The refrigerator does not work - reasons

In a modern apartment or house there are a lot of diverse equipment that makes it easier to be a family. Some of it is simply vital, and the other is auxiliary. The refrigerator belongs to the category of equipment without which “without hands”. This discreet box in the kitchen, often white, is an important part of the life of households and even their pets. All of them periodically ply in the direction of this device during the day. And if suddenly the refrigerator starts to make strange sounds, work badly or not turn on at all, this all brings unpleasant changes to the family’s streamlined rhythm. And reflections on how much such a “surprise” will undermine the family budget also do not add joy. But do not immediately get upset. If your refrigerator does not work, the reasons can sometimes be so commonplace that you can fix the problem yourself in a few minutes.

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Do I need to have a technical education to understand the breakdown of the refrigerator?

Of course, you can talk for a long time about what important elements modern refrigeration units consist of, how to recognize the breakdown of each of them. But this information is unlikely to help the average layman get to the bottom of the truth.

Therefore, let's look at possible problems and their solutions, based on the “symptoms” that any user can notice.

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The refrigerator freezes badly or does not freeze at all

If the refrigerator does not freeze at all, it is very easy to notice, especially in the summer. But the fact that the device is not as cold as it should be is often noticed far from immediately.

Important! If you begin to notice that the products in the refrigerator deteriorate faster than usual, make sure that it freezes well. Normal temperature in the refrigerator is + 3 ... + 8 ° С, in the freezer - from -5 ° С to -25 ° С.

Possible reasons why the refrigerator does not work as expected:

1. The door is not tightly closed or skewed. In this case, it is enough to pull on the diagonal rods, which are located directly under the door panel.
2. Wear or deformation of the door seal. This often happens with equipment that has been around for quite some time.

Important! To evaluate the performance of the rubber band, insert a sheet of paper between the refrigerator body and the door, and then close it. Now pull out the sheet:

• if you had to make a little effort - then everything is in order;
• if the paper went very easily - replace seal.

3. Perhaps the doors are not tightly closed due to frozen ice in some place. The refrigerator needs to be thawed.
4. There may also be a problem with the thermostat. Need to adjust or replace the thermostat.
5. Motor problem or freon leak. In this case, try to call the wizard as soon as possible. The ingestion of this substance in open air is harmful to human health, although recently manufacturers have been using safe new-generation freon. If this is your case, read more about how it happens. Freon replacement.
6. In refrigerators with the No frost system, a weak production of cold can be due to a breakdown of the fan, timer or electric heater. The only possible solution to the problem is to replace these elements.

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The refrigerator freezes very hard

Sometimes it happens that the refrigerator starts to freeze very much. It may seem to someone that the problem of excessive production of cold does not require attention, because the device copes with its main task. But with constant operation in this mode, the motor may overheat and simply burn out. And then you already have to think about why the refrigerator does not turn on.

The main causes and solutions:

1. The quick freeze button may have been accidentally turned on. Many refrigerators automatically turn off this mode after a certain time. But some mechanically controlled models only expect instructions from the user. Disable quick freezing according to the order specified in the instructions - in a day everything should return to normal.
2. Leakage of freon or clogging of the capillary tube can cause excessive production of cold. In this case, you can’t do without a master.

Important! One of the minor breakdowns, which, nevertheless, can cause a certain number of issues, is a burnt out bulb. Our instructions will help you quickly understand the design of your lighting system and replace the light bulb in the refrigerator.

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Motor runs constantly

If you notice that the refrigerator works continuously and does not turn off, then this can happen as a result of:

1. Features of the work. For example, you turned on the device several hours ago after defrosting or loaded a large batch of warm products. In this case, the refrigerator just needs time to get the required temperature.
2. Freezing of a large layer of ice on the walls of the freezer. Try our best with your tips.defrost the refrigerator faster.
3. If a lot of dirt and dust has accumulated on the condenser tubes, it is more difficult for the device to transfer heat to the external environment. Therefore, to maintain the desired temperature, the motor has to work continuously. The turns of the condenser are on the back of the refrigerator. To remove trash on them, unplug the device and use a brush or vacuum cleaner.

Important! The turns of the refrigerator condenser should be cleaned at least 1-2 times a year.

4. Loose fit of the door. The reason for this may be:
   • leaky gum seal;
   • the door is skewed due to the fact that the legs of the equipment were not adjusted during installation;
   • any object or frozen ice prevents the refrigerator from closing tightly.

Important! Many modern models notify the user of incomplete closing of the door with a sound or light signal. However, with only a few millimeters not closed, the indicator may not work. There are also models where the “alarm” is set only for the refrigerator compartment.

5. Excessive shutdown threshold is set on the thermostat - if the knob has been set to the maximum values ​​“5”, “6” or “7”. For the refrigerator to work in normal mode, just select “2” mode.

Important! If all of the above shortcomings have been eliminated, but the refrigerator continues to work around the clock, you should contact the service center.

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The refrigerator is flowing

The source of such an unpleasant surprise in the form of a puddle in the refrigerator or under it can be:

1. Clogging the drain pipe is the main reason why the refrigerator does not work as it should, and a leak occurs. A blockage prevents the drainage of melt water, and it lingers in the middle of the chamber.

Important! To clean the drain pipe, use only the special plastic spatula that comes with the refrigerator.

2. A foreign object has fallen into the drain pan or is contaminated. Inspect it and wash it.
3. If a puddle forms under the device, the water filter may be loose. It is located at the bottom of the refrigerator. Also check for cracks in the filter itself or the seat.
4. Damage to the thermostat or compressor. You need to turn off the refrigerator and call the wizard.

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Freezes ice

In Soviet models, freezing of ice and snow was common, but even the owners of modern refrigerators sometimes ask themselves: “Why does the refrigerator not work as expected and a“ coat ”is formed?”

Main reasons:

1. Incorrect operation. Regardless of the defrosting system, all refrigerators must be turned off periodically, do not put hot dishes inside. Find out other useful rules from our separate article.fridge care.

Important! Refrigerators with the No Frost system must be turned off and washed at least once a year. The equipment with a drip system should be thawed once a half a year in cold weather and once every 2-3 months in a warm period.

2. Doors are not tightly closed.
3. Defrost sensor does not work. It is not subject to repair. You can replace it yourself or contact the master.

Important! Normally, the formation of a small amount of snow and ice once every few months is considered acceptable. If this happens constantly, more often and in large quantities, then we are talking about a clear defect that needs repair.

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Why does the refrigerator not work, but the light is on?

If the light is on in the middle of the refrigerator, but the engine is stubbornly silent, the following may have happened:

1. The temperature regulator is out of order or does not work correctly. To check its performance on its own, you need to do a simple manipulation. Disconnect the terminals from the thermostat and connect the wires directly, bypassing the thermostat. If the refrigerator is working, then the place of breakage is confirmed. You can replace the thermostat yourself or call the wizard.
2. Defrost button defective. It can be checked in the same way as a thermostat.
3. The refrigerator is not blown with enough air or heat transfer is disturbed due to accumulated dust on the condenser tubes.

Important! The distance from the back and side panels to the wall or other furniture should be at least 8 cm. And the air gap above the device should be at least 2.5 cm.

4. Perhaps the refrigerator is not level, as a result of which warm air enters through the skewed doors. Modern smart technology is able to track such moments. Understanding that it is impossible to reach the desired temperature in such conditions, the control module simply will not start the engine.

Important! If everything is in order for all the previous points, then there may be a problem in the motor, control unit or No frost system. What exactly happened, whether repair is possible without replacement, only the master can say for sure.

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The refrigerator does not turn on

There are a lot of reasons why the refrigerator does not turn on. Let us consider in more detail what can be done if none of the elements of technology “shows signs of life” and the light does not light either:

1. Defective outlet. Connect another device to it and see what happens.

Important! If you are sure that the outlet is working, still try to connect the refrigerator to another outlet first. Perhaps the reason is poor contact between the plug of the device and the plates of a particular outlet.

2. Carefully inspect the power cord and extension cord, if any. The part of the refrigerator’s power supply circuit was probably damaged and it is enough to simply repair or replace it.
3. If your equipment is connected to the network through Voltage regulator, due to power surges, the latter simply does not transmit current to the refrigerator. In this case, you only need to wait for stabilization in the mains.

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The refrigerator is buzzing

It also happens that the refrigerator is working properly, but it buzzes or makes strange sounds. Reasons and actions in this situation:

1. It happens that the fan touches the frozen ice with its blades. Defrost the refrigerator first. Perhaps when the ice melts, the problem “melts” on its own.
2. Also, the cause may be a breakdown of the fan itself. If you do not have enough knowledge to replace it, consult a specialist.
3. If during operation the compressor began to howl a little, then there is a chance that water has got into the refrigeration circuit and ice has formed in the middle. To check that this is the case, turn off the refrigerator for a few hours. If at first it starts working without extraneous sounds, and then everything repeats, then the reason is really in the ingress of water. In this case, you need to call the wizard to replace freon and filter drier.
4. Crackling and heavy humming may indicate compressor suspension problems. You should not try to fix the breakdown yourself - contact the service center.

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Stock footage

As you can see, if your refrigerator does not work, then the reason can often be a failure to comply with basic rules for operating household appliances. Therefore, if you want the refrigerator to serve you faithfully for a long time, always read the user manual, and also take care of it in a timely and correct manner.