Any Refrigerator Experts Here? Help Needed.

[Mahnarch]

I need some sage advice from anyone who works on or has dealt with refrigerators to some extent.

I'm quite mechanically inclined and have my 'A/C - Auto' certificate, so I'm familiar with HVAC systems, but not the layout of a home appliance like this - so you don't have to reply with 'kiddie gloves' talk.

Here's my situation:

Recently I had the neutral wire from the pole to my house fall - pushing 220v through every outlet - fried everything, except the fridge (somehow).

After Consumers came out and fixed the wires I turned all the breakers back on and the fridge 'booted up'.

It worked great for about a week, but then the fridge part of it started to warm up. The freezer still worked great.

After two weeks the fridge was room temp and destroyed everything perishable. The freezer was still making ice, however.

I have an old backup (1947) fridge in the garage that I've had to pull the keg out of and use for temperary cold storage and my home owner's insurance wants a 'professional' to come out and repair it, or condemn it. (hmm, $500 to fix it, or $550 to replace it....what's easier? pfft.)

I've already condemned it. It's a 1992 model, well past it's prime, plus......I want a new danged fridge, dang it!

I don't have any local appliance shops, and the closest one would be Hudsonville, some 25+ miles away.
I've decided that, if I can fix this one I might just say screw it and keep using it.

So far I've:

Pulled it out of the wall and cleaned the dust from the condensor.
The cooling fan works great.
The compressor is warm, but not hot to the touch.
The low side refrigerant lines are frosty, but not covered.
The high side lines are warm, but not hot (so I have plenty of refrigerant and it's doing its job [not that a power surge would let it escape])
I've checked all over for burned wires and they all cleared inspection.
I pulled the auto-defrost timer off the harness to check it out and when I plugged it back in the fridge got a little cooler (55 degrees +/-)

It's a 1992 GE top freezer, and I'm thinking the auto-defroster 'might' be scorched or stuck on the inside.
I haven't opened it up to look, yet, because I don't know if I can get a replacement, easily.

Plus, if the auto-timer were stuck, wouldn't the freezer not work, also? (I just now got ice out of it for my soda)

Curious, these machines.

"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you have constructed. The ability to destroy a planet pales in comparision with the power of the Force."

They're already dishing out $24,000 to replace everything else, what's an extra 550?

[jesusaurus]

u make a lot of random topics

[Mahnarch]

I do. That's what keeps me fresh.
My farts.com friends know that I hung out in the 'General Board', most often and started random threads. It keeps traffic flowing and interest in the sites up.

My mind is like a TV that keeps changing channels randomly.
You'll see that when I start doing my interviews with forum members, again.
I like to ask the really odd stuff that most reporters don't.

But, this topic is an actual plea for help.
Got any advice?

[Phil]

I've never had much luck with a repaired frisge. I had 1 fixed a couple years ago it lasted about 6 months and it craoked anyways aftre that.

I would probably try to squeeze your homeowners for that extra $550 like you said what's another $550 after more than $2400?

[Mahnarch]

True, Phil.

I don't see why they want to resurrect Frankenstein's Monster when it's just going to be a hassle they have to deal with later.

[Peon]

You have to take the back panel off in the refrigerator section, look at the frost pattern on the condenser coils, and make sure the evaporator fan is running.

It could be the timer, but usually if you turn the timer until it goes into the defrost mode, and the compressor comes back on, then the timer works.

[stinkerbell]

I know exactly how to fix this! Grab a Desert Eagle 50 caliber (a frickin' hand cannon!) Take your fridge out to the middle of nowhere, and put it out of your misery!

The Desert Eagle is optional, you can use whatever you have available, I just like big guns!

Hope this idea helps, it's been tested before, and I'm told it solves the problem quite nicely.

[Mahnarch]

Peon, done and done.

I took the panel off three days ago and the frost looks normal.
I didn't turn the timer before. Ill check that out, thanks.

***
Stinkerbell, that works out perfect!!
I've got a Glock 9 right here and, as luck would have it, my kitchen is out in the middle of nowhere, already!!! No Moving required.

Check out my neighborhood:

[Mahnarch]

I think I've found the problem!

I finally decided to open up the timer and lo-and-behold, the copper winding is burned to crap.

I'm going to go down to Sears (I think they sell GE fridges) and get a price and/or a new one.

We'll see how it goes.

I cleaned out the fridge, too.
Now it doesn't stick of warmed 'Franks Red Hot Sauce'.

[Peon]

mahnarch said:

I think I've found the problem!

I finally decided to open up the timer and lo-and-behold, the copper winding is burned to crap.

I'm going to go down to Sears (I think they sell GE fridges) and get a price and/or a new one.

We'll see how it goes.

I cleaned out the fridge, too.
Now it doesn't stick of warmed 'Franks Red Hot Sauce'.

If you have the part number, then www3.sears.com/ would work better than going to a Sears store.

[Mahnarch]

Thanks, Peon, but I typed in the part number and got:

We could not find the information you requested. Our online database does not contain any information on part number: TMDGX35RB9

Please verify the part number and try the search again. You can find your Part Number in your owner's manual.

I'll keep looking, though.

[edlin]

Google doesn't have anything on that part number.

Are you sure you transcribed it right?

[Mahnarch]

I'm at work, now, so I can't verify that. I'm pretty sure I did.

I just caught the 'evap fan' part from earlier, though.
I don't think I really paid attention to it.
I'll have to do that when I get home.

[weasel2htm]

You may also try taking the part to a mom and pop repair shop, see if they can get the part, Sears could not get a belt for my 1970s Kenmore dryer because I didn't have the model number, the dryer is so old, I does not have one. I went to a local appliance shop, told them I needed a belt for an 1970s Kenmore dryer, they knew exactly what I needed, even offered free advice about the tensioner (which I later replaced)

[Mahnarch]

Nice, weasel.

I've got a small mom and pop in town.
I'll 'pop' in there [pun] tomorrow and see what they've got.

I still haven't checked the evap fan, but it won't work until I get a new timer, anyway.
Plus, I'm lazy.

Not really lazy,,but I put in 12 hours today...

[chuckster]

I was looking for the same thing.
TMDGX35RB9
But it is discontinued the replacement part is TMDJX35RB9 which is ordered under GE part # WR9M418.

I got mine at a GE parts store for $32.00 CDN.
Installed it and it works fine.

Here is a link to a different store to show the part.


www.reliableparts.ca/appliance-parts-catalogue/index.cfm?ProductID=117&do=detail

[Phil]

Hi Chuckster.

Tell us a little about how you found lewasite and welcome to the green forum.

Ali G and Hatson are members who are from Toronto do you know those guys? I know Toronto is a big place but we have a lot of forum members who know each other so I thought I'd ask.

So you're a computer guy.

Anyways I hope you enjoy the green forum.

[Classicblast]

Definitely welcome Chuckster.
Nice avatar too. hahaha. I'm not possessive of such things. It's nice to have a new member.