Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - older GE Fridge losing quest for cold

After 10 days of very hot weather without the usual nightly cool down, the refrigerator started to loose its coldness; first in the main compartment and then in the top freezer. It sits in a kitchen with no A/C in an enclosure that to this point has had adequate ventilation.

When discovered, I vacuumed the rear condenser coils and pointed a fan at them. At that point the freezer's temperature was above 3 C (36 F) and getting warmer after 2 hours. I unplugged it and lifted the floor cover off the freezer compartment. The edge of the evaporator coil that I could see had an approximately 1/2 inch build-up of a crystalline frost, not shiny icy frost like a slick icy sidewalk in winter but more like a build-up of glittery hoar frost. I then unplugged the unit and let it totally de-ice overnight with a fan blowing into the box to dry it out.

The next day I plugged it back in. The compressor started and ran with no unusual sounds that I could detect. It ran for about 12 hrs straight (with the fan in the freezer running as well) The best temp it could make in the freezer was -14 C (10 F) and 12 C (50 F) in the main compartment. Then it appeared to cycle into the defrost mode with the compressor and freezer fan stopping and some water dripping out of the hose into the drip pan down on the bottom near the compressor. After 20 minutes it started up again and seemed to cycle on-off-on again in about 12 hours and I think it continues to cycle, though I'm not around all the time. (I check for evidence of moisture in the drip pan and usually see some)


This is an old fridge and has been well maintained and is in excellent condition. It has had the Cold Control (Temperature Control, Thermostat assembly - original part # WR9X252 now substituted with part # WR9X355) on the back wall of the main compartment) replaced once by a service tech and other than the occasionally condenser coil vacuuming and regular interior and gasket cleaning there have been no problems.

GE (Canadian General Electric)
Model: L15JCKRH2811 << old, maybe 1970 model.

Rear condenser coils (not beneath), no condenser fan on this model, fan in freezer runs at the same time the compressor runs, freezer dial and main compartment dial were usually set on the lower end of the scale. Now they are almost at the maximum.

Looks almost exactly like this diagram here: http://www.applianceaid.com/images/frigpartsinside.JPG


So, best temperature achieved in top freezer = -14 C (10 F) and 12 C (50 F) in main compartment. Compressor runs then cycles after apox 12 hrs for what appears to be the defrost cycle. No unusual coolant type smells have been detected.

- Could the original icing of the evaporator coil have been caused by the extreme heat and humidity or is it a clue to what's actually wrong here? It hasn't seemed to happen again and I’ve checked. There is a fan constantly on the condenser coils at back until it cools down here abit.

- On the front of refrigerator, on the metal strip on the frame between the top freezer door and main compartment door it is quite warm to the touch when the compressor is running. Is this normal or an indicator of what might be wrong?

Does this problem sound like it could be the attributed to the Cold Control (part # WR9X355) or would you be inclined to suspect the compressor, coolant level or something else?

I know its old but I'd like to keep it chugging along if feasible. :-). Any and all thoughts/suggestions welcomed.

Very good detailed post. Wish all were like that. You covered about everything and shows you have some knowledge too.

Sounds low on freon at this point. And when weather is real hot out the transfer from the rear hot coils is not there as well and reduces it's efficiency. But being then you shut it down and then started it back up the next day, you'd think if THAT was the only issue, your temps would be back up to normal. Which they are not. I recently started up a fridge in a vacant rental for someone, where it was unplugged and doors ajar, and I think that in about 20-30 minutes of runtime the freezer was already to about 17 degrees. It was in 90 degree weather but I think the house even with the a/c turned off/dead air, was about 75 inside though.

What temperature and humidity is it in your house during this spell?

ecman51`, thank you and thanks for the response.

Weather wise its been hot.
This morning I checked the temp next to the refrigerator at 7:00 AM and it was 25 c (78 F) with humidity at 66% and just now at 8:00 PM its 34 C (93 F) with humidity at 22%. Today's outside temperature was 38 C (100 F) and it's forecasted to be in the low-mid 30's C (85+ F) for the rest of the week and beyond. Rain forecasted for tonight so the humdity will be up tomorrow.

Typically, days are hot and the nights are cool and everything cools off overnight but this summer the weather hasn't been following the script. One of the reasons I don’t have A/C here. I'm enjoying the heat, as I know in a short 4 months I could have snow up to my belt loops.

The fridge is still cycling at aprox 12 hr intervals and holding -14 C (10 F) in the freezer and 12 C (50 F) in the main compartment during compressor run. At the end of a defrost cycle a thermometer laid on the floor of the freezer reads 2 C (36 F), then the cold cycle starts again.

I continue to have an external fan aimed at the back condenser coils and they are just barely warm to the touch out of the air flow.

If I understand correctly, the low freon level and the hot temps and alternate high humidity may have been a big factor in the original ice-up of the evaporator. But main problem now is actually getting it to cool lower than the -14 C (10 F) its getting in the freezer.

Even with low freon it shouldn't plateau at -14 C (10 F) and eventually get colder. Is this correct? If so, would the Cold Control be one of the usual suspects to look at next or something else. What do you think?

Appreciate your insight. Cheers.