How to Test and Replace the Condenser Fan in an older Whirlpool Side‑By‑Side Refrigerator

Scritto Da: Bill Gilbert

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How to Test and Replace the Condenser Fan in an older Whirlpool Side‑By‑Side Refrigerator

Difficoltà

Difficult

Passi

Tempo Necessario

45 minuti - 1 ora

Introduzione

Use this guide to replace the condenser fan in an older Whirlpool side‑by‑side refrigerator.

The condenser fan serves to blow air on the condenser tubing to cool the hot refrigerant when it leaves the compressor. This process serves to remove heat from inside the refrigerator. Air from the condenser fan also cools the compressor unit.

If the condenser fan fails, the refrigerator will stop cooling, and likely the compressor will shut down.

This guide is rated difficult because of the skill needed to remove the fan and to put it back into place. Otherwise, the procedure is fairly straightforward.

This guide is based on a Whirlpool model ED5FTGXKQ02 refrigerator.

Strumenti

Ricambi

Fan assembly

Passo 1

Before you begin your repair, perform the following:
Turn off your main water supply (if connected)
Unplug your device

Passo 2

Use a nut driver to remove the screws from the condenser cover

Passo 3

Lift the bottom edge of the condenser cover away from the refrigerator.
Pull down on the condenser cover to free it from the retaining tabs at the top edge and remove it.

Passo 4

The condenser fan connector location is shown by the red box. The connector is partially obscured by the fan motor bracket in the photo.
Use a spudger or a flat blade screwdriver to lift the retaining tab on the condenser fan connector.
Disconnect the connector by pulling it straight out.

Passo 5

Use a 1/4‑inch socket to remove the screws securing the fan bracket.
Alternatively, you can use a 1/4‑inch nut driver to remove these screws, but you may find access to be cramped.

Passo 6

Wear gloves for this step to protect your hands from sharp metal edges.
Push the fan assembly back about an inch away from the mounting plate.
Rotate the left edge of the fan assembly so that it is in the hole where the fan was located.
Push the fan assembly through the hole where the fan was located and remove it.
There is a short video in the next step.

Passo 7

Here's a short video showing how to remove the fan and bracket.

Here's a short video showing how to remove the fan and bracket.
It has sound so you can see that it takes a bit to pivot it around. The key is lead with the part of the bracket that faces you.

Passo 8

Use a 5/16‑inch nut driver to remove the machine screws securing the fan motor to the fan motor bracket.
Remove the fan motor bracket. At this point, disassembly is complete.

Passo 9

This step shows how to test the resistance of the motor windings with a multimeter.
Test the outer two terminals on the three terminal connector on the motor.
Note 188 ohms in the picture (0.188kΩ).