Black and Decker is a popular brand known for its kitchen appliances. Products from Black and Decker always make customers happy and bring great experiences. Black and Decker’s mini refrigerator is also a common item in many kitchens. In terms of quality and performance, no one can complain about these mini refrigerators. However, you should also know some knowledge to apply when the Black and Decker mini fridge is not working. The timely repair will be very beneficial for your refrigerator and your pocket.
Reasons the Black and Decker mini fridge is not working
The fridge not working causes many consequences and dramatically affects your mini fridge. Specifically: wasting energy, reducing life expectancy, reducing cooling efficiency, and spoiling the food inside. There are many reasons why the Black and Decker refrigerator does not work. See the following causes to determine the problem with your Black and Decker refrigerator.
- Loss of power
- Weak or intermittent power supply
- Compressor is damaged
- Relay is not working
- The temperature controller is damaged
- Electrical fuse has a problem
- Compression block is damaged
- The blower is damaged, or the wire is lost
- Too much food in the fridge
How to fix
You do not need to determine the specific cause before proceeding to repair the Black and Decker mini refrigerator that is not working. We suggest you can try each method until you find one that works for your mini fridge.
1. Issues with the power source
Any refrigerator needs a power source to operate. This is also a problem that few people pay attention to when the refrigerator has a problem. Usually, the Black and Decker mini fridge needs a suitable voltage to operate. If the power supply has issues or is unstable, it will significantly affect the operation of the refrigerator.
Therefore, check the plug, electrical outlet, and power cord to see if the refrigerator’s power supply is standard. Otherwise, you should quickly replace and adjust to avoid damaging other parts of the fridge and spoiling the food inside.
2. Problems with relays
The relay is where you install the capacitor inside the refrigerator, and it helps you provide the necessary power for the fridge. Therefore, if the relay fails, your Black and Decker mini fridge will not be able to function. It is instrumental in checking the relay at this point. If the relay on your mini fridge is faulty, you should use a multimeter to check.
3. The compressor
The compressor’s operation determines the mini fridge’s state and can also cause it not to work. The repair and replacement of the compressor are pretty tricky and expensive. It will be difficult for you to repair the compressor yourself. So when your compressor fails, we suggest you contact a technician to get it fixed. However, if you have the skills, knowledge, and experience to replace the compressor, you can completely do it yourself.
4. Defective thermostat
The Black and Decker mini fridge uses an internal thermostat to control and regulate the temperature. This allows users to set the temperature inside the refrigerator as they wish. Therefore, if the thermostat fails, your refrigerator will not be able to function correctly, reducing its cooling capacity.
Check your thermostat for damage by observing it. If a crack appears, it should be replaced immediately. It is much better to replace a new thermostat when it has problems than to repair it. Because after repair, the thermostat can still have frequent issues.
5. The overload switch
The overload switch is a power-related problem and results in the refrigerator not working. Switch overload happens quite often. Check your capacitors and switches regularly to avoid overheating and damage.
6. Contact the help center
If you have tried all these methods and the Black and Decker mini fridge is still not working, you should contact a technician for help. You can get Black and Decker customer care for instructions or hire an outside technician to find the exact cause and quickly fix your refrigerator.
If the problem persists, you will have to spend a lot of money to repair or replace your refrigerator.
Watch How to fix BLACK AND DECKER BCFA27 Mini fridge not cooling: Fixed with a timer and relay
Do you need to reset a mini fridge when it’s not working?
Sometimes, resetting the refrigerator is also quite helpful when your Black and Decker mini fridge is not working. Therefore, you can thoroughly consider this as one of the ways to fix the problem of not working for the Black and Decker mini fridge. The steps to reset the mini fridge are:
- Unplug your mini fridge
- Turn the temperature control knob inside the refrigerator to “0”
- Re-plug the refrigerator
- Reset the temperature of the fridge to the appropriate level
- Wait for the temperature in the fridge to stabilize
How to take care of a mini fridge
Like regular refrigerators or other kitchen appliances, mini fridges need to be taken care of. This will keep the fridge running efficiently and have food and drink available when you want it. You should note the followings:
- Place the mini fridge on a flat surface and make sure it is not tilted.
- Never put the refrigerator under direct sunlight or near any heat sources, such as ovens, water heaters, etc. If your mini fridge has a freezer, don’t store it in a garage or unheated area where the temperature drops below 60 degrees F because the compressor will run less due to colder temperatures, which means the fridge may not keep frozen food or ice.
- Don’t put too many foods and items in the mini fridge. Cold air needs to circulate to keep food chilled properly.
- If the refrigerator has a thermostat, switch the refrigerator to medium cold when you first plug it in. You can always adjust the thermostat afterwards for conditions and items in the refrigerator. Starting at medium temperature will ensure you don’t freeze or defrost food right away.
- On a monthly basis, clean the inside of the fridge, the coils and vents.
How to clean a mini fridge the right way
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoon of baking soda in 1 liter of warm water. Clean the inside by wiping the surfaces with a baking soda solution. Wipe surfaces from top to bottom, also wipe the shelves. In case you don’t want to empty the entire fridge before cleaning, you can move items from shelves one at a time and wipe down shelves and visible sides.
- Clean the outside of the refrigerator with the cleaner recommended by the appliance manufacturer. When you see stains and fingerprints, you should also clean them immediately.
- Unplug the refrigerator to clean the coils and vents. Use your vacuum to clean the vents and coils, and make sure dust, hair and pet dander don’t affect the energy efficiency of the mini fridge.
- Remove or discard all perishables if you are away for a few weeks. If you are going away for a few months or need to move the refrigerator, empty all food and drink, clean the inside and outside of the refrigerator, and unplug it. To keep the floor dry, you can open the door and place a towel underneath the refrigerator as well as inside to absorb the water.
Further reading: How to Get Rid of Smell in Fridge
FAQs
1. My Black and Decker mini fridge is not cool. Can I fix it using the above methods?
It is possible because not cooling means the refrigerator cannot function properly, so you can try the above ways to fix and repair it.
2. How do I know which method is correct for my Black and Decker mini fridge?
You can try each method until your refrigerator is working correctly. It is difficult to identify the cause of the problem immediately, so you will need to perform a partial inspection.
3. Why is my mini fridge not turning on?
First, check the power cord. This may sound fundamentally funny but make sure your mini fridge gets the power it needs. The cord should be firmly plugged in and has not come loose due to vibrations from the compressor over time.
If not, it can be the problem in the sealed system related to compressor, evaporator fan motor, or a thermostat. Or the problems may come from control panels, evaporator coils, or starter relay,…
Conclusion
Mini fridge not cold is a reasonably common problem in using the refrigerator. If your Black and Decker mini fridge is also experiencing the same issue, follow our troubleshooting methods above. These instructions will be very effective in fixing that as soon as possible.
References
1. Black and Decker Refrigerator Not Cooling, refrigeratorsreviewed.com, Retrieved on Oct. 19, 2022
2. How to Take Care of a Mini Fridge, homeguides.sfgate.com, Retrieved on Oct. 18, 2022
