Fridge not cooling after repair

[jed0nly]

I just repaired a heater element on my old Hotpoint Customline (thanks to some help from the knowledgeable people here), but now after 24hrs, my fridge isn't getting much cooler than 50*. I had it unplugged for a few hours defrosting and making the repair. I currently have the dial set to 5, and I had always had it set to 3 before, but it just isn't cooling like it was. I did scrub the evaporator coils and clean the drip tube out, and the condenser coils were pretty clean to begin with.

Any ideas?

 

[jed0nly]

Freezer is below 30 with frost.

 

[rp2813]

It may be a coincidence, but your cold control may have decided to fail, or has otherwise been impacted by the work you did.  Double check to make sure the cold control's sensor bulb is firmly in place.

 

My '57 GE's cold control decided to fail after I turned it to "OFF" for defrosting.  When I turned it back on an set it where it was before, it wouldn't stop cooling at any setting other than "OFF."  That's not the same problem you're having, but controls from this period are notorious for failure.

 

[turquoisedude]

I agree with Ralph - I've had cold controls on a '57 GE wall fridge and on an early 60's Kelvinator suddenly 'go bad' on me after shutting them off for repairs or defrosting.   The good news is that you can still find replacements, but you may need the original Hotpoint part number to track one down.  

 

[panthera]

Yes!

I had to replace the fan in a late '60s Frigidaire Custom Deluxe (which is how I came to know that the universal kits do work) and when I plugged it back in, I had two settings (a little like a Flair oven - all on or all off). 

I had inadvertently mixed up the run and heat wiring at the aftermarket defrost timer while troubleshooting.

Got that sorted out and it's been -10ºF in the freezer, 32<span style="font-size: 12pt;">ºF in the meat keeper, 34</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ºF in the dairy section and 35-36</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ºF everywhere else ever since. As intended.  (And, no, I'm not interested in lectures on how that's far colder than it needs to be and I'm wasting energy. Nonsense!)</span>

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Morale of the Story: Take lots of cell-phone pictures/video, make copious notes and if it ain't broke, don't touch it. If it is broke, assume your repair is going to lead to other complications. New wine in old skins, etc.</span>

Still prefer a vintage refrigerator to any of the modern throw-away trash.

 

[goatfarmer]

Try tapping the control with your hand. It may simply be stuck, and "sometimes" that works.

 

[jed0nly]

The dial is now on 7. It's below 40 when the compressor shuts off, and around 50 when it kicks on. The dial has what I imagine in a "probe" along the bottom of the evaporator. Is there a way to test it to see if it works or is within tolerance?

 

[rp2813]

On my '57 GE, the tubing/bulb sensor for the thermostat is in virtually direct contact with the evaporator coil (see picture).

 

It appears there's more distance between your control's sensor and the coil, but clearly it was designed that way.  I wouldn't mess with it.

 

I tend not to think the configuration is a factor.  If the Hotpoint's sensor was in direct contact with the coil, it seems to me that your thermostat would cut out even sooner than it already is.

 

You may need to retrace your heater replacement steps and see if anything was disturbed that could cause a false reading.  Based on the problem you're having, it seems like maybe the old heater was closer to the cold control's sensor.  That is presuming the heater is always on, which is how some of these systems worked.

 

[jed0nly]

The heater is along the roof, there is a cooling line that goes up to the freezer floor and back down to the evap. The heater is only on when the compressor is off, at least that's the way this one is supposed to be. I've felt it and feel that is indeed the case.

 

[jed0nly]

I just realized the "probe" is a capillary tube.

 

[rp2813]

Oh yeah, that heater.  Now I remember.

 

In that case, I'm going to stick with the cold control having issues.  You might try moving it to the warmest setting (1?) and seeing if there's any change.  If there isn't, then there probably won't be any change when you move it to the coldest point either. 

 

Absolutely the Achilles heel of mid-late '50s GEs and Hotpoints.

 

[jed0nly]

Haha! Yeah, that heater. It's working so far. I tried tapping in the control knob. I'll check it before I go to bed. And then I'll move the knob down to 1 and check it again.

 

[jed0nly]

Set to 1, temps rose to 55* after 24hrs. Set to 8, no real change.

So I'm thinking it's the capillary tube or temp control. Besides tapping on it, is there any way to test it? Or temp repair it? Would heating the cap tube up with a torch maybe fix a clog? Could I chop the end and rebraze?

 

[rp2813]

I'll  leave that answer to the more technical among the membership.  It does sound like the trouble is in the cold control system, though.

 

But one other thing comes to mind.  Does your fridge have a condenser fan (condenser underneath instead of mounted on the back)?  If so, is it operating properly?  That could be another coincidental component failure that would impact cooling capability. 

 

[jed0nly]

Good question. I don't think this model has one. The condenser is mounted to the back, and I don't see a fan anywhere back there. I would have to maybe check underneath to see if there is one there perhaps.

 

[turquoisedude]

If the coils are on the back, chances are there is no condensor fan.    It still sounds like the cold control is the culprit...  I found a pretty reasonable generic one for a GE Fridge through Ranco some time ago and it worked just fine.   The trick is finding the original part number for the thermostat.... 

 

[jed0nly]

I've seen a Ranco one for about $120 that is supposed to be the one to get, but beyond that I dont know much. Guess I could pull it out to see.

But again, no way to really test it other than what we've done here?

 

[rp2813]

I suppose you could pull the cold control and directly connect the wires that call for cooling.  If it cools down to normal temps, then continues cooling to below normal, that would indicate that the mechanical system is working properly and suggest that the cold control isn't.

 

[jed0nly]

How safe do you think that is? I'm just closing the switch, right?

Here it is