GE- Need wiring diagram/defrost timer issue

[tcape]

I have a refrigerator that is not freezing right. During the last blizzard, the customer called and I was snowed in. Told her to take everything outside, let the doors open on the fridge for 12-24 hours, then put everything back in and see what happens. She called 2 weeks later, said everything was fine for a week or so, then it happened again. I assumed defrost problem. She said fridge was 5-6 years old. I got there Tuesday, it's actually closer to 18. Defrost timer was not moving the dial, and when I manually made it defrost, I had 3.5 amps on one of the wires coming out of the timer(really bad location for testing anything, timer near front bottom and wires go to rear). Anyway, I need a wiring diagram for the fridge so I know which two wires run the timer motor and which one turns on the heater and which one turns off the compr/fan. The timer I was given was WR9X502. Should I have been able to unplug the old one and plug in the new one?   I did and after 4 hours the time motor did not move the indicator at all. However, I turn the new timer manually and the compressor comes on and goes off. I think I may have jumped the gun on this job, I'm still learning, so I realize I probably should have checked for voltage to the old timer, but there is no wiring diagram that I can find. Took the bottom removable access panel and nothing. I figured I just got lucky finding the heater wire from the timer. If I had the wiring diagram for the fridge I could see what wires went where and wire it up that way. I even tried wiring by the numbers(1234- I made 4 pigtails, male on one end, female on the other) and then the timer would not even bring the compressor on when I turned the timer dial.


Do I have the right timer?, Should it be  plug and play even though the 1234 order is different on both timers?

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for this unit?

I'm supposed to go back there tomorrow, and I could use some assistance.

Thanks

Tony

Model TCX22ZRBRAD

[JWWebster]

you should have been able to plug it in you have the right timer. To test them timers you have a hot leg for compressor on one side and a hot leg for heater on the other common is in the middle the leg on the far outside is L1, so it is either gonna defrost or run the compressor but never both at once. You can tell what the defrost mode is by turning the timer
 Defrost is barely a click and then another click and it goes into run mode.

[tcape]

Good to know just plugging it in was the right option, it made no sense to me to do otherwise. Looks like I may have a problem with the timer motor on this one or no 120v at term 1 and 3 coming into it. Looking at a generic fridge diagram shows only the stat in the circuit prior to the timer terminal 3.

The problem was I plugged in the new timer and set it on defrost(compressor stopped) and my thoughts were to let it defrost right away since the coil was probably over iced. I told the customer it would be off for about 1/2hr and then start running. She called me 3 hrs later and nothing. I went over and the timer dial never moved.
That's when I began scratching my head.

What may I have missed?

How could the timer motor not work since it's before most everything else in the schematic(assuming standard wiring)?

How could putting it in defrost right away keep the timer motor from advancing?

Sorry about the questions, I'm an HVACR guy doing some appliance work for the fun of it and to learn more.

Thanks

[JWWebster]

Look on the back side under the metal cover for a molex plug that connects the innards with the bottom compressor unit. You will probably pinpoint the problem in that quick connect. Corrosion gitz in there and cause problemas.

[Repair-man]

There should be a mini-manual under the front kickplate taped to one side of the cabinet.

[tcape]

Cool, Thanks! I will check that.

I have 120v on the defrost timer terminals 1-3 right now to verify the timer is advancing. It should be off my marks by tomorrow morning I would think.


Thanks again

[tcape]

I had 120v on the timer terminals 1-3 for 12 hours and the knob(if you can call it that, more like a screw driver slot) has not moved at all.
Is it possible to have a bad timer motor from new?

[JWWebster]

yep mexitronics

[jumptrout51]

The new timer should have a color code on it for wiring back to a GE.
Double check the wire colors to the timer terminals.

[tcape]

I went to the next town over and got this timer: WR9X483, because they had it in stock. I tested this one with 120 volts and it worked fine, I could even feel it running. I installed it, and the wiring diagram was no where to be found. However I called GE last night and they called while I was at the job to tell me they were going to email me the tech data, which they did. Looking at this appears to be pretty routine electrical circuits, so I know I had it right when I first plugged it in, it must be a defective new timer motor. I'm tearing it apart to see where the problem is. I can't return it to the appliance parts store, because they won't take returns on ordered parts or electrical parts, since they have no idea what can happen once it leaves their possession. There is a resistor in the timer motor, and it appears to be open, I can't get a reading on it with my meter, unless it's something else, but it appears it would be a resistor, because of the hairlike strands of wire going to the timer motor itself.

The wire colors on the timer are 1-or, 4-bk, 3-gr, 2-bl
on the fridge it was 1-wh, 4-bl, 3-yellow, 2-brown

terminal 1- is the common back to the power supply

terminal 3- is the hot from the thermostat

terminal 4- normally closed switch on the defrost control that supplies power to the compressor when "not" in defrost, switch is open during defrost(this terminal gets power from terminal 3)

terminal 2- normally open switch on the defrost control that closes  when it "is" in defrost to supply power to the defrost heater, this switch is open when "not" in defrost(this terminal gets power from terminal 3)

Thanks for the help so far.


Tony

[tcape]

I have the tech data for this in pdf format, is it permitted to attach the pdf to this thread in case anybody needs it?

[AJ]

is it permitted to attach the pdf to this thread in case anybody needs it?

Yes please do, thanks.

[tcape]

tech data