# GE GSS20IETA CC Side by side fridge frozen up



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Doing a websearch on that model, it appears that this unit is a Lemon, due to frequent issue with the same results that you are getting.

http://www.applianceblog.com/mainfo...ww-freezer-warm-fridge-starting-get-warm.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/ge_refrigerators.htm
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...MQaRp8L_XV7EbEoO92ExpctD-Fmzz7g&pstart=3&b=11


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## jfrotten (Aug 14, 2011)

I appreciate the input but the unit is by no means a lemon. I have 280 of them on the property. If anything is a lemon it's the glass tube heater that is factory installed in it but ge has already realized that and come out with a better heater to be install when the original one fails. My post is more of a in depth question. We have looked at all of the obvious, common issues that we have experienced in the past with these units and this particular one is still a problem. I was hoping that someone with a little ge experience could shed some light on my issue.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

jfrotten said:


> I can kick it into defrost with the test panel but every 6 days it is completely frozen up... help!


 
sounds like you've covered everything there. Obviously if you force a defrost and your heaters kick on that means that the terminator and the heater is ok, that leaves the main board. Not sure what you are using to force the defrost cycle, but all you need is a jumper wire. Jumper across the line input and the defrost terminal. If your heaters come on then you have a bad board, again. Replacing the 3 parts of the defrost system should have fixed your problem. Where are you getting parts from? Is your replacement board a WR55X10942?


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## Jacques (Jul 9, 2008)

That thermo [little round one?] is a safety [use only oem]. the evap thermister controls cycing out of def. consequently if it senses wrong temp it won't go into def. you should ask your contract GE sales rep for the service manual on these-they're a little tricky unless you just throw parts at it.


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## jfrotten (Aug 14, 2011)

All my parts come directly from GE. I checked the part number on the board and it is the same part number. We have a electronic diagnostic aid that hooks up to the wiring harness above the left door. It is ge parts WX05X14999, WR55X10092 and WR55X10068. It allows me to run a series of tests, one of which is to kick it into defrost. I've replaced the board twice, which seems like the obvious answer. The one thing that I think is a little weird is that when there is a problem in the defrost cycle on this model fridge, if the thermostat is bad and you only replace the heater it will completely freeze up in three days or less. On this unit, when I defrost it, it will take 6 or 7 days to freeze up... I'm wondering if it is not a problem with the defrost cycle but something else... the door seal seems to be in tact, the puty around the copper line is in tact. The only place that gets any frost is the coils in the back and they completely and evenly frost up. Basically, we've replaced the heater, thermostat and main board with no luck.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

If you have basically rebuilt the fridge short of replacing the compressor, I would say that that unit pretty much falls into the lemon category. Have you checked the relays on the unit by the compressor?


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## jfrotten (Aug 14, 2011)

If you feel that replacing three parts that total $100 is completely rebuilding a fridge then yes, it's completely rebuilt. But seeing as they are all parts that I normally stock and since none of them were actually defective, I have returned them all to my stock. So, technically, I haven't spent a penny on this "lemon". I think it's just a fridge with a problem that I haven't found yet. Far from a lemon. Just because you can't firgure out a problem doesn't make the unit a lemon. If anything, I'm the lemon because I can't diagnose the problem. So thanks for your input but giving up is not the suggestion I was looking for and if you could limit your input to things that are diagnostic in nature i'd really appreciate it. Basically, this fridge has a problem that I am determined to find and giving up is just not something that I'm capable of doing.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Just saying, that if you have replaced pretty much all that you can, short of replacing the compressor, and still have not found the problem, and it is still showing the same symptoms, there is not much else you can do at this point.


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## jfrotten (Aug 14, 2011)

But something is causing this problem and it's not the compressor. I'm just trying to find out what it could be.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Doing another search, it comes up about the electronic circuit control being faulty, and possibly the overload/ptc or run capacitor on the side of the compressor, or even the Defrost Thermostat. There is not much else to look at.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

OK, now there is only 1 other thing to try. Either test he termistor that is located on top of the evaporator for around 16,000 ohms, or just replace it and see what happens. Some times they will cause a no defrost problem. What ever you do keep at it, do not scrap it.


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## jfrotten (Aug 14, 2011)

So, I replaced the thermistor just to be safe... I've had the unit plugged in in my shop for about four days now and I've just realized that every time I come in here it's running. I turned the temperatures all the way up to 9 yesterday. When I came in this morning the freezer was at -3 and the fridge was at 32. I then turned the temperatures down to 1 and two hours later the fridge is still running and the temperatures haven't changed. I'm thinking that it's not a defrost problem... I'm thinking that the fridge is constantly running and although it is kicking into defrost, it isn't melting all of the frost buildup. This would explain why it takes 6 or 7 days to completely freeze up when normally a unit that isn't defrosting freezes up in 3 days or less. What would cause the unit to run non-stop? I've already installed 2 different brand new main control boards WR55X10942 and had no luck. Is it possible that the temperature control board is the problem? Also, when I set both temperatures to 0 the unit stays on...


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

that still does not explain your defrost problem, if it ran 24/7 your defrost cycle would take care of all the extra frost if it were working properly. Change out the sensor in the fresh food compartment and then check temps.


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## Jacques (Jul 9, 2008)

You have to study the service manual to understand how this refrig [Artica] controls things. if no door openings ie; it can default to up to 60hrs before def. it will always completely def evap [if working correctly]. it will run when set to 0 for a time and then shut down. they have a 'liner protect mode', a dwell mode, pre-chill, post dwell, adaptive def, variable sp fan mtrs, yada yada.. 'ONE' of the things that would result in 100% run time is the frz thermister. those controls in FF are just encoders. all checks-volt/ohm [you have ac/dc sides-commons are not the same] can be done at board. Respectfuly-with that many units you'll go nuts until you learn exactly how these over engineered @#*X work.


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