How to Run a Refrigerator Without a Defrost Timer

Step 1

Wait until you see ice or frost building up on the inside walls of your freezer. This is a sign that ice is also building up on the freezer's evaporator coils, which means you need to manually defrost the refrigerator.

Step 2

Remove all of the food from the fridge and freezer. Store it in a friend's fridge to keep it cool.

Step 3

Unplug the refrigerator and open both doors. Let it defrost for two days. During that time, the ice and frost will melt. If there is a lot of ice, place towels around the fridge to catch the runoff.

Step 4

Plug the refrigerator back in and wait for it to cool. Put the food back into the refrigerator and freezer.

References

• Repair Clinic: Refrigerator How Things Work
• Repair Clinic: Refrigerator Troubleshooting

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Tips

The defrost timer does two things: it tells the fridge to stop pumping coolant, and it turns on the defrost heaters, which are near the evaporator coils in the freezer. This happens about three times a day. If the defrost timer malfunctions or the refrigerator does not have one, ice will quickly build up on the evaporator coils and on the inner walls of the freezer.

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Photo Credits

PhotoObjects.net/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images

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