I've got a very nice split door refrigerator, bottom drawer freezer. (GE model GFE2HSHFSS). This unit has two separate evaporator coils, one for the refrigerator (fresh food) and another for the bottom freezer. So the top evaporator coil totally froze up, including the drain. Made lots of ice in the wrong places.
I took everything apart, waited for the ice to melt and carefully put it all back together. Its not clear at all to me on what caused the freeze up issue.
It could have been poor seal on door allowing high humidity to condensate / freeze in the refrigerator. (highly unlikely, as I would see a fail somewhere.. I see not.)
It could be low refrigerant causing screw ups with Thermostatic eXpansion Valve (TXV) and partial core evap issues. I'm not seeing that. Remember this unit has two separate evap cores, one for freezer and another for top refrigerator. The freezer evap core seems just fine. I doubt this unit has a leak.
My suspicion is the top DC air flow fan motor is inoperative.. but this isn't really clear. When the door is open (or open with door switch pushed closed) I totally can't hear or feel much in terms of upper refrigerant airflow. There is a barely discernable feel of air coming out of the refrigerator evap core outlet, at the bottom of the refrigerator fresh food area.
I can't tell how a properly operational system functions. I would have thought that in a system with evaporator core at the bottom of the refrigerator that air would flow INTO the evap core at the bottom of the unit and output from the top of the refrigerator area, but this doesn't seem to work that way. Generally in HVAC design cooling air is delivered to the top of the area where cooling is desired, not the bottom.
Also, although the freezer is getting cold, the top refrigerator (fresh food) unit @ 20 hours of operation since startup is around 53 Deg F.
Anybody have one of these split door bottom drawer freezer type units?
- How does the top unit air flow work?
- Can you hear / feel the upper fan motor running when you open the door?
- Can you hear / feel the upper fan motor running when you press the closed door button?
- Can you discern the direction of air flow in the back of the unit? (air IN at the top, or OUT at the top of the refrigerator fresh food unit?)
Many thanks.
Best Answer
I've got pretty much the same fridge.
GE Profile. I can tell you that the outlet is at the top and without the ciculator running it will freeze. The circulation fan runs even with the door switch open. Also I think the defrost timer on these are solid state, not the mechanical ones that often fail. There could be a sensor somewhere cousing problems with the defrost cycle but you best course of action, based on the information provided, is to test the fan. If it's DC you can test it with batteries. A 12v DC motor will run on a 9v for testing purposes. It's voltage rating should be written on it. I'm an HVAC tech primarily but also do appliance repair, refrigeration and I'm a licensed electrician though I would never claim to be an electrician.
Unfortunately I have never had any problems with my fridge like you are having so I can't help in more detail.