that resembles
it in the fridge, unless they gave me the wrong one. My fridge model #
is GSS201EMA and it is GE.


My refrigerators always had the timer mounted on the back of the unit.
Mine was at the top, but it was a
built-in KitchenAid. The compressor and
condenser coil were also on the top, so
I'm probably not much help here.
My new time looked very different from
the broken one and in addition it
worked somewhat differently.

On Jun 7, 12:57*am, Art Todesco wrote:
Ken wrote:
Question wrote:
Yes, the fan is working. I am going to start changing parts that are
related to the problem, starting with the Defrost timer. Anyone know
where I can locate this? I have searched the fridge with no luck.
Thanks in advance.

I have purchased the new timer, I can't find anything that resembles
it in the fridge, unless they gave me the wrong one. My fridge model #
is GSS201EMA and it is GE.

* * My refrigerators always had the timer mounted on the back of the unit.

Mine was at the top, but it was a
built-in KitchenAid. *The compressor and
condenser coil were also on the top, so
I'm probably not much help here.
My new time looked very different from
the broken one and in addition it
worked somewhat differently.

Only once many years ago our defrost timer failed. (Mid-size ordinary
fridge with freezer at top and compressor down below).
We temporarily rigged a switch to operate the defrost function until a
replacement timer came in from Sears. I seem to recall that the small
electric clock type motor that drove the time went open but that it
was possible to turn the timer, which buried, can't remember where,
manually. And yes; as we discovered the problem the fridge had 'iced
up'.

Art Todesco wrote:
Ken wrote:
Question wrote:
Yes, the fan is working. I am going to start changing parts that are
related to the problem, starting with the Defrost timer. Anyone know
where I can locate this? I have searched the fridge with no luck.
Thanks in advance.

I have purchased the new timer, I can't find anything that resembles
it in the fridge, unless they gave me the wrong one. My fridge model
# is GSS201EMA and it is GE.


My refrigerators always had the timer mounted on the back of the
unit.
Mine was at the top, but it was a built-in KitchenAid. The compressor and
condenser coil were also on the top, so I'm probably not much help here.
My new time looked very different from the broken one and in addition it
worked somewhat differently.

I've seen the timers at the bottom behind the grill, mounted
high or low on the back and next to the interior thermostat.

TDD

Could be the timer, or one of a couple of other parts. Or,
it could be a wiring problem.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Question" wrote in message
...
Hi all, my original post is below;

"I have a problem with my fridge, it is a side by side. The
top half of both
sides are not cold, all the food in the top half of the
freezer side is
thawed and only the stuff in the bottom half of the fridge
side is cold.
Anyone know what could be causing this? Should I call
someone in or just go
look for a new refrigerator? Thanks."

Since then I have pulled off the thin piece of metal that
covers the cooling
coils(???) and defrosted the freezer. After putting it all
back together the
fridge ran great until today, frost is forming again on the
metal cover.
Both the fridge and freezer ran amazing since the defrost.
Am I right to
assume the defrost timer is broken? Or could it be something
else? Please
give me your opinions as I am very new and inexperienced in
fixing things.
Thanks

On Mon, 8 Jun 2009 19:06:46 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Could be the timer, or one of a couple of other parts. Or,
it could be a wiring problem.

My guess it's the defrost thermostat that's bad. This device is
designed to allow the defrost heater to come on when below a certain
temp and turn off when above a certain temp. If it's bad, it won't let
the defrost heater do it's job and over time frost will clog the coil.
The thermostat should be closed in normal cold mode to let the heater
get some juice to heat up. You can find this thermostat burried in
the ice that formed probably.

Gene

On Mon, 8 Jun 2009 19:06:46 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Could be the timer, or one of a couple of other parts. Or,
it could be a wiring problem.


What turned out to be the problem with the unit?

Offset wobbler had slid off the shimmy shaft, and was
knocking against the motor berring. Tighten with allen
wrench, and apply a drop of Locktite to the set screw
threads. Easy fix.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


wrote in message
...
On Mon, 8 Jun 2009 19:06:46 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Could be the timer, or one of a couple of other parts. Or,
it could be a wiring problem.


What turned out to be the problem with the unit?