I just tried google for “ge refrigerator wiring diagram tfx24slj”
and still got dishwasher, stove and gawd knows what else - but at least they were (mostly) wiring diagrams.
This really is an oldie - the handles are about 12" long and black on a white box - all the ones I find on searches all have variations of full-length handles in matching colors.
I tried cleaning the behind-the-rear-cover “radiator” - a small version of the item in your heater pic. No wires visible.
6 more days until the parts are due.
I’m going to regret this, but: Just noticed that the chiller side is 3" deeper than the freezer side. The freezer has a false panel/panels at the back, with oddly placed screws and washers hinting that there are thing(s) attached to the false panel.
Keeping in mind that this is about the first generation of side-by-side with through-the-door ice and water - the original Retail Buyer’s sticker is still on it: 23.6 cu ft, and actually states that a water connection is required for ice maker* and water dispenser (duh…).
Is it likely that significant bits and pieces are concealed by the false panel?
the ice maker was designed as optional - the bits to add it after purchase are easily accessible.
Sorry for not trying to decipher the description in the thread. I can’t figure out what is wrong from your description. It works sometimes, but not sometimes? Anyway, I just jump to the meat of my comments.
Behind the panel in the rear you will find the evaporator coil and fan. You will also find the duct that diverts some of the cold air to the refrigerator compartment. Below the the evaporator coil, you will find the heater and collection tray for the defroster. If the fan in the freezer functions, and you are not having water problems from the defroster, there is no reason to open this up.
You are incorrect in assuming this is a first-generation side-by-side with water and ice through the door. That would have been in the 1970s. By the 1990s, ice and water through the door was very common, but even today, the icemaker is optional third-party equipment (this allows the manufacturer not to have to cover the ice maker in the warranty).
I am not sure if I understand your issue. If the compressor just doesn’t come on, the likely causes are a bad defroster timer, a bad relay (or contactor as it is sometimes called), or a bad compressor motor. As the compressor is in a sealed unit, if it is your problem, you need a new fridge. It will cost more to fix than you can buy a used 10-year-old refrigerator for (which would be 10 years newer than yours).
I have never run into a bad relay on a fridge, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.
The defrost timer is a common issue, and if that is what is bad, your best bet is to buy a used one off eBay. Yeah, it will be used, but so is your fridge. The guys on eBay take parts from fridges whose compressors have failed and they will generally test the components they sell and if it is bad, they generally send you another one out as soon as you tell them about it.
One of the reasons you can’t find manuals is because of the age. Refrigerators of this age were only manufactured by a few manufacturers, but were sold under many different marks. Most of the functional parts are completely interchangeable and have been since the 1970s or so. There may have been superseded part numbers, but they are all pretty much interchangeable.
But, recognizing that you can pick up a used unit for less than $150 that is newer than yours, it just doesn’t make much sense to provide life-support measures to bring yours back to life. If replacing the evaporator fan or defrost timer is all that is needed, then it may be worth it. Other than that, you could easily pay more to get it working than it would cost to replace it.
Yeah, the wiring diagram gives a general overview of where the parts are located.
Behind the freezer panel is a good hiding place for fans and heaters.
The duct to the chiller side is in the “control box” in the chiller.
The “Fresh Food Temp Control” is the thermostat; the “Freezer Temp Control” is the vent to the the freezer.
The original problem was the compressor not running, causing melted ice to from puddles.
Aside from one spectacular instance in which a jug of milk froze, the problem had been “no compressor”.
Then it took to running all the time.
It has been behaving itself today.
Timer and tstat both due 12/12. Both are new.
One thing about the web - while a traditional store could never expect to make a profit on replacement parts for old appliances, the web has made ‘carrying charges’ nearly non-existent, thus making old parts a viable business.
And it doesn’t hurt that these parts have not changed substantially for the last 30 years or so.
The timer’s description reads: “Replaces part numbers” and then lists about 30 part numbers.
Alright, taking a look a that schematic and having no accesses (physical or otherwise) to the actual unit in question, here’s what I’m seeing:
Electricity travels into the t-stat through a brown wire, then to the timer by a grey wire.
It appears the timer only advances when the t-stat is calling for cold, IOW, the fridge goes into defrost for every X hours of compressor time (as opposed to every X hours, period. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve seen it both ways).
When in defrost mode, a switch is flipped so that power is diverted from the black wire (compressor and fans) to the blue wire (defroster).
As for the purple wire, best I can tell is that this is a 4 wire molex connector and it’s just double tapped with another wire, looks like Orange. However, again, from what I can tell, they’re using the orange as a neutral, the purple wire is hot. But don’t get yourself sidetracked with the lamp, at least as of right now, it’s not part of the problem. Might be later, but it’s not right now.
Something interesting I’ve noted, and again, don’t get hung up on this*, from what I can tell, the the defroster only gets power when the t-stat calls for the compressor to turn on. That’s interesting. Now, FTR, when in defrost mode, if the unit calls for more cooling, instead of cooling the defroster will heat up, so that’s not an issue. It’s just an odd (to me) way of wiring it.
*It should be noted that I’m not and EE by any means. When I read a schematic, it’s usually because I’m actually, physically tracing wires, looking for a problem, so I don’t always know all the symbols. However, I don’t think I got anything wrong on there.
Yes, the orange comes into the lamp and is double-wired in the plug - a tip-off that this has some “interesting” ways of doing things.
I was also reading it that the timer is running only when t’stat was closed. I’m guessing that the little red knob on the timer is adjustable as to how frequently to call for defrost.
I thought the ice tray (the only thing I’m leaving in the freezer at the moment was thawing a bit faster than I’d expect - from that diagram, it is sitting directly in front of the heater.
If the new timer and t’stat don’t fix it, I’ll probably open up the freezer false back and play with it - at that point, I’ll have nothing to lose.
Worst case, I call a used appliance shop and offer then a real deal.
Then go back to watching Salvation Army…
You usually buy different timers based on their cycles (6hours/15mins, 8hours/30mins etc). The dial most likely advances the cycle. You could use that to test it. If you spin it, it should throw it into defrost, or if it’s in defrost, it’ll put it back in a regular cycle. It’ll just be attached to one of the gears and you’ll be rotating the entire assemble faster. That’s why I was saying earlier in the thread that the next time it’s not working, you could see if there’s a screw or knob on the timer and if there is try turning it to see if it springs back to life.
The timer arrived today.
This one is labelled “12 hour timer”. Original is “16 hour timer”.
I’m guessing “Close enough”. Without knowing how to get it back to where it started, I’m not playing with it.
I’ll ignore it for 24 hours and then see if the ice tray still has the coins on top and the soft drink is cold.
I do hope I can just put the silly thing back together and go back to hoping all the other “hanging by a thread” stuff stays together at least until I die.
Great way of dealing with life, ain’t it? Figure “yeah, it’s going to fall apart - but I’ll be dead by then and not have to worry about it”.
Works for me