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MAYTAG MBL1956KES - Bottom drawer freezer, NOT Side-by-Side

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 06:08 pm

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melochan
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Konnichiha, Samurai Appliance Repair Man (and the rest of the community!),

Your forum is great and has helped me to learn a lot; thanks and keep up the GREAT work. I have reviewed the following posts:

http://fixitnow.com/wp/2007/07/08/how-to-replace-the-evaporator-fan-in-a-maytag-refrigerator/
http://fixitnow.com/wp/2005/06/22/field-notes-maytag-side-by-side-refrigerator-warming-up/
http://fixitnow.com/wp/2006/07/14/how-to-replace-the-adaptive-defrost-control-adc-board-in-your-maytag-or-jenn-air-sxs-refrigerator/
http://fixitnow.com/2004/09/appliance-repair-revelation-cold-facts.htm
[url=http://fixitnow.com/2004/04/mailbag-diagnosing-refrigerator.htmhttp://fixitnow.com/wp/2003/05/21/appliance-tip-of-the-day-adapting-to-adaptive-defrost/]http://fixitnow.com/2004/04/mailbag-diagnosing-refrigerator.htmhttp://fixitnow.com/wp/2003/05/21/appliance-tip-of-the-day-adapting-to-adaptive-defrost/[/url]

... but I'm still not *too* sure if the Adaptive Defrost Control Board is what I should be replacing. A few facts....

* Fridge is only 1.5 years old
* Freezer is cold, working fine
* Fridge is warm, not working
* There is no frost/ice blocking airway between freezer and fridge
* In the freezer there is no frost inside the compartment....

BUT - I notice that BEHIND the back wall of the freezer (where it seems the evaporator coils are located), you can feel ice/frost back there. As I manually defrost, this ice/frost starts to surface inside the freezer until it is all gone. I did this 2 months ago, all was clear, turned on the fridge and the fridge worked fine. Here I am 2 months later and the same problem and I am now defrosting manually again...

Do I have a broken ADC board? If I look at the ADC board, will I be able to tell? I'm about to unscrew the back wall of the freezer to expose the evaporator coils to see if I learn anything.... any assistance would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks guys,
Melody -- usually a pretty handy chic

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 07:20 pm

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himeros

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Usually if you have a frost build up problem, both the freezer and ref section will warm up. If you take that panel off, you will see the evap coils, take a picture of that, or tell us what it looks like. Sound like a defrost problem, now we need to find out which part to replace. You can not tell by looking at that boad if it is good or bad.

H.

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 07:30 pm

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melochan
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Hi H,

Thanks for the response! Well, it seems there are a lot of fridges with the cold freezer warm fridge problems (see the posts I pasted above), especially with Maytags! I've done some further research and I think I've deduced the problem to be with one of the following:

# The defrost timer
# The defrost thermostat (also called the bi-metal switch)
# The defrost heater

Can anyone suggestion how I might determine which it might be?

Having problems getting the back panel off, I'll take a picture once I can do that... of course it may be defrosted by then!!

THANKS!

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 07:39 pm

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RegUS_PatOff
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MBL1956KES Technical Information

Defrost controlled by the "JAZZ PC BOARD" (not my nomenclature)

Forced Defrost Mode (starts at bottom of page 3 )

Defrost Thermostat & Defrost Circuit Test page 5

Last edited on Wed Feb 20th, 2008 07:42 pm by RegUS_PatOff

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 07:54 pm

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melochan
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Thanks RegUS_PatOff!

I'm going to run some diagnostic tests and see what I come up with. The manual defrost option is good to know, but I don't want to have to do this manually every month!

I'll let everone know what results from the diagnostic tests....

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 08:15 pm

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melochan
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WOW! That was super easy. I ran through all 9 of the diagnostic tests and the first one, "Defrost Thermostat & Defrost Circuit Test," gave me my answer. It turns out the result was "DEFROST THERMOSTAT SHORTED (CLOSED)"

So my final question is.... I assume this means I need to replace my Defrost Thermostat? Can someone confirm? I expect I can order the following if a replacement is necessary:

http://www.repairclinic.com/SmartSearch/SSPartDetail.aspx?PartID=1033990&PPStack=1

Cheers,
Melody

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 08:50 pm

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RegUS_PatOff
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that's the one

it helps the Samurai if ordered through that nice yellow box at the top of this page or this link:

click on picture

Last edited on Wed Feb 20th, 2008 08:50 pm by RegUS_PatOff

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 09:07 pm

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melochan
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Sure thing, will order through the Samurai - thanks for the reminder!

Thanks again for all of your help. Once the part is ordered and installed (I'm hoping this is pretty straight forward), I'll post again on my experience!

Cheers,
Melody

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 09:39 pm

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appl.tech.29501
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That does not mean that your defrost thermostat is bad. That test just shows you the state that the thermostat is in at the time. If you have a frosted ofver evaporator coil the the defrost thermostat should be closed (shorted).....you haven't found your problem yet. You need to remove that back wall and comfirm that you have a true defrost problem. If you remove the back wall and the evaporator is not frosted over then your most likely gonna have a bad evaporator fan motor. Usuall on these models the evap. fan will run but not at the correct speed so it will simulate a defrost problem.....keep us posted.

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 10:04 pm

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melochan
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Thanks for the post, appl.tech.29501!

Okay, so I may not have found my problem yet...

The coils are definitely frosted over - that's a definite.... perhaps the timer needs to be adjusted? Or perhaps there is a way to adjust the fan speed? Help...!!

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Posted: Wed Feb 20th, 2008 10:06 pm

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RegUS_PatOff
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I was thinking of the THERMISTER, not THERMOSTAT

You didn't mention if it was still frosted-up when running that test

appl.tech.29501 is right, it would be CLOSED (SHORTED) in that condition.

(although Maytag shouldn't confuse people with the term "shorted")

run the defrost cycle (and see if it will defrost) and then try those tests again.

no fan speed adjustment.. a bad fan if that's the problem.

Last edited on Thu Feb 21st, 2008 12:05 pm by RegUS_PatOff

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Posted: Thu Feb 21st, 2008 01:28 pm

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melochan
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Hi everyone,

Thanks again for sticking with me. I had started defrosting manually at the time I ran the test, but I doubt it was fully defrosted. I'll be getting home late from work today (here on the East Coast), but I'll run through the tests again tonight and get back to you guys. I presume if the thermostat is still closed when the evaporator is fully defrosted that I have a problem.... we'll see, I'll report back soon!

Cheers,
Melody

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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 01:11 am

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melochan
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Okay, I'm back....

The freezer (and evaporator) is fully defrosted and I ran through the series of tests again. This time, sure enough, the defrost thermostat is now showing as Open. The diagnostic tests are no longer revealing anything to me. Sounds like the next likely culprit is a faulty evaporator fan? How would I go about confirming this? Any suggestions....?

Thanks!

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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 10:47 am

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RegUS_PatOff
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I'm not sure, maybe some else has an idea.

How long before it frosts up again ?

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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 10:52 am

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melochan
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Mornin'!

This happened for the the first time maybe 2 months ago at the most.

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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 11:41 am

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Poobah
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With everything defrosted the stat would show open because it may not have reached the appropriate temperature to close yet (usually around 25-30 degrees)...I had a customer a year or so ago that had basically the same unit...he got Maytag to send him the control board ( they said that was the problem)...I took a def. stat also...after installing the board it worked good so we didn't do the stat (showed good with a meter and heater came on after testing) I talked to him about 2 ish months later and he told me he ended up putting the stat on....I have since talked to him and there has been no mention of any problems...

if you enter defrost mode manually by using the tech info RegPat provided and the heater came on then the heater naturally is good...you will then need to see if the coils defrost completely or if the heater shuts off too soon which would lead to a quick terminating stat....just my 2 cents hope it may be of some help

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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 12:06 pm

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melochan
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Hi Poobah,

Thanks for your 2 cents!

The freezer is already completely thawed, mostly done manually since I begain the processs immediately after discovering the problem. I will put it in forced defrost mode again to see if I can feel heat to verify the defrost heater is okay.

A lot of Samurai's posting suggest the ADC board may be the cause so I suppose that is one of my options.

It's starting to sound like this will take a lot of trial and error ... I can install a new ADC Board or defrost thermostat, but I really won't know until 2 months later if/when the same problem comes up.... very frustrating!

Are there any further tests I can do, manual or otherwise, to narrow down my possibilities?

Thanks everyone; I'm very grateful...

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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 01:27 pm

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Poobah
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the only tests to do are the ones that are posted on the techncal guide RegPat posted (bottom of page 3) after looking at your mod # it does appear you have the adc that is made into the control panel (all in the unit)...after lettig the unit set and cool all the way back down then start a defrsot cycle and check for the heater to come on...if it does then the heater is ok and more than likely the control (adc) is going to be ok...which brings us full circle back to the def. stat

If the box will run for up to 2 mo then ice over it does indeed sound to me like an intermittent stat not letting it defrost completely...it leaves alilltle frost that will turn to hard ice and after a while it will become blocked

If your stat is indeed the one pictured in the thread it is junk (so was it's predessesor) I change these on every call I go on because I have been burnt by it before...

Appl.tech touched on a good point..these evap. motors are very prone at going down at the drop of a hat...I have never had to change one on this style box but many on the side by sides and I'm pretty sure they are about the same..I ave had them go out completely, get hot and work sporadically cutting in and out and then just blowing at about 30%

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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 01:40 pm

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himeros

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Under normal use, your problem will show up within 7 to 10 days, if it is not defrosting normally. What you could to do is wait until you have a frosted evap coil, put it into the manual defrost mode, and see if the heaters come on, and stay on until the frost is melted completely. It would appear that it probably is the defrost timer, or the defrost thermostat. not to worry about the defrost limit switch, that seems to be working ok. A slow running fan should not cause a frost build up, but rather both sections will warm up because of poor air flow.

H.

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Posted: Fri Feb 22nd, 2008 01:54 pm

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Poobah
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Where I was going with the fan was that if it were blowing weakly it wouldn't cool the ref. right and could cause prolonged running times by not shutting down the compressor..the freezer would still be cold though....I have seen coils with a fuzzy looking frost before (not uniform the way it's supposed to be) on units with an intermittent fan or a bad one

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