GE Refrigerator PFSF6PKWBWW not freezing completely

[Ironbar]

Model Number

PFSF6PKWBWW

Brand

GE

Age

More than 10 years

I have a GE PFSF6PKWBWW. Very old refrigerator but it sat in storage many years so I thought it would still run fine. Unfortunately it does not.

The freezer on the unit cools but it does not freeze the top tray. It seems to hover around 34 degrees. The bottom bin seems to at least stay below 32 degrees but not by much. If you place water in the top tray it get slushy but does not freeze solid.

I have done the following:

1) checked the resistance of the thermistor at room temperature and the resistance is correct (need to double-check at freezing temperature)
2) checked operations of both freezer evaporator fans - they are both spinning
3) check to make sure the evaporator is not frozen over - it is not, it seems to barely have any frost on it
4) reset panel and checked ran through diagnostics - nothing is showing in error

The display panel shows the freezer achieves whatever temperature I set it to. i.e. if I set it to -4 degrees, after an hour or so it reports the unit is at -4 degrees.

So, my questions are, where does the display panel get it's temperature from? Is it reporting the thermistor at the evaporator coil or the thermistor in the ceiling of the freezer? Any idea what would cause this issue?

 

[Shawnryan111]

Let it run for a while with the doors closed. While it is running make sure the compressor is steady running and not clicking in and out. After its ran for a while look at the evaporator coils and report what you see. You should see a thin layer of frost along the entire coil. But see if the frost is all the way, half, three quarters ect.

Some display boards will display actual temperature and set temperature and some only set temperature so you have to know which one you are looking at. Display board gets information from main board.

 

[Ironbar]

I let it run for a while. The frost is building only on the top half of the evaporator coils. Slightly more on the very top. I'm guessing that means there is a sealed system problem and this unit is trash.

This unit does display the "actual temperature". I just cannot figure out why it thinks it is at -4 degrees when it is actually 30 degrees inside.

 

[Shawnryan111]

Yes sealed system problem if frost is only at top. It can be fixed but it will cost you my opinion not worth it.

 

[Ironbar]

Thank you for your help. This one is going to the dump.