This is a 1979 Whirlpool refrigerator, model EET-172PK.

I was in the kitchen for a couple minutes this morning and noticed
that the compressor was attempting to cycle ON about every 20-25
seconds, but only staying on for maybe 3 seconds. The evaporator
fan motor feeding the freezer compartment was running
continuously, cool but not icy. The condenser coils were not hot
to touch as they normally would be when the compressor is on.

So I quickly cleaned the dust out of the condenser coils, but that
didn't change anything. So I thought that for whatever reason
there wasn't enough freon for the compressor to run.

Then after a few more minutes, the compressor turned on, and stayed
on, and appears to now be running fine - hot condenser coils and
all. It has now reached the trip point of the thermostat, and
turned off as it normally does.

So I'm wondering if maybe this is what's happening: this morning I
caught it in the middle of a defrost cycle, when the compressor and
fans should have been off, but weren't. So there may be a switch,
or a clock of some kind that controls the defrost cycles, and it's
not disabling the compressor fully during defrost like it should,
but there's an additional backup safety switch that's shutting down
the compressor when the heating coils are hot.

Does this sound reasonable? If so, is it possible to get to the
defrost clock and switches? Where would they be? And is it
possible to get a replacement for whatever assembly that is, or
even fix it? I have this image in my mind of a switch carrying
power to the compressor that's supposed to open during defrost
cycles (cam-driven, probably), but is fused closed. Or maybe
there's some crud in the way. Or maybe a cam lobe broke off.

Anyway, what do you think?

On Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:30:47 -0500, Peabody wrote:

This is a 1979 Whirlpool refrigerator, model EET-172PK.

Hmm, ours is an EEB-191PKWR1, dating from around 1977, which was in the
property when we bought it. When we first moved in, it was off and
unplugged (and room-temp, obviously) - when I first plugged it in, it
gave exactly the same behavior as yours, cycling and eventually starting
up properly.

It's been running fine for over years since, and has never had any
problems after the power's been out. I figured at the time that I'd
investigate more when it broke next, and maybe even replace it, but so
far it hasn't so much as coughed (but the freezer compartment fan
bearings are noisy, and some of the plastic fixtures inside have seen
better days - so SWMBO sometimes bugs me about a new one :-)

I'm not sure if mine has any kind of auto-defrost, though. *if* it has
any kind of timer mechanism, I expect it's behind the controls in the
back of the fridge compartment - but I'm not sure it's laden with such
new-fangled tech ;-) As yours is a little newer, maybe it does have a
few more smarts, though.

cheers

Jules

New text, inserted, after my initials.

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


"Peabody" wrote in message
...
This is a 1979 Whirlpool refrigerator, model EET-172PK.

CY: 32 years old? That's about 125 in people years.

I was in the kitchen for a couple minutes this morning and
noticed
that the compressor was attempting to cycle ON about every
20-25
seconds, but only staying on for maybe 3 seconds. The
evaporator
fan motor feeding the freezer compartment was running
continuously, cool but not icy. The condenser coils were
not hot
to touch as they normally would be when the compressor is
on.

So I quickly cleaned the dust out of the condenser coils,
but that
didn't change anything. So I thought that for whatever
reason
there wasn't enough freon for the compressor to run.

CY: Possible, but more likely the compressor over heated.

Then after a few more minutes, the compressor turned on, and
stayed
on, and appears to now be running fine - hot condenser coils
and
all. It has now reached the trip point of the thermostat,
and
turned off as it normally does.

CY: From what you write, the compressor overheated. Cleaning
the coils provided the solution.


So I'm wondering if maybe this is what's happening: this
morning I
caught it in the middle of a defrost cycle, when the
compressor and
fans should have been off, but weren't.

CY: If the fan and compressor is running, it's certainly not
in defrost!

So there may be a switch,
or a clock of some kind that controls the defrost cycles,
and it's
not disabling the compressor fully during defrost like it
should,
but there's an additional backup safety switch that's
shutting down
the compressor when the heating coils are hot.

CY: My guess is that the defrost time is different than what
you expected, but that the fridge is fine.

Does this sound reasonable? If so, is it possible to get to
the
defrost clock and switches? Where would they be? And is it
possible to get a replacement for whatever assembly that is,
or
even fix it? I have this image in my mind of a switch
carrying
power to the compressor that's supposed to open during
defrost
cycles (cam-driven, probably), but is fused closed. Or
maybe
there's some crud in the way. Or maybe a cam lobe broke
off.

Anyway, what do you think?

CY: Two things to look for. 1) fridge and freezer both warms
up, or 2) back of freezer has a coating of "snow". Freezer
cold, fridge gets warm. If you don't get one of these, it's
time to say a few prayers to the refrigerator gods, thank
them that your fridge lives, and get on with life. Write on
your calendar to clean under the fridge in about six months.

On Oct 18, 1:30*pm, Peabody wrote:
This is a 1979 Whirlpool refrigerator, model EET-172PK.

I was in the kitchen for a couple minutes this morning and noticed
that the compressor was attempting to cycle ON about every 20-25
seconds, but only staying on for maybe 3 seconds. *The evaporator
fan motor feeding the freezer compartment was running
continuously, cool but not icy. *The condenser coils were not hot
to touch as they normally would be when the compressor is on.

So I quickly cleaned the dust out of the condenser coils, but that
didn't change anything. *So I thought that for whatever reason
there wasn't enough freon for the compressor to run.

Then after a few more minutes, the compressor turned on, and stayed
on, and appears to now be running fine - hot condenser coils and
all. It has now reached the trip point of the thermostat, and
turned off as it normally does.

So I'm wondering if maybe this is what's happening: *this morning I
caught it in the middle of a defrost cycle, when the compressor and
fans should have been off, but weren't. *So there may be a switch,
or a clock of some kind that controls the defrost cycles, and it's
not disabling the compressor fully during defrost like it should, *
but there's an additional backup safety switch that's shutting down
the compressor when the heating coils are hot.

Does this sound reasonable? *If so, is it possible to get to the
defrost clock and switches? *Where would they be? *And is it
possible to get a replacement for whatever assembly that is, or
even fix it? *I have this image in my mind of a switch carrying
power to the compressor that's supposed to open during defrost
cycles (cam-driven, probably), but is fused closed. *Or maybe
there's some crud in the way. *Or maybe a cam lobe broke off.

Anyway, what do you think?

Is it a self-defrosting model?

Just leave it alone if everything is running ok now.

On Oct 18, 7:30*pm, Peabody wrote:
This is a 1979 Whirlpool refrigerator, model EET-172PK.

I was in the kitchen for a couple minutes this morning and noticed
that the compressor was attempting to cycle ON about every 20-25
seconds, but only staying on for maybe 3 seconds. *The evaporator
fan motor feeding the freezer compartment was running
continuously, cool but not icy. *The condenser coils were not hot
to touch as they normally would be when the compressor is on.

So I quickly cleaned the dust out of the condenser coils, but that
didn't change anything. *So I thought that for whatever reason
there wasn't enough freon for the compressor to run.

Then after a few more minutes, the compressor turned on, and stayed
on, and appears to now be running fine - hot condenser coils and
all. It has now reached the trip point of the thermostat, and
turned off as it normally does.

So I'm wondering if maybe this is what's happening: *this morning I
caught it in the middle of a defrost cycle, when the compressor and
fans should have been off, but weren't. *So there may be a switch,
or a clock of some kind that controls the defrost cycles, and it's
not disabling the compressor fully during defrost like it should, *
but there's an additional backup safety switch that's shutting down
the compressor when the heating coils are hot.

Does this sound reasonable? *If so, is it possible to get to the
defrost clock and switches? *Where would they be? *And is it
possible to get a replacement for whatever assembly that is, or
even fix it? *I have this image in my mind of a switch carrying
power to the compressor that's supposed to open during defrost
cycles (cam-driven, probably), but is fused closed. *Or maybe
there's some crud in the way. *Or maybe a cam lobe broke off.

Anyway, what do you think?

It's probably cycling on the overheat/overcurrent cutout. The cutout
may be faulty or there may actually be a fault.