The freezer is not always going to be running at 100% and this can become a source of concern when the food/drinks inside become warm.
To avoid a situation where the food isn’t freezing as required or too much water is leaking, it is important to assess the defrost system.
A common issue people talk about is when the freezer defrost cycle is too long.
If a freezer defrost cycle is too long, this means the defrost thermostat is malfunctioning. To fix the issue, access the defrost heater, and assess its functionality. If the temperature is above 47 degrees, this means the heater has to be changed.
It’s important to note that other issues that can present similar symptoms include a damaged control board or defrost sensor.
This is why you have to make sure to take a temperature reading of the freezer to see what the set temperature is at that moment.
If it is past 47 degrees then the defrost setting is working overtime and has to be fixed as soon as possible or it will ruin your food.
This guide will explain what to do if the freezer defrost cycle is too long.
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Steps To Fix A Defrost Cycle That’s Too Long
1. Take Temperature Reading Of The Freezer
Before starting the repairs, you have to take a complete temperature reading of the freezer.
This will help set a baseline for what’s going on and how bad the situation is.
For the most part, you will also notice an excessive amount of water dripping when the defrost cycle runs for too long. This is when it becomes apparent that there is something wrong with the defrost thermostat or sensor.
Keeping this in mind, you are going to take a reading to see how low the temperature is when the defrost cycle is running.
If it is past 47 degrees, this means the defrost cycle is harming the freezer’s performance and will likely ruin the food too.
2. Re-Wire Or Replace The Thermostat
If a freezer keeps defrosting for too long, this is likely an issue with the defrost thermostat.
The thermostat is responsible for managing the temperature and activating as soon as it is too cold in the freezer. If the thermostat is not working properly or misreading the temperature, this will cause the defrost cycle to get overextended.
This is why you have to take a look at the defrost thermostat to see what’s going on.
If it is damaged or loose, this can be a cause of concern.
To begin, start by re-wiring the thermostat and tightening it into place. See if this helps. If not, you will need to replace the defrost thermostat as it is likely malfunctioning due to an internal failure.
3. Inspect The Defrost Sensor and Control Board
Before changing the defrost thermostat, it is best to take a look at the surrounding components too.
This is a major concern when it comes to auto defrost freezer problems.
Since it is automated, the defrost sensor has a role to play when the thermostat is activated.
If it is not working properly, the sensor will relay wrong information to the other parts causing them to start defrosting. You will want to see if this part is loose and/or malfunctioning.
Inspect the control board too and ensure everything is tightened.
4. Inspect The Coils For Excess Frost
A good way to see how bad the situation is would be to take a look at the coils.
Sometimes, the defrost tends to overwork because there is too much frost inside the freezer. This means the defrost thermostat is simply working hard because it is too cold in the freezer for long periods.
To see if that is a problem, you have to look at the coils.
If the coils have too much frost then that is the main issue to focus on. You will need to see what is causing the freezer to become too cold.
This can include a damaged door seal or a malfunctioning motor.
Final Thoughts
These are the steps to follow if the defrost cycle is too long.
If the defrost cycle is too long, the most common issues include a damaged defrost thermostat, malfunctioning defrost sensor, or an ineffective control board. To fix the issue, take a temperature reading of the freezer, tighten all of the components, and replace the defrost thermostat.
This will help take care of the problem and make sure the defrost cycle doesn’t run for too long next time.
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