Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Amana Fridge frosting and not cooling. is it heat lamp???

Hi I have scoured over the related posts and my problem seems similar to the GE post. However, I can't seem to find the heater lamp on my Amana BB20V1PS (freezer on bottom). I have defrosted the freezer twice and it immediately freezes over in a day or two. The fan works. I have it set on 4 (goes up to 7) Nothing (aside from the coils) freezes in the freezer and the milk goes bad very quickly in the upper compartment.
The fridge NEVER stops. OK maybe for one minute after running straight for 3-4 hours. Does anyone know where the heater lamp is so I can see if its the culprit? I've removed the back panel inside the freezer exposing the coils and don't see it. Any other suggestions are welcomed. Many thanks!!

A heat LAMP? - not a heating coil?

Hi check out this thread, this is the one I've been following and it seems to apply to my situation, only I don't know where to find the heat lamp that is supposed to keep the coil defrosted.

http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=212796

I breezed thru the thread. Glass tube heater? Hmmm. Well. that is interesting.

But where have you looked exactly that you cannot find any heater? Have you exposed the coils?

If it defrosts at all, it has to have some sort of heating tube/element of some sort, right with the cooling coils. When you expose the area, take note as to what are the cooling coils and what is the defroster, as the cooling coils do not have any electrical connection on either end, but the heat tube or element would, for sure. That wil be your tip off right there.

You are certain with the history of your fridge, or otherwise knowledge of it, that yours is a self-defrost model? Don't forget that in parts of the country it is extremely hot and humid right now - and if a freezer that can't defrost, were ever to have an ice up problem, it be in this type of weather, especially if you do not have good a/c system knocking down the humidity in the house.

An excellent electrical testing meter called a Kill-a-Watt meter, which resembles a plug-in (lamp or ?)timer, is a quick and easy way to find out if a defrost element is working because you can look at the meter and see what kind of watt draw is going through it when the compressor is not on, and it is in defrost mode. To speed testing up, one can advance the defrost timer and then watch the meter without taking off any parts of the fridge, and know if it the heater is working or not, by the reading you get; a sizeable number of about 450 watts.

Those test meters read kw draw, accumulated kwh draw for timed tests, amps and watts. Very handy cheap-priced meter, that plugs into your outlet, and then you plug your appliance in it You can test the draw for all kinds of electrical devices in your home.

Speaking about defrost timers - if you have one, then obviously your freezer is designed to defrost. And if not; no.

Thanks for the wealth of info! I did expose the coils but I will start defrosting again right now to expose the coil cover and coils to see if there is something other than this glass config that Amana uses. I will also make some calls to the hardware store to see if they carry this electric test meter at my local do it center.
I've had the Amana for some six years and defrost has always worked even in extremely hot weather so it appears to be very unusual behavior.
To clarify...If I understand correctly when the defrost kicks on it should read approx 450w? Would it read this even if it is broken? Is it still putting out the energy even though it may be broken?
How does one advance the defrost timer?
I will do these first steps and report back..
Thank you!

To clarify...If I understand correctly when the defrost kicks on it should read approx 450w? Would it read this even if it is broken? Is it still putting out the energy even though it may be broken?

No. Watts are only measured when used. If a wire leading to it, or the element itself were broken, you'd have either 0 watts being consumed, or a dead short which would blow your circuit breaker. It be one or the other. 450 is an approximation based on my readings on some 18 cubic foot units. But anywhere in that range you can be assured the defroster is working.



How does one advance the defrost timer?
I will do these first steps and report back..
Thank you!

First you have to find it. Some old models of fridges had them down at the very bottom of the framework of the fridge. Newer ones have them inside a common housing with the thermostat control. You find on them something that looks like it can turn, and you turn it. I haven't dealt with a real old one in quite some time. But the newer ones have a little round thing you can turn, and as you do, you may hear little ticks, and then when you get to the defrost setting it will make a noticeable click. These are designed to be turned in one direction.

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BTW, you will really enjoy that Kill-A-Watt. It is neat plugging a lamp in and seeing if the 60 watt bulb really uses 60 watts as claimed. Or to see if the rating tags on appliances consume the watts or amps they say they do, etc. Multitesters do not have an amp scale on them; this does, for 120 volts only, off an outlet.

Thanks ECMAN51,
That makes sense.
I found a place that has the tester, really curious about results (with other stuff as well for that matter)
Heading to pick it up right now. Will be defrosting tonight instead (last minute change of plans).
Will report back late tonight. Thank you!!!

Still melting, probably should've used a hairdryer. I am beginning to see some electric wires however, like you mentioned. Will see in the morning where they lead. Will report back.

Found it. Like you suspected this one has an element (not glass tube)
The store that claimed to have the kill-a-watt had nothing like it. Been to quite a few places and no-one has it. I did find it online however. Until I get one in the mail is there any other way to see if the element is faulty? I've been touching it from time to time but haven't felt heat yet.

Yes. Test it with an ohm meter at each end, after you unplug it. Elements are resistors and you should get a reading. If it was burned in half you'd get no reading. If it was burned so that the internal element was bridging to the external skin of it, you'd get a reading that would show 100% continuity; a dead short. So, either no reading is bad or full continuity is bad.

If you are getting a reading then you have to move on to check out the defrost timer or defrost thermsotat. You'd have to find the thermostat and try to advance it manually to see if you ever get 120 volts at the incoming wire to the element or if you had it already ohmed out as good, to see if it heats up if connected up.

Harbor Freight sells that Kill-A-Watt, for one.