As a homeowner you surely know about the breaker-box. It is known to be the main electrical panel that has all the fuses. Moreover, fuses are vital as they protect the home’s wiring system from overheating.
When there’s too much current running through the wires, the fuse cuts off the electricity. But how about electrical appliances? What about your refrigerator?
If the same questions are mind storming within you, then you are knocking at the right door. Today we are here to discuss whether refrigerators have fuses or not.
So, without a further due let’s get into it.
Do refrigerators have fuses?
Refrigerators are known to have thermal fuses in them. These fuses help them protect from overheating. However, most modern-day refrigerators do not have built-in electrical fuses. Additionally, the thermal fuses are basically added for the safety of the refrigerators.
Fuses are vital for electrical panels and as well as for the electrical appliances. Your home appliances like refrigerators have thermal fuses which are used to maintain the temperature and protect them from power surges.
There’s a higher chance that a power surge is going to increase the electrical current flow. A sudden surge causes a higher amount of current flow, which risks the health of your appliance.
This can cause your electrical appliance to overheat and cause internal damage. However, fuses in your refrigerator are put there so that it can prevent the damage caused by a power surge.
Fuses in the refrigerator are basically small pieces of metal that tend to melt down during a power surge. This interrupts the electrical flow and protects it from being damaged.
The fuse tends to reset itself as soon as the power surge subsides.
Apart from fuses, refrigerators also have circuit breakers to protect them. A circuit breaker is more like a fuse, however it can be set manually. In case a power surge occurs, and the fuse blows out you can simply reset the breaker, and it will restore the power of the refrigerator.
Fuses and circuit breakers are both vital for your refrigerators. They are installed to protect your appliances and provide them with better health. Refrigerators mostly have thermal fuses. However, they barely have electric fuses.
Additionally, if there is one, it shall be mentioned in the manual or it will be shown in the appliance’s power schematics.
What does a refrigerator thermal fuse do? How does it work?
A refrigerator thermal fuse protects the circuit from overheating during an electrical surge. When the temperature rises to a higher point the fuse blows out.
Thermal fuse is an element that is installed to protect the electrical appliances from overheating. These fuses are usually installed in heat-prone appliances.
If the electrical appliance fails and overheats, and when the temperature rises up to an abnormal temperature, the thermal fuse automatically cuts off the power supply.
Thermal fuses are the same as the normal fuses that we are familiar with. In general fuses are composed of 3 parts. One; the melted part which is considered to be the core of the fuse. Two; the electrode part and three; the third part is the bracket.
The first part is the part that cuts off the current as the temperature rises. The melt of the fuse needs to be as small as possible and consistent. The second part of the fuse is the electrode, which usually has two parts.
This part plays a vital role in between the melt and the circuit. It is mandatory for this part to have a good electric conductivity.
And the last part is included so that the fuse can fix the melt and make the three parts rigid into one which can lead to an easy installation.
Fuses usually work depending on a formula. However, in simple words, if the rate of heat generation is equal to the rate of heat emission, the fuse will not blow out.
Additionally, if the rate of heat generation is more than the rate of dissipation, then there’s a higher chance of the fuse blowing out.
In most refrigerators, the thermal fuses can be found in two places. The first is inside the fridge behind the paneling. And the other one is in the rear bottom and next to the compressor of the refrigerator.
Where is the fuse on a refrigerator?
Thermal fuses are a must in every modern refrigerator. As they offer immense protection against severe accidents and technical mishaps. It not only provides safety to your refrigerator, but it also keeps you safe.
So you might get curious, where are thermal fuses located in your refrigerator?
A thermal fuse can be located in two places. Inside the refrigerator behind the paneling or in the rear bottom which is next to the compressor.
Do these refrigerators have fuses? Where is the fuse on these refrigerators?
Bear with us to find out if the following brands offer thermal fuse in their refrigerators along with their usual location –
Kenmore:
Kenmore refrigerators are generally manufactured with built-in thermal fuses. These fuses are installed as they help to cut off voltage during overheating. In case the fuse gets blown out, there’s a chance that it will affect the health and functioning of your refrigerator.
Kenmore refrigerators tend to have a thermal fuse in their control board. If you notice that your Kenmore refrigerator isn’t working and there is no power supply, it may be due to the thermal fuse melting down.
Frigidaire:
There is no mention of an electrical fuse, therefore there shouldn’t be any electrical fuse. However, Frigidaire supposedly comes with thermal fuses.
Additionally, if your Frigidaire refrigerator stops working and there seems to be no power supply, then there must be an issue in the mainboard. Frigidaire refrigerators do come with thermal fuse.
Samsung:
There is no exception that Samsung refrigerators also come with thermal fuse. The thermal fuse of Samsung refrigerators can be located in the control panel. However, depending on the model and make, the location of the control panel can vary.
Additionally, mostly the fuse can be seen inside the back panel of the refrigerator. You may need to remove the back panel cover to access the fuse.
GE:
In the case of GE refrigerators, some fridges may not have fuses. However, you may need to check the schematics to ensure if the model has a fuse or not.
Additionally, in most GE refrigerators the fuse can be located on the motherboard. Moreover, you can get your fuse replaced if your fuse is having an issue.
LG:
LG refrigerator models mostly have fuses in their main control board. This fuse protects the appliance from overheating and damage of a power surge.
These fuses are usually replaceable. Therefore, if required contact your manufacturer.
Do RV refrigerators or mini-refrigerators have fuses?
RV refrigerators do have fuses. Depending on the model and making of mini-refrigerator they may or may not have fuses.
However, RV refrigerators come with fuses. Their fuses are located outside the refrigerator. In case, they require a replacement, they are removable. You can simply get a new fuse and restore the power of your refrigerator.
Almost all mini-refrigerators tend to have thermal fuses. They are included so that the appliances can be protected from overheating. The fuses protect your mini-refrigerator and provide them with a long lasting lifespan.
How to check refrigerator thermal fuse?
If your refrigerator stops working all of a sudden, and there is no power, you would like to check the refrigerator fuse. The thermal fuse protects your refrigerator from overheating and power surges. Infact, these fuses are included for safety mechanisms.
However, a lot of us may not know how to check the fuse of a refrigerator. Here are a few steps you can follow to check the thermal fuse:
Disconnecting the refrigerator:
Even though you may notice that your refrigerator does not have power, start with disconnecting the refrigerator. You can directly unplug it from the power supply.
If you are planning on checking or testing the thermal fuse and your refrigerator has power, you would still want to start with disconnecting the appliance.
Before you start testing you need to make sure that the refrigerator does not have any electrical supply.
Finding the thermal fuse:
Most refrigerators do not include any electrical fuse. However, if there is one, it must be mentioned somewhere.
Additionally, thermal fuses can be located in different places, depending on the model and manufacturing of the refrigerator. It can also differ from brand to brand.
In general sense, a thermal fuse can mostly be located in two places. One; behind the rear panel and two; behind the bottom toe panel.
Uncovering the thermal fuse:
Once you have located the thermal fuse, it’s time to uncover it. You can use a screwdriver to remove the panel, so that you can have better access to the thermal fuse.
However, if the thermal fuse is located behind the rear panel, then you may need to remove the screws using a screwdriver.
Additionally, if it is located somewhere in the front, simply use the screwdriver to press the metal clips and there you have it.
Final thoughts
Most refrigerators do not have electrical fuses. However, they have thermal fuses. Thermal fuses are included in refrigerators and other electrical appliances in order to protect them. Thermal fuses protect your refrigerator from overheating during power surges.