GE Side by Side - Uneven frosting on evap / not cold enough - TFG 22JRX (PICS)

[dr_harika]

Model Number: TFG22JRX (Australian 220v)
Brand: GE
Age: More than 10 years

Hi,

I have successfully used this forum to repair 2 fridges in the past for friends, but now have a problem of my own with my GE Side by Side Fridge (TFG 22JRXa) (the A denotes Australian Model). I have a photo of the model plate below. We purchased this in 1997.
The fridge is only just cold enough to ensure food doesn't spoil fast, and the freezer can only JUST freeze a cup of water on the top shelf (the bottom shelf will not freeze water).

The temperature control for the freezer is on the coldest setting, and the fridge temperature is also on the coldest (which means the flap is open fully).
I have cleaned around the fridge, and cleaned the bottom condenser well by using compressed air / vacuum cleaner. Ventilation is ample around the fridge, and the condenser fan is working as it should.
In the freezer, the evaporator fan is working well, and the heater circuit is working as it should (turns on every 7 or so hours and melts whatever frost is on the evaporator). I have a photo of the heater turned on (red glow)

The evaporator is frosting up a normal amount where it has frost, but it doesn't happen uniformly, it starts frosting from the bottom up. The very top of the evaporator hardly has any frost on it, but the bottom has a fair bit. See the photos below (one is taken shortly after defrost, the other is a few hours of the compressor being on).
I checked the fridge/freezer every few hours over the weekend to check the status of the frosting / heater operation. It seems the compressor is running all the time except for when the defrost mode is activated. I know this because the heater comes on every 7.2 hours of compressor run time, and that co-insides with what i have been noticing.

Any ideas on what else I should check before I call a repair person?
I am quite handy and would prefer to do the work myself as we live quite far from the nearest town.

I suspect the fridge is low refrigerant (***** / R134a) but would love to be proven otherwise.
If it is in fact low on *****, should I get it re-filled, or will it just leak again seeing as it would of had to leak in the first place.

My other fridge / freezer from early 1980s is still in immaculate condition and never been repaired. I guess they don’t build things like they used to.

PICS:



Shortly after the defrost has taken place:



A Few hours after the compressor is running. Bottom is frozen, top is not.




Heater on... melts all frost build up.



Thanks in advance.
Tony.

[mikeref]

looks like the evaporator fan is not working due to insufficient temperature at fan delay thermostat. That causes heavy icing on coils. The loss of frost on the top coil will mean either compressor inefficiency, drier restriction, or partial loss of gas charge. (Noticed you said fan in freezer is o.k. so it must eventually run but by that time, the frost on the coils restricts the air flow) .. The other sensor, clamped to top evap, is the defrost termination thermostat. That must switch off the heaters when there is no ice present, regardless of defrost timer.. Mike.

[dr_harika]

Thanks for the reply.
As you pointed out, the freezer evap fan works o.k. and has no delay (it is on when the compressor is on), so that probably rules out the restricted air flow caused by the delay of the freezer fan turning on.
The fridge / freezer is fairly bare at the moment while testing (few food items and a few bottles of water), so circulation is o.k. as far as I am aware (no blockages, no ice build up, nothing overcrowding)

Defrost circuit works well (when the cycle is complete, there is no ice on any of the coils) so the defrost termination thermostat must be doing its job ok.

That leaves compressor inefficiency / partial loss of gas charge .
If this is the case, should I be looking at getting it re-charged, or will it just leak again if it has already lost a bit of its charge.

Tony.

[mikeref]

Should have an opperating fan delay as starting up straight after defrost causes high compressor load and circulation of warm air. You should test the defrost termination thermostat by switching fridge off and checking, well, both thermostats for a circuit through them. Both should have an open circuit when the pipe they are attached to is over 5 (ish) degrees C..Mike.

[dr_harika]

Thanks for the help - Got it diagnosed and it turns out the compressor is inefficient and has leaking valves causing gas to leak backwards in its circuit.

Something to do with the suction line not heating up as it should?

Time for a new fridge as the cost of repair is almost half that of a new fridge.

Thanks again,
Tony.