Hello Jake,

The subject SS fridge was showing symptoms of needing a new Adaptive Defrost Board back in July of this year. Before I could order a new board, the fridge started working well again.

A few weeks ago the fridge would quit running. By simply moving the freezer thermostat from on to off and back on again would get the compressor running going and things seemed fine. In the past few days, I've found myself resting the thermostat more often and in many cases it took several resets (in rapid succession) to get the compressor running again.

This afternoon the problem re-occurred and numerous attempts to get the compressor going again failed. Nothing I've tried can get the compressor to run.

As for troubleshooting, here's what I've done so far:

There's a white plastic block on the compressor body that connects the wiring harness (consisting of 3 wires) to the compressor. I assumed this plastic device was a motor contactor, but now I don't think so. Based on Ohm meter readings I took, this plastic device appears to be nothing more than an adapter that mates the fast-on lugs off the wiring harness to the round pin connectors on the compressor.

While the fridge was powered up and the thermostat set to very cold "9" (on a scale of 1 = warm to 10 = really cold), I applied a volt meter across every combination to the 3 wires feeding the fast-on connectors mentioned above. In all cases my meter read nothing. It appears that the thermostat or something is not allowing the compressor to energize.

As alway, any help will be appreciated.

Respectfully,

Steve-J

Hi Steve,

Unplug your refrigerator and take that white start relay device off your compressor, removes the wires from it first, mark down on paper where they go, then shake it, if it rattles inside, its definitely bad.

They don't make that white start relay device anymore for this model, you would need to get the brown relay and white overload separately.

Here's your start relay you can order:
Manufacturer part#61005504 is RepairClinic item#894643


Here's your overload device you can order:
Manufacturer part#61006295 is RepairClinic item#1204586


Jake

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Hello Jake,

Thanks for the prompt reply.

Per your instructions I unplugged the white plastic device and gave it a good shake, but I did not hear any real rattling sounds.

I still not convinced that the compressor motor starter (white plastic device) is the problem. I drew a crude sketch of the wiring connections around the compressor and uploaded it as a PDF file to the URL shown below:

http://www.piccdrop.com/images/1227986768.pdf

As you can see in my drawing, the compressor motor starter device and the evaporator fan motor are wired in parallel. I forgot to mention that my evaporator fan does not run either. This fact is consistent with my earlier observation that I could not measure any voltage across any of wires that connect to the compressor motor starter (terminals 1, 2 and 3 on my drawing) when the thermostat dial was set to maximum cold.

Please advise as to what steps I should take next.

Respectfully,

Steve-J

You mean the condenser fan that sits next to your compressor isn't running either?

The evaporator fan is inside your freezer.

Ok, then you'll need to check the cold control to make sure it has continuity when its on. Unplug your refrigerator first before ohm testing it with an ohm meter.

Or you can jump the wires on it just to test to see if it comes on.

Here's the repair manual for your model, it shows you how to access it:
http://www.servicematters.com/maytag...s/16010154.pdf

Its #3 here:


Now when your refrigerator is on, do you hear the evaporator fan running inside your freezer?

Here's the cold control assembly for your model:
Manufacturer's Number: 61005516

61005516

Jake

__________________
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Sears Appliance Tech. 4 yrs. 2001-Oct. 2005
Jake's Appliance Repair Nov. 2005-present

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Jake,

My mistake. I should have said my Condenser Fan Motor is not running and labeled the motor on my drawing to say Condenser Fan Motor as well. Sorry about that.

I will study the info in your most recent post and get back to you ASAP.

FYI: I just figured out how to dismantle the covers in the roof area of my fridge that expose the defrost board. As a bonus, Maytag had stuffed a copy of the entire refrigerators wiring diagram and schematic next to the defrost board. Yeah!!!!!!!!

Thanks again,

Steve-J

Sounds good Steve.

Keep us posted on the progress.

Jake

__________________
Appliance Repair School 1987-1988
Star Appliance Tech. 2 yrs. 1988-1990
Wards Appliance Tech. 11 yrs. 1990-2001
Sears Appliance Tech. 4 yrs. 2001-Oct. 2005
Jake's Appliance Repair Nov. 2005-present

If you need more repair advice help on your appliance, click Here

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Hello Jake,

The tips and documentation you offered have been most helpful!

With the thermostat wired up, I could not measure any voltage at the compressor coming in on the blue wire that feeds power from the thermostat to the compressor and condenser motor, regardless of where I set the thermostat. Based on the schematics, that narrowed it down to a bad thermostat and/or bad adaptive defrost board.

Next, I removed the red and blue wires from the thermostat and jumpered across them. Surprise, surprise. Everything runs now!!!!!!!!

I will get the part on order right away. I wish you lived near me to install this thing as it looks like a bear of a job.

Thank you soooo much.

Sincerely,

Steve-J

Good job finding it was the cold control thermostat assembly Steve.

It looks tougher to install than it is.

Jake

__________________
Appliance Repair School 1987-1988
Star Appliance Tech. 2 yrs. 1988-1990
Wards Appliance Tech. 11 yrs. 1990-2001
Sears Appliance Tech. 4 yrs. 2001-Oct. 2005
Jake's Appliance Repair Nov. 2005-present

If you need more repair advice help on your appliance, click Here

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Hello Jake,

Thanks to you I think we can declare victory. 23 hours ago I replaced both the thermostat and the adaptive defrost control board I purchased through Appliance Parts Pros. Since then, the box has been cycling the compressor on and off while holding steady temperatures in both the freezer and fresh food compartments. Yeah!

It may take a week or two to see if the freezer coil remains frost free, but I feel confident that things are going to be just fine.

Again, thank you so much for all your help.

Sincerely,

Steve-J

Excellent Steve, sounds like you got it back to normal.

Jake

__________________
Appliance Repair School 1987-1988
Star Appliance Tech. 2 yrs. 1988-1990
Wards Appliance Tech. 11 yrs. 1990-2001
Sears Appliance Tech. 4 yrs. 2001-Oct. 2005
Jake's Appliance Repair Nov. 2005-present

If you need more repair advice help on your appliance, click Here

Look-Up & Order Parts

Shop Home Appliances