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HomeRepair HelpAmericana Refrigerator RepairAmericana Refrigerator not defrosting Repair
Americana Refrigerator not defrosting
If your refrigerator is not defrosting you’ll usually see frost or ice building on the evaporator coils or around the door and the unit may run constantly. The most common cause is simple: a door left open or a damaged gasket letting moist air in, which can be fixed by reseating the door or replacing the gasket and manually defrosting the ice. If the door is fine, the problem most often lies in the defrost system: start by testing the defrost heater and defrost thermostat for continuity, then check the defrost control board or defrost timer if the heater never comes on. Faulty thermistors or a defrost sensor with a blown fuse can also prevent the cycle, and only after those checks should you consider the main control board or an evaporator fan motor issue. For step by step testing and the exact replacement parts for your model enter your refrigerator model number on RepairClinic.com to find the right defrost heater, thermostat, timer, control board, gasket, or fan motor.
01 - Door left open
If the freezer or refrigerator door was left open for an extended period of time (more than 4 hours), frost or ice may have accumulated on the food, evaporator coil and evaporator fan motor, or around the door opening. Frost should go away after the door is closed and the refrigerator goes through a defrost cycle. More significant ice buildup may require the refrigerator to be unplugged for a day to allow the ice to melt, or a hair dryer may be able to be used to assist in melting the ice.
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02 - Americana Refrigerator Defrost Control Board
The defrost control board determines how often to run the defrost cycle. If the board fails, the refrigerator will not go into the defrost cycle. Before replacing the defrost control board, first test the defrost heater and defrost thermostat. If the defrost heater and defrost thermostat are working properly, the defrost control board is likely defective.
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03 - Americana Refrigerator Defrost Timer
The defrost timer turns on the defrost heater several times throughout the day to melt any frost that may have accumulated on the evaporator coils. If the defrost timer is defective, it may not advance into the defrost cycle, or it may not send power to the defrost heater during the defrost cycle. To determine if the defrost timer is defective, slowly advance the dial into the defrost cycle. The compressor should turn off and the heater should turn on. If the timer does not send power to the defrost components or advance out of the defrost cycle within 30 minutes, this indicates that the defrost timer is not advancing. If ...
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04 - Americana Refrigerator Door Gasket
A twisted or worn gasket can keep the door from closing properly. Inspect the door gasket for kinks or twists. You can use a hair dryer to try smoothing out the kinks. If the door gasket is damaged it will need to be replaced.
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05 - Americana Refrigerator Defrost Heater Assembly
The defrost heater assembly turns on several times throughout the day to melt away any frost that may have accumulated on the evaporator coils. If the defrost heater assembly is defective, the defrost system will not work, and frost will continue to accumulate on the evaporator coils. To determine if the defrost heater is defective, use a multimeter to test it for continuity. If the defrost heater does not have continuity, replace it.
Common
06 - Americana Refrigerator Defrost Thermostat
The defrost thermostat monitors the temperature of the evaporator coils. When the coils drop below a set temperature, the thermostat contacts close to allow power to flow to the defrost heater during the defrost cycle. In the defrost cycle, the defrost heater melts away any frost that may have accumulated on the evaporator coils. If the defrost thermostat is defective, the thermostat contacts will not close. As a result, the thermostat won’t provide power to the defrost heater. To determine if the defrost thermostat is defective, use a multimeter to test it for continuity. If the defrost thermostat does not have continuity...
Common
Frequently Asked Questions
Refrigerator not defrosting: what should I check first?
Freezer cold but fridge warm — what causes that?
How do I test a defrost heater or defrost thermostat?
Refrigerator interior light not working — could that affect defrosting?
How do I enter my model number or part number to find the right replacement on RepairClinic?
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