Appliance Repair

[ephotrod]

Can the community suggest good resources and forums for appliance repair?!

I have an Amana Side by side refrigerator that has been on the fritz, it cools when it wants to. The compressor turns on stays on (it pulls 6 amps when running, the unit states its a 14 amp lock out so we are below lock out), when a hands placed on it you can feel it vibrate, the two fans condenser and evap both turn on, the defrost heater isn't on but their no ice or very little. I'm electrically savvy, but i don't have a wiring diagram for the unit, I don't know what cycles the compressor and for how long. Any and all help is appreciated. The unit is a 134A refrigerant but does not have fittings to check low and high side pressures.

Model ASD2522WRS01

 

[finn]

The ice is inside the cabinet, behind the plastic panels, on the coil.

Unless you remove the plastic interior panels, you won’t see the ice.

Try unplugging overnight to manually defrost the coils. If it works (until the coil or drain freezes again), you know where to look next.

 

[ephotrod]

I took off the cover in the freezer to expose the evap coil and fan, there is little frost.

 

[TriumphFan]

I've fixed a few appliances by using https://www.repairclinic.com/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=General%20Terms&utm_term=repairclinic&utm_content=RepairClinic%20Terms&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=repairclinic&utm_content=McDuKohq&utm_campaign=

 

[SGKent]

Using the model number there appears to be a starting capacitor and a start relay. Unless you have a DVM with a capacitance scale the only way to test it would be to find someone who can test it or replace it. As to the relay a DVM would tell you if it is working when it should although a light tap with a screw driver handle might trigger it when the compressor is off but should be on. The fact the fans come on implies to me that the thermostat is powering up something. You will need the part number on the relay to know which one it is. The listing showed several for that model. There were 9 or 10 ratings at Repair Clinic on that part with people who said theirs was bad so that might be a clue in itself. I'd probably roll the dice on a relay and starting cap myself if I wanted to keep the refrigerator. 15 - 20 years is about how long their life span is typically. You can extend it by keeping them clean. Energy wise it becomes a push at that age. We've already replaced the fans on our 2008 refridge. Started to vibrate, hum, and rumble as the bearings wore.

 

[mfewtrail]

https://www.applianceblog.com/mainforums/

 

[ephotrod]

Using the model number there appears to be a starting capacitor and a start relay. Unless you have a DVM with a capacitance scale the only way to test it would be to find someone who can test it or replace it. As to the relay a DVM would tell you if it is working when it should although a light tap with a screw driver handle might trigger it when the compressor is off but should be on. The fact the fans come on implies to me that the thermostat is powering up something. You will need the part number on the relay to know which one it is. The listing showed several for that model. There were 9 or 10 ratings at Repair Clinic on that part with people who said theirs was bad so that might be a clue in itself. I'd probably roll the dice on a relay and starting cap myself if I wanted to keep the refrigerator. 15 - 20 years is about how long their life span is typically. You can extend it by keeping them clean. Energy wise it becomes a push at that age. We've already replaced the fans on our 2008 refridge. Started to vibrate, hum, and rumble as the bearings wore.

The capacitor reads good at 12 UF I was able to check it with a fluke 87V.

 

[yeldogt]

If the compressor turns on and the fan over the condenser is running the coils inside the freezer should be cold. That's the first thing to figure out -- is the refrigerant loop working?

It either works or not ...


After that ...it's just a matter of how the unit blends the cold between the two sides. Since it has a heater coil it's not defrosting by reverse valve.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Is there any temp difference in the inlet and outlet of the compressor. And with the back off how far does the frost reach on the coil. If only the bottom of the coil has a little frost and the top is clear then you are probably low on refrigerant. Those only take 4 ounces or so of refrigerant so losing a ounce will keep it from working. If low you may be able to get a bullet valve and add a little charge to it and continue using it until it leaks down. Its not generally worth it to pay for repairs as it will be an ongoing problem as leaks are very slow and almost impossible to find. If it was mine I would recharge it and continue using it, the choice is yours. There is usually a mini manual somewhere on the refrigerator that has the wiring diagram, keep looking. Most older ones cycle on a defrost thermostat, newer ones cycle on sensors and electronic board.

 

[Aileron]

JMO, be carefull if you decide to put a bullet valve on the suction to check refrigerant.you may open up a can of worms if you dont have a background in refrigeration. Put it on and connect the hose with the compressor off. They will pull down in a vacuum and if you screw the hose onto the valve , you'll **** air into the system. Same with pulling the hose off, Turn it off and let it come up into pressure. IMO again, to check refigerant , you would be better of pulling the charge and recharging it to spec. i'd check the dicharge temp by hand and make sure it gets hot, if it doesnt you may have lost a compressor., It may run but not fully pump.If your getting frost the compressor is moving something but could have lost a valve.

 

[Jim greengo]

An appliance guy I know told me if it's anything other than the cap/relay on compressor on a newer fridge to roll it to the curb.
So that's what I start with.

 

[oldmxracer]

5 year old thread !