I have an Amana top mount refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom .
It won't do an automatic defrost. I have checked the heater coil and
defrost thermostat and both seem to be working just fine. I have
tracked the problem to one of two boards (I think) Either the low
voltage or the high voltage pc board. I don't want to just replace them
both as they are a little over $100 each. Also I haven't had any luck
with the online repair diagnostics (for a fee) Anyone have experience
with this? Model #B136CAL1.

Thanks

Bob

Bob-I've had a couple of refrigerators over the years (including my
present amana) with defrost problems. In both cases it was the defrost
timer, an electric clock switch that turns the defrost on & off. On
these, you can check this by manually advancing the timer until it goes
into defrost. On my ~8 year old Amana, the timer can be advanced at a
recessed screwdriver-slotted red knob on the ceiling of the frig portion
just behind the panel with the temp controls. If yours has this,
advance the knob & see if the defrost turns on (you can tell because the
switch clicks & if the compressor is running at the time, it shuts off).
Easy & cheap to replace, if that's the problem. Also if the thing's
iced up you can defrost it a couple times this way & get air moving
again until you can replace the part.

Dan

wrote:
I have an Amana top mount refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom .
It won't do an automatic defrost. I have checked the heater coil and
defrost thermostat and both seem to be working just fine. I have
tracked the problem to one of two boards (I think) Either the low
voltage or the high voltage pc board. I don't want to just replace them
both as they are a little over $100 each. Also I haven't had any luck
with the online repair diagnostics (for a fee) Anyone have experience
with this? Model #B136CAL1.

Thanks

Bob

Dan
Thanks for the reply. My model does not have controls inside, they are
on a separate panel above the door. As far as I can tell, there is no
defrost timer or adaptive defrost control on this particular model.
Defrost apparently is controlled by one of two pc boards in the works
on top of the frig. My method now is the "Bob-defrost" I take the
freezer panel off and shovel out the ice and use a hair dryer about
once a month or whenever the freezer alarm goes off.

Thanks

Bob

Bob-Sounds like they replaced the mechanical timer with a timer circuit
then. Obviously MUCH less TROUBLE PRONE ;-) I wonder if instead of
shoveling out the ice, you could periodically energize the heating
element with an externally positioned switch? If you wanted to be
really ambitious, you might even rig up your own timer, once you
determine how often & for how long defrost needs to occur. Might also
try posting on sci.electronics.repair, I know there are some appliance
types on there.

Dan

wrote:
Dan
Thanks for the reply. My model does not have controls inside, they are
on a separate panel above the door. As far as I can tell, there is no
defrost timer or adaptive defrost control on this particular model.
Defrost apparently is controlled by one of two pc boards in the works
on top of the frig. My method now is the "Bob-defrost" I take the
freezer panel off and shovel out the ice and use a hair dryer about
once a month or whenever the freezer alarm goes off.

Thanks

Bob