Atlanta Appliances Repair,
Inc.
- Troubleshooting
Diagnosing a Refrigerator
Issue
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Make sure the refrigerator is actually plugged in and that
the outlet is functioning properly. If the outlet is working
correctly, take it one step further and check the circuit
breaker in your home.
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Check your connections to make sure there is no corrosion.
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If your compressor fails to operate this may be an
indication that it is time to replace the defrost timer.
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If your overload relay continues to shut off in spurts then
the part is weak and requires replacement.
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It is likely that you have a bad thermostat. Try resetting
by turning it off, then on to reboot. If this fails replace
the part.
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Make sure you dust off the condenser coils to prevent dust
build up and overheating due to it overworking. Simply
unplug and use a long coil cleaning brush to get rid of
debris.
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If your refrigerator door seal is broken, warm air is
pushing its way inside the unit, thus causing it to not cool
properly. Prevent this from happening by replacing your seal
and keeping the cool air inside.
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Ensure that your thermostat is set correctly, usually 38-40
degrees Fahrenheit.
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When this fan is defective, cold air is prevented from
flowing through the vents. It may require replacement.
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Check if there are clicking sounds coming from the
compressor as it tries to start. If there is a clicking, it
is one of only two options, either the start capacitor or a
bad compressor. A start capacitor is fairly inexpensive
whereas a sealed system repair on the compressor is very
expensive and often not cost effective.
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The freezer determines the coolness of the refrigerator. If
this temperature is set too high or accidently moved, it
could sometimes result in items on the top shelf of the
refrigerator becoming frozen. Adjust the thermostat
accordingly to see if this resolves the problem.
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The circulating fan can be blowing the cold air through the
freezer, then down through the fridge and eventually back up
to the cooling unit. Replacing this part can fix this
problem.
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The compressor moves the coolant through the unit, and the
fan moves the air. Both have spinning motors that need
lubricant to remain in good working order. When these items
begin to fail, if they don't shut down completely, you will
hear the high-pitched noise of metal rubbing against metal.
One solution is to level or balance the "adjustable feet" of
your appliance to promote even distributions.
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If your fan no longer operates correctly you must fix the
loose fan to prevent the sound from occurring. Make sure you
let it defrost and then repair/replace.
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If the pan rattles when it is replaced, this is an
indication that it is being placed too close to the
compressor. Solve this problem by repositioning the tray.
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If the lines to your dispenser are broken or damaged you
will need to replace them.
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If your drain pan has holes or cracks it will also need to
be replaced.
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If you experience any clogged drains, they must also be
unclogged or replace. If you experience this at the ceiling
of your unit it can be attributed to a clog in the freezer
section. Remove the divider and let the insulation thaw out
and dry.
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Check all hose connections to ensure that water is being
transmitted through your appliance and there is no frost
build up.
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Double check to make sure your feeler arm is not stuck or
that ice cubes are not blocking the feeler arm's motion to
produce more ice.
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The heater may be stuck on. The heater comes on for 1-2
minutes to break cubes free from mold. If the heater stays
on too long ,the ice maker will get hot and stop making ice.
Carefully feel around the ice maker mold; if it is hot to
the touch, the heater is on. This indicates that the ice
maker is jammed, and it is better to replace ice maker than
to try and repair it.
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The water valve supplying the ice maker is a key component
of the ice-making system. When the ice maker calls for ice,
its switch closes an electrical circuit and energizes the
solenoid-operated water valve. This allows water to flow
through the valve and into the ice cube tray. The water is
frozen into cubes, and the cubes are dumped into the ice
bin. When this part is not operating correctly, a
repair/replacement part may be needed.
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If the water dispenser is not functioning at all the most
likely cause is going to be the dispenser control board. The
dispenser control board governs the major portion of the
systematic functions of the dispenser and is less likely to
be the issue if only certain components are malfunctioning.
If the dispenser control board is at fault, it will need to
be replaced.
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If the water dispenser on your refrigerator is not working
properly, one of the first things to consider as an issue is
the water pressure to your appliance. The water dispenser
cannot properly function with a psi less than 20. If psi is
appropriate, proceed to replace the water inlet valve to
correct the issue. You may also be dealing with low
household water pressure. This low flow can be examined by
using a water pressure test gauge. Once the household water
pressure is resolved, you can double check your refrigerator
connection to ensure it is now flowing properly and that the
water dispenser is functioning.
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If the water dispenser is not working on your refrigerator,
the issue could be a frozen water supply tube located in the
door. Although this may be a tricky problem to locate, the
first thing to do is find a connection point in the tube.
After this has been found, attempt to blow air through the
tube. If the air flows freely through the tube, it is not
frozen and this is not the issue. If it does not, the tube
is frozen and needs to be removed to thaw out. As it thaws,
attempt to ascertain why it froze and correct the
positioning of the tubing to prevent the issue from
occurring again in the future.
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If the refrigerator water dispenser is not working properly
you could be dealing with a defective dispenser switch.
Activated by the dispenser actuator, the switches are
responsible for numerous actions including ice cube
disbursement, type of ice, and water controls. The switch
can be tested using an ohm meter and should be replaced if
it does not reveal continuity.
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If your water dispenser’s flow is running slow check to
ensure that your water filter is not clogged. If after
checking you determine that the filter is clogged, simply
replace the filter. Filters should be replaced every six
months to ensure clean drinking water.
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If the refrigerator water dispenser is not working, the
functionality of the door switch can be inspected. This
switch is responsible for turning on the light in the
freezer and simultaneously turning off the water dispenser
when the freezer door is opened. If this switch
malfunctions, it will show no continuity on the ohm meter
and will require replacement.
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If the ice dispenser is not functioning at all the most
likely cause is going to be the dispenser control board. The
dispenser control board governs the major portion of the
systematic functions of the dispenser and is less likely to
be the issue if only certain components are malfunctioning.
If the dispenser control board is at fault, it will need to
be replaced.
-
If the ice dispenser on your refrigerator is not working
properly, one of the first things to consider as an issue is
the water pressure to your appliance. The ice dispenser
cannot properly function with a psi less than 20. If psi is
appropriate, proceed to replace the water inlet valve to
correct the issue. You may also be dealing with low
household water pressure. This low flow can be examined by
using a water pressure test gauge. Once the household water
pressure is resolved, you can double check your refrigerator
connection to ensure it is now flowing properly and that the
ice dispenser is functioning.
-
If the ice dispenser is not working on your refrigerator,
the issue could be a frozen water supply tube located in the
door. Although this may be a tricky problem to locate, the
first thing to do is find a connection point in the tube.
After this has been found, attempt to blow air through the
tube. If the air flows freely through the tube, it is not
frozen and this is not the issue. If it does not, the tube
is frozen and needs to be removed to thaw out. As it thaws,
attempt to ascertain why it froze and correct the
positioning of the tubing to prevent the issue from
occurring again in the future.
-
If the refrigerator ice dispenser is not working properly
you could be dealing with a defective dispenser switch.
Activated by the dispenser actuator, the switches are
responsible for numerous actions including ice cube
disbursement, type of ice, and water controls. The switch
can be tested using an ohm meter and should be replaced if
it does not reveal continuity.
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If the refrigerator ice dispenser is not working, the
functionality of the door switch can be inspected. This
switch is responsible for turning on the light in the
freezer and simultaneously turning off the ice dispenser
when the freezer door is opened. If this switch
malfunctions, it will show no continuity on the ohm meter
and will require replacement.
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If the defrost function is not working on your refrigerator
it could be an issue with the defrost control board. This
control board oversees several internal conditions and
regulates the activation of the defrost cycle. A faulty
board can be the primary reason your refrigeration unit is
not transitioning to the defrost cycle. Over time, the
buildup of ice on the evaporator coil will prevent the
refrigerator and freezer from maintaining proper internal
temperature. It is advisable to first check the defrost
heater and the defrost thermostat for continuity prior to
replacing the defrost control board.
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A possible cause for a refrigerator not defrosting,
especially on more modern units, is the main control board.
The main control board acts as a “brain” for the unit
controlling the defrost cycle, compressor, and run time, and
essentially acts in place of the defrost timer. The control
board can be tested using an ohm meter for functionality and
will need to be replaced if bad.
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If the refrigerator is not defrosting the timer could be
malfunctioning. Numerous times throughout the day the
defrost timer should cycle the defrost heater on as a means
to melt frost buildup on the evaporator coils in the
freezer. If this timer does not cycle on, then it may be
faulty and require replacement.
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If your refrigerator is not defrosting accurately this could
be an indication that your defrost heater assembly has
failed. This could cause the frost to accrue on the
evaporator coils, eventually blocking the airflow resulting
in the unit not cooling properly. The defrost heater
assembly can be monitored for continuity using an ohm meter
and will need to replaced if there is none present.
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Another cause of your refrigerator not defrosting is a
faulty defrost thermostat. A requirement for the defrost
heater to activate to melt away frost on the evaporator
coils is a functional defrost thermostat. The defrost
thermostat senses the temperature of the evaporator coils
and initiates the thawing process by activating the defrost
heater. If the thermostat is faulty, it will not sense the
lowering temperature of the coils and will not turn on the
heater, resulting in an advanced frost build-up. The defrost
thermostat can be checked for continuity by using an ohm
meter; if there is no continuity the damaged part will need
to be replaced.
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Another possible cause of a refrigerator that does not
defrost properly is a defrost sensor with a fuse. If the
defrost sensor fails, the fuse acts as a one-time-only fail
safe for the sensor -- if the sensor does not shut off the
defrost heater, the fuse will blow when the set temperature
is reached. This safety precaution is to keep excessive harm
from your unit by the heater and is a one-time use,
resulting in the replacement of the entire defrost sensor.
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If you are experiencing defrost drain issues, it is possibly
due to a clogged or freezing drain that is blocking water
flow to the bottom of the freezer. This will cause the
defrost water to drain and drip down to the bottom of the
freezer section. To correct this issue, thaw any ice or
remove debris that could be causing the clogged drain or
replace the drain heater.
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If you are experiencing defrost drain problems, inspect the
defrost drain heater. A dislocated or burnt out drain heater
will result in the drain tube freezing over. Attempt to
return the part to the designated position or replace the
damaged part to correct the issue.
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If your issue is that the freezer is cold but the
refrigerator is not as cold as it should be, the first step
is to check the defrost system for problems. A key indicator
in determining if perhaps you have a refrigeration defrost
problem is visible frost on the evaporator coils. If your
unit has frost you will need to check your defrost heater
assembly, the defrost control, and the evaporator fan motor
for a malfunction. Replace any erroneous parts as necessary.
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If your issue is that the freezer is cold but the
refrigerator is not as cold as it should be, the damper door
could be broken or jammed. The damper is a door that opens
and closes to allow cool air to flow from the freezer into
the refrigerator unit, and if it fails to operate correctly,
not enough cold air will enter the refrigerator to keep it
cold. The damper can be replaced if it is no longer
operating properly.
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If your issue is that the freezer is cold but the
refrigerator is not as cold as it should be, the thermistor
connected to the control board might be defective. The
thermistor is a sensor that examines the temperature inside
the unit. If the part is defective, the refrigerator could
not cool properly.
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If your issue is that the freezer is cold but the
refrigerator is not as cold as it should be, the temperature
control board could be at fault. The temperature control
board distributes voltage to the fan motors and compressor
to keep them functioning. This board is very often
misdiagnosed as the culpable cause and it is recommended to
proceed with the troubleshooting process of elimination
prior to replacing this part.
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Another issue that can cause your freezer to be cold while
the refrigerator is not as cold as it should be is the
defrost thermostat. In order for the defrost heater to
activate to melt away any excessive frosting on the
evaporator coils, the defrost thermostat must sense that the
temperature is cold enough to activate the defrost heater.
Without this continuous cycle, the frost will excessively
build up on the coils and prevent proper air flow inside the
unit. The defrost thermostat can be checked for continuity
with an ohm meter; if it’s not present, the thermostat will
need to be replaced.
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A possible cause for a freezer that’s cold but refrigerator
that’s not as cold as it should be is the main control
board. The main control board acts as a “brain” for the
unit, controlling the defrost cycle, compressor, and run
time. However, it is an uncommon cause for this issue. This
board is very often misdiagnosed as the culpable cause and
it is recommended to proceed with the troubleshooting
process of elimination prior to replacing this part.
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If you have an ice maker that is overflowing, the first
thing to check is the status of the water pressure to the
water inlet valve. The water inlet valve requires a minimum
pressure of 20 psi to shut off properly and can be checked
using a water pressure test gauge. Pressure at a lower
amount than this can cause the valve to not fully shut off
once the power is disconnected, which results in the water
inlet valve leaking water into the ice maker and causing it
to overflow. If the pressure is above 20 psi and you are
getting an overflow it is recommended to replace the water
inlet valve.
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If you are experiencing an overflow of water from the ice
maker and the water inlet valve and water pressure are
functioning normally, the next step would be to replace the
complete ice maker assembly. Although a less common cause of
this issue, replacing the assembly will correct the leaking
problem.
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If your refrigerator light does not power on, the first
thing to replace would logically be the light bulb itself.
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If your refrigerator light does not power on and you have
replaced the bulb, this is an indication that the light
assembly may have malfunctioned and will require
replacement.
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If you notice that your refrigerator lights are not working,
replace your refrigerator light bulb. If this does not
correct the issue, proceed to check the power light switch.
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If your refrigerator light is not working and it is not the
bulb itself or the power light switch, the next thing to
check is the door switch. This can be checked for continuity
with an ohm meter. If there is no continuity present, the
door switch will need to be replaced.
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If your refrigerator light is not working after replacing
the light bulb, check for a possible damaged light socket.
If the socket is faulty, replace the part to get your
refrigerator light to power on again.
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If the refrigerator light is not working the light board
could be defective. The LEDs on this board are not
repairable, so the entire board will need to be replaced.
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