Fridge problems
Fridge Not Switching On After a Power Cut
A fridge that is completely silent, with no light and no hum, has an electrical fault, and in Harare it has usually been caused by the power going off and coming back on. The good news is that a dead fridge is often a cheap repair. Harare Fridge Repairs tests the plug, the control, the relay and the compressor at your home and gets it running again, any time of day or night.
- Blown plug fuses, damaged cords and tripped overloads
- Thermostats and control boards damaged by surges
- Start relays and overloads that stop the compressor starting
- Compressor winding tests before anything is condemned
- Fridges and freezers only, nothing else
- Mobile across Harare, no need to transport the unit
- Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Price agreed before any work starts
Why is my fridge not switching on?
When power returns after load shedding it often returns badly: a brief spike, a low voltage brown out, or several on and off cycles in a minute. Fridges take this worse than most appliances because the compressor tries to start against pressure each time. The results we see are blown plug fuses, burnt start relays, tripped overloads that have failed, thermostats with burnt contacts and, on electronic fridges, control boards with a blown fuse or a damaged power supply.
There is an important distinction between a fridge with no light and no sound, which has no power reaching it or has a failed control, and a fridge with the light on but no compressor sound, which has power but a failed thermostat, relay or compressor. Telling us which you have when you call helps us arrive with the right parts.
The technician works from the wall socket inward: socket, plug, cord, thermostat or board, relay and overload, then the compressor windings. Each step is tested with a meter, and the compressor is only condemned if its windings are open, shorted or earthed, or it draws locked rotor current on a known good relay.
Common causes of a fridge not switching on
These are the faults behind this symptom, roughly in the order we find them in Harare.
- 1
No power at the socket or plug
Tripped earth leakage, a blown plug fuse, a damaged cord or a loose plug. Checked first because it is the cheapest fix.
- 2
Thermostat failed open
On a mechanical fridge the thermostat has lost its charge or burnt its contacts, so it never calls for cooling. Light on, compressor silent.
- 3
Start relay or overload failed
The compressor is fine but cannot start. Often there is a hum and click; sometimes complete silence. The most common dead fridge repair.
- 4
Control board fuse or power supply
On electronic fridges a surge blows the board fuse or damages the power supply. No display, no light. Often repairable without a new board.
- 5
Compressor windings open or earthed
The compressor itself has failed. Confirmed with a resistance test and an insulation test, never assumed.
- 6
Door switch or light circuit only
If the compressor runs but the light is out, only the lamp or door switch has failed, and the fridge is still working.
Quick checks before you call
None of these need tools, and the answers help us arrive with the right parts.
- Is the earth leakage or circuit breaker tripped? Does another appliance work in the same socket?
- Is the plug warm, discoloured or smelling of burning?
- Is the interior light on when you open the door?
- Can you hear any hum or click from the back when the fridge is first plugged in?
- Did the fridge stop at the same time as a power cut or when the power came back?
Please do not
Things that make it worse
Do not keep plugging in a fridge that trips the earth leakage; there is a fault to earth that needs finding.
Do not replace the plug fuse with a higher rating or a piece of wire.
Do not open the compressor terminal cover yourself; the terminals can be live and the relay can be hot.
How we fix it
The services that deal with this problem, each explained on its own page.
FAQ
Fridge not switching on: your questions answered
My fridge died when the power came back after load shedding. Is it finished?+
Probably not. In most cases a surge has taken out the start relay, the overload, a fuse or the control board, all of which are replaceable. The compressor is tested before any decision is made.
The light is on but the fridge is silent. What has failed?+
Power is reaching the fridge, so the thermostat, relay, overload or compressor has failed. The thermostat and relay are the most likely and the cheapest.
Should I use a surge protector on my fridge?+
Yes, especially on an electronic fridge. A good surge protector or a voltage protection plug costs a fraction of a control board and we can fit one during the visit.
Fridge not switching on? We can be there today.
Call 0782 886 252 or WhatsApp a photo of the fault with your suburb. Harare Fridge Repairs attends homes and businesses across Harare, 24 hours a day.