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Repair and further details for the GE Profile Refrigerator PFSF5NFY, a bottom freezer style refrigerator with drawer and door access, introduced in 2009. This page covers information for model numbers matching the pattern PFSF5NFY****.

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Freezer has wild swings in temp

I have a GE Profile french door (model no. PFSF5NFYA BB). For about a week now I have had an issue where the freezer goes up to about 40F degrees then back down to 0. This process takes about 6 hours. So it is not a normal defrost cycle. But it does seem like it may be correlated. After doing research I replaced the freezer defrost thermostat and the thermistor. This looked like it may have fixed the issue, but after about 24 hours of it not happening, it started again.

The freezer does eventually get down to 0 again, but it takes so long that the ice will almost totally melt then completely refreeze. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Update (09/04/23)

Wanted to follow up. I replaced the inverter and that did it. Been a few weeks and still running properly

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Hi @ephraimschmitt,

In the 6 hours is the compressor running continually trying to drive the temp back down to the set operating temp?

Can you hear if the evaporator fan is running when the compressor is running? Usually opening a door (either door) will stop the fan, but the compressor will keep on going. Closing the door will start it again

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The freezer is currently at 40 and the fridge at 42. I opened the door to the freezer and the fan is running (open or closed doesn't seem to matter). I cannot tell if the compressor is running. It does not appear to be running though from what I can tell ( a little hard as I don't know if what I am hearing is a compressor or just the loud fan, but appears to be the fan)

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@ephraimschmitt

If you can access the compressor you should be able to "feel" it operating (careful it may be hot but it really shouldn't be, warm yes too hot to touch no) although if the condenser fan is also running it is because the refrigerant needs to be cooled which might indicate that it is being pumped through the sealed system.

Do the lights in each compartment go out when you manually operate the door switch with the door open?

Unusual for the evap fan to run with a door open as you don't want cold air being blown out of the either compartment. It is the door switch that signals the control board to turn off the evap fan and also turn on the light(s). The condenser fan if operating will continue to run regardless of the doors being open or shut.

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Ok, so the compressor was cold to the touch. The condenser fan was running. And this time when I opened the freezer The evaporator fan was off, but flipping the switch made it sound like the compressor was kicking on and off (sound of pressure releasing each time then something other then the evaporator fan running). Then after a few minutes the evaporator fan kicked in. The evaporator fan does not seem to flip with the open/close switch. But I feel like that is normal for this fridge. It is at 44 degrees now, so I will wait a bit and see if it goes down (now that it sounds like the compressor might be running?)

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Just checked an after a hour it is down to 39 degrees and it sounds like the compressor is still running.

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Hi @ephraimschmitt

The compressor should only stop when the set operating temps in the refrigerator and the freezer have been reached or if the refrigerator is in a defrost cycle.

It may take some time to get to the set operating temp of 0°F in the freezer from where it started from

Here's the tech sheet for the refrigerator.

It shows that the compressor is turned on by the control board via an inverter board part # GE WR49X10283, (example only as it has a good view of the board).

It changes the 120V AC supply to 230V supply presumably to conform to the specifications of the compressor.

Are you using the temp displays as shown on the control panel? If so try placing an appropriate thermometer in the freezer compartment and check the temp, in case the display is giving a faulty reading.

If the display temp readings are accurate and the compressor is not operating and it isn't in a defrost cycle, then the problem is either in the inverter board or the control board.

By "flipping the switch" if you meant the power outlet switch then it seems that by doing this it has "reset " the control board and the compressor started again.

It does seem as though it is related to the defrost cycle though. Check if the compressor has stopped for more the 20-25 minutes. This is the approx length of time of a defrost cycle.

You have replaced the defrost thermostat, but all that does is disconnect the defrost heater circuit, so it may be the control board.

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I happen to have an inverter that I bought as I originally thought that was the issue originally when I thought the freezer wasn't going back down. I guess I will go ahead and replace that.

When I say "flip the switch" I mean that I'm manually pressing the close door switch in the freezer.

I have been using the reading on the display, but it does seem to be accurate based off the ice melting/freezing.

It does seem that the compressor is off for way longer than the 20-25 minutes. Seems like it didn't turn on until about 44 degrees yesterday.

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@ephraimschmitt

Did the compressor turn on by itself or only when you operated the door switch?

Really way out idea but disconnect the power to the refrigerator and then remove the door switch from the cabinet - see video in link for how to do this, and then disconnect the wiring harness and use an Ohmmeter to prove continuity in the switch. It has a changeover set of contacts which means that when it is operated one set is closed and when it is released the other set closes and the first set opens.

I'm wondering if the switch is faulty (corroded?) and it's only intermittently working.

As you can tell, it's a way out idea because if the inverter is alright it may be the control board and that's about $US250+

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Ok, I have replaced the inverter. I can never tell if the compressor is actually running or not. The condenser fan is going.

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@ephraimschmitt

You may have to actually feel if it is operating by touching it if it is a quiet compressor.

Hard to know with the condenser fan as it is controlled by the main control board and may rely on temp sensors near the condenser to be turned on and off or maybe it is designed to run all the time I don't know

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