Fridge not cooling but light is ON? Is your refrigerator not blowing cold air? If your fridge is lit up, you can hear the fan running, but the air inside the fridge is piping hot, it might be time for a DIY fix.
If you find yourself in a situation where your fridge is not working but the light is on, there are a few things you can do to diagnose the problem. You can run through a checklist of possible causes at home with a few tools and some basic knowledge. So let’s check them out.
Fridges are a necessary convenience for many people. You can buy one because you want to make sure that your food does not spoil. If you’re the type of person who cooks all their meals fresh, then a fridge is not necessary. If you’re too busy for groceries or your work schedule doesn’t allow for meal prep during the week, you can do it on the weekends, then store them in your fridge.
Luckily, if your fridge is having problems with cooling, there are many different reasons for this. This article explores the most common reasons that can make your fridge not cool– including an issue with the thermostat, the condenser coils, or the evaporator.
How Refrigerator works
Before starting to diagnose the issue, you need to understand how the refrigerator works. If you know how it works, then it will be very easy for you to pinpoint the exact issue and fix it quickly.
Let’s take a closer look at refrigeration. The idea is to move the heat around. One of the most important parts of that is the compressor, which pumps refrigerant gas through hot coils. This process raises the temperature of the gas, converting it to vapor. The vapor enters the condenser coil, where it cools and becomes liquid. That liquid runs through an expansion valve, then enters the evaporator coils.
A vapor compression cycle is a mechanism that makes your refrigerator work. The refrigerant is a fluid that absorbs heat from within the refrigerator and sends it to the freezer coils. In so doing, it becomes a gas and returns to the compressor to repeat the process. Now, we have a better understanding of how refrigerators work, so we can fix them more easily.
Check Power Supply
If your fridge fails, the first thing you’ll do is check the power. You’ll shut off the power from the outlets and move any appliances. For a test, plug in one of the smaller appliances to see if it goes back on.
When thinking about the light, you first need to turn off the fridge and disconnect the electrical supply. This means that any items that are next to the fridge should be moved before beginning repair work.
Check Temperature Settings
If the fridge isn’t cold, look for a temperature knob and check if it’s on the highest setting. When this setting is turned up, the compressor will stop functioning and the temperature inside won’t rise.
Lower the temperature by rotating the knob and check for any changes. If it does not change, then the problem most likely lies with the temperature controller. Do not do anything about the controller yourself, because this could be dangerous and out of your expertise.
Professional help is always needed for a job that should be handled by a specialist. Don’t risk your safety by trying to fix the fridge yourself.
Problem with Airflow
When your fridge is in perfect working condition, there should be enough room to allow for air circulation. There should be three inches of space between the fridge and the wall. If you are having problems with your fridge, then please move it to another area.
Condenser Coils Issue
The coils in the back of a fridge are called condenser coils. They have the job of cooling the fridge by transferring heat from inside to outside, so when they stop working, your fridge might not work so well. Cleaning these coils regularly will help them do their job. If they aren’t cleaned, they can lose their efficiency and eventually stop cooling at all. This will result in Fridge not cooling but light is ON Issue.
Make sure the condenser coils are clean, and if they aren’t, use a vacuum or a brush and soap and water to get rid of dirt.
Problem with Compressor
Most people don’t think about this, but the compressor is one of the most important parts of a fridge. It’s what makes it work. If your fridge is not working correctly, there are a few things you can check to see if it’s an issue with the compressor.
If you’re experiencing the problem of your fridge not cooling, try disconnecting it from the power outlet for two hours. Afterward, plug it back in to see if the compressor starts. If it does, your problem is most likely related to an overheating of the compressor. This situation requires you to hire a professional to help you with the appliance. We do not recommend testing any electric problems by yourself.
Check the Defrost Setting
An older fridge may have a manual defrost button. This button can become stuck in the defrost mode, which is inconvenient because it prevents the refrigerator from cooling. If this happens, try pulling the button back out and see if the fridge kicks on.
Your new fridge should automatically defrost. If not, the problem could be with your defrost timer. Contact a professional to have it examined and fixed.
Faulty Evaporator Fan
The fridge may not be working properly if it’s not chilling properly. This could be because the evaporator fan is not working optimally. If the compressor is working, but the fridge still doesn’t cool, then the fans are typically the problem that needs to be resolved.
This fridge is making some strange noises. When the cooling fan starts going bad, you may hear squealing or chirping from inside the fridge. The noise will also be louder if the refrigerator door is opened. You should check the evaporator coils and cooling fan behind the refrigerator compartment.
You should first unplug the fridge from the power source and let it thaw for at least 24 to 48 hours. Once all the ice has defrosted, plug the fridge back in. If it’s working again, then the frost may have been due to a faulty defrost timer or a bad thermostat.
It can be easy to fix a fridge is not cooling but light is ON, but it might take the help of an electrician. In the following list, you’ll find some of the most common reasons why a fridge may not cool even when the light is on. Most issues are electrically related and can be fixed with an electrician and a little time and effort. Your fridge does not have to be a problem when you can fix most of the cooling issues.
If anomalies arise, diagnose them immediately to save yourself the stress of wasting food that is not cooling enough. When diagnosis becomes difficult, ask an expert for help.
Hi there! I’m Sam Hendricks, and I’m a repair technician and expert. I created this website to help people like you save money and time by fixing your own appliances.
Over the years, I’ve seen people spend a lot of money on unnecessary repairs or replacements. That’s why I decided to share my expertise and create easy-to-follow guides for fixing appliances on your own.