TurboCool light always on - power hog!

[yahel]

I may have a similar problem to the one discussed in this thread:
http://appliancejunk.com/forums/index.php?topic=7159.0
But there was never a resolution to the TurboCool light...

My TurboCool light is always on - although, like in the above thread, it has a dim state and a bright state.
I can switch between the dim and bright, using the TurboCool button ... When bright, the fans work even with the door open.


I only noticed that when I started to trace why the fridge hogs so much power.
It eats an average of 2.4Kwh per every 24 hours and it strikes me as too high!
Anyone knows what should be the consumption of this model?
We're in Berkeley, CA - so pretty cool and dry.

The model is GE - PSS26MG (Profile Arctica - side-by-side) model year is either 2003 or 2004.

To investigate further - I've measured the thermistors...
I only had the one on the side of the FF compartment soaked in ice-water, as I could not find the others without taking apart too many things.

Here are the readings (without ice water):

J1 pin 1 - 13K ohm (it goes up to 15.7K ohm when in ice water) FF compartment.
J1 pin 2 - 13K ohm. FF compartment.
J1 pin 3 - 28K ohm. Freezer.
J1 pin 4 - 40K ohm. Evaporator.

These readings make sense to me, so I guess there's no indication to replace these thermistors?

The strange part, is when I measure voltage over the thermistors, between the above mentioned pins and J1 pin 5, the DC voltage fluctuate like crazy, from a minimum of 0.15v to a max of 4.5v (avg 2.3v).
In-fact, it feels like AC at 7hz and not DC. I didn't use a scope, but a Fluke with frequency and RMS and it suggest it's an AC of 2.2VAC at 7.8hz frequency.

Also, none of this seems to have anything to do with the constant on (yet dim) TurboCool led.

Finally, I can't get the fridge into diagnostic mode - holding together the 4 temperature control buttons does nothing.
Also, I have no "hold" button on my model, so like others have complained on this forum, I won't be able to use the diag-mode?


Ideas? Suggestions?


Thanks,

Yahel.

[RegUS_PatOff]

... GE - PSS26MG

depending on the (4) missing characters at the end of your model number ..
energy guide info

[yahel]

My bad:

PSS26MGPAWW


Thanks,

Yahel.

[RegUS_PatOff]

Turbo Cool (dim) light may just be the Controller for the light.
PSS26MGPAWW (may be early engineering model)
the closest Energy Guide I can find is for
PSS26MGPWW (may be newer series)

http://products.geappliances.com/MarketingObjectRetrieval/Dispatcher?RequestType=PDF&Name=200d5994p026.pdf
 
your energy usage: 2.4 kw x 365 days = 876 kw
energy guide rated at 618 kw per year.. $ 51 / yr @ 8.9c/kw
BUT, that would be with the Turbo Cool OFF
IceMaker OFF
Doors never opened,
etc ..
2.4kw / day = 21c / day = $6.50 / month
876kw in real life is not excessive = $ 78 / yr @ 8.9c/kw
 
 
 

[yahel]

Alright - I guess it is normal... ;-(

BTW -based on your Kwh calculation - my annual cost for running this fridge is $294
My electricity bill shows a cost of $0.33561 / Hwh.

Alas - does not justify replacing a perfectly good, 8 years old fridge....

Anything I can do to lower it's consumption (which is about 10% of our overall home consumption)?
BTW - what is the typical percentage of overall residential consumption that a fridge takes - for an average family?


Thanks!

Yahel.

[RegUS_PatOff]

... My electricity bill shows a cost of $0.33561 / Hwh.

where do you live ?
Hawaii ?

[RegUS_PatOff]

California avg is .15 / kwh

[yahel]

RegUS_PatOff - can you explain?

What is .15/kwh ?
Avg of what? For what time period?

My questions was, if there's any known figures for the percentage of overall residential consumption that a fridge should take?
So the answer, for that question, should be in percents... such as in my case 10% of our home consumption is taken up by our fridge.

Anyways, other relevant data would be nice - as long as you explain what it means and ideally cite the source for the data.


Thanks,

Yahel.

[RegUS_PatOff]

My electricity bill shows a cost of $0.33561 / Hwh.

California average is 15 cents per kwh