With Ice And FrostThe brand of Samsung refrigerators and freezers is one of the most popular in the world – several million pieces of these products are sold annually. And no wonder, this is a reliable technique that is trusted. However, these wonderful household appliances sometimes break down – suddenly the refrigerator stops cooling, and the owner does not know how to solve this problem. We talk about the most common breakdowns in Samsung refrigerators and how to fix them.
Samsung refrigerator not cooling, but the freezer works: 5 reasons
It often happens that the refrigerator does not cool, while the freezer regularly freezes. There is no contradiction in this since modern refrigerators are the most complex devices with many working components. They provide different levels of protection against shutdowns, breakdowns and unpleasant accidents. Consider what could be the cause of a common malfunction when it is warm inside the refrigerator and the freezer is working normally.
Evaporator coils covered with ice and frost
Normally, the evaporator coil is cold to the touch, but in no case should it be covered with a thick crust of ice or fluffy frost – this immediately indicates its malfunction. This disrupts the normal circulation of cold air in the refrigerator. This problem is related to the violation of the defrost cycle, which is responsible for the special defrost temperature sensors.
When the defrost temperature sensor does not work correctly, condensation will accumulate on the back of the refrigerator compartment panel. During defrosting, especially if the water drain is clogged, the water partially evaporates inside the double walls of the back panel and freezes again when the refrigerator is turned on, but on the evaporator coil and fan.
Therefore, if you notice frost or frost on the coil, it’s time to replace one of the defrost temperature sensors, and also check the water drain.
Frozen evaporator fan
In Samsung refrigerators, the evaporator fan performs an important function – the correct and constant circulation of cooled air. Without this device, cooling food in the refrigerator compartment is impossible.
If the fan does not work, that is, does not spin in the usual mode, then it is blocked by ice. In a working refrigerator, a regular heater activation mode is provided, which helps to thaw ice and not lead to damage to the fan with the evaporator. However, if the timer or sensors do not work in time, the fan may fail and repair is required.
If the fan stops its rotation, but there is no ice on it, the electric motor or control unit may have broken. In order to more accurately find out the cause, you need to apply current directly to the electric motor bypassing the control unit.
With frequent icing, the plastic fan impeller can crack and break. In this case, it should be replaced with a new one.
Without an evaporator fan, cold air will no longer circulate in the cold room, which will lead to an increased load on the compressor.
The faulty heating element or its incorrect operation
In refrigerators with No. Frost in the cooling chamber with an evaporator and a fan is a heating element – a special heating device with a timer and sensors. It turns on when frost and a thick coat of frost appear in the chamber, interfering with the operation of the coil and fan. The frost melts, and the resulting water flows into the pan.
When the heating element does not work at the correct intervals, frost and frost literally clog the chamber, disabling the coil and fan and disrupting air circulation in the refrigeration compartment. In this case, the products will not cool properly.
It is necessary to find out what exactly is out of order: the heating element itself, sensors, or a timer and make the necessary replacement of components.
Breakdown of the thermistor, or temperature sensor
Thermistor, or thermistor – a resistor placed in a plastic insulating sheath serves as a temperature sensor in refrigerators. Its work is based on the measurement of resistance depending on the ambient temperature in the working chamber.
The thermistor measures the temperature and transmits this data to the control unit, which controls the operation of the compressor and fan. If the thermistor breaks down, the fan and the compressor device begin to work chaotically, which immediately affects the temperature in the refrigerator compartment.
If you suspect a malfunction of the temperature sensor, you should unplug the refrigerator, disconnect the thermistor cable and check its resistance with a multimeter. The sensor must work within the specified range in the instructions for a specific refrigerator model. If the indicators are outside the normal range, then the sensor should be replaced with a new one.
The faulty thermostat in Samsung refrigerator
The thermal relay, or thermostat, works based on sensors and is responsible for the correct operation of the heater. If it is faulty, then the heating element will not be able to defrost the accumulated snow and ice in time, which will lead to an increase in temperature in the refrigerator chamber – the refrigerator will stop cooling. In case of failure, the thermostat is replaced with a new one according to this refrigerator model’s parameters.
How to activate forced defrost mode
Not always faulty relays, sensors and parts are to blame for the poor operation of the refrigerator. Sometimes the refrigerator just needs to be completely defrosted in order to fix the problem of poor performance of the cooling components.
Samsung refrigerators may not cool well if there is too much ice in them, which a weak heating element cannot eliminate. For this, there is a forced defrost mode.
In most modern models, to start forced defrosting, you must simultaneously press the “Freezer” and “Light”, or “Refrigerator” and “Energy Saving” buttons, holding them for 8 seconds. After the beep, press the LIGHTING button two or three times until the refrigerator display shows “ Fd ”. After that, defrosting will automatically start, the ice will melt and the refrigerator will work better.
What to do if the Samsung Freezer and Refrigerator are not working at the same time
What if the refrigerator has completely stopped working – the freezer has defrosted, and the refrigerator is at room temperature? This happens for several reasons. Let’s consider them in more detail.
Compressor Inverter Board Malfunction
An inverter is a special device for converting current in a compressor. The advantage of an inverter compressor over a conventional one is that in the first case, the increase in the power supplied to the engine occurs smoothly, which helps the compressor last longer and more accurately maintain the desired temperature in the refrigerator.
When the inverter fails, the compressor will not be able to supply current to the engine at the right time, which means that the refrigerator will not be able to cool and freeze food.
For an experienced craftsman, it will not be difficult to distinguish between a breakdown of the inverter and a failure of the compressor itself. To check the performance of the inverter, a multimeter is used, which is connected to the outputs of the board and tested for performance. The defective board must be replaced with a new one.
Compressor failure
In the refrigerator, the compressor plays a major role. If it fails, or its work is disrupted, then the refrigerator may either not cool at all, or do it poorly.
The main signs of a compressor failure are:
- An incomprehensible knock, increased vibration of the unit, an unpleasant rattle when starting the compressor.
- The motor overheats and hums, and the compressor may not work.
A puddle of oily liquid may leak under the refrigerator. - If you notice these signs, then you should not start the situation – you need to act immediately, otherwise, the compressor may break down completely.
In order to understand what exactly is out of order, competent diagnostics is necessary. At the same time, it is not always necessary to change the compressor to a new one. Sometimes it is enough to troubleshoot the control board to make the refrigerator work like clockwork.
Refrigerant leak
During normal operation, the refrigerant in the refrigerator (freon) circulates in a closed system of special tubes made of copper or aluminium. Due to various problems in the tubes, or at the junction, a tiny hole may form through which the freon will quickly evaporate. As soon as the concentration of refrigerant in the system drops to a minimum, the refrigerator will stop cooling food.
Signs that you can understand that there is a refrigerant leak:
- The refrigerator does not cool well or does not work at all.
- The compressor turns on too often, and the motor overheats.
- During the operation of the unit, strange noises, gurgling, and whistling are heard.
- Pipes iced up next to the compressor.
- The inside or outside wall of the refrigerator is swollen.
When such signs appear, it is worth checking for freon leakage and eliminating it by any available means.
How to find a leak:
- If the hole through which freon evaporates is relatively large, then a noticeable amount of ice or frost always forms at the leak site. In order to find a leak, it is enough to inspect all the pipes through which the refrigerant circulates and their connections.
- The master can check the system for leaks using a pressure gauge. With the refrigerator turned off, liquid nitrogen is pumped into the system and the pressure changes.
- If a large leak is suspected, the search method with a liquid soap solution can be used, as is done with household gas pipe diagnostics. At the leak, the soap solution bubbles, which will immediately indicate a problem.
- Refrigerator repairmen use special gas analyzers that will instantly indicate a leak thanks to sensitive sensors.
To eliminate the problem with a refrigerant leak, it is necessary to restore the tightness of the cooling system and pump the missing freon into it.
Problem with a filter drier
In the refrigerator, the filter drier serves to adsorb moisture, which should not enter the evaporator, as it can easily clog the thin capillary tube and disrupt the correct circulation of the refrigerant in the system. Inside the filter-drier, there is a special filler in the form of granules that retain moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Samsung Refrigerators
Why is the new Samsung refrigerator not cooling?
Most likely, you have purchased a display case of a refrigerator on which the so-called “Demonstration Mode”, or demo mode, is not disabled. In this case, the light will be on in the refrigerating chambers, but the compressor will not turn on even when working from the mains. In this case, the display shows the letters ” Off “, or ” FF “. Sometimes people themselves accidentally turn on this mode, not yet accustomed to the new unit. In order for the refrigerator to start working in the cooling and freezing mode, the demo mode must be turned off.
To turn off the mode, press two buttons simultaneously: “Freezer” and “Timer”, holding them for at least 3 seconds.
How long does it take for a new Samsung refrigerator to start freezing?
00 C to form in the freezer, and +36 0 F in the refrigerator compartment, the Samsung refrigerator needs to work after the first switch-on for 2-4 hours. Only after that, you can load products into it.
Why is my Samsung refrigerator no longer cooling well and noisy?
Most likely, ice and snow blocked the operation of the fan and cooling components. To restore operation, the refrigerator must be forcibly defrosted. If this does not help, call the wizard, who will diagnose and find the cause of the breakdown.
Why does the refrigerator not cool food after a power outage?
After a power outage, there may be a problem with the control board that supplies power to the compressor. To fix the problem, unplug the refrigerator from the mains for 5 to 10 minutes. After that, the operation of the control unit should be restored. If the refrigerator is still not cooling, call a technician who will fix the problem.