GE Double Door Refrigerator GSH25JSXNSS Fan Switching To High Speed and Freezing

Chetlaham · Tuesday at 05:05

Hi, I have a GE GSH25JSXNSS double door side by side refrigerator and freezer where the freezer evaporator fan keeps switching to hi speed. Previously it did this only a few minutes when coming out of defrost or the door was left open for more than several minutes. The past week it has been switching to high speed several times an hour without the door open, and will stay this way for up to 15 minutes. Also, I've noticed things like a gallon of water are freezing on the top shelf where they previously did not. A refrigerator thermometer says the fresh food compartment is dipping to as low as 30*F despite the fridge section being set to number 7 out of 9.

What would cause this? Bad thermistors, control board or dusty condenser coils? Something else? Or just normal for this time of year? Should I just wait to see if it will go away?

vacerator · Tuesday at 07:58

Read the GE service manual for any SxS since the year 2000. "Liner protection mode is king!" When ambient air hits frozen plastic, it can crack. The fan is variable speed. I never leave the doors open more than 2 minutes. That makes it defrost sooner and more often. I'd rather have the fan running without the compressor as much as possible.

Chetlaham · Tuesday at 08:10

So the fridge knows the gallon water jug is inside it and is compensating?

The evaporator fan 99% of the time only runs when the compressor runs. But if the interior air temp gets to warm, the evap fan will switch to high speed.

Edit ok, that makes sense. It knows if the door has been open for more than 3 minutes and kicks into high speed.

Though I still don't get why its happening with the door closed for several hours without being touched.

vacerator · Tuesday at 08:37

Mine is a 2007 model 25.4 cu. ft. Ever since I can recall, the door alarm has gone off every few month's when closed. At this stage, it really doesn't owe us much. I check the temps. occasionally. I can tell when it's ready to defrost because the fan hits the icy evaporator.

Chetlaham · Tuesday at 08:44

Sounds like I'm lucky or at least I am in this point in time. 2007 all the way until now is a good run.

phillymatt53 · Tuesday at 11:01

Ah, you guys with your modern complex (electronic) appliances!
Always some issue seems to surface with things.

vacerator · Tuesday at 12:23

Modern? Oh to live in a perfect world. Nothing and no one is forever. Had appliances never needed repairs in the 60's, 70s, 80s, and early 90s, my dad wouldn't have been a Sears servicer for 33 years. We ate good, etc. Their 1967 Coldspot bottom freezer Spacemaster "16" compressor failed after 4 years. Only had to pay the labor. My 1974 GM Frigidaire car A/C was nice and cold but repeatedly blew thermal limiter fuses.

gelaundry4ever · Tuesday at 14:10

Chetlaham said:
Hi, I have a GE GSH25JSXNSS double door side by side refrigerator and freezer where the freezer evaporator fan keeps switching to hi speed. Previously it did this only a few minutes when coming out of defrost or the door was left open for more than several minutes. The past week it has been switching to high speed several times an hour without the door open, and will stay this way for up to 15 minutes. Also, I've noticed things like a gallon of water are freezing on the top shelf where they previously did not. A refrigerator thermometer says the fresh food compartment is dipping to as low as 30*F despite the fridge section being set to number 7 out of 9.

What would cause this? Bad thermistors, control board or dusty condenser coils? Something else? Or just normal for this time of year? Should I just wait to see if it will go away?

GE is a scam and they've gone downhill since the 1990s. Stay away from GE! Remember their laundry and dishwashers? The same applies to all of their appliances.

Chetlaham · Tuesday at 16:10

Ok, so I vacuumed out the condenser and it seems to have helped- for the most part. I still had one instance of the fan switching to high. Hopefully its just the fridge coming out of defrost or something.

I hope its not a refrigerant leak- the high pressure line leaving the compressor was very hot, but not super painfully hot like I remember when I had the back cover off the fridge 10 years ago. Hopefully its just a lack of cooling load.

Chetlaham · Wednesday at 02:48

Update: The condenser is clean and air flow is better. And while it helped originally, the fan has been stuck on high speed these past 2.5 hours. Fridge is around 35*F mid shelf, freezer is dipping down to -15*F. Its cooling but the fan has me going paranoid something is about to give out.

phillymatt53 · Wednesday at 03:53

Chetlaham said:
Hi, I have a GE GSH25JSXNSS double door side by side refrigerator and freezer where the freezer evaporator fan keeps switching to hi speed. Previously it did this only a few minutes when coming out of defrost or the door was left open for more than several minutes. The past week it has been switching to high speed several times an hour without the door open, and will stay this way for up to 15 minutes. Also, I've noticed things like a gallon of water are freezing on the top shelf where they previously did not. A refrigerator thermometer says the fresh food compartment is dipping to as low as 30*F despite the fridge section being set to number 7 out of 9.

What would cause this? Bad thermistors, control board or dusty condenser coils? Something else? Or just normal for this time of year? Should I just wait to see if it will go away?

According to the owners manual, both freezer and fridge controls should be set to "5" initially.
RTFM

Chetlaham · Wednesday at 05:41

phillymatt53 said:
According to the owners manual, both freezer and fridge controls should be set to "5" initially.
RTFM

I have it at 8 & 7 which I find the most optimal. Though bear in mind the fridge was made by Garbage Electric, so, those numbers might be a bit arbitrary relative to what is low, medium and high.

vacerator · Wednesday at 08:10

Oh, it isn't an Artica or later model with led digital temps.? Ours says 0 for freezer and 37 for fridge, which is the plug in default settings. We keep it at 3 and 38. Temps. drop from tie to time to 35 and 1 or minus 2. Our neighbors have an Artica in the garage that was icing up. Removing the plenum tower in the fridge side helped.
As for new appliances, GE still makes a great oven/cooktop/range, and I'd rather have a new GE fridge over an LG or Samsung, but maybe it doesn't matter anymore.

Chetlaham · Wednesday at 08:54

Can me fridge display actual temps? I am not sure what mine is capable of.

jrap330 · Thursday at 09:55

Chetlaham said:
I have it at 8 & 7 which I find the most optimal. Though bear in mind the fridge was made by Garbage Electric, so, those numbers might be a bit arbitrary relative to what is low, medium and high.

Whatever 0 degrees for freezer and 37 degree for fridge so something is not telling the the correct temp. Call a pro or buy a new fridge. Sometimes even DIY'ers or former pros need help.

Chetlaham · Thursday at 10:23

jrap330 said:
Whatever 0 degrees for freezer and 37 degree for fridge so something is not telling the the correct temp. Call a pro or buy a new fridge. Sometimes even DIY'ers or former pros need help.

I am going to put the other thermometer in the freezer to see if there is any major discrepancy.

Theoretically, how low can a residential R134A fridge freezer system go if forced to run to its limits?

phillymatt53 · Thursday at 12:58

Chetlaham said:
I am going to put the other thermometer in the freezer to see if there is any major discrepancy.

Theoretically, how low can a residential R134A fridge freezer system go if forced to run to its limits?

Apparently, the ideal temp for a freezer is 0 degrees.
You mentioned it's down around -15 degrees.
I'd back off the control to align it with the suggested temp, there's no reason to Super-Freeze things.

Chetlaham · Thursday at 13:30

phillymatt53 said:
Apparently, the ideal temp for a freezer is 0 degrees.
You mentioned it's down around -15 degrees.
I'd back off the control to align it with the suggested temp, there's no reason to Super-Freeze things.

Well, I think I might have at least one defective thermometer. One is showing -10, the other 7*F.

-15*F might actually be around 0*F.

phillymatt53 · Thursday at 13:56

Chetlaham said:
Well, I think I might have at least one defective thermometer. One is showing -10, the other 7*F.

-15*F might actually be around 0*F.

View attachment 321433

Those no-name brand thermometers aren't to be trusted for accuracy.
Get yourself a Taylor thermometer.

Chetlaham · Friday at 04:09

phillymatt53 said:
Those no-name brand thermometers aren't to be trusted for accuracy.
Get yourself a Taylor thermometer.

Just ordered a Taylor and will come after that.

jrap330 · Friday at 11:31

Chetlaham said:
I am going to put the other thermometer in the freezer to see if there is any major discrepancy.

Theoretically, how low can a residential R134A fridge freezer system go if forced to run to its limits

Chetlaham said:
Ta ordered a Taylor and will come after that.

I used my digital cooking thermometer to check my fridge temp...if you have one, at least try it in the fridge...until Taylor is delivered.

phillymatt53 · Friday at 11:51

jrap330 said:
I used my digital cooking thermometer to check my fridge temp...if you have one, at least try it in the fridge...until Taylor is delivered.

I suppose that would work too.
My digital cooking thermometer is a Taylor that reads -40F to 450F.
It also has a "hold" button to lock the temp reading, so if used in a freezer it can hold the immediate temp from raising before you remove it from the freezer.
You just gotta hit the hold button fast when opening the door.

GE Double Door Refrigerator GSH25JSXNSS Fan Switching To High Speed and Freezing

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