Do you know how to calibrate a Refrigerator Thermometer? A refrigerator thermometer may help check the temperature inside the fridge. Knowing the exact temperature inside the refrigerator is crucial because it enables people to determine whether the temperature is ideal for storing food. The ideal temperature for cooling food inside the fridge is 37°F.
If the temperature is higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the food will spoil easily; likewise, if it’s lower than 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the food may freeze or burn.
The refrigerator thermometer also lets owners see whether the thermostat needs to be adjusted. However, to offer an accurate reading, the thermometer requires proper calibration. Here are two methods to use.
Refrigerator Thermometer
A refrigerator thermometer is a device used to measure the temperature inside a refrigerator or freezer. It is typically a small, digital thermometer that can be placed on a shelf or attached to the wall of the appliance with a suction cup or magnet.
The thermometer helps you monitor the temperature inside your refrigerator to ensure it is within the safe range for food storage. Generally, the recommended temperature range for a refrigerator is between 35°F and 40°F (1.6°C to 4.4°C), while the recommended range for a freezer is below 0°F (-17.8°C).
Using a refrigerator thermometer ensures that your food is stored at the proper temperature. This can help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and keep your food fresher for a longer period. It can also help you identify any issues with your refrigerator’s cooling system, which is important for preventing food spoilage and avoiding foodborne illness.
How to Calibrate a Refrigerator Thermometer
Determine whether to use the boiling point method or the freezing point method. The boiling point method is ideally used at elevations of 1000 feet or less above sea level, while the freezing point method can be used regardless of the elevation. Better yet, try both methods for comparison.
Prepare the boiling water and ice if no ice is available yet. While expecting the water to boil or freeze, check the calibration nut on the thermometer. This nut will enable thermometer adjustments.
Digital thermometers don’t have a nut but a push-button. This button should only be pressed after following the steps below.
Prepare Two of Use the Calibration Methods
To use the boiling point method, place the thermometer probe or stem into the container with boiling water and wait for at least 30 seconds until the indicator on the thermometer stops moving.
The thermometer’s reading should be 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit. To use the freezing point method, fill the container with crushed ice until it is full. Add a little tap water to the container to fill in the gaps. Place the thermometer probe or stem into the container and wait until the indicator stops moving, or wait at least 30 seconds.
The temperature should be at 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. If this reading is achieved, then the thermometer is calibrated correctly. If not, then proceed to the next step.
Prepare Three of the Calibrate the Refrigerator Thermometer
To calibrate the thermometer, locate the adjuster nut and turn it quickly until it reaches the correct temperature. Using the boiling point method, the temperature should be 212°F or 100 °C.
Refrigerator Evaporator Fan
Your refrigerator’s evaporator fan is located within the freezer compartment. It receives air from the evaporator coil and circulates it throughout the unit.
It functions closely with your refrigerator’s damper assembly, which controls the amount of cold air distributed into the fresh food compartment.
Function and Operation
In normal circumstances, the evaporator fan should operate in conjunction with the compressor. However, you will know when your evaporator fan has been damaged because it will affect the performance of your compressor.
If the evaporator fan stops turning, the cold control sensing bulbs in your fresh food compartment will detect that there is no airflow.
The sensing bulbs will signal the compressor to operate longer to compensate for the reduced airflow. What ultimately happens is that your evaporator coils will freeze over, hence increasing the temperature of your freezer.
Maintenance
When you do not defrost your refrigerator correctly, the evaporator may ice up, causing problems. You should have somebody look at your refrigerator, switch off the power, and open up your evaporator fan to check that no blockages are preventing the movement of the fan blades.
Troubleshooting a Refrigerator Start Relay
A refrigerator start relay may be a device that jump-starts the compressor inside the refrigerator. If the relay is burned out, the compressor may not work, which can prevent the interior from freezing.
Since the compressor may be a vital part of the cooling system, it must have a working refrigerator start relay to start it up.
If the refrigerator is warming up and making strange clicking noises, this might be a sign of a damaged refrigerator start relay.
Prepare one of the relays for Testing
As mentioned above, the relays are often damaged when a loud click is heard occasionally whenever the compressor is warming up.
However, the refrigerator start relay must be far from the system to pass inspection. Before removing it from the system, ensure that you unplug the unit first.
The relay is located at the rear bottom of the fridge. Remove the guard cover from the rear of the unit to reveal the compressor. Near the compressor, there may be a small box with wires at the beginning of it.
This is the relay. Older units typically feature a wire-wound relay, which is easily identifiable by its visible copper winding surrounding a plunger. Newer units are solid-state relays that require special equipment for checking. Unlike the wire-wound relay, these relays tend to overheat and fail quickly.
Prepare Two
If the relay has badly corroded terminals, it may need to be replaced. However, some relays just need to be cleaned to work again. Use a metal cleaner to remove the corrosion and place it back. Please check to see if this solves the problem. If the relay still doesn’t work, it has burned out.
Prepare Three Checks for Bad Start Relays
Several methods can be used to determine whether the beginning relay is functioning. The solid-state relays can be easily tested by removing and shaking them from the compressor.
If it creates a rattling sound, then it is indeed burned out. To make sure, have it checked by a professional. Wire-wound relays are checked using an ohmmeter. The relay usually has three terminals: two usual terminals marked S and M, and a slip-on terminal marked L.
Place the tester’s two probes on terminals S and M to check if the relay has continuity.
The reading should be zero. With the probe still touching the terminals, flip the relay over. This time, a click should be heard; therefore, the tester should read infinity.
Follow the same steps, but with the probes touching terminals S and L. The results should be the same. Repeat the same test with the probes connected to terminals M and L. This time, the reading should be zero even when flipped over.
If not, replace the relay with a replacement one. Ensure you obtain an equivalent type of relay from the availability store.
Troubleshooting a Noisy Refrigerator
If your refrigerator seems to be getting louder, you’ll study the causes of refrigerator noises and address the issue. Once you identify the source of the noise, you can proceed with any necessary repairs or service to your fridge.
Noise Coming From the Back
If the offending noise originates from the rear of the fridge, three possible components could be causing the noise: the condenser fan, the defrost timer, or the compressor.
The condenser fan is located behind a protective panel at the back of the fridge, not far from the compressor. If the noise appears to come from that area, it could be caused by an unbalanced fan resulting from dust or lint accumulation between the fan blades.
However, before attempting any repairs on a fridge, unplug it from its outlet to ensure you will not get a severe shock, avoid creating a short circuit, and prevent a moving part, such as a lever, from harming you while starting unexpectedly. A fan could be damaged if it is uncovered and something is in the way.
Types of Calibrating a Refrigerator Thermometer
The next step is to get to the condenser fan. After removing the protective cover, thoroughly inspect it, looking for the damaged blade(s) or dirt buildups on the blades.
Use a soft brush to clean between the fan blades. If there is no debris buildup, you may need to replace the motor, as the noise indicates a potential fault.
The compressor is often located on the surface of the fridge, at the bottom, or at the rear. It’s a large, black unit that is quite heavy and sits on four rubber mounts, which absorb its vibrations while in operation.
It also has copper tubing and wires running from it. If the noise originates from the compressor, it may be due to a faulty timed relay controlling the compressor’s start or the compressor itself. Either way, you will have to replace the defective part.
This is a costly replacement if it involves the compressor itself, so ensure you’re troubleshooting your refrigerator correctly to avoid unnecessary and expensive part replacements.
Depending on the fridge’s make and model, the defrost timer is often located in several places. It’s a small plastic unit, usually white, with four terminals extending from one side.
The most likely places it can be found are behind the kick plate, on the back wall, or on the refrigerator’s control panel. If the noise comes from inside the control, it will need to be replaced. However, on a lighter note, it’s not expensive to purchase, and you can replace it yourself.
Noise Coming From the Inside
If you’ve got a self-defrosting fridge, the noise presumably comes from within. This is because these sorts of refrigerators use a fan to circulate air through the fridge and freezer. The fan is situated within the freezer, but its exact location depends on your fridge type.
To test if the noise is coming from the circulation fan, open your freezer and push the light switch. If the noise becomes louder, you will know it’s coming from the fan. This fan is usually protected by a plastic cover, behind which the sunshine is generally hidden.
If the freezer gets overfilled with frozen food, this cover may have been accidentally displaced against the fan blades, causing the noise. Check by uncapping and removing the duvet, and then inspect the fan blades for damage. If all is well, replace the duvet and retry. If the noise persists, the part will need to be replaced.
Noise Coming From the Bottom
The most straightforward repair to form is when a rattling noise comes from the bottom of the fridge. In this case, the most likely culprit is the drain pan that sits under the refrigerator. This pan can start to rattle occasionally, so you only need to secure it back in place to stop the noise.
Troubleshooting an Ice Maker: Ice Tastes Bad
If the ice from your kitchen appliance has a foul taste, don’t attempt to ignore it. Troubleshoot the problem immediately and take steps to eliminate the terrible situation.
Clean the Freezer
Nasty-tasting ice could also result from bad food or a spill in your freezer. Remove everything from the freezer, discard any items that have spoiled, and wipe down the interior of the freezer. Then, give the same treatment to the refrigerator. Foul smells from the fridge can migrate to the freezer and ruin the taste of your ice.
Use a mild cleaner and a damp cloth to wipe down the walls, top and bottom, racks, drawers, and shelves in the refrigerator and freezer. For a natural option, you can create a vinegar solution with baking soda, which acts as an odour absorber.
Start Over With Fresh Water
Remove all the bad-tasting ice to prevent it from contaminating the system further. Most ice makers have a large tray or bin where ice is stored. If there’s any ice in your freezer, remove it and place it in the sink after thoroughly cleaning everything, so your ice maker can create new ice.
Don’t forget to empty the water reservoir if your machine has one. Ensure that you turn off your ice maker before emptying it. Look for a drain plug to make emptying a little easier. Disconnect the water supply line if you need to remove the entire kitchen appliance from the freezer.
Before you put the kitchen appliance back in the freezer, clean it out. It should get the same thorough treatment as your freezer and fridge. Wipe the kitchen appliance down, both inside and out, then return it to the freezer and switch it back on.
A little bit more vinegar cleaner will remove any lingering smells. Check out How to Calibrate a Refrigerator Thermometer.
Change the Filters
If the ice still tastes bad, try performing some maintenance. Check your kitchen appliance to see if it’s a filter. There may be an access panel that can be opened.
Does Your Water Taste Bad?
Get a glass and taste your tap water. Does it also taste bad? Sometimes, tap water doesn’t taste so great. You might not even realize it, as you often drink bottled water even at home.
If your water doesn’t taste honest, disconnect the kitchen appliance supply route and fill your kitchen appliance with bottled or filtered water.
Meanwhile, you can replace your refrigerator’s water filter (if you have one) or call your utility company to ask them why your water tastes so awful, which it absolutely should not.
What Does It Taste Like?
If your ice has a plastic-like taste, you almost certainly just have a more modern kitchen appliance that hasn’t been used much. That taste will dissipate over time, and you can accelerate the process by emptying the ice a few times.
If your ice maker’s prongs have a coppery taste, the chrome coating may have worn off, exposing the metal. Until you replace those prongs or the whole kitchen appliance, your ice will still taste of copper.
Or does your ice taste like food? Refrigerators have evaporator systems to remove smells. If your fridge doesn’t have a strong evaporator system, your ice cubes could end up tasting like garlic, onions, and other highly aromatic foods you may have stored in there.
Store leftovers and aromatics (like garlic bulbs and whole onions) in airtight containers. Next, put one box of baking soda in the fridge and another in the freezer.
This works! Baking soda absorbs bad smells to prevent them from contaminating your ice. Replace the boxes once every two months; they lose their odour-absorbing powers over time. Now, here are the details of how to calibrate a refrigerator thermometer.
(FAQS)
Q. How do you calibrate a refrigerator thermostat?
A. To calibrate the thermometer, find the adjuster nut and quickly turn it until it reaches the right temperature.
Q. How long does it take for a refrigerator thermometer to adjust?
A. Close the door and wait at least 12 hours to allow the thermometer to get a reading. When adjusting the temperature of the refrigerator or freezer, allow at least 24 hours for the new setting to stabilize before taking another reading.
Q. How do I know if my fridge is cold enough without a thermometer?
A. Checking Temperature with a Container of Water: If the condensation appears quickly, the water is very cold. If ice occurs, the fridge is too cold. It is supposed to be at 38 degrees. You will want to adjust your controls to make it less cold.
Q. Do thermometers need to be calibrated?
A. Thermometers should be calibrated: before use, if dropped, when going from one temperature range to another, and after extended storage time. In most applications, a thermometer should be within ±1°F or ±0.5°C of the reference thermometer used for calibration.
Q. How do you calibrate an oral thermometer?
A. Turn the thermometer off and leave it at the temperature for half an hour. Now, repeat the test using a cup of hot water and then a cup of cold water. Your thermometer is now calibrated and will show accurate temperature readings going forward.
Conclusion
Dial Thermometer Calibration: Fill a glass or insulated mug with crushed ice and add water. Stir the glass and let it sit for 5 minutes until all the ice is melted into the water. Check the accuracy by inserting the temperature-sensitive probe into the centre of the cup of melting ice and water (32°F, 0°C).
If you are interested in learning how thermometers measure temperature, be sure to check out How Do Thermometers Measure Temperature and these other articles.
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