Compressor wont shut off. Freezer temp reads low.

(Stockton, CA)

I have a GE PSS26SHTESS side-by-side refrigerator that was made in 2006. Currently, the compressor sounds as if it is not shutting off and is very hot to touch. In addition, we noticed that all of the hosing and lines running from it are frozen over. The temperature in the freezer is reading low on the panel, but the temp does not actually seem low as nothing is melting and ice is still being made. The temperature in the refrigerator is reading fine. We have replaced the defrost heater. We also had a technician come out who said that the refrigerator was low on freon and he did recharge it. We are not sure if we should replace the thermostat, temperature sensors, main board, compressor, or what. We are also not sure if we should call GE since we have yet to have a good experience with them when it comes to repairs.

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Answer


Replacement parts in General Electric PSS26SHTESS Refrigerator


If the tech misdiagnosed the low gas and added gas when it didn’t need it he could have over charged the system. Note that I am not saying that he did this for sure just that there is a chance this happened. The main reason I say this is because you say the lines are frozen near the compressor and the compressor is running hot. Both could happen if the system is overcharged. But a clogged capillary tube or dryer can also cause this problem. A clogged capillary tube and/or dryer are often (and very easily) misdiagnosed as low on gas and charging the system can make it worse. In this case you will need to recall the tech that charged the system so he can figure out if he misdiagnosed or there is another problem.

Lets assume for a minute that he didn’t misdiagnose anything and in fact he did repair it and now you have a different problem. For now forget the hot compressor. If the temperature displayed is not the temperature it actually is in the freezer then you may have a bad thermistor.

How To Test A Thermistor

If there is a problem with the defrost system the coils will look like the ones in the picture on that page under the section called evaporator coils. When the coils first frost up you do not notice a change in the temperature in the freezer however the temperature display will show high and the compressor will run all the time. If there is a defrost problem and you replaced the heater the problem is most likely the evaporator thermistor. For more on this see this page
GE Refrigerator Not Cooling


For what it is worth GE has a good refrigerator. I realize you are having problems with this one but all brands break. The main thing you need to look when purchasing an appliance is, who is going to work on it. Even if you are a do-it-yourselfer you still need good service during the warranty period. So find a service company you trust and buy it from them if they sell appliances and if not buy a brand they will service. Like in my area there are no service companies that service Samsung appliances (mostly because we can’t get parts without paying retail) yet people continue to buy them not thinking that someone will have to come from out of town to service it and they will have to wait a couple weeks for service.

I hope this helps!

Thank you,
Shawn/administrator