The refrigerator part of my Side-by-side built in GE Rfrigerator /Freezer is warm and the freezer is starting to warm-up. I have shut it down and restared it after two days and it worked fine for a week before it started to do the same thing. When I opened the freezer and looked abobe, there was ice built-up around the Evaporator unit.I need to know which part I need to replace? The Icing Kit was replaced 6 years ago by G.E. because we were getting water in the freezer. Do I need a thermostat, Icing Kit, Defrost Timer, or a Defrost heater assembly.
Here are your parts
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/modelsearch.aspx?model=ZISW42DSB
Does sound like a defrost problem.
First open it up so you can see the coils.
Do not let them de-ice.
If they are heavily iced/frosted over you have a defrost problem.
If yes.
Manually force a defrost cycle by turning the defrost timer cam (Item 7405 in Section 6) till the fans and compressor turn off.
Now check the defrost heater to see if it is on.
Be careful you do not want to burn your fingers.
If the heater is on then the timer needs replacing, re: it is probably stalling during it’s rotation so is never getting into a defrost cycle.
If not on.
Unplug the unit.
Remove the wire for one side of the heating element (Item 245 in Section 2) from the wiring and measure it for continuity, usually around 20 ohms or so.
If the heater is OK
Remove one wire to the defrost thermostat (Item 12 in Section 2) and measure it, should be 0 ohms when frozen. Note that it opens just above freezing so must be frozen to check it. Also inspect it, if it is bulged at all replace it even if it measures OK.
If both the above are OK then odds are the defrost timer contacts are toast.
Best way to test this is a live test to see if you have 120 volts across the heater/defrost thermostat combo.
Thank you for your help. I have opened up the Evaporator and the thermostat. The resistance across the heater is 4.5 ohm and for the evaporator tray is around 45. I have ordered a defrost timer and two thermostat since mine has two. I just need to know how to replace the thermostat. It is most likely the Defrost timer and since I have it opened I am going to change it, but I am not sure if I should replace the thermostat or not since the wires go inside the upper compartment of the fridge and it is hard to access. Again thanks for your help.
The resistance across the heater is 4.5 ohm
here is something weird with the above.
It seems way too low to me, 4.5 ohms would draw 27 amps.
To replace the defrost thermostat you have to gain access to the evaporator coils as it is clipped onto the coils.
I am not sure how to do this.
With luck someone else will jump in with that info.
— Begin quote from denman;695082
The resistance across the heater is 4.5 ohm
here is something weird with the above.
It seems way too low to me, 4.5 ohms would draw 27 amps.
To replace the defrost thermostat you have to gain access to the evaporator coils as it is clipped onto the coils.
I am not sure how to do this.
With luck someone else will jump in with that info.
— End quote
Guys: I wanted to thank you for your help. I replaced the Defrost timer first, but the problem was still existing. I then replaced both Thermostat and it started working fine again. I wouldn’t have been done it without your help. Thank you again.
You are welcome.
And thanks for getting back to us, now when others search they will see what actually fixed the unit instead of just suggestions about the possible cause.