Repair of Samsung refrigerators: specifics of repair work at home

Samsung refrigeration equipment is well-built and rarely causes problems for owners.But if a malfunction does occur, then it is necessary to restore functionality using the refrigeration technicians from the service center or with your own hands. Many faults can be identified and corrected yourself.

We will tell you how to carry out simple repairs of Samsung refrigerators, which a home craftsman can easily handle. Our proposed article describes methods for diagnosing typical breakdowns and ways to eliminate their causes. Taking into account our advice, you can get rid of the problem yourself.

Features of Samsung refrigerators

Samsung positions its refrigerators as representatives of household appliances in the middle and high price categories. For successful sales, in addition to a variety of functions, many settings and exclusive design solutions, such equipment must have increased reliability.

Components for refrigerators, such as compressors, sensors and relays, are produced by well-known companies specifically for Samsung.

Most of the new modifications from Samsung are equipped with an electronic control type with an LCD display, which displays errors in the operation of the unit. Based on his tips, you can eliminate minor defects yourself.

They are expensive and of good quality.Electronics such as the control board and inverter are manufactured in company-owned factories, and they also rarely fail.

The warranty repair agreement for Samsung refrigerators sold in Russia is short - 1 year. Some sellers provide a paid service for increasing it, or provide conditionally free service repairs for some time.

The most expensive unit, a modern linear compressor, has a 10-year warranty from Samsung. They actually very rarely break.

All equipment has a long warranty period of 7 years. During this time, the manufacturer is required to provide support and maintenance of the product. This also means the availability of original spare parts.

Therefore, in the event of a breakdown, first of all you need to carefully study the warranty service agreement.

If, however, the repair of the Samsung refrigerator will be carried out at the expense of the consumer, then there are three options:

• Contact an authorized service center. This is usually the most expensive option, but the repair will be performed to the manufacturer's standards.
• Call a technician who works independently or as part of a standard household appliance repair shop. There is an opportunity to save on the cost of work and installed parts.
• Diagnose the problem yourself and try to fix it.

Using an error reporting system, you can narrow down the range of nodes that need to be checked for functionality.

The list of error symbols that appear on the screen, as well as fault codes, is given in the operating instructions

Typical types of faults

The failure of one of the nodes leads to a specific external manifestation that is seen by the user of the equipment. Any part of the refrigerator can break, but each manufacturer has different predominant faults.

1. The refrigerator does not turn on

If one or all refrigerator chambers are warm, but the compressor does not turn on, then there are four main reasons for such a breakdown:

1. When there is no sign of the motor-compressor operating and the sensors do not light up, this means an electrical problem. First of all, you need to check the power of the outlet and the integrity of the cable. Then you need to call an electrician or test the wiring yourself.
2. The same symptoms can be observed when the refrigerator electronics fail. Although Samsung equipment has very high quality boards and high-quality protection against voltage surges, they can still break if the power supply is poor.
3. If the display, control and interior lighting work, but the unit does not turn on, then the most likely cause is compressor malfunction.
4. A breakdown of the temperature sensor manifests itself in a similar way. In this case, the control unit does not receive a signal that the permissible temperature has been exceeded and it does not issue a command to start the compressor.

For Samsung refrigerators, there is a way to determine the functionality of the temperature sensor, if the cooling does not turn on for a long time - you need to activate the forced cooling or accelerated freezing mode. If the compressor starts working, then the problem is in the sensor.

Connecting a temperature sensor to the system using a two-pin terminal block is no more difficult than connecting a charger to a mobile phone.The main thing is to remember the position of the sensor itself

2. High temperature in the compartments

If the temperature in the chambers is high, but the compressor is operating normally, then most likely the problem is the following:

• Depressurization of capillary tubes and freon leakage. A decrease in pressure in the system and the entry of air changes the conditions for the phase transition of the refrigerant. In this case, the cooling capacity of the evaporator decreases or it stops functioning.
• Loss of door seal, resulting in an uncontrolled flow of warm air from the kitchen area.

A sealing problem can also be detected by the formation of a small layer of frost (for the freezer) or condensation (for the refrigerator compartment) in the place where the rubber seal should stick to the body of the refrigerator.

The appearance of condensation does not always indicate equipment failure. Often this is the result of placing hot dishes, uncovered vessels with liquid in the chamber, leaving the door open for a long time

3. The problem of ice formation

As a result of depressurization of the doors, another problem arises - the slowly entering warm air cools near the door and condensation occurs.

In the freezer, where the temperature is significantly below zero degrees, dense snow formations with an admixture of ice particles grow. In the refrigerator compartment, condensation seeps through the seal or comes out when the door is opened. In this case, smudges will be visible on the front side of the refrigerator.

Even minor damage to the seal leads to the rapid formation of snow build-up in the freezer. Therefore, the elastic band will have to be straightened or changed

4.Clogged drainage system

The condensation formed on the back wall of the refrigerator is discharged outside through a special drainage hole. Its diameter is small, otherwise cold leakage will occur. The water flows by gravity, so impurities gradually settle inside the hole.

The resulting narrowing gradually transforms into a plug, which prevents the drainage of water. A puddle forms at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment, resulting in an increase in humidity, the spread of odors and the creation of a favorable environment for the proliferation of microorganisms. Thus, food storage conditions deteriorate.

If the drainage channel is clogged, the water that does not have a drain returns back to the refrigerator, where it partially evaporates, partially settles and settles on the walls and products

Home repairs

Some refrigerator malfunctions can be identified and repaired yourself. Modern devices have high-quality self-diagnosis, which allows you to identify the problem without involving a specialist. However, not every repair can be done by yourself.

If problems with refrigeration equipment are associated with problems in the electronic system or are caused by the failure of the intelligent control to perform its functions, it is better to contact a workshop for repairs.

#1. Difficult tasks for DIY repairs

There are several faults with Samsung refrigerators that are difficult to fix without repair experience and special equipment.

If a refrigerant leak is detected, it is necessary not only to eliminate the defect in the tubes or their connections, but also to compensate for the lost volume by refilling the system with freon. This is a difficult procedure that requires a supply of isobutane and special equipment to measure its weight.

It is impossible to determine the volume of injected refrigerant “by eye”, since in the best case the set value will not be observed. refrigerator thermostat cooling and freezing mode, and in the worst case there will be problems with phase transition and a complete lack of cooling.

Electronic refrigerant charging scales are a must-have tool for a refrigerator compressor repair specialist. This is specific and expensive equipment that most people do not have at home.

If the compressor does not work inverter refrigerator, then you need to connect the working electronics unit and try to start again. If the startup is successful, we can state that the problem is on the control board side. If the start does not happen, the reason is the compressor, which needs to be changed.

Replacing a compressor is the same procedure for all brands of refrigerators and freezers. To carry it out, you need a special tool (burner, precise scales for charging freon, filling valve, etc.), a supply of refrigerant and experience in carrying out such work.

Therefore, it is better to call specialists from the service center who will do all the work at home. Electronics repair is possible if there are clear signs of damage to board components, such as capacitors (a sign of a malfunction is swelling) or traces of contact oxidation.

Ringing and restoring electrically conductive circuits, as well as replacing a capacitor or microcircuits requires special equipment (heat gun, desoldering pump, soldering iron with a wide tip, etc.) and some preparation.

An “inverter compressor” consists of a combination of a power electronics board (inverter) and a compressor adapted to it. The cost of such an original board is about 5 thousand rubles

If the cost of purchasing a new board is high or the delivery time is long, then you can contact a computer repair organization.

Electronics manufactured by Samsung are of good quality and simultaneous failure of a large number of components is unlikely. Therefore, the time and cost of repairs will most likely be insignificant.

When calling specialists to replace the compressor or restore the integrity of the evaporator by pumping in refrigerant, it is necessary to free up enough space, since the refrigerator will have to be unfolded or moved away from the wall

#2. Problems with the door and seal

Problems with air passage through the doors may occur due to their incorrect position. This can be detected using a plumb line. Before eliminating the distortion, it is necessary to level the refrigerator using a level. The door position is changed using adjusting bolts.

The need to replace the seal arises if thinning of parts of the contour, cuts or tears are detected. The cost of the original product depends on the perimeter of the door and is 1200 – 2500 rubles

If the door is installed vertically, but there are signs of air leakage, then the problem is in the seal. If the defect is the presence of folds, then they can be eliminated by softening the rubber by heating using hot water or a hairdryer.

The polyvinyl chloride seal is attached with glue; a flat-head screwdriver is required to remove it. Using a spatula and a soft sponge, remove any remaining rubber and glue from the door groove.

When installing a new seal, its corner parts can be slightly heated with a hairdryer to give them greater elasticity. To secure it to the door, you can use Moment 88 glue or silicone sealant. For new models, magnetic tape is integrated into the product, so there is no need to use adhesives for fixation to the door.

Magnetic tape securely attaches the seal to the metal refrigerator door. There is no need to use glue and wait for it to dry. The operation of replacing the rubber band can be quickly performed on a working device

#3. Malfunction of temperature sensors

The functionality of temperature sensors can be checked by measuring the resistance on the mating connector of the main board of the electronic module.

Their location depends on the board, but there is an established color differentiation of wires:

• freezer sensor – dark blue;
• refrigerator compartment sensor – blue;
• defrost sensor – yellow.

If the resistance remains at the same level when the temperature changes, this means that the sensor is not working. To change it, you need to remove the back panel protecting the evaporator and heating elements of the defrosting system.

The procedure for connecting sensors to the control board is indicated in the diagram of the electronic device. It may differ for different models

Sometimes the sensors freeze and become covered with frost. Since snow is a poor conductor of heat, temperature changes in the refrigerator compartments are not recorded. In this case, complete defrosting helps. However, it is necessary to check the operation of the NoFrost system fan to prevent the problem from reoccurring.

#4. Removing blockages from the drainage system

The drainage hole is located on the rear wall of the chamber at the lower point of a special trench for collecting water from the evaporator. In order to clean it, you need to use a thin flexible plastic knitting needle or a braided wire with a brush attached to it.

The second cleaning method is to use a syringe with a nozzle of a suitable diameter. The pressure of warm water breaks the plug. You cannot use solvents or any cleaning agents - they are bad for plastic.

To clean the drainage holes, refrigeration equipment with the NoFrost system includes a tool with a head of the appropriate diameter.

Cleaning the drainage hole can be done in 20-30 seconds, so there is no need to turn off and, especially, defrost the refrigerator. However, you will most likely have to remove one of the shelves.

You will become familiar with the general rules applied in the repair of all brands of compression refrigeration units. next article, which is worth reading for both independent home craftsmen and customers of the services of craftsmen from service centers to monitor their work.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video #1. Enabling Samsung refrigerator test mode. Checking the functionality of temperature sensors using resistance measurements:

Video #2. Video about diagnosing breakdowns and repairing two Samsung refrigeration units:

Video #3. Continuation of previous material:

Samsung refrigerators are distinguished by good quality components and assembly. The frequency of their repairs is lower than that of budget models. If a breakdown occurs, you can identify the problem unit yourself.In some cases, you can carry out the repairs yourself, but sometimes you still have to call in specialists.

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