We just bought a GE gbe21dgkarww we are having trouble wth the crisper, they are freezing my fruit and vegetables. Temp. Cool on freezer on coldest

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THE FIX

Avoiding Frozen Lettuce

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By TIM McKEOUGHPublished: March 18, 2009



Q. How can I keep produce from freezing in my refrigerator?






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Jason West, the marketing manager for refrigeration at General Electric. "Nobody really knows what the temperature of B is, or what the temperature of No. 5 is."One solution is a refrigerator thermometer. Oxo makes a handsome one with a round dial attached to a suction cup that can be installed easily on either interior side wall ($12.99 atoxo.com). Taylor makes a rectangular digital one that is installed the same way ($12.47 atamazon.com).

Once you have the thermometer, "put it in overnight and check it immediately in the morning, the first time you open the fridge," Ms. Reek said, because the temperature varies during the day as the door opens and closes.

The problem might be where you're storing fruits and vegetables, which are sensitive to cold air. Leafy vegetables are especially prone to freezing, Ms. Reek said, because of their high water content.

Although some newer refrigerators have separate cooling mechanisms for the main body and the freezer, most refrigerators cool by funneling air from the freezer into an opening near the top rear of the main compartment.

Fruits and vegetables should be kept away from this outlet, Ms. Reek said, or else "you're going to be blowing that very cold air right on the produce."

Both she and Mr. West recommended keeping produce in the crisper drawer, away from the circulating air.

"You don't want the moisture to transpire out of the product and make it limp," which can happen with produce on a shelf, Ms. Reek said.

If the crisper is full and some produce has to sit on a shelf, it's better to keep it at the front of the refrigerator, because cold air falls down along the back wall. Along with the area directly beneath the outlet, Mr. West said, "the back and bottom of the refrigerator tend to be the coldest spots."

Shirley O. Corriher, a biochemist and cookbook writer, suggests shaking off all the surface moisture from produce and sealing it in heavy zip-top freezer bags before putting it in the crisper drawer or on a shelf.

"Oxygen is a major villain, so to speak, in the deterioration of fruits and vegetables," said Mrs. Corriher, the author of "BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking" (Scribner, 2008) and "CookWise: The Secrets of Cooking Revealed" (William Morrow Cookbooks, 1997).

Lettuce leaves, in particular, benefit from being sealed in plastic, she said, and you should roll the bag "until you squeeze all the air out. That lettuce will keep for three weeks. It's just amazing."

Still, Ms. Reek said, "the objective of food is to eat it."

"If it's fresher, it's going to have higher vitamin content and be healthier for you," she said. "So it's really better not to plan to store food for ever and ever."

Side by Side ModelsIf foods, such as fruits and vegetables, in the refrigerator are freezing, it can be caused by several things. First, check the controls. They should be set at "C" and "5" or "5" and "5". The proper fresh food temperature is between 38 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer should be between 0 and 8 degrees Fahrenheit.

• If food in the bottom of the refrigerator is freezing, this could be caused by a refrigerator not having enough food to absorb the cold air.
• If food in the door is freezing, move the door bins up or down so they are one notch away from freezer vents (Side by Side models only).
• The fresh food control should be at the normal setting of 5.

Freezer on Top Models
First, check the controls. They should be set at "C" and "5" or "5" and "5". The proper fresh food temperature is between 38 and 42 degrees Fahrenehit. The freezer should be between 0 and 8 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Since the cold air coming into the fresh food section originates in the freezer above, the rear of the top shelf will be the coldest spot in the fresh food area. Avoid placing delicate items that freeze easily on the back half of this shelf.
• If food is freezing in the produce (fruits and vegetables) or meat pan, it may be that the temperature controls are not set high enough. Since cold air naturally falls, the pans can get too cold if the refrigerator is not running long enough to maintain good air circulation. Adjust both controls up one notch.

initially, set the refrigerator compartment control at 5 and the freezer control at 5 and allow 12 hours for the temperature to stabilize.
Several adjustments may be required. Adjust the controls one increment at a time, and allow 12 hours after each adjustment for the refrigerator to reach the temperature you set.

Adjustable Humidity Crispers and Snack Pan (on some models)
HIGH LOW
HIGH LOW
Normal
Coldest
Slide the control all the way to the High setting to provide high humidity recommended for most vegetables.
Convertible Meat Pan (on some models)
The convertible meat pan has its own cold air duct to allow a stream of cold air from the freezer compartment to flow around the pan.
The variable temperature control regulates the air flow from the freezer compartment.
Slide the control all the way to the Low setting to provide lower humidity levels recommended for most fruits.

thermostat has failed i'd say..its not turning off at the requested temp.

This is a bad damper and it would need to be replaced. Try turning the freezer warmer until you can get this fixed and move up your stuff from the drawers.

PUT THE REF. ON 5 AND SET THE
FREEZER ON 2 1/2 AND SEE IF THIS WORKS

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} The fridge gets its cold air from the freezer through a vent(damper) between the freezer and fridge.The fan in the freezer blows air through it. Make sure this fan is running. You may have to hold the door switch in for it to run. There is a flap you adjust with the fridge temp. control. Make sure it's opening and closing when you adjust the fridge temp.
The problem could be the electronic control if you have one or the mechanical linkages.

you have to close vent completly with fridge gum or strong tape to solve this problem :)

You have a defective thermistor and damper control in the fresh food or a bad control board.
Check the thermistor first.
Also, adjust the return air damper at the bottom left side of the fresh food sction to warmer.

Check for blockage of the damper door which regulates airflow from the freezer into the fridge. It might have gotten some ice buildup there while the freezer door was open.