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GE side-by-side refrigerator GSS23GSKNCSS not cooling properly

erdos

Premium Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
6
Location
nv
Model Number
GSS23GSKNCSS
Brand
GE
Age
1-5 years
I have a GE side-by-side refrigerator that's not cooling properly. The temp were set to 0/37F for freezer/fridge respectively. but it rose to mid 20/low 40F.

I took out the evaporator coil cover in freezer and observed the evap coil were covered with ice, after doing some reading online, I tested defrost heater, measured resistance varied bet. 37ohms and 53ohms, hmm, easy! So i thought and bought a new defrost heater online to replace it. afterwards it's getting better, after 24 hrs of running, freezer/fridge stabilized to 8F/40F with set temp at 0/37F, it doesn't seem the new heater is running given the evap coils is frosted.

I looked at both thermostat and evaporator fan in the freezer, and thermostat doesn't bulge, one of indicator it's going bad, evaporator fan is spinning with power on. i hesitated to replace the temp sensor and termostat without continuity test since they might be turned out good as defrost heater.

My questions:
1 it is possible to test temp sensor and thermostat without cutting the wires?
2. how to test the main control board for this model? is there a schematic/wiring diagram available online? I couldn't seem to find wiring diagram after opening back control panel and compressor department.
 

Jake

Appliance Tech - Admin
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
139,476
Location
Vicksburg Junction, Arizona
1 it is possible to test temp sensor and thermostat without cutting the wires?
Not without the schematics, and I can't locate them for your model online. All machines come with them, look behind your lower bottom kickplate grille or underneath the refrigerator door upper hinge cover for the schematics sheet.

Yes, it does sound like possibly the evaporator thermistor or control board is bad. You can ohm test the evaporator thermistor is a glass of ice water, waiting at least 5 minutes, then it should read about 16.3k ohms.

Here's the evaporator thermistor for your model:
WR55X10025 Temperature Sensor


If you can't find your schematics, then you will need to cut the wires to ohm test the evaporator thermistor, but don't cut the wires too close to the sensor end.

2. how to test the main control board for this model? is there a schematic/wiring diagram available online? I couldn't seem to find wiring diagram after opening back control panel and compressor department.
Same answer as I posted for question 1.
Not without the schematics, and I can't locate them for your model online. All machines come with them, look behind your lower bottom kickplate grille or underneath the refrigerator door upper hinge cover for the schematics sheet.
 

erdos

Premium Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
6
Location
nv
thanks for the reply!

I looked at kickplate grille, it seems to have something underneath, but I'm not sure how to access it since there's no room for me to fetch it from bottom.

I unplugged the fridge, cleaned the condenser. Re plugged in and have the fridge running in the past couple days, temp is stablizing to 2/37F (not bad at all), I also leave a piece of paper under the defrost heater, it doesn't seem to get wet. So I'm not sure the heater is turned on periodically.

here's a picture showing back of freezer side.
 

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Jake

Appliance Tech - Admin
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
139,476
Location
Vicksburg Junction, Arizona
The evap. coils are starting to get too much frost on them, the defrost heater should have turned on by now, how is it this morning?
 

erdos

Premium Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
6
Location
nv
as of 630pm, coils are still covered with frost, the temp for both freezer and fridge are good at 0/37F.

could this caused by loose connection?
I'll leave the evaporator coils cover off to observe further.
 

Jake

Appliance Tech - Admin
Staff member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Messages
139,476
Location
Vicksburg Junction, Arizona
could this caused by loose connection?
Possibly yes.

I'll leave the evaporator coils cover off to observe further.
Its better to put it back in place loosely, as its very important for the defrost cycle to work properly with it in place.
 

Jake

Appliance Tech - Admin
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
139,476
Location
Vicksburg Junction, Arizona
Thanks bigbuck.(y)
 

erdos

Premium Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
6
Location
nv
Uses this tech sheet:
thank you!

It looks that the heater would be turned on every 96hrs according to the sheet - and i've turned it on since last Thursday. I might need to test evaporator thermistor and heater connection as next step.
 

Jake

Appliance Tech - Admin
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
139,476
Location
Vicksburg Junction, Arizona

erdos

Premium Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
6
Location
nv
just to report back:

I ran the resistance test from connector on the main control board: resistance across defrost heater (new) and evaporator thermostat is 26.4 ohms, resistance for evap thermistor submerging in ice water measured at 13.64k Ohms ( a bit lower than suggested 16.3k since i first held the water cup with my hand for 5 mins, then freed hand to measure resistance). i inspected the main board and there's no visual damage to it. So I put the evaporator cover back and plugged in the fridge, ran a 'defrost state toggle' test from diagnostic mode, all fans immediately turned off and compressor stopped running, I can hear hissing sound coming from defrost heater behind the evaporator cover. After a few hours, temp stabilized at 0/37F.

I'll see whether defrost issue remains.
 

Jake

Appliance Tech - Admin
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
139,476
Location
Vicksburg Junction, Arizona
I can hear hissing sound coming from defrost heater behind the evaporator cover.
That indicates the evaporator thermistor and defrost heater are working fine.
 

erdos

Premium Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
6
Location
nv
the frost problem is back for the fridge last weekend.

back panel is covered in thick ice, and temp for freezer and fridge have been rising to 28/43F with set temp 0/37F. I ran the thermistor self test from panel and it pass for all 4 thermistors. Running Toggle frost test, compressor and evap fan were turned off, but I don't observe the heater turn on. not sure I can trust self test for thermistors from front panel. also when I last checked evaporator thermistor with icy water, it seemed ok.

Should i consider replacing the main control board now?
 

Jake

Appliance Tech - Admin
Staff member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Messages
139,476
Location
Vicksburg Junction, Arizona
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