GE PSI23SCRDSV freezer/fridge occasionally stops working

[Lynchpin]

Model Number

PSI23SCRDSV

Brand

GE

Age

More than 10 years

Every 10 to 14 days my GE PSI23SCRDSV side-by-side starts getting warm. The freezer side warms up to about 10 degrees. I don't know if the fridge side is working and just getting warm from me opening the door a lot. I usually cycle the ice maker, dump the ice, and cycle power to the fridge. I'm not sure which does it, but eventually the freezer turns back on and starts working. The freezer is not overfull nor does it appear that the vents are blocked. There isn't any significant ice build up. The condenser coils are clean, and the condenser fan runs fine. All of the issues I have found online seem to be drastic permanent issues whereas mine is periodic and temporary.

 

[Jake]

When the freezer side warms up like that do you notice if the refrigerator compressor and fan motors are still running? Or is everything dead silent?

What is the Realtime temperature that your freezer thermometer says it it?

If you don't have freezer thermometer you can get the RED Liquid or digital freezer thermometer. Walmart, Target sells them usually at about 10 dollars and they last a lifetime. The temperature needs to be 10 degrees F or lower at all times for the ice maker to work properly.

 

[Lynchpin]

I'm not sure. I think the refrigerator side makes noise but the freezer side definitely does not.
I don't have a freezer thermometer, but there is a digital freezer temperature readout in the fridge. I usually see it at 5 or 6 degrees and it slowly warms up to 9 or 10. I usually take action around that point to keep things from defrosting further.

 

[Jake]

Ok, its best to get a Realtime freezer thermometer because the freezer needs to be 0 degrees F. at all times.

 

[Lynchpin]

OK. I have gauge realtime thermometer in the freezer now. However, I had another warming episode right the week of Christmas before I got the thermometer. I turned off the power for 30 minutes and the freezer turned back on. Any thoughts?

 

[Jake]

OK. I have gauge realtime thermometer in the freezer now

Ok, good.

The freezer side warms up to about 10 degrees.

When it warms up like that do you notice if the freezer evaporator fan motor and compressor are still running? Or is the refrigerator dead silent?

Also, you can pull the refrigerator out from the wall, then unplug it, then remove the motherboard and check for any burnt spots on it, especially at the R43 resistor, if that is the case then you'd need to replace both the motherboard and the freezer evaporator fan motor.


Here's the motherboard for your model, if needed:

GE WR55X10942C Board Asm Main Control (AP7188100) - AppliancePartsPros.com

Board asm main control WR55X10942C / AP7188100 made by GE

click.linksynergy.com

Here's the freezer evaporator fan motor for your model, if needed:
Evaporator Fan Motor Assembly WR60X10307

 

[Lynchpin]

It's warming up right now; it's about 10F. The compressor seems to be running; there is a low hum in the freezer compartment.

 

[Lynchpin]

I dumped the ice and let the system sit with the power off for about 30 minutes. It got up to 30F+. It's cooling again, and the freezer fan is definitely running now.

 

[Jake]

Ok 10 degrees is still ok, make sure it drops back down to 0 degrees, which is normal.

 

[Lynchpin]

Ok 10 degrees is still ok, make sure it drops back down to 0 degrees, which is normal.

Yes, it's back to 0. Is the motherboard where I should be looking still?

 

[Jake]

No, because going up to just 10 degrees and dropping back down to 0 degrees is not out of the norm.

Now if if it stayed at 10 degrees or higher at all times, then we'd have a problem.

All refrigerators go through auto-defrost cycles daily, so that could explain it. Mine does the same.

 

[Lynchpin]

So the refrigerator seems to have a weekly, noticeable cycle. It gets up to 20F in the freezer and then gets back to 0F. Fine.

Yesterday, the freezer started to warm up and went past 30F today and was nearly 60F later in the day (with the fridge side getting warm too). It wasn't noticeably trying to cool at all, just a low hum in both sections. I cycled power at the breaker. There was clatter and shake from the lower back and underside of the refrigerator after the power cycle. Then the refrigerator was noticeably trying to cool and eventually everything returned to the proper temperature. This seems like the problem I was having before.

 

[Jake]

Ok, then that sounds like either the motherboard or compressor starting to fail on you.

Next time the temperature starts climbing in the freezer like that, pull the refrigerator out from the wall, then remove the lower rear access panel and see the compressor and condenser fan motor, next to the compressor, are BOTH running.

If the compressor is NOT running, check for 120 Volts AC across J8 and J7-9 on the motherboard, like Rick mentioned here:

Hotpoint refrigerator HSM25GFTASA not cooling.

Hello all, Unfortunately my refrigerator stopped cooling for the third time. Last time was couple weeks ago and the time before that was almost a year ago. Last week the drain was frozen and I had ice on the bottom of my freezer. I cleaned out the ice and the drain hose (which did have some...

www.applianceblog.com

J8 to J7-9 should be 120 volts AC which starts the compressor.

If you don't get 120 volts across J8 to J7-9, then you'd need a new motherboard:
WR55X10942C Control Board

 

[Lynchpin]

Thanks! What about if there is 120 volts across J8 to J7-9?

 

[Jake]

What about if there is 120 volts across J8 to J7-9?

Then your motherboard is fine.

If that condenser fan is running and the compressor is not running, then unplug the refrigerator and shake and ohm test that compressor start relay.

There should be a metal snap clip you just unsnap off with a flathead screwdriver and then you will see your capacitor mounted on the compressor start relay, that just pulls off the compressor start relay. Then remove the wires from the compressor start relay, mark down on paper where they go before you remove the wires.

If it doesn't shake inside then use your ohm meter to ohm both parallel holes on it, it should read 3-12 ohms.

Here's the compressor start relay for your model(Video Included):
Relay and Overload Kit WR09X10107

 

[Lynchpin]

There is 120 volts across J8 to J7-9. The compressor didn't seem to be running. The relay rattled but measured 7.3 ohms. It's failing. Right?

 

[Jake]

When it rattles and its broken inside you shouldn't get 7.3 ohms, you meter would read nothing when its broken inside the compressor start relay.

 

[Lynchpin]

OK. I saw another rattle test video - my relay sounds like there are loose parts in the relay like I heard in the video.

 

[Jake]

Yes, I know, but like I said, the meter would show nothing if it was broken inside.

And also you'd see little pieces of plastic and metal falling out of it while your shaking it.

The compressor start relay could be starting to fail if you say it occasionally stops working.