Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Whirlpool Frig Fell out of My Pickup

Doing 55 down the interstate. Not much visible damage, had to replace the power cord due to road rash. The freezer fan comes on, and the interior lights work... but the compressor and evap fan do not come on. If I hook up 120 vac to the compressor, both the compressor and fan run? Unit is a 1997 Whirlpool 22 foot, freezer on top.
Thanks.

Where are you hooking up the 120 when you can get it to work? And where are you hookign up the power cord? It almost sounds like the power cord could be hooked up where you made that test. ??

Amazing story. Glad nobody behind you got killed, as that would have made national news.

I replaced the power cord due to the old one have too much bare wire for safety, but did install the new one like the previous cord. I'm not sure if the polarity is the same, but it is A/C. I am sure the center wire...ground...is the same. When I hook up the 120 vac to the compressor I use test clips directly to the two side on connectors. From what I have read in some threads, it may be the defrost timer or defrost heater. Just need to find out where they are and check them. The treads indicate that the compressor and evap fan will not run while in the defrost mode. The unit is a 1997, Montgomery Ward, Whirlpool 22' freezer on top model.

Doing 55 down the interstate. Not much visible damage, had to replace the power cord due to road rash. The freezer fan comes on, and the interior lights work... but the compressor and evap fan do not come on. If I hook up 120 vac to the compressor, both the compressor and fan run? Unit is a 1997 Whirlpool 22 foot, freezer on top.
Thanks.
Do you know if the Whirlpool ET22DKXFW00 has a starting capacitor? The safety cover to the overload and start relays is missing. There are two terminals on the start relay that have no wires going to them? I just have a red wire on the overload relay (top and goes on first) and a white wire on the start relay (bottom). Both have 120 VAC at the terminals. Maybe the start capicator and cover are somewhere on the interstate?

http://picasaweb.google.com/cbaymac/Frig#5260438470548382482

Both Red and White wires have 120 VAC. The lower relay...with the white wire has two other terminals...one on each side. The cap was missing, possibly lost when it hit the road.

Your pic isn't showing up. Here it is:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/cbaymac/SQDU6v_V4xI/AAAAAAAAHNY/F74frZtFCc0/s720/refrig_wires.jpg

Your pic isn't showing up. Here it is:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/cbaymac/SQDU6v_V4xI/AAAAAAAAHNY/F74frZtFCc0/s720/refrig_wires.jpg
Thank you for uploading the photo. I'm new to the forum photo uploading.

It won't have a start capacitor, but could have had a run capacitor if the relay has three terminals. Or they may have used that relay because they had they on hand, instead of the relay with just one connector. It will run without the run capacitor, but you will have to connect the white wire to the correct terminal. Normally the white wire will go to the top connector, instead of the red one.

H.

I was going to say the same thing about the polarity.

It COULD be in defrost, if you had bypassed some of the wiring of the fridge when you test ran the compressor and fan, maybe. Or, if that was not it, or was impossible due to how you wired it, perhaps if yo wer lucky -just simply a case that the defrost timer advanced to defrost mode (a dead spot in the cycle for 20? minutes, give or take some, as far as cooling goes, whether or not the heater actually comes on makes no difference) in some interim.

Therefore, if you have not done so already, you could advance the defrost timer dial manually and see if then it comes on.

BTW - regarding your query about the defrost timer and defrost heater: You left out one very important ingredient (besides a wire disconnect, which actually I had happen once, due to ice pulling it out of jack). A part that can go bad. The defrost thermsotat. These shut the defrost system down if temp reaches stat rating (usually 50, 55, or 60 degrees), and only come back (the defrost heat) on again if say coils are chilled to about 35 or less.

It won't have a start capacitor, but could have had a run capacitor if the relay has three terminals. Or they may have used that relay because they had they on hand, instead of the relay with just one connector. It will run without the run capacitor, but you will have to connect the white wire to the correct terminal. Normally the white wire will go to the top connector, instead of the red one.

H.
Thanks for the info. I had the red and white wire off today for the first time and may have switched them. Same results either way tho. The 120 vAC at both to ground seems strange to me. What changes when the compressor gets a signal to turn on? There seems to be a ground wire missing, but not sure. Thanks for your reply. I'll try switching the red and white later tonight.

I was going to say the same thing about the polarity.

It COULD be in defrost, if you had bypassed some of the wiring of the fridge when you test ran the compressor and fan, maybe. Or, if that was not it, or was impossible due to how you wired it, perhaps if yo wer lucky -just simply a case that the defrost timer advanced to defrost mode (a dead spot in the cycle for 20? minutes, give or take some, as far as cooling goes, whether or not the heater actually comes on makes no difference) in some interim.

Therefore, if you have not done so already, you could advance the defrost timer dial manually and see if then it comes on.

BTW - regarding your query about the defrost timer and defrost heater: You left out one very important ingredient (besides a wire disconnect, which actually I had happen once, due to ice pulling it out of jack). A part that can go bad. The defrost thermsotat. These shut the defrost system down if temp reaches stat rating (usually 50, 55, or 60 degrees), and only come back (the defrost heat) on again if say coils are chilled to about 35 or less.
Thanks, I see the defrost thermost and would assume that you would just use a paper clip to short out the wire connector to see if it is bad? I think the defrost timer is in the fridge top with the lights, but dont see a place to advance anywhere, I did switch the red and white wires. Still no compressor or evap fan. Pic of what I think is the defrost timer is attached. I think it is the white thing in the middle?http://picasaweb.google.com/cbaymac/Defrost#5260495635026002066http://picasaweb.google.com/cbaymac/Defrost#5260495635026002066

What changes when the compressor gets a signal to turn on?

The thermostat in the fridge compartment must first call for cool, for anything to happen, obviously. And the defrost timer clock must have moved the timer clock so that it is out of defrost mode and lets power go to the compressor (and bottom fan if you have that), and top fan in freezer)

The fan in the freezer is running, but not the evap fan or compressor.

Since you DID get it to run with your test wire, it must be in working order, and somehow you must not have something wired up right. I can't help you any farther at this stage. You will need to study the wiring diagram to see what went wrong. Or post it here with close up clear photo.

Ec, I am on the same page as you. Don't know where to get the wiring diagram, but not that much has changed. It does seem strange to me that I have 120 VAC at both terminals on the compressor relays? Seems I'm missing a ground route/signal. Are two wires to the compressor enough? I may need to go see if any old friends have a unit like this.
Thanks.

You said you got it(compressor and bottom fan?) to work by whatever you did, with a wire for testing in some earlier post. Right? That is why it seems like something you did or did not do, when you put the new cord on. I'm going to look at back of refrigerator and see if I see a wiring diagram, and if this helps. I'll be back.

Doing 55 down the interstate. Not much visible damage, had to replace the power cord due to road rash. The freezer fan comes on, and the interior lights work... but the compressor and evap fan do not come on. If I hook up 120 vac to the compressor, both the compressor and fan run? Unit is a 1997 Whirlpool 22 foot, freezer on top.
Thanks.

This was your first post. Did you actaully get the compressor and fan to work? Or - were you asking that if you WERE TO hook up the compressor, that they would both run. Very important to know which, if you ever got lower fan and compressor to work after it fell off the truck.

If neither ever worked, you may have a loose wire or disconnect in a circuit where the two things (fan and compressor) are tied together in parallel. The reason I say that is if either the compressor OR the lower fan were destroyed, the other one still should work! But since neither do (and since we know part of that circuit is working since the evaporator fan comes on -that that rules out a dead short, and also means you wired the fridge correctly!), it seems a good bet there is a wire disconnect at some jack/junction that allows current to go to both of these.

And a fridge falling off a truck at highway speed could have caused this! Trace all the wires.

Not all wires wil be visible, unfortunately, as much is up inside the case. If you managed to research online or call the company and somehow get a wiring diagram, and then find that there must be connections from the wiring diagram that you cannot see -this may be an unsolveable problem.

In household electrical witing it is a no-no to ever bury junction boxes that contain joined wires. But I can't say the same holds true about the wiring of refrigerators, that every connection is not buried. Since this issue has never come up with me (never had a fridge stop working due to bad connection in unremoveable section of the case), I am going to ask my appliance repair store techs I am friends with, to ask them about this, as this could be quite important in your case, to know this.

Do you know if the Whirlpool ET22DKXFW00 has a starting capacitor? The safety cover to the overload and start relays is missing. There are two terminals on the start relay that have no wires going to them? I just have a red wire on the overload relay (top and goes on first) and a white wire on the start relay (bottom). Both have 120 VAC at the terminals. Maybe the start capicator and cover are somewhere on the interstate?

Or this could be it, right here. I called the appliance store and they cannot bring up any diagram with that number, unfortunately. We really need one. Or, someone with a lot more experience in making these hookups than I am. I will test and replace existing parts, but if something were tampered with and/or missing, I too would need a wiring diagram -instead of looking at it and going, "Oh here, we can do this instead to make it work". I am not quite that good -yet.

Dunno if this is the correct diagram, they had 3 that were partial matches for that model.

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=249466

Def shows a cap.

I did find that I had mis wired the power cord with the hot wire where the common should have gone, causing the two hot wires at the compressor. Now that is fixed and I have no power at the compressor now. The thermostat does kick on the evap fan in the freezer when going from off to cool. The defrost timer does the same when rotated.

I did find that I had miswired the power cord with the hot and common wires reversed. That was the reason for two hot wires at the compressor. Now that I am sure I have it wired correctly, I have NO VAC at the compressor. The thermostat and defrost timer seem to be OK.

:wall:

For you to have two hot wires at the compressor, you must be measuring between ground and the red and white. What you need to do is measure between the red and white wires, you should have 110 volts there. If the freezer fan will run when you have the control turned on, then the wiring is ok, and it is not in the defrost cycle. Do you have the red wire connected to the top right hand terminal of the start relay?

H.

Once I got the wiring right, I found the hot wire from the connector to the compressor was broken. Seems to be running fine now...time will tell. Thanks again for all your help.
Cheers.

It is nice to hear that you got it, and you did not give up. Amazing that fridge survived the fall. It must have skidded down the highway, eh?, without tumbling at all. Amazing story.

Regarding hidden refrigerator connections, the appliance repair outfit I go thru did ask one of the guys and he said they do not make them that way. So that means for anyone ever wanting to know, that all connections should be accessible and able to trace between the incoming power cord connections, the bottom of the fridge where everything is visible, and at the defrost timer, and the door switch, and the thermostat control, and light, and behind the evaporator coil access cover in the freezer.