KDS-16 and older fridge
- Thread starter whirlykenmore78
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If I have time later this week I may grab the DW. Could be a nice parts donor.
philr
Well-known member
I like the fridge too!
Me too Phil. My '66 Amana has been giving me fits lately - I believe one of the defrost heaters somewhere near the draft fan has finally died as ice seems to collect on the blades and I have to clean them every few weeks. When I saw this fridge I thought it would be a fun replacement. One can dream, anyway.
Ben
Ben
Frost accumulating on the evaporator fan blade
Hi Ben, some where you are getting too much moisture in the refrigerator or freezer, the frost on the fan blade is not a bad defrost heater.
IMEO Fan forced frost free refrigerators are not one of the major appliances that will usually last more than about 30 years or so without interesting problems, only a few exceptionally well designed FF refrigerators will do this without such problems.
Hi Ben, some where you are getting too much moisture in the refrigerator or freezer, the frost on the fan blade is not a bad defrost heater.
IMEO Fan forced frost free refrigerators are not one of the major appliances that will usually last more than about 30 years or so without interesting problems, only a few exceptionally well designed FF refrigerators will do this without such problems.
philr
Well-known member
Ben, I thought about your Amana when I saw this ad!
A few years ago, I had to add a small heater under the evaporator fan in my parent's 1998 GE Profile bottom freezer as the drain would freeze and the fan would stop as the water level would reach the blades. This model didn't have a drain heater but I think GE changed that on some newer ones because of this issue (at least that's what I was told). For some reason, it didn't happen in the first 5-6 years of service but happened 3 times in the few months before I repaired it. I couldn't explain why it was ok at first and not after a few years of use, maybe the insulation isn't as good as it used to be and it stays too cold after the defrost cycle. I know it was often an issue in older fridges...
Since I did that, never had a problem again.
It was a much easier job than replacing the defrost heater (not the drain heater!) in my 1964 Frigidaire refrigerator with one that was not identical (read not designed to go there!). On this fridge, the heater still worked but the element was grounded and I would sometimes get shocks when touching the chrome-plated handle or the bright trim around the cabinet or on the doors, even when the fridge wasn't in the defrost period.
Before I replaced it, I reversed the plug on the outlet so I wouldn't get get shocks while it wasn't defrosting (there was still no grounded cord on Frigidaire fridges in 1964 but I think the newer one in the ad should have one!).
A few years ago, I had to add a small heater under the evaporator fan in my parent's 1998 GE Profile bottom freezer as the drain would freeze and the fan would stop as the water level would reach the blades. This model didn't have a drain heater but I think GE changed that on some newer ones because of this issue (at least that's what I was told). For some reason, it didn't happen in the first 5-6 years of service but happened 3 times in the few months before I repaired it. I couldn't explain why it was ok at first and not after a few years of use, maybe the insulation isn't as good as it used to be and it stays too cold after the defrost cycle. I know it was often an issue in older fridges...
Since I did that, never had a problem again.
It was a much easier job than replacing the defrost heater (not the drain heater!) in my 1964 Frigidaire refrigerator with one that was not identical (read not designed to go there!). On this fridge, the heater still worked but the element was grounded and I would sometimes get shocks when touching the chrome-plated handle or the bright trim around the cabinet or on the doors, even when the fridge wasn't in the defrost period.
Before I replaced it, I reversed the plug on the outlet so I wouldn't get get shocks while it wasn't defrosting (there was still no grounded cord on Frigidaire fridges in 1964 but I think the newer one in the ad should have one!).
I think John is right. My '70 Whirlpool top freezer model needed a new evaporator fan when I bought it used in 1990. Easy fix. Later on I noticed ice build-up at bottom rear of the freezer. The drain hole was frozen over.
I had read about wrapping one end of a length of thick copper wire around the lowest section of the defrost heater so that the other end hung down into the drain hole. The copper conducts the heat and keeps the hole from freezing over. Worked like a charm. So does the fridge. It's on the verge of transitioning from Dave's daughter & SIL's garage fridge to being his SIL's brother's garage fridge. It just doesn't seem to be interested in quitting. Among the best $100 I've ever spent.
Here's a shot of it before the '57 Combination took its place:
I had read about wrapping one end of a length of thick copper wire around the lowest section of the defrost heater so that the other end hung down into the drain hole. The copper conducts the heat and keeps the hole from freezing over. Worked like a charm. So does the fridge. It's on the verge of transitioning from Dave's daughter & SIL's garage fridge to being his SIL's brother's garage fridge. It just doesn't seem to be interested in quitting. Among the best $100 I've ever spent.
Here's a shot of it before the '57 Combination took its place:
Hey guys - thanks for the suggestions. I'm now leaning towards a clogged drain after reading your thoughts. I find water in the strangest of spots in this fridge, but never in the drain pan. I'm willing to hedge a bet that water is actually backing up and collecting on the fan blades after a defrost and then causes problems when it starts to cool down again.
Ralph - I love your suggestion. I'll look into it!
Thankfully, it takes less than 5 minutes to clean off the evaporator fan. I'll have to do some more digging next time the issue creeps up (every few weeks now), but I still like the looks of the Frigidaire! LOL
Ben
Ralph - I love your suggestion. I'll look into it!
Thankfully, it takes less than 5 minutes to clean off the evaporator fan. I'll have to do some more digging next time the issue creeps up (every few weeks now), but I still like the looks of the Frigidaire! LOL
Ben
Ben, if you give my remedy a try, use 10 gauge copper wire if you have some around. 12 seemed a little too thin, but it could work if that's all you have handy.
philr
Well-known member
Ben, the next time you have to remove frost from Amana, take a few pics of it to show us how it is.
next time you have to remove frost from Amana
LOL - I got home last night from the gym, and opened the freezer to get stuff out for dinner, and sure enough, the fan wasn't running.
5 minutes later I had it back up and running. There was a piece of ice down near the drain hole that was obstructing the fan blade, and I also saw quite a bit of ice around the condensing coil.
I think I might transfer over to the spare '57 GE on Sunday and do a full defrost and check to see if the drain is clogged. I suspect it is....
More to come!
Ben
LOL - I got home last night from the gym, and opened the freezer to get stuff out for dinner, and sure enough, the fan wasn't running.
5 minutes later I had it back up and running. There was a piece of ice down near the drain hole that was obstructing the fan blade, and I also saw quite a bit of ice around the condensing coil.
I think I might transfer over to the spare '57 GE on Sunday and do a full defrost and check to see if the drain is clogged. I suspect it is....
More to come!
Ben
ovrphil
Well-known member
Would take
Both of them...hope you catch that dw, Ken. I like the color - (copper?)
Both of them...hope you catch that dw, Ken. I like the color - (copper?)
Clogged Drain
Oh yeah. If it's not an issue with the drain freezing, it could easily be a clog.
We had a 1980-ish Frigidaire 3-door SxS when I first met Dave. Ice was accumulating at bottom rear of the lower freezer section. The culprit was a single frozen pea that had lodged itself in the drain opening.
Oh yeah. If it's not an issue with the drain freezing, it could easily be a clog.
We had a 1980-ish Frigidaire 3-door SxS when I first met Dave. Ice was accumulating at bottom rear of the lower freezer section. The culprit was a single frozen pea that had lodged itself in the drain opening.
