[Lamf77]

Hi,
Freezer coils are icing up pretty bad and fridge is getting warm. GE tech replaced something inside the freezer about 4 years ago when appliance was still under warranty. I remember him using a hair dryer to defrost the coils. Now I wanted to just change out the parts myself. Will PartSelect's Defrost Heater Kit, part # PS303933 work for my GE Model GSS20IBMBWW?
Or, do I need to order the individual thermostat and heating element?
Thank you in advance.
Mike

[denman]

I would order the individual parts that are specific to your unit.
Otherwise you will have to do some jiggery pokery which could turn into a nightmare.

I assume that your coils are iced up again
Have you checked the heater and the thermostat to be sure that one of them is actually the cause?

[Lamf77]

Hi,
It was recommended I change both just in case. Are there 2 heater coils for my unit or just one? How exactly can I tell if the heater coils or coil is bad?
I do not mind take the time or spending the money to change everything.
Thanks,
Mike

[denman]

Here is a link to your parts breakdown
GE GSS20IBMBWW

Take a look in the FREEZER SECTION - Item 230 is the defrost element
Also if you click on the Part Number (blue print) quite often another page will open with a larger view and if you scroll down there may be help from others who have used this part.

It is not a bad idea to replace both
The best way to check is with a volt/ohm meter
The thermostat should be 0 ohms at freezer temperature, open (infinite) at room temperature.
The heater should not be an open, it should have some resistance. They vary widely (100 ohms very approximate). As long as it has continuity it is usually good

Your heater is the glass tube type so you may even be able to see if it has burned out.

[Lamf77]

Hi,
I blow dried the coils when I first contact the forum a week or so ago. Because the rear of the fridge was so dusty, I was advised to clean it and wait for the coils to ice again to make sure the problem was inside the fridge. Well the coils are iced. When the fridge was working after blow drying the coils the first time, the freezer fan did not run all the time. It just ran when the fridge was warm. Does this indicate the thermostat was working? Also, someone mentioned something about a defrost timer? I have not idea where it is on my machine or if it could be the problem? Please help before I order the parts from you.
Thanks,
Mike

[denman]

It looks like defrost timer is actually the adaptive type and is located on the main control board.

Here is a good site with troubleshooting help
refrigerator problems and solutions, not cold enough, frost free repair information

I would take an extra look at #8

I personally do not work for this site

[Lamf77]

Wow...part arrived in one day! I took out the old heating element and it was almost solid black inside the tube! The electrical connections (blue on left, pink on right) also had some mild black residue. Obviously the heater coil was bad, would something else inside the freezer short it out or is the normal life of one about 4-5 years?
Now that the coils is changed, how can I tell if it is working?
Thanks again,
Mike

[denman]

The glass type do not last as long as the oven element type. With adaptive defrost controls it changes the defrost frequency with how often the doors are opened, so a busy family will be defrosting more often.

To check it you just have to get it into defrost mode and see if it heats up.
That may be easier said than done. Check your manual it may tell you how in there.
Here is a link, take a look at #30
refrigerator problems and solutions, not cold enough, frost free repair information

The other way is just monitor it fairly regularly perhaps you can catch it when the freezer fan is off, it will then be in a defrost cycle. There is one snag to this, if you catch it at the end of the cycle, the defrost thermostat may have already turned it off.

Perhaps someone else knows the trick to force it into defrost.