The infamous Adaptive Defrost Assembly broke and was replaced in Sept 05. The controls were set to 5 & 5 by the repairman with a visiting friend (an EE) tweaking the adjustment for me.

Today the fridge compartment is too cold - salads and milk freeze at times. I've been tweaking the adjustments but cannot seem to acheive my desired temperatures: -5 to +5 degF for freezer and +35 to +40 degF for fridge. With setting of 3.5 freezer and 1.0 fridge, I get temperature readings of 0 to +5 degF freezer and +32 to +34 degF fridge.

I'm measuring the temperature using a couple of RTUs (radio temperature transmitting units) that leak enough signal through the seals to work.

Where am I going wrong?

Let me restate my question.

-What is the preferred way to adjust the temperatures of this refridgerator?
-Are there any conditions that would cause the fridge compartment to remain at or near freezing?

1. I'm using radio broadcasting thermometers (3"x4"x1") so that I don't need to open doors to read the temperature.

2. Before the defrost module failure, I had the freezer adjusted to -17 to -20 degF and the fridge to +34 to +37 degF. It was running at those temperatures for a couple of years and I forgot how I adjusted them.

3. This time, I started at 5 & 5 and changed only one setting by 1 or 0.5 and let it stabilize for 24 hrs.

I can't seem to get the fridge to move above the -32 to -35 degF range.

To properly check temps:

Freezer: Place bulb thermometer BETWEEN FOOD PACKAGES in freezer and let there for 60 minutes. Check 0 degrees is perfect may vary with defrost, door openings, other heat loads..etc.

Refrigerator: Sit glass of water in unit and submerge bulb thermometer in it. Try to submerge at least 75% Check temp in several hours. 38 is perfect...range 34-40.

If your temps are still out, I'd suggest investing in a new cold control. Also understand that one of those controls is a air damper only and it's only operation is to allow more or less air volume into refrigerator section.

We techs usually agree that these high tech temp meters don't always paint a true picture. Differences between digital and analog volt meters for example paint a horrific picture in inaccuracy. ANALOG BETTER! I do use a digital meter though for ease and since my readings never have to be purely exact.

Thanks for the response. Pardon the delay - been out of town.

I dusted off my lab grade bulb thermometer and used a glass of water to measure the temperature in the fridge. Top shelf measured 36 degF and bottom shelf measured 34 degF. The freezer was consistant with a 0 degF measurement at three places in between frozen packages.

This is what I expected because my instruments measured air temperature at specific points and the bulb thermometer was measuring the average temperature as shown by a thermal mass.

Getting into a discussion of the relative merits of digital versus analog instrumentation should be saved for another topic.

Where can I find assembly drawings to guide me in dissassembling the cold control area?

No offense, but a 36 degree fresh compartment is absolutely perfect. If your actual thermostat control is set very low and you want more adjustment, that would be what I would guide you to replace. OR you can try to adjust the damper control to let less air into your fresh food compartment. You can always check your damper too to ensure that it's functioning properly, ie. opening and closing. A stuck open damper will just bombard the fresh food section w/ cold air at all times.

No offense taken . Agreed, 36 degF throughout the fresh food compartment would be ideal but I have a temperature gradient and sometimes the salads stored at the bottom freeze. I've observed that changes in room temperature have some influence on internal temperatures. I have not changed the settings [3.5 freezer, 1.0 fresh] for a couple of weeks, so the compartments should have stabilized.

What is an acceptable temperature gradient in the fresh food compartment? What can cause it? [Besides the obvious-hot air rises, cold air sinks.]

I've never disassembled this (or any) refridgerator, where do I find the components you mention [damper, etc.]? Are there drawings available to guide me?

Back in the 90's when I worked for Montgomery Wards, I saw alot of these that have the Air Return assembly behind the crisper's, have a flapper that moves with the air flow open when the refrig. is running, then that flapper should close when the refrig. cycles off. If that flapper is not closing when its off, then its letting cold freezer air in and freezing things in the crisper.

I would check that on yours.

Jake

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