clint
New Member
Posts: 9
|
Post by clint on Jan 17, 2016 4:03:11 GMT
I have an early 1940's Hotpoint and am experiencing a problem with frequent cycling. The refrigerator get and stays cold but comes on for about a minute and a half and then cuts off for about the same. When it stops running turning the thermostat up does not start another cycle. I found the fan for the coils is not running and am wondering if that might cause this symptom or if it is something else in addition to a bad fan.
|
|
|
Post by coldspaces on Jan 17, 2016 6:48:25 GMT
Sounds like the fan could be doing it. Might be causing the compressor overload to trip. Let us know if you need help selecting a replacement and replacing the fan motor.
|
|
|
Post by stlvortac on Jan 17, 2016 17:54:26 GMT
I agree sounds like the fan motor. You can try to add oil (10wt, or 3&1 20wt electric motor oil) and give it a push but I'm betting its dead. You'll find it next to impossible to replace just the fan as the wiring is so brittle. I ended up rewiring the entire fridge. Here's the most common wiring diagram for your fridge. Here's the entire manual members.iinet.net.au/~cool386/ge_service/ge_service.htmlThe following link is the Fan motor I got off ebay. I purchased it for half price using the best offer feature and it worked. lol. I chose this motor for a few reasons. It's an NOS OEM Morrill unit made in the USA. Its only .16 amps which is closest to the original. The original motor was rated with input watts, the current are rated in output watts. It has amazing bearings, will spin over a min after shut off. www.ebay.com/itm/MORRILL-Unit-Bearing-Motor-115V-2-Watt-Output-16-Amp-1550-RPM-New-Made-In-USA-/231816179843?hash=item35f9523083:g:CmAAAOSwqYBWmqLJOriginally I got a a made in china 2 watt unit bearing motor that was rated at .23 amps. It sounded like my plane while I'm doing a run-up before takeoff. Not pleasant. I made spacers pictured below since the fan motor is slightly different in size.
|
|
|
Post by coldspaces on Jan 17, 2016 20:33:41 GMT
|
|
clint
New Member
Posts: 9
|
Post by clint on Jan 17, 2016 22:10:30 GMT
Thanks for the quick replies and info. I pulled the fan out and am able to get it to work on a bench after oiling. I wanted to confirm that the fan should be pulling air through the condenser with air flow from front to back as this is the way it is currently working. I am also going to continue to bench test the fan to make sure it doesn't have any dead spots on startup and will replace if needed.
Once I pulled the fan out I tested the refrigerator briefly without the fan. It ran a little longer around 3 minutes before cutting off (I think with the compressor overload). After a minute and a half or so it comes back on and continues to cycle like that. I'm wondering if there is another problem beyond the fan (I"m not sure how the refrigerator should act without a fan so can't say). Any suggestions on testing the compressor or cutoff relay?
|
|
|
Post by coldspaces on Jan 18, 2016 0:34:43 GMT
Yes the fan should be pulling air trough the coil.Try placing a temporary fan in front of the coil. See if it stays on then.
|
|
clint
New Member
Posts: 9
|
Post by clint on Jan 18, 2016 15:32:42 GMT
The refrigerator ran normally with an external fan in place. After reinstalling the original fan (it was running well after oiling) I am having the same short cycle issue so I'm guessing the fan is either pulling too much current or the compressor overload is tripping with less current than normal. I am going to order one of the replacement fans mentioned above and see how it goes.
Thanks for the ideas.
|
|
|
Post by ChrisJ on Jan 18, 2016 17:00:40 GMT
The refrigerator ran normally with an external fan in place. After reinstalling the original fan (it was running well after oiling) I am having the same short cycle issue so I'm guessing the fan is either pulling too much current or the compressor overload is tripping with less current than normal. I am going to order one of the replacement fans mentioned above and see how it goes. Thanks for the ideas. Order a Kill-A-Watt meter while you're at it to measure power consumption. Amazon has them. They're cheap and work fairly well.
|
|
clint
New Member
Posts: 9
|
Post by clint on Jan 20, 2016 23:07:22 GMT
I replaced the fan and am still having the same issue so I'm guessing either the compressor is pulling too much current or the overload relay is tripping too soon. If I get a Kill-A-Watt meter will it help isolate between the two? How much current does it take to trip the overload and what are normal run parameters with the Kill-A-Watt plugged in?
|
|
|
Post by stlvortac on Jan 21, 2016 0:35:44 GMT
I wonder if the start relay is sticking, this was cause the overload to trip. I believe you're looking in the 160-190 watt range after its been running for a few mins.
|
|
clint
New Member
Posts: 9
|
Post by clint on Jan 22, 2016 17:21:13 GMT
When I use a Kill-A-Watt meter the refrigerator starts around 210 Watts and keeps going up to around 250 Watts where it stays until the overload shuts it down at around a minute and 30 seconds. Any ideas on what this is pointing at or further testing to try?
|
|
|
Post by ChrisJ on Jan 22, 2016 19:56:29 GMT
250 watts, depending on the power factor is likely 416-500 voltamps. This means 3.5 to 4 amps. That's likely the correct trip current for the overload.
I am by no means an expert on these, in fact I know very little. But wouldn't a clogged or restricted float valve cause this?
|
|
|
Post by coldspaces on Jan 22, 2016 22:07:50 GMT
May be the relay contacts a welded together. Start winding is staying on all the time. An amp meter placed around the wire to the start winding would confirm it. Since it gets cold I don't think the float is blocked enough to raise the watts that high.
|
|
clint
New Member
Posts: 9
|
Post by clint on Jan 22, 2016 23:09:19 GMT
Does anyone have a recommendation for a replacement relay? I might just order one as I don't have a clamp on amp meter to try testing the wire to the start winding.
Thanks for the suggestions and help.
|
|
|
Post by coldspaces on Jan 23, 2016 0:17:26 GMT
This solid state one is what most use. They are pretty easy to hook up. www.supco.com/web/supco_live/products/RO81.htmlAt least one person was crazy enough to fit a modern relay and overload into the old relay housing. monitortop.freeforums.net/thread/37/ge-type-relay-modernizationNext time you start it try hitting the relay housing with something and see if it brakes loose and shuts of the start winding. Of course don't hit it too hard and break the housing. Could also have a bad electrical winding in the motor causing it to draw too much. You would have to ohm out the wingdings to see. Moving the wires to replace the relay or unhooking the wires to ohm out the windings will probably lead to rewiring the refrigerator.
|
|