106.55522400 Kenmore Refrigerator runs continuously and frost forming in freezer

[Pedro Maguirre]

Model Number

106.55522400

Brand

Sears Kenmore

Age

More than 10 years

My Sears Kenmore Coldspot Model 106.55522400 side by side refrigerator runs continuously, and frost is forming in all areas of the freezer. The temperatures are normal on both sides (0 degrees freezer and 37 degrees fresh food). Evaporator fan, heating element, heating timer, dirty condenser coils?

 

[Jake]

Hi Pedro,

Frost is all inside the freezer section? Or just on the back panel inside the freezer? Usually you have a auto-defrost problem when the frost is built-up on the back panel inside the freezer. If the frost is all over items in the freezer, then its a air leak coming in.

Are your condenser coils underneath the refrigerator clean? Just open the both doors, then pull that kickplate grill off, PULL HARD it just unsnaps.

You can use a vacuum cleaner attachment or condenser brush to clean your condenser. Even better would be if you have an air compressor or shop vac to blow the condenser coils out, yes its a bit more messy on your kitchen floor, but it cleans it thoroughly.

Refrigerator Condenser Cleaning Brush


Vacuum Hose Attachment 8171579A


Jake

 

[Pedro Maguirre]

It's a thin frost coating on the outside of the ice receptacle bin on the door, the inside of the ice maker, and a few other isolated areas of the freezer compartment. I vacuumed, and blew out with compressed air the dust on the condenser coils. The condenser coil fan works fine. Then I pulled off the panel that covers the evaporators coils and found NO ice whatsoever. The evaporrator coil fan works fine also. I let everything defrost by warm outside air, reassembled everything, but the compressor stil runs continuously. I'm baffled.

 

[Jake]

Take a photo of your evaporator coil and upload it here. Also I'd go buy a freezer thermometer and keep it in the freezer and tell us what it reads in 2 hours.

Look at these photos below, the very bottom photo is the NORMAL FROST PATTERN it should be.

 

[Pedro Maguirre]

The thermometer read -20 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[Jake]

Ok, -20 F is way too cold.

The temperature issue would either be caused by a bad thermistor or control board, that's the only parts that controls the temperature, AND the refrigerator from shutting OFF.

To test the thermistor, you ohm it with a multimeter, you put the sensor in cup of ice water for 5 minutes and it should read about 8.7K ohms +/- 5%.

Here's the thermistor for this model you can order if needed:
WP2188819 Thermistor

There is a HOW TO access video when you click the thermistor part link.

Here's the temperature control board for your model:
Electronic Control Board 8201660

Unfortunately, that control board is No Longer Available.

Jake

 

[Pedro Maguirre]

The thermistors are good. I found an old new stock control board on ebay. The only other alternative was to buy a new refrigerator. Thanks for your help.

 

[Jake]

Yes, then ebay would be fine to get it from if you decide to fix it.

Jake