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Post by JSWynn on Jun 7, 2019 13:03:48 GMT
Good day everyone!
I have a 1937 GE monitor top fridge that belonged to my father-in-law and was given to us after he passed away. He owned it since 1966. I restored it about seven years ago and never had an issue with it, other than defrosting it...
A couple of weeks ago I turned it off to defrost it and now it only cycles every 15 minutes or so and isn't cooling. I absolutely have to get this refrigerator running again.
A ny help would be greatly appreciated!!
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Post by elec573 on Jun 8, 2019 17:01:48 GMT
Hello and welcome! We need a little more information. It cycles on and off by itself every 15 Minutes is what I understand? Yet it doesn’t get cold at all ? I’m assuming it’s a ck buy the year .
If its running but does not get cold it might be oil logged. This is when oil gets built up in the evaporator (the part that frosts up inside) and won’t let the refrigeration circulate through. Put a pan of boiling hot water in the evaporator and close the door ,this makes it work hard and forces out the oil that might be stuck in there .
Another thing it might have a stuck float while it’s running try tapping on the float housing with a piece of wood or hammer handle . Something that won’t dent or scratch up the outside of the float. You can hit it pretty hard, this sometimes will loosen up a stuck float. If you hear a whoosh and it sounds like running water I’d say that was your problem. The float housing is on top back right hand side .
Try these things and and let us know if it helps .
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Post by JSWynn on Jun 8, 2019 17:23:37 GMT
Thank you for the response and possible fixes. Did you mean to place boiling water under the evaporator? The ice tray, right? Please pardon my ignorance! I appreciate it!
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Post by turbokinetic on Jun 8, 2019 19:14:32 GMT
Welcome and glad elec573 has given you the above advice. I had made a reply yesterday and it has disappeared, apparently. That's frustrating!
As for the 15 minute cycles; that is an odd cycle length. Are you sure the compressor is actually running, and not just "trying to run" and then tripping the overload breaker?
Normally if the compressor is actually running; but not cooling; the unit would run constantly without stopping. There are really only two things which can stop the compressor once it's running. One is the overload breaker; which would reset after the element inside cools. The other is the thermostat, which requires the evaporator to be cold to turn off the compressor.
If the evaporator isn't cooling; then it would be hard for the thermostat to be turning off.
Sincerely, David
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Post by elec573 on Jun 9, 2019 6:19:29 GMT
As where to put hot water , in side the evaporator.
Where the the ice cube trays would go .
Try this and see what happens, and also tapping on the float.
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Post by JSWynn on Jun 10, 2019 15:23:49 GMT
I tried the boiling water and tapping the float housing. It doesn't seem to be working. I plan on trying it several times.
As far the cycling, the compressor kicks on and runs for a few minutes then shuts off. The ice trays do get "cold", meaning that I can feel them get colder while it is running. The monitor top is not getting hot or warm though.
I'm getting concerned...
You guys are the best!
Thanks for the help!
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Post by turbokinetic on Jun 10, 2019 17:51:35 GMT
I tried the boiling water and tapping the float housing. It doesn't seem to be working. I plan on trying it several times.
As far the cycling, the compressor kicks on and runs for a few minutes then shuts off. The ice trays do get "cold", meaning that I can feel them get colder while it is running. The monitor top is not getting hot or warm though.
I'm getting concerned...
You guys are the best!
Thanks for the help!
Interesting. To troubleshoot further, we'll need to figure out what part of the system is turning the compressor off. It's either the overload breaker in the start-relay; or it's the control (thermostat).
The hot water trick would only work if the compressor was running constantly without cooling. If it's stopping by its self, there's something electrical going on.
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Post by JSWynn on Jun 10, 2019 21:34:48 GMT
We by-passed the thermostat and put in a separate, more precise thermostat when I refurbished the fridge years ago. If I plug the refrigerator straight into the wall (no thermostat) it comes on, then shuts down a few minutes later.
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Post by cablehack on Jun 10, 2019 22:35:56 GMT
We by-passed the thermostat and put in a separate, more precise thermostat when I refurbished the fridge years ago. If I plug the refrigerator straight into the wall (no thermostat) it comes on, then shuts down a few minutes later. Lucky it's a CK because doing that would bypass the overload protection in some other models. I think it's worth measuring the power consumption while it's running and seeing if the cause of it switching off is the overload tripping in the start relay.
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Post by turbokinetic on Jun 10, 2019 23:37:28 GMT
We by-passed the thermostat and put in a separate, more precise thermostat when I refurbished the fridge years ago. If I plug the refrigerator straight into the wall (no thermostat) it comes on, then shuts down a few minutes later. Lucky it's a CK because doing that would bypass the overload protection in some other models. I think it's worth measuring the power consumption while it's running and seeing if the cause of it switching off is the overload tripping in the start relay. Yes sir you're fortunate that the control bypass didn't remove all of the compressor overload protection from the system. If this had been a CA or a DR machine, you would have destroyed it.
It sounds like the overload breaker (which is inside the start-relay) is tripping. This problem is likely due to the start circuit failing to disengage after the motor starts.
As with Cablehack, I encourage you to use a meter to see how much current it's drawing when running. If that's not feasible, you could "wildcat" an RO81 start-relay replacement into the unit and see what results it gives.
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Post by elec573 on Jun 11, 2019 1:56:12 GMT
Ok I haven’t heard what it actually is ck , I assumed . Can you find a mfg plate and let us know what it says. We need to know what model we are dealing with.
Second we need to know how long it’s running before it kicks off . There are several causes for your problems but I just thought of the basic ones . Also it sounds like you had some modifications on yours if so we need to know and to what extend . (Not that they are bad but we need to know what they are)
It could be something that was added that is not working as it should. From what you described it is puzzling. But that’s why we need more precess information .
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Post by coldspaces on Jun 11, 2019 4:11:42 GMT
If it at first cools down the evaporator and then nothing much happens that sounds like a plugged float. That would make it run non stop usually though so not sure. Would help if we new how many watts it is drawing?
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Post by jswynn on Jun 12, 2019 19:40:17 GMT
Thank you all so much! I will get the info needed on watt usage. I dont know what model the refrigerator is. When my father-in-law had it the back facing was gone. I assume that is where the serial numbers, etc are...
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Post by elec573 on Jun 12, 2019 22:55:28 GMT
It does sound like a stuck float,but like turbo said it would keep running. But would like to know what modifications were made to it maybe something that was added has an auto Matic cut off after running so long . Also if it has a little protruding dimple on the top it would indicate it’s a ck . Users sulphur dioxide as a refrigerant. The more information you can give us the better.
Your avatar is that a picture of it ? Can’t be sure if it’s a ck it gets more blurry when I try and blow it up. It’s definitely on an older cabinet dr , but if it’s a ca then
whole different thing .
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Post by jswynn on Jun 13, 2019 0:11:20 GMT
Yes, it has a protruding dimple on top. The only thing that we did to the unit was add an external thermostat. It only cooled down to around 45 degrees when my father in law had it, and when I refurbished it. The original temperature knob wasn't working properly so we by passed the thermostat and installed a new external thermostat. That fridge has worked like a champ for the last 8 years! Properly cooling to whatever temp we set it at. (around 34 degrees) Of course it would frost and freeze up and I would have to let it thaw, but was always on point! The last time I defrosted it, a few weeks ago, it worked just like normal for a few hours and then went south. It does have a small bronze plate inside the door that has "7AL992" on it. Don't know if that is anything though...Thanks for the help!
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