Convert to frost free

[Eric in North TX]

I have a big GE Monogram side by side that I'm doing some repairs on, I noticed there is a wire on the condenser fan that goes to a molex and terminates there. I checked it out and if supplied with a common, the fan runs continuously. This one and many others like it are plagued with icing up occasionally. not a particularly big deal, just sometimes the auto defrost gets behind, especially when it is humid. What would be the harm in giving it a common and letting it run. I've even considered a switch on it that would leave it optional.

[trader4]

How is a fan running constantly on the condenser supposed to stop icing up inside the fridge?

[Eric in North TX]

Since it is the condensers that freeze up in a separate compartment on top, I'd imagine it would help, the ones that get ice on the inside of the fridge are a different design.

[Stormin Mormon]

There are no condensors in the freezer section. Actually, there is no condensor in the refrigerator section, either.

I've been fixing refrigerators for several years, and never seen a condensor freeze. I've seen em dirty, I've seen em hot. But never frozen.

[Stormin Mormon]

The condensor fan runs typically at the same time as the compressor. It could be more efficient if it were on a thermal switch from the discharge line to the condensor. But that would be one more part to break. As if anyone cares?

[Stormin Mormon]

Might increase it, by supercooling the refrigerant.

[Eric in North TX]

Ok, maybe I need a bit of a slap for incorrect term. Evaporator fan perhaps. what ever it is called it moves air on the equivalent of the A/C coil in a furnace. This set-up is; large compressor on a sliding tray plumbed to a large coil (radiator?) above the freezer compartment, cooling the entire box by moving air with the fan in question, freezer section first, the migrating through a thermostat controlled vent into the frig compartment. I've had frost free units that the fan was running the entire time they were plugged in, not so good for open containers of food, as it dried them out, but never a little bit of frost, let alone ice. What I propose is to add a switch to the common wire to run it constantly when needed. The circuit is 90% there, so some model of the unit must have made some use of it.