RC20FY-2A Magic Chef Refrigerator - Instructions

evaporator coils were frozen solid and air wasn't flowing across them

read all directions first, then consider which steps you'd like to take

in any case...
- check for blockages in the upper and lower air vents that allow air from freezer side to cool the fridge-side
- inspect that the fan in the freezer side is actually turning and not blocked


- if no blockages and air is flowing between the sides...

- unplug the unit
- remove all goods from freezer and fridge
- remove freezer side racks
- remove rear panel on freezer side using philips screwdriver (note that the ice-cube tray motor housing must be freed by removing its screws. it can be pull out a bit to get to a single screw holding the top of the rear panel in place)
- allow the evaporator coils to evaporate all ice off, checking the drain pan under the fridge frequently - accelerate the process using a hair dryer or paint stripper (heat gun)
- disconnect the white wires from the connection block located about 2/3 of the way up the rear wall and check resistance using an ohmeter (see specs on back of fridge on circuit diagram)
- if you get a very high resistance reading, the heater element is likely broken. if so...
-- remove the 2 metal shields located horizontally across the evaporator coils (behind them are the two series-connected defrost heater elements)
-- visually inspect the elements - if they are discolored green or black, remove and inspect more closely (most likely they are blown, just like a light-bulb filament that shows black on the glass)
-- if you see nothing, remove them anyway (since high reading) and check connectors
-- replace them (likely only $30 to $75, depending on type)

- if coils seem ok, or if not suspect, check the defrost thermostat WHILE IT IS STILL IN A WORKING/COLD FREEZER.
- get the defrost thermostat into a coil chamber (other freezer or bucket of ice?) and check resistance using an ohmeter. It must be WELL-BELOW 40F to test it. When it is truly immersed in cold (as it would be in a working freezer), test the resistance. it should be 0-ohms when <<40F and some much higher resistance (>200KOhms) when > 40F.
- if not, replace it

-lastly, if neither the defrost heater elements are bad nor the defrost thermostat is bad, open up the defrost timer
-- the defrost timer is located in the fridge side, likely with the fridge thermostat knobs/controller
-- it is a 5-pin part that cannot be repaired. If all else is checked, most likely the defrost element is never coming on because the timer is not turning it on

replacement was relative easy. The problem came with wire connector that had to be cut, stripped and crimped. The crimping was the dificult part. the connector was a problem to crimp.

it went good

I tilted the unit back enough to scew the new legs into the threaded holes.

I removed the 2 crisper drawers and the glass shelf directly above the Pantry Drawer. Removed the Pantry Drawer and Pantry Drawer cover so you have easy access to the Right-Hand End Cap. On the right-hand End Cap, there are 2 screws which hold the End Cap in place, use a 1/4 inch driver to unscrew the screws from the front of the cabinet on the End Cap and half-way in of the cabinet, leave the screws in their holes in the End Cap. Lift gently to get off a small plastic pin, and move the End Cap away from the Cabinet. You don't need to completely pull the End Cap out of the cabinet, it'll move more like a door opening. Place 2 washers on each screw and gently put the End Cap back into place, being careful NOT to jostle too much so the washers don't fall off the screws. You will need to gently lift the End Cap back in to place over the plastic pin. Hand-tighten the screws back into place with the 1/4 in driver. Remount the Pantry Drawer on the sliders. When you go to install the Pantry Drawer Cover, you will need to gently push on one of the pins to get the cover back into place. Put glass and crisper drawers back into place.

Test by gently pulling on the Pantry Drawer. If properly mounted, the pins will extend fully into the Cover and will keep it secure when opening the Pantry Drawer.

remove all tray,remove back panel,cut out out old heater adn replace with new heatger,refitted back panel and alll tray.

It was easy after it was apparent that the run capacitor was plugged into the compressor. This was determined from a parts diagram of the actual model refrigerator. The part was the same but the location on the video was wrong. A large screwdriver was used to unplug the capacitor from the compressor. The temperature range of the refrigerator is still too wide but it's colder.

I replaced the run capacitor wich is located near the compressor, i first turned power off to fridge than remuved capacitor checked for continuity and the capacitor was the problem thanks

Turned refrigerator and freezer controls to off, removed icemaker bin, unplugged icemaker plug and removed two screws holding icemaker in place and removed icemaker. removed screws holding auger motor and freezer compartment light plate, unplugged and set aside. Remover screws holding freezer coil cover in place and removed cover. Allowed coils to defrost completely and then removed screws that hold the two defrost heater coil mounting plates in place, unplugged the two wires that connect the defrost heater coils to the connector block that is located above the freezer coil. Remove the entire defrost heater by working the connecting wires out from along side the freezer coil. Remove the clips that hold the old defrost heater elements to the mounting plates. Install new heating elements into the two mounting plates with the clips. Reinstall the two mounting plates to brackets on freezer coil and reinstall connecting wiring up to connector block and reconnect them. Reinstall freezer coil cover, icemaker auger motor and freezer compartment light plate, and icemaker and bin to complete job. Due to the confined space in the freezer compartment, reinstalling the freezer coil cover and light plate was difficult as I could only use one arm at a time resulting in many dropped screws.

I removed all covers then removed screws from element and disconnected wires and removed it.
when installing the new heater I payed close attention to the routing of thw wires to insure that the terminals were connected properly. I then replaced all covers and turned the frig on and in a couple of hour it was working great again

The hardest part was taking out original light bulb because screws on shield where hard to unscrew after all this years . The old bulb vent out leaving neck in socket. It took narrow electrical pliers to get neck out .The generic appliance bulb did not fit and had aluminum neck ,not recommended for brass sockets in ovens.Putting new light bulb in was not the problem.

Unplug the Frig and left the freezer side total defrost. Mine was so frozen up, it took about 6 hours with the door open. I had a towel in the botton to catch all the water and ice that fell.

Removed all the shelving units. There are 3 screws that hold the ice maker in place. Loosen the 2 screws above the ice maker about 3 or so turns. Then remove the screw under the ice maker completely. Then lift the ice maker off of the 2 screws that you just loosened. Then with a small flat blade screwdriver, push the plastic clip that holds the connector of wires that plug into the ice maker.

Then remove the screws that hold the back plastic cover that conseals the coil.

Now you should see the coils. There is one heater unit in the middle and one at the botton. There is a screw on each side of the heater unit that you need to take out. They are screwed into a metal bracket that is part of the coil system. Once the screws are removed, you simply remove the heater units. They are plugged in at the top of the coil system on a circuit board. Unplug them from there, (one of the spades connector was slightly bigger then the other, so I new where to plug them back in). Fish all the wire and heater untis out and you are ready to re-oinstall the new units.

Getting the wires back up through the coils was tricky, but I was able to do it.

The hardest thing was working inside the freezer unit. It is not very wide and was sometimes hard to get both hand inside to work.

We got a refrigerator at a yard sale for free. The door was off and much of it disassembled. When we put it together we realized the top hinge was missing. We asked the previous owner and they didn't have it. We found it with your wonderful web site which so wonderfully detailed the parts.
It was a breeze to put it together and we got a refrigerator for about $30.

1. Unscrewed glass cover on bulb
2. Removed old bulb
3. Screwed in new bulb
4. Replaced glass cover
5. Mixed drink & baked cupcakes

Screwed in light bulb and glass protector