Defrost Timers Types

Early production mechanical defrost timers would go into the

defrost cycle after a set amount of time. Common timing periods
were 6, 8, 12 and 24 hours. This meant that say every 6 hours,
the refrigerator would go into defrost whether it needed it or not.
The duration of time it would remain in the defrost cycle was fixed
and could be anywhere from 18 to 30 minutes depending on the
timer design but it would always be the same length of time.
As stated above, the defrost heaters may not be on for that full
length of time, thanks to the defrost limit thermostat, but the
cooling cycle would not start again until after the complete defrost duration was ended.
This original design was wasteful as the refrigerator would defrost regardless if it
was necessary or not. A later design tried to help this a bit.
Cumulative Run Timers
The next design was called a 'cumulative run' timer. These timers were installed in a way
were they would only count the time that the refrigerator (the compressor) was actually
working. This makes sense since no frost could build up if the compressor was not running.
These later mechanical model timers would only advance the into defrost when the
compressor had actually been running for a certain length of time, usually 6 to 8 hours of
accumulated compressor operation.
Adaptive Defrost Control
The latest, energy saving variation is electronically controlled and called an
adaptive defrost control. Not only does the period between defrost cycles
change but also the time duration of the defrost cycle itself. The device is
programmed to keep track of the appliance usage and how long it takes for
the evaporator coil to be thoroughly defrosted. It will then calculate the
amount of time required and adjust itself accordingly.
GE's 'Mother Board'
Newer GE made refrigerators are almost totally electronically controlled. Their motherboard
takes the place of both the temperature and defrost functions even controlling DC fan
motors that can operate at several different speeds. On this system only the defrost heater
is the same as described above. A defrost cycle is ended when a thermistor detects a
temperature rise of the evaporator which is the signal to the main control to terminate the
defrost and start the cooling. The termination thermostat on this appliance design only acts
as a safety device to shut the heater(s) off in case of a malfunction before the plastic
interior liner melts, otherwise it is never active. The control can not be manually put into
defrost mode.

Timer Testing
The mechanical timer types described above will usually
have a screw on their underside which can be turned
clockwise to manually change its present cycle. If running,
slowly turning it until it clicks once should put the timer
into 'defrost mode'. When in the defrost mode, turning it
until it clicks once should put the timer into 'run mode'. It
can be left in the defrost mode to see if it will advance by
itself to the run mode (like it should in less than 30
minutes) or the defrost heaters may be able to be tested
to see it they are receiving power or not at that time.
NOTE: Once the compressor has been turned off, it
should be allowed to sit for several minutes (5-10 minimum) before attempting to
restart it. This is required to allow the internal refrigerant pressures to equalize so the
compressor is able to restart again without putting excessive strain on it.
Test points and how to manually switch adaptive defrost controls into the different cycles
vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. For these, check the appliance's mini-manual for
instructions which is most often located behind the kickplate at the bottom front of the
refrigerator but may also be inside the actual control panel with the defrost control.
DEFROST TIMER
A mechanical defrost timer controls the defrost cycle of the freezer. In older models,
the timer runs continuously and roughly every six hours, cuts power to the cooling
system and sends power to the defrost heater. In newer models the timer advances
only while the compressor or defrost cycle is running - an improvement for
efficiency. As the timer continues to advance, power to the heating element is cut and
power is restored to the cooling system. If the timer does not advance, the appliance
will be stuck either in defrost or refrigerate mode, resulting in, respectively, no
cooling or frost build-up.
Caution: Please read our safety information before attempting any testing or repairs.
Before testing the defrost timer, unplug the refrigerator to avoid an electrical
shock hazard.
The defrost timer is usually found behind the front grill "toe
kick" of the refrigerator. It may also be found behind a cover
plate inside the refrigerator or freezer, in the temperature control console, or behind
the refrigerator near the compressor.
To test whether the defrost timer is simply failing to advance, locate the advance
screw and turn it clockwise until you hear it click. This advances it to the next mode.
If it was cooling before, it is now in defrost mode. Simply wait about 35 minutes and
check whether it has left defrost mode and has resumed cooling (listen for the
compressor). If it does not advance, the timer motor is probably bad and the entire
timer needs to be replaced. If it advances as it should, then you can follow the steps
below to test the switch electrically.
The timer is usually held in place with one or more screws. Remove the screws and
gently pull the timer out far enough to disconnect the wiring connector. The
connector can be removed by firmly pulling and rocking it left and right. It is not
necessary to note the position of the wires because the connector plug is keyed so that
it can be replaced in only one way.