RF28R7201SR Samsung Refrigerator Help needed with fridge performance and ice maker

[Topgun83]

Model Number

RF28R7201SR

Brand

Samsung

Age

1-5 years

Hi, New here so I hope someone can point me in the correct direction. So my Samsung fridge is a little less than 2 years old (model RF28R7201SR), my concern is with the ice maker. The first issue I encountered is that it seems like when set to dispense just cubes, It now also tries to grind some of it also. Now more recently, I've noticed the ice in the maker isn't getting as cold? Meaning the ice seems slightly wet where as when the unit was new the ice was very cold to the point where it was completely solid and dry. That and when I open the door which houses the ice maker it will drip a little water trail. Also something it never did when it was new.

The temperatures have always been set the same since I got this fridge. 34F in upper fridge, 30F in middle drawer, and -2 in bottom freezer. It has no problem maintaining these temps. I'm a career auto mechanic so with translating that to my limited appliance exp, today I pulled the fridge out figuring all that would have changed is components getting dirty and so less efficient. The pics I attached are before, but I gently cleaned the cover which was awfully dust matted, pulled that cover off and the evaporator was also quite dust contaminated through the fins etc. I carefully cleaned and de-greased the evaporator, cleaned the fan blades etc. So hopefully that helps the situation?

Only reason I have doubts that it would is because although it will help efficiency, the fridge never has problems maintaining the set temperatures. So perhaps something that controls the flow of cold air to that freezer box? Last note, before the pic of the freezer i attached, I had taken the ice box out a week ago and used a hairdryer to remove all that ice buildup hanging and all other ice in the box. Sorry for this long post and thanks to anyone with good knowledge that can help.

Corrected model number

 

[Jake]

Did you clean the outer condenser coil? In your 3rd photo that looks fairly clogged with dust.

With the ice maker what is the temperature in the ice maker compartment?

I always use a freezer thermometer to read the real time temperature.

If you don't have freezer thermometer, get the RED Liquid or digital freezer thermometer. Walmart, Target sells them usually at about 10 dollars and they last a lifetime.

Or you can get a laser thermometer at Home Deport or Lowes.

 

[Topgun83]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Yes I did clean the condenser very thoroughly along with the rest of that gunk. By the way, is that water and gunk supposed to be there? One of those black tubes had some buildup which I removed. My control panel has at least from what I see, 3 temp Controls. The upper main fridge which is set to 34f the middle drawer set at 30f, and the bottom freezer set to -2. Is there a separate ice box temp control I'm not seeing? Or is the freezer box temp based off the lower compartment freezer Temps? If it's the latter, I'd assume whatever transfers the cold air from the bottom to the upper freezer is perhaps blocked somewhat.
Thanks, hope to hear your insight.

 

[Jake]

Is there a separate ice box temp control I'm not seeing?

No there isn't.

This is a fairly new Samsung design and I'm having trouble finding any parts list or a service manual for this model, but the older Samsung ice makers had a ice maker fan motor blow the cold air up from the freezer through a air tunnel to the ice maker compartment.

This guy explains it in this video:

 

[Robert4]

So my Samsung fridge is a little less than 2 years old (model RF8000MC)

This is a fairly new Samsung design and I'm having trouble finding any parts list or a service manual for this model

I think you might want to double check your model number. That seems to be a part number for the metal cover you found it on. The model number should be on a sticker inside of the fresh food section, and it should list the both the model number and serial number.

 

[Topgun83]

I think you might want to double check your model number. That seems to be a part number for the metal cover you found it on. The model number should be on a sticker inside of the fresh food section, and it should list the both the model number and serial number.

Thank you Jake for that video, and yes Robert I found the proper decal you mentioned. I was suspecting something like that because mine can keep the freezer easily at -2 but the ice seeming to gradually become less completely frozen made me think there was a blockage. It seems like the video said you can just pull apart that shroud in the upper level and check for icing and fan operation, so perhaps tomorrow I will try and take that apart. I hope his negative comments on Samsung fridge is maybe just his bad luck of the draw, or him not maintaining it.. Like in my first post, taking that back shield off and finding that much funk in the condenser was surprising, but i thoroughly cleaned it all out along with the fan blades etc. It seems like they should have installed some type of easy to pull out filter screen there.. What would be the cause of the Ice dispenser trying to crush some ice while set to cubed? It looks like a rather simple setup. maybe the gears worn in the front of the box that pulls out?

Thank you both for contributing, just a little bit more time and hopefully i can have this back to normal. I like to make things last, and I can't replace this big thing.

 

[Jake]

Thanks Robert!

I corrected your model number above. You also have a ice box fan motor, do you hear it running in the ice maker compartment?

Here's the ice maker auger fan motor(aka ice box fan motor) for your model:
DA31-00070E Motor Dc-Box FAN;2606JL


This video shows you how to access it:

What would be the cause of the Ice dispenser trying to crush some ice while set to cubed? It looks like a rather simple setup. maybe the gears worn in the front of the box that pulls out?

I couldn't locate the service manual for this model that would show you how to test that. But you see that square piece in your last photo in the very rear bottom right side of the ice maker compartment, that's where your metal rod bar goes into from the back of the ice bucket, that raises and lowers when you select cubed or crushed ice.

Also make sure that ice bucket metal arm bar moves freely up and down.

 

[Topgun83]

This past weekend I took some of this thing apart. There's a fan in this piece that seems like it never pushes air. I remember there being a slight push of air before. Is it possible this fan is for ice box also or is this separate? (To edit) I don't hear a fan in the ice box running and this one either. 2 fans not working at once. On a car, that would make me look towards what controls the two of them. Or is fans a common failure part? (Last edit) that repair looks a bit involved. I think I could do it but yeesh. This may be wishful thinking, is it possible with all that ice built up that the fan froze and tripped some kind of breaker? Only asking cause the other fan in pic seems to have similarly quit working. Would doing this forced defrost be Worth a try in your opinion? I guess lastly, if you have a link where I can buy the two fans maybe I'll just buy them and get to work thus weekend. Thanks.

 

[Jake]

The fan motor in the freezer moves the cold freezer air up to the ice compartment.

The fan motor in your photos is the refrigerator fan motor.

Here's the freezer fan motor: Motor Bldc FAN; DA31-00334D

Since you mentioned in your first post your temperatures have been doing fine, then the fans should be running properly, except for the ice maker auger fan motor(aka ice box fan motor).

This may be wishful thinking, is it possible with all that ice built up that the fan froze and tripped some kind of breaker? Only asking cause the other fan in pic seems to have similarly quit working.

Not that I'm aware of.

Would doing this forced defrost be Worth a try in your opinion?

Yes.

Also, did you get a freezer thermometer to put in the ice maker compartment to see what the temperature is in there?

 

[Topgun83]

Ok, thank you for all the help. Last question (for now) the 1st part number you listed was DA31-00070E, the latest number you posted is DA31-00334D. I'm confused on which to order. Thanks

 

[Jake]

The freezer fan motor inside the freezer compartment is : DA31-00334D that one should be running inside the freezer since your freezer temp is normal.

In post #7 above, the DA31-00070E is the ice maker auger fan motor(aka ice box fan motor) in your ice maker compartment, you said wasn't running.

 

[Topgun83]

Ok thanks. After getting off work, I did roughly a 20 to 25 min forced defrost. Fridge is still settling back to regular temperatures. I have a Laser temp reader if that works well for this application. I figured the forced defrost would be a last resort before trying for that freezer box fan. Possibly the coils froze through and preventing proper cooling? Just a guess, seen that happen on car evaporators and window units. This is getting frustrating lol. I'm not 100% sure if that freezer box fan is running or not. I'm assuming it doesn't put out alot of air when working.

 

[Topgun83]

Using an infrared thermometer the coldest I could get anywhere was in the ice tray at 26f mostly everywhere else was roughly 32f to 36f.

 

[Jake]

Using an infrared thermometer the coldest I could get anywhere was in the ice tray at 26f mostly everywhere else was roughly 32f to 36f.

Yes, that's way to warm, should be under 16 degrees F.

I'm not 100% sure if that freezer box fan is running or not. I'm assuming it doesn't put out alot of air when working.

Can you get access to it from the video I posted above and see if its running? On some models you have to hold in the door switch for it to run.

 

[Topgun83]

I ordered the fan for the ice box. Should be here this weekend. I'll keep you all updated. Again, thanks very much for walking me through this.

 

[Jake]

Ok, sounds good, glad to help!

 

[Topgun83]

I ordered the fan for the ice box. Should be here this weekend. I'll keep you all updated. Again, thanks very much for walking me through this.

Ok so I successfully replaced the ice box fan. Same part as the one removed. Ice was that colder dry and no water drippage from ice maker for about 2 to 3 days. It's now basically the same as before where the ice is damp and when using crushed ice it will even sometimes build up in dispenser cause it's somewhat slushy. Is there anything else that comes to mind for this lovely but now annoying fridge? This is basically how the ice comes straight from the maker. I realize this may sound silly, is it possible these cheap aftermarket water filters are causing the water to I dunno be like the incorrect balance of mineral preventing ice from freezing properly? Lol. I'm probably due soon for a change and I'll order the samsung brand if that's even a remote possibility.

 

[Jake]

Ok so I successfully replaced the ice box fan. Same part as the one removed. Ice was that colder dry and no water drippage from ice maker for about 2 to 3 days. It's now basically the same as before where the ice is damp and when using crushed ice it will even sometimes build up in dispenser cause it's somewhat slushy. Is there anything else that comes to mind for this lovely but now annoying fridge?

That is very strange, I don't know what else to suggest, sorry. It makes no sense to me why that is happening after the 2 or 3 days after you replaced the ice box fan.

I realize this may sound silly, is it possible these cheap aftermarket water filters are causing the water to I dunno be like the incorrect balance of mineral preventing ice from freezing properly?

That's a good question, but I don't know if that's the cause.

Hopefully another tech or member that's seen this problem and fixed it can shed some light on this issue.