The defrost timer was my issue. The original timer was made in the USA in Jan 1999 and lasted more than 23 years. The official GE replacement was made in Vietnam. We’ll see how long it lasts. For now I’m back up and running. Thanks for the video! Very helpful.

Extremely helpful video. Thank you for posting. I needed to see how one of these parts would eventually fail, thanks for saving me the headache of opening up mine!

Thanks. Your explanation has been the most straight forward diagnosing of this. Everyone else just say to replace but why not rebuild? Makes sense now!

Thank you for taking the time to make this I Appreciate it!

Great Video ! I just repaired mine thanks to your video.☺️

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. IT is very helpful.

1 and 3 go through the clock motor which has a capacitor in line with it,i set my gauge to mfd and check it just to get a reading,1 and 4 go to the compressor,just check for cont there,1 and 2 go to the heater that defrost the coil ,just check for cont there also,just make sure to advance the clock to close the contacts for what your checking,either cooling or defrost,most of the time the problem is the clock will not advance and it will either be stopped in defrost or cooling

thank u ihade the problem & u helped m fixing it for 15$.

Looks like the problem with this timer was the small white plastic spacer between the contacts because all contacts were touching throughout the entire cycle.

Thanks for this very helpful and very clear video.

I had problems with a similar timer. Your video helped me find it. In my case the capactor in series with the clockwork motor had failed. A $2 replacement high voltage 0.1K polypropaline capacitor fixed it. Better that spending hundreds on a new timer. And having done the job myself I now understand how the system works.

@arttysiak7787

8 жыл бұрын

right on

Useful info, on mine I could hear a constant annoying mechanical noise which must have been the clock motor struggling to turn. and the ice was built up also the drain hole was blocked.

Bill, your videos are helpful. I think I've narrowed down my frig problem to the defrost timer, but one uncertainty exists. Hopefully you can help sort this out. The freezer and frig sides both go warm for extended periods melting ice cubes on the freezer side. I checked continuity on the temp control and got infinity while off and .2 when cold. When the frig goes warm, I can turn the dial on the temp control off and back on it may restart. When I turn the dial on the timer it will restart. Sometimes I have to turn it a ways before she restarts. Could it be that both parts are in need of replacement or am I really just looking at a timer issue?

Thank you for your video amazing!

Nice video guy, Thanks!

Very nicely explained

very helpful thankyou

Yeah, apparently, a lot of the times, it’s the timer. But, for my situation, it wasn’t. I’ve replaced the timer and the issue persists so, I’ve received a new defrost thermostat and am awaiting a defrost heater so, I can just replace those 2 items, without buying a multimeter too. The fridge is at least 15-20 years old so, I didn’t mind learning and finding out that replacement might be easy and cheap.

yea like gunter says the white spacer think looks broken ,,,there should be 2 little walls surrounding the middle contact,,, the heater contact pushes on it to keep the defrost heater contact from touching the center contact till it hits the drop on the cam then it allows the defrost heater to contact the center but like others said this is a cumulitive run time timer so it only runs while the compressor is running for more energy efficiency like say you never open the door the compressor runs less so there is more time before a heating cycle unlike mine where it just defrosts every 10 hours rain or shine

Can you do me a favor and check that the clock is being run with the capacitor in series with the motor of the defrost timer. I am trying to figure out if the capacitor was put there for noise or just to blow if the windings of the motor shorted out, I would really like to know, Thank You.

I have a refrigerator for 6 months that I have never seen the glow of the defrost coil until I manually turned it on to defrost, and I've had temperature problems with it I'm going to see if it goes out of defrost now in about 10 minutes and see how it runs

Awesome video/explanation I have a 25 year old HITACHI fridge,,, the timer mechanism has recently been making clicking noises & ice cream in freezer has liquified. I'm going to try opening up the timer to see if any part of the clock can be tweaked back into place- as I'm having trouble finding the exact model number replacement part. There is an HITACHI defrost timer available, and it looks very similiar in size & plugs .... what are your thoughts on replacing with a similiar but not specific model number replacement. Im thinking it would safe as there couldnt be too much voltage/amp etc difference. The fridge is a beauty apart from this happening ⛄

nice demo video, I got motivated at least open and see, waiting when my best half will go to shopping other wise you understand ...our ff41 model whirlpool, freezer working the other bottom chamber not cooling , bottom of the freezer getting condensation and dripping water, problem I feel as you explained could be timer, or defrosting system, other wise ...mechanic came and told us to keep the unit shut off for 24 hours,, what is the logic, is it the liquid / gas in coils got breezed? help

My refer has stopped twice in the last few days. All components at the back of the refer test good. Tapping the panel that the defrost timer and cold control thermostat are mounted on fixes it until it sticks again. Which component, defrost timer or cold control thermostat, is the most common one to have bad contacts?

Nice video. Why are the NC, NO and C terminals together are always in closed position? That must be the problem with this timer?

thanks for the valuable information presented on your video, My refrigerator is a kenmore 20 years old but in perfect condition except as you mention, the timer goes thru the defrost cycle ok and the compressor starts inmediately but the timing motor stops turning and never advances to complete the next defrosting cycle , COULD IT BE AS YOU MENTION THAT THE TIMER HAS GONE BAD AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT ? ,

very helpful very

just got a used frige and it sounds like there is some problems with the defrost timer . at present the back freezer freezes up every month and stops cooling in the lower frige part ..does that sound like the timer ?

thank u sir u helped me

I think my 15 year old Kenmore fridge has this same problem. The evaporator coils keep freezing up. I ordered the replacement timer and will replace it when it arrives. Great video and timer explanation. :)

thanks

thank you helpful tips xD

>>>>>>>>>HELLO: IF YOU NOTICE, THE TERMINALS LABELED ON YOUR TIMER HAS A RED WIRE, WHICH INDICATES YOUR UNIT IS WIRED FOR A CUMULATIVE-RUN TIMER. THIS MEANS YOUR TIMER ONLY ADVANCES WHEN THE COMPRESSOR RUNS. THIS CAN SEEM LIKE A "BAD" TIMER WHEN IT IS NOT. PLEASE READ YOUR COMPLETE INSTRUCTION SHEET INCLUDED WITH YOUR NEW TIMER. THANKS

On my GE fridge, this is behind the plastic panel on top where the freezer and fridge temp setting (and light bulb) are. You can see the part where he turns it with a screw driver once that panel is off. I used a black sharpie to put a little dot on one part of the wheel. That way you can see if it is rotating over time and see if it makes it through the defrost on/off part of the circle. If it gets hung and does not rotate, then 100% this part is the issue. Turns out mine was rotating fine and my issue was the defrost temp sensor was messed up (that is clipped onto the coils behind a panel in the back of the freezer on my model).

So if the defrost function doesn't stop and eventually thaws everything in the freezer, is it most likely the timer?

The timer shown in this video was assembled (or was reassembled) incorrectly. The two white vertical spacers should be one on each side of the center contact. The two outer contacts should both be "outboard" of the white spacers. Easy fix. The spacer is there to prevent the center contact from being able to touch both outer contacts at once (which would make the compressor and heater run at the same time). Looks like this unit has the left and center terminals incorrectly squeezed together by the white spacers. The leftmost contact needs to be moved outboard of the leftmost white vertical spacer.

most of these timers they are energized only when the compressor is running. i seen them on light commercial refrigeration ice cases. as most techs replace these clocks and install a commercial refrigeration defrost timer/ time clock as they are better and you can set your defrost time when you feel you need it to defrost. im sure you could wire this time clock to a standard refrigerator if you install a Paragon 8145-00 115 V timing motor the timing motor has to be live all the time not cycled with the compressor. as it has terminals which you can wire the compressor and fans to it for normal refrigeration mode and the terminals for the defrost heater. as some of these commercial defrost time clocks will have a defrost termination solenoid if you install a defrost termination switch on the evaporator if it senses the coil temperature and if the ice is melted after 20 minutes it will energize the solenoid behind the clock and kick it out of defrost and the refrigerator will operate back into refrigeration mode till the next defrost is initiated. as these Paragon time clocks are real easy it has start pins to say how many hours it will go into defrost . as these cheap plastic timers don't do much. If you wire this clock to your refrigerator or freezer the timer motor has to be live all the time so it has to be wired to the power cord. as well you need a wiring diagram of your refrigerator and freezer to connect the wires to the clock terminals. www.supplyhouse.com/Paragon-8145-00-120V-Defrost-Timer?gclid=CjwKCAiA_ojVBRAlEiwAOLRxI0yIHb89jXPWwy-GKDAgzc2W8dvxHIkqNMRgXOjmyTh3soa3kDr36hoCoK4QAvD_BwE

So THAT's where it is! Thanks for posting this vid. Somebody put a refrigerator at the curb, I got it going without having to buy anything, now I've got it running to see if defrost timer kicks in. I was wondering where the timer is and saw that "one-way" turning switch but didn't know what it was, ...now I do, thanks! Now I can go check, come back later to see if it's rotating, I don't know if the timer is working yet.

thank you very much but how can i test it ?

Sounds like defrost is not working....and ice is building up in the freezer drain tray causing blockage. The result is water will drip into the lower compartment. You have to remove the freezer panel and check. If ice also blocks the air chamber to the lower compartment, then no cold air gets to the bottom chamber--making it warm. All cold air to the lower chamber comes from the freezer level. Turning off the unit for 24 hours thaws the ice, but it may not clear the drain line.

#1 --Timers have different clock settings for different refrigerators. Can't say. #2 -- See video. I point out the manual operation.

i have problem with National refrigeration model NR-B171J LOST control circuit at back down the compressor in long tranportation and remain wire there how can i solve this

I was hoping you were going to show how to repair it, nevertheless a nice vid, Thanks. Where I live that little plastic component costs 80 bucks. (robbery)

Replaced my timer and problem persists....also checked the defrost thermostat....checked OK. Stumped...

Where can I find my defrost timer in my whirlpool?

I suspected this is the culprit of my fridge acting up (not cooling). I am ordering this timer and hope the problem solved once I changed it soon. For now I have to turn the timer manually to get my fridge compressor up and running again. At this moment I'm not sure if it is really the problem from this item or not. I read somewhere that some fridge model, the timer will stop running when the compressor is off (due to balancing of the temperature?). I sensed that mine is off by listening closely to the timer when the compressor is off. Once its running, the timer runs again. Any idea?

@kriswillems5661

5 жыл бұрын

The timer stops running as long as a bimetal attached to the evaporator coil is closed. As the temperature goes up because of the defrost heater, the bimetal will eventually open and the timer will start running again. It will run for a few minutes to let the evaporator cool down before the compressor is turned on again. Most videos miss to explain this or they explain it wrong. The defrost timer has 2 functions: 1. start the defrost cycle every x hours. 2. let the evaporator coil cool down after defrosting. There is a code on the timer like : 0804 or 0604 or 1004. 0804 mean 8 hours between 2 defrost cycles, and 4 minutes evaporator cooling down after defrosting. How long the defrost timer effectively take depends on how much ice has built up in your fridge.

I'm new to the whole fix my own fridge business. So excuse any stupid questions please. So the defrost timer on my fridge is $30 -$50 I see other defrost timers that look the same foe way cheaper. Can I use an off brand? Stupid question #2 can I just manually turn the defrost on then click it back until my part arrives?

Have a Ge double door, The condencer get warm , the fan in the back comes on, the fan in the freezer side comes on whe the door is close, but the freezer don't freeze, and the fride is bearly cool, what should I check for. to get is working again.. Thanks

@DOLRED

6 жыл бұрын

The first thing you need to check requires access to the compressor. See if the line running to the evaporator coils is cold. Easy to check but you have to pull the unit out from the wall to do this. If the compressor is running and the line is not cold, you have a refrigeration system problem.

question, can you program the freezer to stop auto defrost? will the freezer still function effectively with manual defrost?

@mikeess2521

6 жыл бұрын

Lucy Knopf im wondering the same thing! Have you had any luck?!

@PhuckHue2

5 жыл бұрын

If you stop auto defrost the coils will ice up and cold air will stop circulating

Mine the same it made the suction line back of refrigerator freezes i concluded the timer

necesito este video en español con urgencia quien me ayuda

you may be going in the wrong direction if you think an iced up coil is a defrost problem, there are many reasons for a coil to ice up. these crap timers do fail. but a system with a small leak will ice up quite fast, if a fan motor has gone, air flow problems such as a blockage (dust, plastic bag, no breathing space behind the unit, an overloaded freezer or a plugged drain line) after checking what you can, a tech should be called before spending money on replacement parts you may not need.

Shop the internet? There are plenty of firms selling on the net for modest prices.

Anyone know how often these defrost timer mechanisms fail/need to be replaced? I had mine replaced about 6 months ago, but have had to manually turn the dial again recently since fridge stopped working again. After turning the dial with a screwdriver, fridge started up again, but I'm curious how often it's going to crap out...? Could it be due to something else that's messing with the mechanism? - Tx for your vid! I saw the repair guy do this, but needed to know which way to turn the dial :)

FYI, 8 hours and thirty minutes does not mean it will defrost 3 times a day. it will defrost for 20 minutes for every 8:30 that the compressor/cooling cycle is running. If you keep the doors closed this could take days between the defrost timer cycles even once.

@toddt6730

6 жыл бұрын

ArJuna22 if that's the case ,then how will the timer come out of defrost mode ,the compressor won't be running during defrost

nice .we want more Detail in Hindi.

@DOLRED

6 жыл бұрын

I only speak Hindi on the 5th Friday of the month, if the moon is full that day.

not the cheapest service but we know how it works, domestic fridges and freezers are known as disposable units, they are hard to work on, and very often it will cost you more to replace a part than it will to buy a new one. before a unit is disposed of the "gas" or "freon" must be removed. there are strict regulations on how this "gas" is dealt with and without the right tools and knowledge it can be very dangerous. 5 years of school for this, you wont learn it reading a few posts,

now i know its not enough that the motor of the timer is turning

what btu

I am not a refrigeration person----sorry.

With all due respect Sir, the video wasn't of any help and was of very little substance. You took so long explaining and talking that this would've been a 3 minute video at most. You said that you fixed the problem of the timer being sort of stuck as it approaches the defrost mode. However, you did not show anything about how you've fixed it even after explaining over and over how the main cogwheel turns and activates the whole cycle. Hopefully you can expound further especially on how you've actually repaired the stopping/ stocking up of the cogwheel. Again, I say this with all due respect. Thank you and more power.

@ripfandango7908

9 жыл бұрын

rip fandango p.s. i just realized, so this video then is basically about explaining how a defrost timer works, how you've identified that it was indeed causing the problem and how it was causing it, then how you've fixed the problem by replacing it. This is not an actual video on how to fix the defrost timer. Apologies.