Evaporator Fan Motor

Replaced evaporator fan motor, and this solved the whistling noise that had developed. Reviewed and followed the removal and installation instruction video as closely as possible. This was very helpful, with a few additions. For the model PS123NGPBBB GE refrigerator/freezer, there were a few differences from the video. There a was an additional cover panel that was positioned vertically at the back of the freezer compartment below the auger motor assembly. It was necessary to remove this cover (4 screws) to gain access to the auger motor cover screws. The unit also has a different light configuration with 2 lights. I found it helpful to remove these light bulbs and the corresponding light fixtures in order to remove the evaporator motor assembly. As mentioned in the video, it was necessary to cut the 4 wires from the wire harness of the new motor, and use butt end connectors to reattach these wires to the corresponding wires in the unit. Total job took between 1 and 2 hours, and the motor change solved the noise problem.

I removed the top vent and unplugged the ice machine ,took the back cover off the freezer.Removed the old fan which was pretty easy(unplugged it after I took the housing out for easy access) I plugged the new fan in and put everything back in the order I took off, and yada yada yada we have cooling.

I AM A SINGLE MOM OF TWO WITH LIMITED FUNDS. I HAD A REPAIRMAN COME OUT AND FIND THE PROBLEM AND GIVE AN ESTIMATE. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS THE EVAPORATOR FAN MOTOR AND AND THE MAIN CONTROL BOARD. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $400 AND NO GUARANTEE. SO I CHECKED THE COST OF PARTS AND IT WAS $200 SO FOR NO GUARANTEE I FIGURED WHY NOT TRY IT MYSELF AND POSSIBLY SAVE $200. SO I ORDERED THE PARTS FROM PARTSELECT. EVEN THOUGH I PAID THE CHEAPEST POSTAGE THEY ARRIVED THE NEXT DAY. SO FROM WHAT I READ AND SAW THIS WOULD BE A PIECE OF CAKE. WELL LET ME JUST SAY IF THE FREEZER SECTION WAS GUTTED TO BEGIN WITH IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THAT BIG OF A DEAL. AS IT WAS GETTING TO THE TOP SCREWS OF THE PANEL THAT COVERS THE EVAPORATOR FAN REQUIRED THE REMOVAL OF THE ICEMAKER AND ALL. I AM NOT A TALL WOMAN NOR AM I A THIN WOMAN AND FITTING MY BODY IN THAT SMALL FREEZER SECTION WAS NOT EASY. THERE WERE TIMES THAT I HAD TO HAVE MY TEENAGERS REACH A LONG ARM IN AND HOLD A PART UP FOR ME. AFTER THAT I DISCOVERED THAT THE FAN I HAD PURCHASED ONLY HAD 4 WIRES. THE ONE FROM MY OLD FAN HAD 6. I DISCOVERED THAT 2 OF THE WIRES WENT TO SOME SORT OF SENSOR. LONG STORY SHORT I RIGGED IT. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE 2 PRONGS FOR THE SENSOR AND INSERT THEM INTO THE EMPTY HOLES ON THE NEW FAN HARNESS. IT WASNT EASY. I HAVE LIMITED TOOLS TOO AND I WONT EVEN GET INTO HOW I DID IT. THEY DID NOT FIT THE GREATEST SO I USED THE ELECTRICAL TAPE TO COVER THE WHOLE CONNECTION. I PUT THE WHOLE THING BACK TOGETHER AND DEBATED ON TRYING IT WITHOUT PUTTING IN THE MAIN BOARD BUT I DECIDED TO TRUST THE REPAIRMAN THIS TIME AND GO FOR IT. GETTING TO THE MAIN BOARD WAS NO BIG DEAL. BUT WHAT DISTURBED ME WAS THE MAIN BOARD I HELD IN MY HANDS DID NOT LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE MAIN BOARD I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE OUT. I WATCHED THE VIDEO 3 TIMES MY HOW EASY IT LOOKED. I THEN READ THE DIRECTIONS THAT CAME WITH IT. IT TALKED ABOUT REMOVING A PIN AND CUTTING A WIRE. WELL I ABOUT HAD A STROKE WORRYING. I FINALLY FOUND THE SERIAL # ON MY FRIG AND THANKFULLY MINE WAS NOT ON THE LIST. HOWEVER THE DIRECTIONS DID STILL SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IF THERE WASNT A WIRE IN PIN 2 PROCEED TO STEP 3. WELL I HAD A WIRE IN PIN 2. SO IT WAS CONFUSING. MY SERIAL # WASNT ONE OF THE MODELS #'S GIVEN BUT I DID HAVE A WIRE IN PIN 2. I JUST TOOK A CHANCE AND TRUSTED THE SERIAL #'S AND IGNORED THE REST OF IT. I PLUGGED THE WIRES ON THE NEW BOARD ONE AT A TIME. PUT THE COVER BACK ON AND PRAYED AS I PLUGGED IT IN. A SOFT PURR BEGAN. IT WAS RUNNING. THE FREEZER WAS AROUND 60 DEGREES. I PUT A ROOM THERMOMETER IN TO MAKE SURE IT WAS GOING DOWN. IT KEPT GOING DOWN. AROUND 3 HOURS AFTER I FINISHED THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FREEZER. IT HAD MADE ICE SOMETHING IT HAD NOT DONE IN MONTHS. I STAYED AWAKE MOST OF THE NIGHT WATCHING AND LISTENING TO IT. IT GOT DOWN IN THE SINGLE DIGITS I WAS AFRAID THAT MAYBE IT WOULD NEVER SHUT OFF. IT FINALLY SHUT OFF AS I WAS MAKING THE KIDS BREAKFAST THE NEXT MORNING. OF COURSE I WAS WORRIED THAT IT WOULD NOT RESTART. SO I OPENED THE FREEZER AND FANNED IN ROOM AIR. IT WORKED. SINCE THEN WE HAVE PURCHASED NO MORE DRY ICE OR REGULAR ICE. WE BOUGHT A TUB OF ICE CREAM AND MORE THAN ONE DAY OF SCHOOL LUNCH STUFF AT A TIME. BOTTOM LINE IT WORKS. THANKS TO EVERYONES POST AND TO PARTSELECT FOR THE VIDEO. I HOPE THAT I NEVER HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN THOUGH.

I started out replacing a bad thermostat, no problem,
when I hooked up the water, I found that the water resovior had a leak.
I replaced the resovior, easy fix, but I had to buy two 5/16 brass couplers.
then I found that the box would not get below 10 degrees, and the suction pressure was very low.
I figured that the fan motor was burned out, so I opened up the access covers, the fan motor was hanging there with broken mounts, so I replaced the motor, and repaired the mount.
Everything works great now, The parts shiping was very fast, I was impressed.
I thought I was going to get away without fixing everyones
HVAC problems when I retired.
Friends and family still remember that you are the HVAC man.
Tom

Unplugged the freezer. Then I gained access to the fan: remove the top freezer rack, remove the ice tray, remove the air flow manifold(needed to unscrew some screws), remove the manifold over the fan and cooling element. I unscrewed the fan mounting bracket. The fan motor's wires are plumbed through some plastic that i would have had to remove, so I decided instead to cut the wires and splice in the new fan motor. Then I put everything back together - the new motor works fine and doesn't make the whining noise.

had to remove ice maker and several panels to get to the fan. wires for fan encapsulated so had to cut old and new wires then solder them together while working inside the small freezer area. not too bad all in all took about an hour to get it done. no more wind thru the trees noise and is working fine

i removed srews from area until i could access the fan unit and removed it. wires were not identical so i had to splice some together, most likely could not have been avoided. the exploded parts diagram helped me to be sure that i would have all replacement parts on hand so i wouldn't have to wait for something i had forgotten.

1) remove the ice bucket. 2) remove light cover and bulb. 3) remove back panel with 2 screws. 4) remove fan shield. 5) unlug 2 elec connections. 6) remove fan housing. 7) extract wiring grommet and use exacto knife to slice thru grommet along the length of it to release wires. don't cut light wires. 8) cut up old fan/light electrical plug to free wire nubs for light. 9) install nubs in new fan plug. 10) remove old fan motor, pull blades. 11) install blades on new fan moter and install fan into housing. 11) reinstall

Removed food from Freezer, Unplugged refrigerator. Removed light bulb cover and ligt bulb. Unplugged and removed Ice maker and motor. Removed air duct cover from motor. Unplugged and removed evaporator housing and fan. Pulled fan blade off. Unscrewed brackets from fan motor, removed dust cap from top of motor and grommet from bottom. New motor came with 6 pin connector and four pins for evaporator fan motor. Cut the harness grommet to separate the light bulb wiring from the evaporator motor's. Pushed the the old light bulb pins (red and orange) from old connector and push them in to the new fan motor connector. Reversed the process and no more noise

Since the mechanisms were in the freezer icemaker area, we deduced it was the fan motor. Ordered that from your store and it was delivered to our door in two days. Great service.

The part was replaced and our refrigerator has been quiet for the first time since we moved in almost four years ago and the refrigerator was new.

I started by un-plugging the power cord. Then I removed the back panel and swapped the boards. Then I had to remove everything from the freezer side to get access to the evaporator fan motor and the defrost thermostat.
All things considered I saved a lot of money by doing the repair myself. I'm so glad I found partselect.com

First I removed the screws to all the interiors panels Then I replaced the fan and defrost heater braket assembly.