Appliance Repair Wisdom for the Ages

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Field Notes: Maytag Side-by-Side Refrigerator Warming Up

I'm starting to see problems with the Maytag-built (includes Jenn Air) side-by-side refrigerators where the beer compartment gets warm, but the ice cream compartment stays very cold. (Home refrigerators have two compartments, the colder one for ice cream and the warmer one for beer. Many folks store frozen food in the ice cream compartment and fresh food in the beer compartment.) This differs from the typical defrost failure complaint which, in these fridges, is usually a bad Adaptive Defrost Control (ADC) board because 1) there's no fuzzy ice built up on the back, inside wall of the freezer and 2) the freezer temp is good (around 0°F).

Having established that the sealed system is intact (evidenced by the cold freezer) and that the defrost system is working, this means the problem is in the air distribution system. "Uh, say what?" Awwite, grab 'hold of those two large lumps at the base of your spine and read this post for some background scoop on how the cold air is distributed around your fridge.

So, applying my keen, razor-sharp powers of Samurai deduction, my katana-like mind sliced through the fog and concluded that I need to check for air flow into the beer compartment. In these refrigerators, incoming cold air is ported in at the top left-hand side of the beer compartment. I felt no air coming in. Then I opened the freezer door and the cold air started gushing in! Therefore, the problem had to be with the return air vent inside the beer compartment. How did I know there was a return air vent? Because fans don't suck; they blow. (As a side note, pumps are the opposite because they suck. Take your mind outta the gutter for five minutes in your decadent life, ok? In fact, pumps are sized according to Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH). Fun fact to know and tell.)

I pulled the crisper drawers out to inspect the return air vent. Sho' 'nuff, it was sealed tight by a curtain of frozen condensate. I busted it open and the cold air started gushing in. Here's the return air vent, click it for a larger view:

The return air port in a Maytag side by side refrigerator located behind the crisper drawers in the beer compartment. Condensation can freeze in a sheet over this port blocking the return air flow, creating warm beer.

Samurai Appliance Repair Man cast these pearls at 00:35 ET.  [permalink]

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8 Comments:

I have a Maytag (inside the door it says its model no. RSD2400E, but the Maytag site says that's an invalid number), and it has the exact symptoms you describe. Trouble is, the area behind the crisper drawer doesn't look like your photo. Can you tell me where the heck the return air vent is and how I can recognize it?

By  MacQuarrie, at July 24, 2005 12:59 PM  

I have the same problem with my Maytag side by side MSD2556AE - I have defrosted the return air duct several times in the past 2 weeks, it keeps packing up with frost. What is the matter? I thought the door was not shut the 1st time but I'm sure the seals were tight now. Any suggestions?

By  Anonymous, at July 28, 2005 11:57 AM  

To discuss this problem, post it in the repair forum.

By  Samurai Appliance Repair Man, at July 29, 2005 6:44 PM  

This was so perfect - I just ran downstair happy as a new born sheep and fixed my probably right quick.

You're my new god and I promise to pray to you every night before bed.

Well, at least tonight, well, whatever.

By  Anonymous, at May 02, 2006 11:33 PM  

My Maytag SBS has the same issue. The blower is out on mine. This fridge has been a POS from day 1. # service calls within the first 6 months, the defrost board has been replaced 2x times. Finally the tech wired around it. The icemaker leaked, and filled the freezer with a sheet of ice. No more Maytags for this Grasshopper.

By  BEAN, at July 05, 2006 11:58 AM  

My Maytag French Door/Bottom Freezer model has recently developed the same problem. I noticed that the refrigerator is warm but the freezer is cool. The doors were shut and I have tried to locate the vents to check the airflow, but have not had much luck. Thanks for your help.

By  Travis, at January 30, 2007 11:10 PM  

I am having the same problem with my GE Monogram Side by Side. Freezer works good, refrigerator is just not very cold. Any suggestions? Thanks!

By  Don, at March 15, 2007 11:17 AM  

On my GE Profile bottom freezer (PDS22MCPABB), beer getting warm but opening freezer allows cold air in. No visible frost to break on vents behind drawers, so turned off for few hours, worked normally...for about a week. Lather rinse repeat. Now on third spin in about 2.5 weeks, any idea how to fix more permanently?

By  Dave, at July 10, 2007 10:59 PM  

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