The
defrost heaters run the entire 42 minutes during the defrost cycle causing a temp spike
to 78F measured above the ice bucket, creating clumps of melted and then
refrozen ice. One blue wire supplies
the voltage to the positive side of the heaters. Voltage only appears there
during the defrost cycle. Two pink
wires come off the ground side of the heaters. One goes to the defrost
thermostat. The second one exits through the back panel behind the freezer
compartment to places unknown. I cut the pink wire going to the thermostat to
verify the short was still constantly present in the second pink wire (it is).
Whatever connects on the end of the second pink wire is apparently the cause of
the short. Sadly, the wiring diagram was not found anywhere on the unit. Every
sample schematic I found on the web shows only one circuit from the heaters to
the defrost thermostat. What could the function be of this other circuit? It certainly is overriding the defrost thermostat. In trying to solve this problem, I’ve
already replaced the defrost timer (GE part WR9X489 16hr/35min) and the defrost
thermostat. There’s one more mysterious part left in the defrost circuit that
apparently needs to be replaced and I’m clueless. Help!
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