It can be extremely frustrating to walk over to your fridge, open the door and find the refrigerator is no longer keeping your food cold. This may seem like a difficult problem to find the solution to, however, there are many troubleshooting options to find a solution without paying a handyman to do so.
Trying to find the problem yourself and figuring out a way to solve it is also a much more financially beneficial method than immediately replacing the refrigerator as a whole. Assessing if the defrost time of your refrigerator is the problem simply takes time, patience and a few tools that can easily be purchased at your local hardware store.
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Finding the Signals
Look through your fridge to see what is not functioning normally. There are a few signs that could guide you toward believing that your refrigerator defrost may need to be reset. The main sign would be if you open your fridge and notice that your Kenmore Elite refrigerator is not cooling.
You can also open the freezer and assess two signs in the freezer by seeing if the freezer is too warm or by looking at the freezer coils and identifying any frost buildup. If you notice these as symptoms of your problem, then it is highly possible that your refrigerator timer needs to be reset.
What Your Defrost Timer Does
Your refrigerator defrost timer's job is to switch between fan mode and defrost mode. Essentially, this means that at regular intervals the timer switches its focus between circulating the air within the refrigerator and making sure the freezer does not get too cold. The timer will focus its energy on activating defrost mode for approximately 30 minutes, then it will switch over to fan mode for 10 hours, according to Appliance & A/C Parts Today.
Reset Defrost Button Timer
If you notice the signs of a malfunctioning timer, then it may be time to reset your defrost timer. You should always test your refrigerator defrost timer before resetting it, simply because this is the only way to make sure that the timer is the issue. It should be located on the fridge's control panel found on the back of the fridge or the lower kickplate. Cut all power to your refrigerator and begin removing the timer by unscrewing any screws and carefully removing any connected wires.
The timer should be tested using a multitester, or a multimeter, and should use an open circuit to test the connection between pin 1 and pin 4. The pins should be labeled, which will make finding the right pin much easier. You also then need to test an open circuit between pin 1 and pin 2. Apply power to the motor to make sure it is functioning, and then proceed with resetting the timer if you see that it is still in functioning order.
Assemble the timer back onto the fridge and reinstate the power supply. To reset the refrigerator defrost timer, Tepte simply states to locate the circular notch on the timer and turn it counterclockwise with a flathead screwdriver. It needs to be turned until the fan stops, which means your fridge has reset the defrost button. Your fan should kick in shortly after showing signs that the reset was successful. If you have any doubts about the process, make sure to contact a professional.