We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after a month or two months
or more or less and then stays like that for a day or two or more and
then starts off on its own.

I have opened the Freezer panel on the evaporator coil and have found
that I can reduce the time it is off by using hair dries to remove ice
from the evaporator coil.

Other than that there is no difference in working of this fridge. I
have read about defrost timers etc but nothing correlates to this
behavior. Any suggestion. We don't use the Freezer part for meat it
has light stuff only e.g. Ice cream or some mixed veg bags and some
fries. No meat.

Any suggestion will help me get over this periodic aggravation.

Thanks,

"Shilpa Singh" wrote in message
om...
We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after a month or two months
or more or less and then stays like that for a day or two or more and
then starts off on its own.

I have opened the Freezer panel on the evaporator coil and have found
that I can reduce the time it is off by using hair dries to remove ice
from the evaporator coil.

Other than that there is no difference in working of this fridge. I
have read about defrost timers etc but nothing correlates to this
behavior. Any suggestion. We don't use the Freezer part for meat it
has light stuff only e.g. Ice cream or some mixed veg bags and some
fries. No meat.

Any suggestion will help me get over this periodic aggravation.

Thanks,

A freezing evap coil is a sure sign of either not enough air across it,
clean the area thourghly or it is low on freon. That will require a service
call. Try the cleaning first. I have dogs and wooden floors, it is amazing
how much crap gets sucked into the fan area of my refrigerator. I clean
every quarter.

"Shilpa Singh" wrote in message
om...
We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after a month or two months
or more or less and then stays like that for a day or two or more and
then starts off on its own.

I have opened the Freezer panel on the evaporator coil and have found
that I can reduce the time it is off by using hair dries to remove ice
from the evaporator coil.

Other than that there is no difference in working of this fridge. I
have read about defrost timers etc but nothing correlates to this
behavior. Any suggestion. We don't use the Freezer part for meat it
has light stuff only e.g. Ice cream or some mixed veg bags and some
fries. No meat.

Any suggestion will help me get over this periodic aggravation.

Thanks,

This is Turtle.

If i get it from you right here by it stop working for more than a day or so
and them starts working back like normal on it's own. It's the defrost
timer. I maybe missing it here by what your saying.

TURTLE

(Shilpa Singh) wrote in message . com...

Hi,

I have opened the Freezer panel on the evaporator coil and have found
that I can reduce the time it is off by using hair dries to remove ice
from the evaporator coil.

There should be no "ice" in the freezer area, ice might be an
indication of the fridge defrosting but the defrost water is not
running away and the ice is building up chocking off the air flow.


Other than that there is no difference in working of this fridge. I
have read about defrost timers etc but nothing correlates to this
behavior. Any suggestion.

We don't use the Freezer part for meat it
has light stuff only e.g. Ice cream or some mixed veg bags and some
fries. No meat.

Icecream needs ot be colder than meat does to freeze!

-Some- common not cold enough trouble makers....
http://www.applianceaid.com/frig_notcold.html
http://www.applianceaid.com/clean_condenser.html

jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
http://www.applianceaid.com/

Shilpa Singh wrote

We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after
a month or two months or more or less and then
stays like that for a day or two or more and
then starts off on its own.

I have opened the Freezer panel on the evaporator
coil and have found that I can reduce the time it
is off by using hair dries to remove ice from
the evaporator coil.

Other than that there is no difference in working
of this fridge. I have read about defrost timers
etc but nothing correlates to this behavior.

Any suggestion.

The compressor could be overheating and cutting out on its overload
protector until it's had a chance to cool but I think a more likely
cause is that the defrost timer (if used on whichever model you have),
is periodically 'sticking' during the defrost cycle. You can read
about how a frost free refrigerator's defrost system is suppose to
work at the following link:

How does a frost free refrigerator's defrost system work?
http://ng.appliance411.com/links/jump.cgi?ID=658

Another possibility is that the 'cold control' (aka thermostat) is
periodically sticking in the OFF position. That can sometimes be
determined by *gently* tapping the control knob with a finger when it
should be running. If it starts right up after that, the control may
be the cause.

You can read about what information is needed to get replacement parts
for your appliances in the 'Repair Parts' section of my site linked
below.

Dan O.
-
Appliance411.com
http://ng.Appliance411.com/?ref411=Hotpoint+fridge

=Ð~~~~~~

I was thinking either timer, or defrost heater element.

--

Christopher A. Young
Join Alt-Hvac Moderated
A free, easy to use Yahoo! group



"TURTLE" wrote in message
...

"Shilpa Singh" wrote in message
om...
We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after a month or two months
or more or less and then stays like that for a day or two or more and
then starts off on its own.

I have opened the Freezer panel on the evaporator coil and have found
that I can reduce the time it is off by using hair dries to remove ice
from the evaporator coil.

Other than that there is no difference in working of this fridge. I
have read about defrost timers etc but nothing correlates to this
behavior. Any suggestion. We don't use the Freezer part for meat it
has light stuff only e.g. Ice cream or some mixed veg bags and some
fries. No meat.

Any suggestion will help me get over this periodic aggravation.

Thanks,

This is Turtle.

If i get it from you right here by it stop working for more than a day or so
and them starts working back like normal on it's own. It's the defrost
timer. I maybe missing it here by what your saying.

TURTLE

"alt-hvac Moderated" wrote in message
...
I was thinking either timer, or defrost heater element.

--

Christopher A. Young

This is Turtle.

It can be a defrost timer but not the defrost element for staing off too
long for it would have to the nuetral wire going back theough the element to
get the neutral circuit and if so. it would never come back on because the
timer would stop.

TURTLE

huh? I'm not sure what you tried to say.

Some defrost timers are powered only when the compressor runs. But I've got
little or no clue what you tried to say.

--

Christopher A. Young
Join Alt-Hvac Moderated
A free, easy to use Yahoo! group



"TURTLE" wrote in message
...

"alt-hvac Moderated" wrote in message
...
I was thinking either timer, or defrost heater element.

--

Christopher A. Young

This is Turtle.

It can be a defrost timer but not the defrost element for staing off too
long for it would have to the nuetral wire going back theough the element to
get the neutral circuit and if so. it would never come back on because the
timer would stop.

TURTLE

"alt-hvac Moderated" wrote in message
...
huh? I'm not sure what you tried to say.

Some defrost timers are powered only when the compressor runs. But I've
got
little or no clue what you tried to say.

Those of us with some basic understanding of the wiring of the units
understood perfectly...

Get a real job hackboy.

"alt-hvac Moderated" wrote in message
...
huh? I'm not sure what you tried to say.

Some defrost timers are powered only when the compressor runs. But I've
got
little or no clue what you tried to say.

--

Christopher A. Young

This is Turtle.

What your tring to speak on is a frigidaire 3 terminal defrost timer set up.
It will have only 3 wires run to the defrost timer and will have the defrost
timer wire [2] run from the run over to the defrost element and if the timer
is in run. It will send power through the timer motor and on to netural out
through the defrost element. then when it is in defrost. It will send power
through the defrost timer motor to netural out through the compressor
circuit. Wired this way it will only log time of the 6 hours of defrost time
and only go into defrost ever 6 hours of the compressor run time and can go
into defrost as long as 2 days before getting 6 hours of run time on the
timer cycle. When the thermostat cuts power to the power terminal of the
compressor leg. It also cut the power off to the timer motor. This is call
acculumitive time of the defrost cycle. Now Stormy this is what you was
tring to say it had and I know you know how it works now don't you ?

Now again Stormy. If it had this type of system. If it had a broken or bad
defrost element. the system would shut down and never come back on if it was
this type system when the defrost element or terminator broke the circuit.
If you knew the circuits that the refrigerator have on the 4 different type
cycle systems that can be used. You would know if you had a broken defrost
element, that you could not have a defrost timer running for a while and
stopping for 5 or 6 hour and go back to running because you can't have a
intermitten problem with a burnt defrost element. Now stormy you do know
your over your head here with 3 wire defrost timer systems.

Now stormy you need to call Frigidaire toll free number and ask for a wiring
diagram of a frigidaire refrigerator more than 15 to 18 years old and you
will get the 3 wire defrost timer system and see the wiring diagram as it is
suppose to run. The people there will know exactly what your talking about
for frigidaire would do this on all their models years ago.

Now one thing before i close here and that is this : Stormy you need to have
some kind of formal training on refrigerators and their repair before you
try to explain or trouble shoot on the newsgroups for it is getting kind of
stupid the way you walk off into the complex problem and give a I really
don't know **** but i'm going to answer anyway. You can get with any of the
hvac or small appliance supply house and when they have schools on different
brands. You can get the inside scoop on how they work and be able to know
what your talking about when you speak. Until you get to know these systems,
your going to be putting your foot in your mouth all the time. Until then
try to refraim from tring to trouble shoot a system that you don't know how
it works in the first place. A education in this field is a wonderful thing
and you need to get you some of it if your going to speak about them for
just going out and looking at system and guessing as to the problem will
only get you called a hack and you will catch hell all the time around here.

TURTLE

Dear Turtle,
After reading your lengthy piece on three wire defrost systems, I'm OK
with the concept of cumulative run. However, I could make no sense out of
much of what you said. Something about when the unit is in defrost it sends
power out to the neutral through the defrost timer (which I'm OK with that)
and somehow that advances the timer off the neutral (huh?).

"It will have only 3 wires run to the defrost timer and will have the
defrost
timer wire [2] run from the run over to the defrost element and if the timer
is in run. It will send power through the timer motor and on to netural out
through the defrost element. then when it is in defrost. It will send power
through the defrost timer motor to netural out through the compressor
circuit. Wired this way it will only log time of the 6 hours of defrost time
and only go into defrost ever 6 hours of the compressor run time and can go
into defrost as long as 2 days before getting 6 hours of run time"

So, you're saying that the defrost timer neutral goes though the defrost
element? That's fine, cause it's only a watt or two. Won't even see the
heater element. Unless it has a terminator element (bimetal) and then the
run time will be only when the evap is cold. And when it's in defrost, that
the timer neutral goes though the compressor? Should oughta do that OK, it's
only trying to drain off a watt or two. Won't even see any resistance in the
compressor. Still, it seems easier to just neutral the timer and be done
with it.


I decided for curiosity to go back to the original post. And what I
found was that the original customer's request sounds like a bad defrost
heater element, since it shuts down and thawing helps shorten the recovery
time.

--

Christopher A. Young
Join Alt-Hvac Moderated
A free, easy to use Yahoo! group



"Shilpa Singh" wrote in message
om...
We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after a month or two months
or more or less and then stays like that for a day or two or more and
then starts off on its own.

I have opened the Freezer panel on the evaporator coil and have found
that I can reduce the time it is off by using hair dries to remove ice
from the evaporator coil.

Other than that there is no difference in working of this fridge. I
have read about defrost timers etc but nothing correlates to this
behavior. Any suggestion. We don't use the Freezer part for meat it
has light stuff only e.g. Ice cream or some mixed veg bags and some
fries. No meat.

Any suggestion will help me get over this periodic aggravation.

Thanks,

"alt-hvac Moderated" wrote in message
...
Dear Turtle,
After reading your lengthy piece on three wire defrost systems, I'm OK
with the concept of cumulative run. However, I could make no sense out of
much of what you said. Something about when the unit is in defrost it
sends
power out to the neutral through the defrost timer (which I'm OK with
that)
and somehow that advances the timer off the neutral (huh?).

"It will have only 3 wires run to the defrost timer and will have the
defrost
timer wire [2] run from the run over to the defrost element and if the
timer
is in run. It will send power through the timer motor and on to netural
out
through the defrost element. then when it is in defrost. It will send
power
through the defrost timer motor to netural out through the compressor
circuit. Wired this way it will only log time of the 6 hours of defrost
time
and only go into defrost ever 6 hours of the compressor run time and can
go
into defrost as long as 2 days before getting 6 hours of run time"

So, you're saying that the defrost timer neutral goes though the defrost
element? That's fine, cause it's only a watt or two. Won't even see the
heater element. Unless it has a terminator element (bimetal) and then the
run time will be only when the evap is cold. And when it's in defrost,
that
the timer neutral goes though the compressor? Should oughta do that OK,
it's
only trying to drain off a watt or two. Won't even see any resistance in
the
compressor. Still, it seems easier to just neutral the timer and be done
with it.


I decided for curiosity to go back to the original post. And what I
found was that the original customer's request sounds like a bad defrost
heater element, since it shuts down and thawing helps shorten the recovery
time.

--

Christopher A. Young

This is Turtle.

You still missed it. If the defrost element was burnt up and broke the
circuit from the defrost terminal through the element to the netural the
defrost timer would never advance another minute. It will never come back on
at all , defrost that is. He said in the original post it was a intermitten
problem and would run sometime and just stop for a while or day and go back
to working. So with the defrost element burnt. The refrigerator defrost
timer would stop running when it got into run mode and never go into defrost
again. It would run all the time and never go into defrost again for it
would be stuck in run all the time. You would never see it cut off after it
froze up and just keep running.

TURTLE

What I get from this is that

I'm saying: Sounds like the heater element is broken, since the OP can thaw
it, and it runs again.

Turtle is saying: Sounds like the heater element is broken, because the
three wire defrost timer isn't advancing, and it staying locked in the "run"
mode.

Aside from describing the theory and operation of three wire verus four wire
defrost timers, what is different between our observations?

" Shilpa Singh" wrote in message
om...
We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after a month or two months
or more or less and then stays like that for a day or two or more and
then starts off on its own.

I have opened the Freezer panel on the evaporator coil and have found
that I can reduce the time it is off by using hair dries to remove ice
from the evaporator coil.

Other than that there is no difference in working of this fridge. I
have read about defrost timers etc but nothing correlates to this
behavior. Any suggestion. We don't use the Freezer part for meat it
has light stuff only e.g. Ice cream or some mixed veg bags and some
fries. No meat.

Any suggestion will help me get over this periodic aggravation.

Thanks,"

Since the fellow says that it restarts on its own, we're left to wonder why
would it fix itself? If the defrost heater element is burnt out, then it
would stay iced over. Worse, it would ice even more, cause the refrig
section would still be calling for cold.


--

Christopher A. Young
Join Alt-Hvac Moderated
A free, easy to use Yahoo! group



"TURTLE" wrote in message
...

"alt-hvac Moderated" wrote in message
...
Dear Turtle,
After reading your lengthy piece on three wire defrost systems, I'm OK
with the concept of cumulative run. However, I could make no sense out of
much of what you said. Something about when the unit is in defrost it
sends
power out to the neutral through the defrost timer (which I'm OK with
that)
and somehow that advances the timer off the neutral (huh?).

"It will have only 3 wires run to the defrost timer and will have the
defrost
timer wire [2] run from the run over to the defrost element and if the
timer
is in run. It will send power through the timer motor and on to netural
out
through the defrost element. then when it is in defrost. It will send
power
through the defrost timer motor to netural out through the compressor
circuit. Wired this way it will only log time of the 6 hours of defrost
time
and only go into defrost ever 6 hours of the compressor run time and can
go
into defrost as long as 2 days before getting 6 hours of run time"

So, you're saying that the defrost timer neutral goes though the defrost
element? That's fine, cause it's only a watt or two. Won't even see the
heater element. Unless it has a terminator element (bimetal) and then the
run time will be only when the evap is cold. And when it's in defrost,
that
the timer neutral goes though the compressor? Should oughta do that OK,
it's
only trying to drain off a watt or two. Won't even see any resistance in
the
compressor. Still, it seems easier to just neutral the timer and be done
with it.


I decided for curiosity to go back to the original post. And what I
found was that the original customer's request sounds like a bad defrost
heater element, since it shuts down and thawing helps shorten the recovery
time.

--

Christopher A. Young

This is Turtle.

You still missed it. If the defrost element was burnt up and broke the
circuit from the defrost terminal through the element to the netural the
defrost timer would never advance another minute. It will never come back on
at all , defrost that is. He said in the original post it was a intermitten
problem and would run sometime and just stop for a while or day and go back
to working. So with the defrost element burnt. The refrigerator defrost
timer would stop running when it got into run mode and never go into defrost
again. It would run all the time and never go into defrost again for it
would be stuck in run all the time. You would never see it cut off after it
froze up and just keep running.

TURTLE

"alt-hvac Moderated" wrote in message
...
What I get from this is that

I'm saying: Sounds like the heater element is broken, since the OP can
thaw
it, and it runs again.

Turtle is saying: Sounds like the heater element is broken, because the
three wire defrost timer isn't advancing, and it staying locked in the
"run"
mode.

Aside from describing the theory and operation of three wire verus four
wire
defrost timers, what is different between our observations?

" Shilpa Singh" wrote in message
om...
**** We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after a month or two months
**** or more or less and then stays like that for a day or two or more and
**** then starts off on its own.

Read the three line marked **** in front of them. It states that it will
stop after running 2 or 3 months and stay off for a day or two and then
start off on it's own again. A Broken defrost element will not cause a
refrigerator to stop running for a day or two and start running again.
############# If it has a regular defrost timer system on it. Breaking of
the defrost element will not cause it to say off for a day or two. Having a
broken defrost element will have no effect on the refrigerator turning off
or on and will cycle like it is suppose to do but it may freeze up. So it
will have no effect of it turning off or on at all. ###########A 3 wire
defrost time set up when the defrost element burns will cause the
refrigerator to stop running and stay off for every. It will never come back
on in a day or two. The timer motor will be cut of the power supply and
never come back on.

Stormy you need to go down to your nearest small appliance warehouse and get
the book [ Whirlpool Trouble Shooting Guide ] on trouble shooting Whirlpool
refrigerator and freezers. It's about $5.99 + Tax and it will guide you
through just about every part of the refrigerators & freezers and how it
works and what does what. It will tell you how to test every part and give
you a check list to go through to find a problem with them. If you read this
book and understood it. Your trouble shooting skills will be increased
1,000% atleast.

Now if you really want to know something about these items. You could go to
your local Library and check out the book call Electricity 101 by i think
Stuart & Stevens of something like that. If you read it and understood it.
You might be able to post here with some knownledge on what these
refrigerator are doing and as to what might be wrong with them. As of right
now your two books away from a good answer on refrigerators repair.

Learning to trouble shoot refrigerator is more that you think. Right now you
think they are a very simple device and you can call a problem right off
with very little thought. If so your dead wrong for a refrigerator is one of
the hardest things in this business to trouble shoot. I would much rather
have a 30 ton gas package unit to trouble shoot than a refrigerator. A
refrigerator can whip a good refrigeration man's ass in a heart beat. there
is more to them refrigerator than you think.

TURTLE

More inserted.

--

Christopher A. Young
Join Alt-Hvac Moderated
A free, easy to use Yahoo! group



"TURTLE" wrote in message
...

" Shilpa Singh" wrote in message
om...
**** We have Hotpoint Fridge 1998 and it stops after a month or two months
**** or more or less and then stays like that for a day or two or more and
**** then starts off on its own.

Read the three line marked **** in front of them. It states that it will
stop after running 2 or 3 months and stay off for a day or two and then
start off on it's own again.
CY: And that's the big puzzler.



A Broken defrost element will not cause a
refrigerator to stop running for a day or two and start running again.
############# If it has a regular defrost timer system on it. Breaking of
the defrost element will not cause it to say off for a day or two. Having a
broken defrost element will have no effect on the refrigerator turning off
or on and will cycle like it is suppose to do but it may freeze up. So it
will have no effect of it turning off or on at all. ###########A 3 wire
defrost time set up when the defrost element burns will cause the
refrigerator to stop running and stay off for every. It will never come back
on in a day or two. The timer motor will be cut of the power supply and
never come back on.
CY: And what do you suggest?


Stormy you need to go down to your nearest small appliance warehouse and get
the book [ Whirlpool Trouble Shooting Guide ] on trouble shooting Whirlpool
refrigerator and freezers. It's about $5.99 + Tax and it will guide you
through just about every part of the refrigerators & freezers and how it
works and what does what. It will tell you how to test every part and give
you a check list to go through to find a problem with them. If you read this
book and understood it. Your trouble shooting skills will be increased
1,000% atleast.
CY: Thanks. I'll ask about that at my parts house.


Now if you really want to know something about these items. You could go to
your local Library and check out the book call Electricity 101 by i think
Stuart & Stevens of something like that. If you read it and understood it.
You might be able to post here with some knownledge on what these
refrigerator are doing and as to what might be wrong with them. As of right
now your two books away from a good answer on refrigerators repair.
CY: You mean two more? I've already got two. One's the GE book, and anohter
one is Refrigerator Repair Made Easy, if I remember the title.


Learning to trouble shoot refrigerator is more that you think. Right now you
think
CY: You're on dangerous ground, telling me what is inside my brain.


they are a very simple device and you can call a problem right off
with very little thought.
CY: More mind reading.


If so your dead wrong for
CY: OK, well, at least you admit you are mindreading.


a refrigerator is one of
the hardest things in this business to trouble shoot. I would much rather
have a 30 ton gas package unit to trouble shoot than a refrigerator. A
refrigerator can whip a good refrigeration man's ass in a heart beat. there
is more to them refrigerator than you think.
CY: That's what I've found.


TURTLE