GE Profile refrigerator condenser fan not turning on

Quattro · 06-24-2008, 10:16 AM

Hey all, I have a GE Profile refrigerator (model PDS22SFSBRSS) that needs some help.

I noticed last Friday that it was running constantly, and taking a long time to cool down after the doors were opened (it has digital temp display). It ran constantly all weekend too. Last night I pulled it away from the wall and took the rear cover off. The first thing I noticed was the condenser fan not running, while the compressor was on. The compressor was too hot to touch, and the connection at the end of the drier looked kind of melted. Not sure if anything is broken there.

But, I took the condenser fan off (it's a 12VDC type), and tested it with a 9V battery. It works! So, whatever is supposed to turn that fan on isn't working.

Any ideas? Main control board? The evaporator fan is working, and there is no frost anywhere (haven't checked evaporator coil). I put a room fan on the back side, and that got the temps back down to normal, and the dang thing actually turns off now and then, as it should.

Help!

Thanks

jeff1 · 06-24-2008, 10:40 AM

Hi,

Power for the fan motor comes from the mother board.
Have had a few motors crap out and take out the board at the same time. Hopefully just the board on yours.

If needed:
PDS22SFSBRSS

Main control board

Condenser fan motor

jeff.

Quattro · 06-24-2008, 12:50 PM

Thanks very much, Jeff! I was able to get the fan running using a 9V battery, does that mean it's OK? I assume so.

Can't believe the control board is cheaper than the fan motor! Wow.

Looks like I'll be ordering a control board.

Thanks again.

jeff1 · 06-24-2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

was able to get the fan running using a 9V battery, does that mean it's OK? I assume so.

Definetly a good sign it is ok yes.

jeff.

Quattro · 06-25-2008, 04:56 PM

OK, a new twist in the troubles. So, having made the fan work with a 9V battery, I figured the motor was OK.

However, today I tested the voltage coming to the condenser fan while the fridge was on. It tested 13+volts DC at pink/white and red/white. So, this tells me the board is sending voltage. Dangit! The board is already in the mail to me.

However, oddly, when I disconnect this molex plug (the white one with the red/white/pink going in, and red/blue/yellow/white coming out), I hear the evaporator fan turn off. Plug it back together, and it comes back on. So, for some reason, the evap fan has to make a loop through the condenser fan in order to run. Does that make sense? This is getting confusing.

Now I'm not so sure the new board will make a difference, and I'll be out $90.

Was my 9V battery test worthless?

Also, I included a photo of the compressor and drier (torpedo shaped copper at top). Look at the left end of the drier and tell me if that looks melted/broken to you. The fridge is cooling fine (I still have the room fan pointed on the condenser/compressor), so I assume the coolant is all still there. This just looks bad.

Any other help would be much appreciated. I'm not sure now whether to just reject the package when it comes (the new control board), or try it anyway.

Thanks!

jeff1 · 06-25-2008, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Also, I included a photo of the compressor and drier (torpedo shaped copper at top). Look at the left end of the drier and tell me if that looks melted/broken to you.

Broken no, melted yes. Plastic cover is scorched from the welding process. Doesn't appear to be anything to worry about.

Quote:

However, today I tested the voltage coming to the condenser fan while the fridge was on. It tested 13+volts DC at pink/white and red/white. So, this tells me the board is sending voltage.

With the motor attached? Might be ghost or not real power.

Quote:

However, oddly, when I disconnect this molex plug (the white one with the red/white/pink going in, and red/blue/yellow/white coming out), I hear the evaporator fan turn off. Plug it back together, and it comes back on. So, for some reason, the evap fan has to make a loop through the condenser fan in order to run.

Appears to be in parallel ( sp? )...

A common one I found.

jeff.

Quattro · 06-25-2008, 08:36 PM

Thanks for the insight, Jeff. Yes, that schematic is the same as I have in front of me. Tell me, if it's DC voltage, why two power inputs (red and pink)? Or, what purpose does the pink serve?

And when I checked voltage, it was at the end of the red/pink/white molex plug but it was not attached to the condenser fan. Would that make a difference? With the compressor off, the voltage from red/white was 13.5 - and from pink/white was 0.9. With the compressor on, voltage from red/white was still 13.5, but now the pink/white went up to 13.5 as well. So, it seems like it is "switching on" the juice when necessary.

Any other way to test the fan?

Thanks!

Quattro · 06-25-2008, 08:43 PM

Whoa! I just tested the voltage (compressor on) of the pink/white WITH the fan attached...and it showed only 2.4 volts! That wouldn't be enough to turn the motor, I bet. So, maybe we ARE back to a board problem! yay!

Thanks Jeff!

jeff1 · 06-26-2008, 06:06 AM

Evaporator fan motor is often 2 speed, don't believe the condensor fan motor is. Trouble with DC voltage is it has no unff ( push ). Can show ok disconnected but fail when connected to a device.

Quote:

it's DC voltage, why two power inputs (red and pink)? Or, what purpose does the pink serve?

Unknown. Testing purposes of the board to tell if the condensor fan motor is up and running?

jeff.

Quattro · 06-26-2008, 08:32 AM

Yes, evap fan is 2-speed. Strange that it has to make a loop through the condenser fan in order to achieve the higher speed. These fancy new machines are complicated!

And why on earth are the fan motors so expensive? You don't have to answer that, it's just weird.