georgepb
Premium Member
- Model Number
- 700 TCI
- Brand
- Sub-Zero
- Age
- More than 10 years
Hi, my refrigerator seems to be having similar problems as discussed in
https://www.applianceblog.com/mainf...erator-freezers-700tci-defrost-problem.86961/,
although my 700 TCI is a few years older and it has a single compressor with the evaporator located
underneath the bottom freezer drawer. I started noticing grinding sound a few months ago and initially thought
it was the compressor dying but when I opened the kick plate to see and touch the compressor I realized the
compressor was working fine (though hot to the touch) and the sound came from the back of the refrigerator.
So I thought it must be the fan hitting the ice buildup around it. I contacted a local technician who spent only
a few minutes on it and concluded that it was the defrost terminator that's gone bad. So he ordered a replacement
and put it in a few days later. The refrigerator was turned off while waiting for the replacement part so naturally
all the ice had melted and there was no more grinding sound after the new defrost terminator was put in.
So we thought the problem was fixed. But a few weeks later the sound came back and I saw the ice buildup
again. This time he suggested I contact Subzero.
I followed the thread above carefully and did some checking on my own. Here is what I noticed:
1) The refrigerator works fine as far as being able to maintain the set temperatures (38 for the frigg
and 4 for the freezer), 2) the ice around the evaporator builds up slowly over many days, 3) the
defrost rod seems to be working. When I shut off the unit and turn it back on, the defrost rod is
extremely hot and I could see the ice around it melting. 4) I'm not 100% sure about this but I believe
the compressor never shuts down ever since this problem developed. The compressor is always hot
to the touch and I can feel the slight vibration when I place my hand on it. Since the compressor is always
on, the condenser fan is always on which is very noticeable. The only time the fan is off is when I open
the refrigerator door. 5) I am wondering if the excessive running of the compressor is causing the temperature
to run well below the set freezer temperature which then causes more ice to form on the evaporator than
can be removed by defrost cycles. This is a pure conjecture and I could be dead wrong. But I did placed
a thermometer in the bottom freezer drawer and saw a reading of -14 degree while the refrigerator reading
showed the set temperature of 4 degree, Why the discrepancy?.I have no idea.
Reading through the previous threads on Subzero I have no doubt there are members on this forum
who are far more knowledgeable than I about troubleshooting these problems. I really appreciate
your time and expertise and look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,
-George

https://www.applianceblog.com/mainf...erator-freezers-700tci-defrost-problem.86961/,
although my 700 TCI is a few years older and it has a single compressor with the evaporator located
underneath the bottom freezer drawer. I started noticing grinding sound a few months ago and initially thought
it was the compressor dying but when I opened the kick plate to see and touch the compressor I realized the
compressor was working fine (though hot to the touch) and the sound came from the back of the refrigerator.
So I thought it must be the fan hitting the ice buildup around it. I contacted a local technician who spent only
a few minutes on it and concluded that it was the defrost terminator that's gone bad. So he ordered a replacement
and put it in a few days later. The refrigerator was turned off while waiting for the replacement part so naturally
all the ice had melted and there was no more grinding sound after the new defrost terminator was put in.
So we thought the problem was fixed. But a few weeks later the sound came back and I saw the ice buildup
again. This time he suggested I contact Subzero.
I followed the thread above carefully and did some checking on my own. Here is what I noticed:
1) The refrigerator works fine as far as being able to maintain the set temperatures (38 for the frigg
and 4 for the freezer), 2) the ice around the evaporator builds up slowly over many days, 3) the
defrost rod seems to be working. When I shut off the unit and turn it back on, the defrost rod is
extremely hot and I could see the ice around it melting. 4) I'm not 100% sure about this but I believe
the compressor never shuts down ever since this problem developed. The compressor is always hot
to the touch and I can feel the slight vibration when I place my hand on it. Since the compressor is always
on, the condenser fan is always on which is very noticeable. The only time the fan is off is when I open
the refrigerator door. 5) I am wondering if the excessive running of the compressor is causing the temperature
to run well below the set freezer temperature which then causes more ice to form on the evaporator than
can be removed by defrost cycles. This is a pure conjecture and I could be dead wrong. But I did placed
a thermometer in the bottom freezer drawer and saw a reading of -14 degree while the refrigerator reading
showed the set temperature of 4 degree, Why the discrepancy?.I have no idea.
Reading through the previous threads on Subzero I have no doubt there are members on this forum
who are far more knowledgeable than I about troubleshooting these problems. I really appreciate
your time and expertise and look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,
-George


