Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

2001 vintage, model 105.60982991

The door frame where the freezer door gasket seals against when closed is
hot.

I know this is the defrost cycle, but it stays hot. The fridge works fine.
I am assuming the defrost heater is stuck on.

Any thoughts?

I am thinking I can disconnect the heater and let the fridge run normal,
except for that. Or I can buy a replacement timer or switch if it is simple
and cheap enough.

How to I access the heater wires to disconnect, or the part needing
replacement?

Thanks.

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

On 9/2/2015 7:30 PM, taxed and spent wrote:
2001 vintage, model 105.60982991

The door frame where the freezer door gasket seals against when closed is
hot.

I know this is the defrost cycle, but it stays hot. The fridge works fine.
I am assuming the defrost heater is stuck on.

Any thoughts?

I am thinking I can disconnect the heater and let the fridge run normal,
except for that. Or I can buy a replacement timer or switch if it is simple
and cheap enough.

How to I access the heater wires to disconnect, or the part needing
replacement?

Thanks.



Inside refrig might be a slide switch for humid,
or normal. Set to normal. Beyond that, I don't
know how to help.


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

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

On Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at 6:30:51 PM UTC-5, taxed and spent wrote:
2001 vintage, model 105.60982991

The door frame where the freezer door gasket seals against when closed is
hot.

I know this is the defrost cycle, but it stays hot. The fridge works fine.
I am assuming the defrost heater is stuck on.

Any thoughts?

I am thinking I can disconnect the heater and let the fridge run normal,
except for that. Or I can buy a replacement timer or switch if it is simple
and cheap enough.

How to I access the heater wires to disconnect, or the part needing
replacement?

Thanks.

Most modern refrigerators have door frame heaters (electric or hot gas) to prevent condensation and ice buildup around the door gasket to ensure a good seal. Believe it or not, the dirtier the refrigerator condenser coil, the hotter the condenser gas door heater will be. ^_^

http://www.applianceaid.com/heat-aro...rator-door.php

[8~{} Uncle Fridge Monster

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

On 9/2/2015 4:30 PM, taxed and spent wrote:
2001 vintage, model 105.60982991

No hits on gobble. :

The door frame where the freezer door gasket seals against when closed is
hot.

I know this is the defrost cycle, but it stays hot. The fridge works fine.
I am assuming the defrost heater is stuck on.

Any thoughts?

I am thinking I can disconnect the heater and let the fridge run normal,
except for that. Or I can buy a replacement timer or switch if it is simple
and cheap enough.

How to I access the heater wires to disconnect, or the part needing
replacement?

Look on the back of the appliance (or *under* it, if the compresor
hides below) for a schematic in an envelope. It will make clear
what the *intended* connections are. You can then locate the
connection to the heating element, verify that it *only* feeds
the heating element, and disconnect it to verify this is the
problem (ideally, you're disconnecting the hot side and not the
neutral!).

IIRC, the defrost cycle is terminated by a *temperature* sensor
on the freezer coils (when the freezer coils get up above freezing!)

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

Your condenser fan motor is not operating. This could be because there is something blocking the fan blades from moving (just remove it), or the motor is broken (replace it) or it isn't getting power (not common, but check for broken wires). The condenser fan motor is the down by compressor and keeps the compressor cool and blows off the heat from the condenser coils. When it isn't working, you will feel heat where it doesn't belong on the cabinet, and your machine will not be working efficiently and you may experience poor cooling.

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

I should add that you can get the same symptom of a broken condenser fan motor as with a severely blocked condenser coils. So check the coils down below and clean them if you can. Not all coils are configured for easy cleaning, so you just do what you can, use a coil brush or compressed air. They don't have to be pristine, just not blocked with a wall of lint.

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

The part number for the condenser motor is 833697. It is an a/c motor and should be very easy to diagnose. Is the motor overheated even though there is no fan blade blockage? Replace it. Remember, if the evaporator fan is running (that is the fan in the freezer) then the condenser fan motor should be running too.

Please report your findings here. I would like to point out how widely varied are the posts in response to the OP. You are wasting your time if you follow wrong advice.

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

What the **** you are talking about he is asking question about heat around
the freezer door
and you talking about something that is irrelevant to the problem. Learn
something about
Refrigeration before giving advice.

wrote in message
...

Your condenser fan motor is not operating. This could be because there is
something blocking the fan blades from moving (just remove it), or the motor
is broken (replace it) or it isn't getting power (not common, but check for
broken wires). The condenser fan motor is the down by compressor and keeps
the compressor cool and blows off the heat from the condenser coils. When it
isn't working, you will feel heat where it doesn't belong on the cabinet,
and your machine will not be working efficiently and you may experience poor
cooling.

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

tony944 wrote:
What the **** you are talking about he is asking question about heat
around the freezer door
and you talking about something that is irrelevant to the problem. Learn
something about
Refrigeration before giving advice.

wrote in message
...

Your condenser fan motor is not operating. This could be because there
is something blocking the fan blades from moving (just remove it), or
the motor is broken (replace it) or it isn't getting power (not common,
but check for broken wires). The condenser fan motor is the down by
compressor and keeps the compressor cool and blows off the heat from the
condenser coils. When it isn't working, you will feel heat where it
doesn't belong on the cabinet, and your machine will not be working
efficiently and you may experience poor cooling.

Maybe defrost timer got stuck on?

Kenmore refrigerator/top freezer
 

Actually, I do know a lot about refrigeration. None of the guesses by other posters can adequately account for the high heat in the mullion area as well as elsewhere on the outside of the cabinet. For example, a problem with the defrost heater is too far away from the mullion to heat it up.

The condenser coils run through the mullion area and the sides of the refrigerator. If there is a problem with the condenser fan, or if the condenser is blocked with lint, the heat from the condenser will not be blown off and it will travel to the mullion, where the OP sensed it. Fixing the fan or removing lint will solve the problem.