FPHN2899LF4 Frigidaire Refrigerator - Evaporator fan not spinning

[BobBananas]

Model Number

FPHN2899LF4

Brand

Frigidaire

Age

6-10 years

Hi . My Frigidaire refrigerator FPHN2899LF4, evaporator fan stopped working with error code 5Y EF. The compressor was working and the freezer was cold. it is just the fridge. The fan does not spin.

I replaced the fan with a new one, as well as the thermostat - but still the fan did not spin.

I checked the thermistor resistance and it is 10k ohm at room temp and rose to about 17 when put under ice, so I think it is good.

There are two control boards. Refrigerator Control Board (Part 241891607) and Main Control Board (5303918505)

I replaced the main control board, and the fridge started working fine. The fan was spinning and it worked from Sunday to the following Friday.

On Friday I placed the fridge into Sabbath mode. The fridge failed with the same symptoms that night. The fan stopped working, yet the freezer was cooling. This time however, there was no 5Y EF code, just high temp in the fridge. The freezer was cooling and the condenser working.

I tried shutting off the power to try to reset the Main control board, as well as turning on and off the Sab mode. But the fan still does not turn.

I cannot understand why it was working for 6 days, and then stopped working. I am not saying that the Sab mode caused the problem. But it is very suspicious that it would stop working.

The only other option that I see is to replace the Thermister, which I thought was ok and the other board – control board 241891607. But since the fridge was working, I cannot see how replacing these would fix the problem.

Any ideas would be very appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Jake]

Hi, sounds like either the main control board or the evaporator fan motor you replaced is possibly defective.

You can verify voltage to it--->While the compressor is running, check for 12 volts DC to the fan between red and brown wires.

Here's the evaporator fan motor for your model:
241509402 Motor


For others following your thread--->Watch this video to access/replace it:

Frigidaire Refrigerator Replace Evaporator Fan Motor 241509402 | Repair Clinic

This video provides step-by-step repair instructions for replacing the evaporator fan motor on a Frigidaire refrigerator. Learn more from the experts at Repair Clinic.

www.anrdoezrs.net

Here's the main control board for your model:
5303918505 Board-Switch

 

[BobBananas]

Hi Jake. Thank you for replying so quickly.

I originally replaced the fan with a new one, even though ohms between red and white wires was 0 (there is no brown wire. There is a red, yellow, white and blue). The voltage between the red and white terminals that connect to the fan was over 12VDC.

It was running for almost a week. I can get a new fan and board, but it seems remote that this would be the cause. The fan would have had to failed in that time, and the same with the board.

Can you think of any other part that could cause this? Possibly that other board?

Thank you

 

[Jake]

Hi Bob,

I originally replaced the fan with a new one, even though ohms between red and white wires was 0 (there is no brown wire. There is a red, yellow, white and blue). The voltage between the red and white terminals that connect to the fan was over 12VDC.

There is no white wire on the evaporator fan motor, look at the photo:


Sounds like you ordered the wrong evaporator fan motor by mistake?

 

[BobBananas]

Could be. But I ordered the Exact same part number from Amazon (twice) and there is no brown wire. The white wire corresponds to the brown wire in your pic.

https://www.amazon.com/Refrigerator-Evaporator-7241509402-Replacement-Frigidaire/dp/B07V5T213Y/ref=sr_1_2?crid=L44QZ018DFDW&keywords=AP3958808+evaporator+fan+motor&qid=1683320865&s=hi&sprefix=ap3958808+evaporator+fan+motor%2Ctools%2C87&sr=1-2

Anyway, any idea if that other board could be the culprit? Do you think if I buy the part from appliancepartspros it could be different? Again, it was working fine, at least for a week.

Thank you for all your help

 

[Jake]

We see lots of problems with from parts from amazon and ebay.

Anyway, any idea if that other board could be the culprit?

The board should be fine if its a OEM board (not from amazon or ebay) and its sending out 12 volts DC to the evaporator fan motor.

Do you think if I buy the part from appliancepartspros it could be different?

Yes, it would be the correct OEM evaporator fan motor, with the correct color wires.

 

[BobBananas]

Okay… So I looked into all these Evaporator Fan Motor 241509402 parts. There are literally dozens of them on Amazon and most of them claim to be “OEM” parts. However, when looking at the Amazon comments, it is horrendous. Many of the fans fail within a few days or weeks. It seems to be a crapshoot.

It must be a very bad design by Frigidaire etc. that this part fails, which is why so many companies are making replacements. I just cannot understand why there are so many faulty parts.

The actual OEM part is Panasonic udqt22wp1 which is sold by appliancepartspros. I am going to try this and see if this is the issue.

Thanks

 

[Jake]

The actual OEM part is Panasonic udqt22wp1

That's the Panasonic evaporator fan motor number, we go by the manufacturer's part number when we look up parts, yours is: 241509402 like I posted the link to in post #2.

I am going to try this and see if this is the issue.

Ok Bob, sounds good.

 

[BobBananas]

Hi Jake.
After your last reply, I was about to order the new fan. However, in the interim, I shut of the fridge, overnight (The freezer said 0 degrees, fridge 60 degrees, no detectable air flow coming from the fridge vent). When I turned it on and checked it the next day, the temps went back to normal: Fz 0, Fr 37 (which is the default) and I felt cold air from the vent. For the next 4 days the fridge was the same. Yesterday, the temp on the freezer rose to 22, yet the fridge remained 37. Now the freezer fluctuates between 22 and 2 degrees. The fridge remains 37. This is weird. If the fan was faulty, wouldn’t the fridge temp rise also? Also, what sensor/thermostat regulates the freezer? I replaced the thermostat, and I thought the Thermister was for the fridge. Any ideas would be welcome. Thank you

 

[Jake]

Hi Bob,

Its got to be that evaporator fan motor you got from amazon, its not the correct one, you need the OEM one I posted above.

Place the thermistor is a small glass and fill it with crushed ice. Add enough water to cover the thermistor, then WAIT 5 MINUTES, This should bring the temperature of the thermistor very close to 32*F-33*F. At 33*F the thermistor should measure 31,658 ohms. At 32*F the thermistor should measure 32,566 ohms (+ or - 2%). Your thermistor should be between 31.6K and 32.5K ohms.

Here's the freezer thermistor for your model:
Thermistor 240597203

 

[BobBananas]

Hi Jake.

After your last reply, I replaced the fan with an OEM fan, and changed the thermistor (even though the old one was ok) (BTW, when I changed the fan, the coils were frozen over)

Now the fridge is 37deg (which is the default). However, the freezer still fluctuates between 0 and 15 degrees.

I have replaced the main board, the thermistor, the thermostat and the fan.

This is very frustrating. At this point, I’m about ready to trash the thing.

Any idea what else could be the issue?

Thanks and happy 4th

 

[Landon6544]

I just took the evaporator fan out of our Electrolux, model JBND-28, and the wire that's being referenced is white on mine, too. Could be a model difference, but everything else looks the same. I'm having the same initial problem as this gentleman. Ran test 15, and heard nothing. Took off the panel and ran it again, and saw no fan movement. I took the fan out, and ran the test, and it didn't even give an error. Just said 'lo', then 'hi', the 'off'. I was going to test the input voltages while I ran the test, before ordering a new fan, but I'm going to have to take the freezer door off first and get someone to help me. Are there any resistance checks I can run on the fan assembly? Thank you, and if I need to start a new thread, just let me know.