Hello
Would you mind divulging how much you paid for that repair?
Would you mind divulging how much you paid for that repair?
1962 GE Spacemaker TC469 Refrigerator - "Repaired" - still does not work. NEED HELP!
- Thread starter kelly0721
- Start date
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supersurgilator
Well-known member
The only thing that I'm curious about is if this is the exact same issues it was having before, why the compressor was replaced? I guess its possible that the original compressor may have been ok and it was the fan motor that died? Not that it matters at this point but was just curious. Keep us updated on the outcome!
I'm really hopeful to hear a positive result from the technician visit!
norgeway
Well-known member
I can tell you one thing
If John Lefever had fixed it you wouldn't have these problems and it would look as good as the factory soldering and wiring.
If John Lefever had fixed it you wouldn't have these problems and it would look as good as the factory soldering and wiring.
kelly0721
Well-known member
Fridge
Hi everyone,
I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to this thread. My repairman just left, so I finally have an update to share, but I read everyone's comments and wanted to answer all the questions first. The update on the fridge is below my answers.
Combo52: Thank you for the reference to the Whirlpool part. Is this something I could purchase from you?
sfh074: Thank you for the link to the part on eBay. I appreciate your input.
Lorainfurniture: We paid him $300 for the compressor, which is what it cost him. He did not charge us for anything else as he did not get it running.
Supersurgilator: The compressor was replaced as the consensus was that it was probably going out. I had several repairmen out who thought that was at least part of the problem. They refused to fix it, but those were their thoughts. I was really hoping the gentleman who took my refrigerator for a year would have been able to figure that out for me!
Norgeway: I don't doubt that! If Mr. Lefever was in Colorado I would have had him do the repair in a second. He knows what the heck he is doing.
Update: Apparently, the wiring is a mess and has to be rewired so the fan can be connected. The overload is broken too, so that has to be replaced. After he has all that taken care of then we will address replacing the compressor with one that was recommended by Combo52 (John Lefever) way back when I first purchased the refrigerator. I had printed out his recommendation for the first repairman, but he apparently was not willing to take anyone else's advice and installed this crappy Panasonic compressor I did not want. Hopefully, it will all be fixed soon so I can finally bring it into the kitchen instead of having it sit in the garage.
Thanks for everyone's advice. I really appreciate you all. I will post further updates once I have something to report.
Kelly
Hi everyone,
I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to this thread. My repairman just left, so I finally have an update to share, but I read everyone's comments and wanted to answer all the questions first. The update on the fridge is below my answers.
Combo52: Thank you for the reference to the Whirlpool part. Is this something I could purchase from you?
sfh074: Thank you for the link to the part on eBay. I appreciate your input.
Lorainfurniture: We paid him $300 for the compressor, which is what it cost him. He did not charge us for anything else as he did not get it running.
Supersurgilator: The compressor was replaced as the consensus was that it was probably going out. I had several repairmen out who thought that was at least part of the problem. They refused to fix it, but those were their thoughts. I was really hoping the gentleman who took my refrigerator for a year would have been able to figure that out for me!
Norgeway: I don't doubt that! If Mr. Lefever was in Colorado I would have had him do the repair in a second. He knows what the heck he is doing.
Update: Apparently, the wiring is a mess and has to be rewired so the fan can be connected. The overload is broken too, so that has to be replaced. After he has all that taken care of then we will address replacing the compressor with one that was recommended by Combo52 (John Lefever) way back when I first purchased the refrigerator. I had printed out his recommendation for the first repairman, but he apparently was not willing to take anyone else's advice and installed this crappy Panasonic compressor I did not want. Hopefully, it will all be fixed soon so I can finally bring it into the kitchen instead of having it sit in the garage.
Thanks for everyone's advice. I really appreciate you all.
I will post further updates once I have something to report. Kelly
Thanks for the update! Looks like you have someone who is going to make a path forward which will set you up for years of good service from this fridge.
Maybe you can sell the Panasonic compressor back to the guy who thought it was a good idea to install it (unless the current guy you have working on it can get it back to proper operating condition even with the Panasonic).
kelly0721
Well-known member
David, I think you are right! It is nice to work with someone who is excited about the project and knows what he is doing. I think I am finally on the right path. Thank you very much for all your suggestions and moral support!
RP2813, You are funny. I would definitely sell it back to him if I could be in the same room with him again. I am so stinkin' mad I don't think I could bear it without some choice words for "Mister I don't think I need to listen to anyone or ask for help." I will eat the cost. It was a lesson well learned not to work with someone who is so uncooperative again.
RP2813, You are funny. I would definitely sell it back to him if I could be in the same room with him again. I am so stinkin' mad I don't think I could bear it without some choice words for "Mister I don't think I need to listen to anyone or ask for help." I will eat the cost. It was a lesson well learned not to work with someone who is so uncooperative again.
Compressor change
Hi Kelly, sorry you went through this mess. It’s obvious that the guy who worked on this does not enjoy his job, we’ve always had the best luck with techs that liked what they’re doing. It always bothered me when we went to service training twice a year that half the guys were totally On interested in what was going on and would rather talk about last nights football game.
The Panasonic compressor that was used is not the problem, they made pretty decent compressors. I would use something a little newer that has a run capacitor on it if you’re going to all the trouble you might as will put in a higher efficiency one so everything stays cooler underneath there.
John L.
Hi Kelly, sorry you went through this mess. It’s obvious that the guy who worked on this does not enjoy his job, we’ve always had the best luck with techs that liked what they’re doing. It always bothered me when we went to service training twice a year that half the guys were totally On interested in what was going on and would rather talk about last nights football game.
The Panasonic compressor that was used is not the problem, they made pretty decent compressors. I would use something a little newer that has a run capacitor on it if you’re going to all the trouble you might as will put in a higher efficiency one so everything stays cooler underneath there.
John L.
kelly0721
Well-known member
Compressor Change
Thanks John, I will definitely relay this new information to my repairman. My repairman, Anthony looked at it yesterday and remarked that he was surprised that this compressor was used, especially because I care so much about the quality of products used to refurbish this antique. He called it a "two year compressor". That upset me because I was planning on refurbishing this refrigerator so I could use the rest of my life, not for two years. I gave the last "repairman" a printout of your suggestion from 2017 you made to use a 850-1000 BTU compressor from a larger refrigerator from around 1988-1994. I was totally caught off guard when the refrigerator came back with this Panasonic compressor.
Thanks John, I will definitely relay this new information to my repairman. My repairman, Anthony looked at it yesterday and remarked that he was surprised that this compressor was used, especially because I care so much about the quality of products used to refurbish this antique. He called it a "two year compressor". That upset me because I was planning on refurbishing this refrigerator so I could use the rest of my life, not for two years. I gave the last "repairman" a printout of your suggestion from 2017 you made to use a 850-1000 BTU compressor from a larger refrigerator from around 1988-1994. I was totally caught off guard when the refrigerator came back with this Panasonic compressor.
GE and Panasonic
I wouldn't be as concerned about it being Panasonic, as to the sloppy way it was installed. To me it doesn't even look like its bolted down on the side we see in the picture. GE started using Panasonic compressors around mid 80's, eliminating the "lunchbox" style compressor they had used for years. My friend had a 1985 GE and I had a 2011, both with Panasonic compressors and no issues. I know GE had some compressor problems around the middle 90s, but I think that was from undersizing the compressor in their refrigerators, but not positive.
I wouldn't be as concerned about it being Panasonic, as to the sloppy way it was installed. To me it doesn't even look like its bolted down on the side we see in the picture. GE started using Panasonic compressors around mid 80's, eliminating the "lunchbox" style compressor they had used for years. My friend had a 1985 GE and I had a 2011, both with Panasonic compressors and no issues. I know GE had some compressor problems around the middle 90s, but I think that was from undersizing the compressor in their refrigerators, but not positive.
Panasonic compressors
I would be concerned about anybody’s ability that thinks a Panasonic compressor is a two-year compressor, they might be a decent technician but their reasoning ability is not very sound.
In 1985 GE started using rotary compressors that they built them selves in all their standard refrigerators from around 1985 through 1990, all of these compressors failed within 2 to 10 years max.
The replacement compressor may have been a Panasonic in some cases they used as many different companies as they could get their hands on because they had to replace them all.
John L.
I would be concerned about anybody’s ability that thinks a Panasonic compressor is a two-year compressor, they might be a decent technician but their reasoning ability is not very sound.
In 1985 GE started using rotary compressors that they built them selves in all their standard refrigerators from around 1985 through 1990, all of these compressors failed within 2 to 10 years max.
The replacement compressor may have been a Panasonic in some cases they used as many different companies as they could get their hands on because they had to replace them all.
John L.
GE used to have a compressor plant here in my town! I worked with people who were laid off when it closed who then came to work at the auto part plant I worked in. They told me stories about quality issues and the reason GE closed it. That would have taken place in the late 80's early 90's. I guess those stories were true huh?
Follow up curiosity...
Hey Kelly - just curious if you were able to get this fridge running?
Hey Kelly - just curious if you were able to get this fridge running?
kelly0721
Well-known member
Turbokinetic: No, it does not work at all. I purchased an old repair manual for the repairman I hired, he rewired it correctly, but when we turned it on, it no longer gets cold. He does not repair compressors, so he referred me to another shop. I am not very confident that it will ever be fixed. I am not sure what I am going to do with it. I have spent hundreds on it and am nearly at our budget of $1200 to repair the fridge. I probably never should have purchased it without the skill too repair it. I know a big "I told you so" from my husband is coming. I haven't updated because I am a little despondent over the whole situation. [this post was last edited: 7/30/2019-15:50]
Hi Kelly. So sorry you have this problem now.
So; it went from cooling for a short time, then stopping. Now it doesn't cool at all.
If the defrost timer circuit is somehow miswired; it could be actuating the defrost coil at all times. If this happens, the compressor will run but not cool.
So; it went from cooling for a short time, then stopping. Now it doesn't cool at all.
If the defrost timer circuit is somehow miswired; it could be actuating the defrost coil at all times. If this happens, the compressor will run but not cool.
kelly0721
Well-known member
I guess the first guy who swapped out the compressor said he got it to make ice, but the compressor would not stay on. The second guy rewired it and it turns on, but never gets even a little cooler inside the fridge or the freezer. Where is the defrost timer coil? Maybe I can take a photo for you to see if it is wired correctly?
Kelly, the defrost coil is mounted to the left of the compressor. It's a square part with two wires. One wire will probably be green or blue; the other will be black. If that solenoid gets power, the fridge will not cool. The compressor will run but it won't have any cooling.
As an easy test, you can disconnect one of the wires from the defrost coil and try the fridge again. Be sure the fan under the back (the condenser fan) is running.
As an easy test, you can disconnect one of the wires from the defrost coil and try the fridge again. Be sure the fan under the back (the condenser fan) is running.
kelly0721
Well-known member
Hi David,
I disconnected the green wire (photo 1), but the fan did not turn on. I also noted a uncapped back wire coming from the fridge that seems concerning (photo 2), so I turned it off. I did not know if it was live or not.
I disconnected the green wire (photo 1), but the fan did not turn on. I also noted a uncapped back wire coming from the fridge that seems concerning (photo 2), so I turned it off. I did not know if it was live or not.
