GE Profile Refigerator Questions

[Steve Kraus]

10 Year old GE Profile Side by Side.

Insufficent cooling on refrigerator side regardless of thermostat setting in the normal range or all the way down.

We have frequent problems where the refrigerator side is not cooling properly although the freezer side seems to do ok. Often it *seems* to be traceable to dust & lint laden condensor coils underneath; at least cleaning them makes the problem go away. This unit seems to be hypersenstive to dirty coils. Not sure if that is the case this time but while I wait to cleaning them cured it again I would like to know a bit more about this model.

Where does the cold air enter the refrigerator side or does it just come over for the freezer side? Does the freezer 'stat run the show and the refrigerator 'stat just control air coming from the freezer side? I'd like to check if something is blocked. Besides the adjustable opening down by the veggie crisper I presume whatever else there is must be up by the controls and light. How does the cover panel come off? Right now while the unit is running I don't hear any sound of fan forced air inside the refrigerator compartment but naturally it's one of those things where I can't remember whether I'm supposed to or not; I don't recall what "normal" is.

If there is an actual refrigeration problem I will get a pro in but as things are staying frozen on the freezer side if it something minor like a blocked damper I'll have a go at it. It seems likely it's something like that. I don't mind a little disassembly; I cleaned a plugged condensate drain on the freezer side a year or two back.

[Kathy]

regardless of thermostat setting

side is not cooling

ok. Often it *seems* to be

underneath; at least

unit seems to be

is the case this time but

would like to know a bit

side or does it just come

'stat run the show and the

the freezer side? I'd like

adjustable opening down by

is must be up by the

come off? Right now while

forced air inside the

of those things where I

don't recall what

will get a pro in but as

it something minor like a

likely it's something like

cleaned a plugged condensate

defrost timer bad and blow thru place icing shut

[Steve Kraus]

Hmm...sounds plausible. Where's the blow through place?

[Kathy]

shut

place?

When you have it unplugged to clean the coils, the ice will melt. When you plug it back in and it's working open the freezer and see where the air is blowing from. On mine its in the lower middle back of the freezer. I called a repairman and the whole thing cost me $110. out of pocket. He installed something that will make it not happen again.

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

First by what you have said here you need to do the setting of thermostats to see if it is this , that is the problem. Put both thermostat to center scale. If it has 10 on it set it on five. if it has 100 set it on 50. If it has A to E you set it on C . Then let it operate for 24 hours with the doors closed as much as you can. Then check the refrigerator compartment to see the temperature and also the the freezer compartment. In the refrigerator compartment it should be between 33 degrees F. to 39 degree F.. In the freezer it should be -5 degrees f. to +5 degrees F. . there is nothing wrong with it if the temperature is in these ranges sfter this test. then really in the regular use of it they should stay in these ranges. Post back with the results.

TURTLE

[Steve Kraus]

Middle is how we normally have it set for both (the "5" has a little box around it) and that has produced acceptable temps. I've since set it colder of course--fridge side is all the way down now. Under normal circumstances that would produce freezing on some foods. Before I started cleaning the coils--just a half assed job so far--it's late at night and I will do more tomorrow--I was seeing temps in the high 50's at the top of the fridge side; clearly unacceptable. I've since moved the probe more to the middle--just atop the crisper drawers. Temp reading is in the low 40's so it may be getting better if it continues to drop.

What was puzzling me when I first started noticing that something wasn't right was that it was cycling off even though temps on the fridge side were too high. Usually when I go through the dirty condensor routine I notice it not shutting off before I notice the temp issues. Now it could just be that it's the dirt issue once again and maybe I happened to notice it not running when a defrost cycle happened to occur. But the idea of a blocked cross passage from the freezer makes a lot of sense.