How often should the refrigerator turn off and on?

The operation of the refrigerator, or more precisely, its cycles, is the operating time when the unit produces cold, that is, the duration of the operation of the electric motor-compressor is implied. Household refrigeration equipment is capable of operating with both frequent and short number of unit start-up cycles. When the number of starts of the electric motor-compressor in 60 minutes is represented by one cycle, then such steady-state operation of the refrigeration equipment is undesirable. However, such a malfunction is not always classified as a malfunction.

Refrigerator operating cycle

A long period of operation of the electric motor-compressor leads to excessive cooling of food products loaded into the chambers, and long periods of inactivity of this unit cause some thawing of the evaporator. In turn, the process of thawing the evaporator leads to the formation of condensation (drops of liquid on the internal surfaces of the chambers), which is the main reason for the formation of a “coat of snow” and ice on the walls inside the compartments, as well as freezing of the evaporator element itself.

When the number of starting cycles of the motor-compressor is increased in one hour, the duration of operation and “rest” of this unit is correspondingly reduced, which is reflected in inflated values ​​of engine power consumption and increased activation of other contacts.

There are some standards that regulate the correct frequency of starting and stopping the electric motor-compressor. In the vast majority of cases, household refrigeration units are characterized by 4-8 starts in 60 minutes, with one cycle lasting 8-15 minutes. With the indicated duration of cold injection inside the chambers, the immediate duration of operation of the motor-compressor is 2-4 minutes.

Reference! Refrigeration equipment can start not only due to the bridging of the contact units in the thermoregulatory element, but also in the event of the closure of the contacts of the PZR (start-up protective relay). This is possible in those cases when the contacts of the thermostat are bridged with each other.

Such a malfunction is often not noticed by the user, provided that the operation of the start-up relay is represented by so-called single operations. This actually does not affect the functioning of the household refrigerator as a whole, and such malfunctions appear only when the current in the electrical circuit of the compressor motor windings is briefly exceeded.

The activation of the electric motor-compressor by means of a start-up relay is observed due to an increase or decrease in voltage in the general electrical network. That is, the PZR takes on the function of a protective element of the stator windings of an electric motor, which prevents an interturn short circuit on the windings of the motor-compressor due to the increased current strength. So, the electric motor will start at the permissible nominal value of the electric current.

What affects the duration of work

The length of the cycle depends on the following factors:

1. Door opening frequency. If this happens too often, the load on the compressor increases. As a result, the device takes longer to reach temperature.
2. Loaded with products. If you do not distribute dishes with food evenly, air circulation is disrupted. This increases the duration of rest.
3. Location. Equipment should not be placed near heating elements, including an oven. Because of this, the motor operates at increased power. Internal parts wear out.

Refrigerator operation

Triggering of the refrigerator start-up relay

When operating a home refrigerator, there is an option when the PZR is triggered more frequently (repeatedly). In this case, the operating mode of the refrigeration equipment is suddenly disrupted, which is expressed by the following phenomena:

• defrosting the evaporator element;
• increase in temperature values ​​in the chambers;
• failures of normal cold production.

With frequent operation of the starting-protective relay, the rotor is not able to quickly gain speed and the windings, which are under the influence of a large starting electric current, overheat. In this option, the activation of the PZR acts as a signal of a malfunction that has occurred, and in the absence of timely measures taken, the electric motor-compressor may fail.

There must be a non-metallic gasket between the evaporator wall and the bellows tube, which reduces the degree of cooling of the second specified component. At normal temperatures of the bellows tube, the number of starts of the electric motor-compressor does not increase. It is possible to use sheet PCB or polystyrene as such a gasket. In order to reduce the number of cycles, the thickness of the described gasket is increased.

When the gasket has been replaced, check the duration of several cycles and, based on the information obtained, determine the number of starts in 60 minutes. This number must be lower than or equal to 8 pieces, which is an indicator of the proper functioning of the household refrigerator.

Operating time during initial startup of a domestic refrigerator

When using a household refrigerator for the first time and connecting it to the electrical network, the permissible time period for its non-stop operation can reach 24 hours, but the unit should not operate for more than a day. When starting up the refrigeration equipment for the first time, it first needs about 4-6 hours to reach operating temperature, only then is it permissible to load food products in small portions.

Attention! It is forbidden to immediately load food products into a new refrigerator when putting it into operation. This action creates excessive unnecessary load on the motor-compressor assembly, which will wear out more due to working at increased power to cool the contents of the chambers.

The initial start-up and one-time loading of food products have a particularly negative impact on the performance of freezers. The concept of freezing capacity per 24 hours is used, the average of which for all free-standing freezers is 5-10 kg of food. This means that with the largest permissible one-time load of 10 kg of warm products, it will begin to function continuously for several days in a row until these items are frozen. In this option, continuous operation is justified, but if the specified value is exceeded, the motor-compressor will wear out at an accelerated rate. A similar situation is observed when loading hot (approximately 40-95 ̊C) food products and culinary dishes into any refrigeration equipment (in such a situation, the operating mode is completely disrupted and there will be no shutdowns for an even longer time).

A fairly significant factor in the functioning of the motor-compressor is the temperature of the air in the room surrounding the refrigerator and the position of the temperature regulator. The option when the thermostat knob is set to maximum cooling in the chambers, provided the air temperature in the room is +28 ̊C, is not the most successful. In such a situation, the motor-compressor will not turn off and will function non-stop. To prevent such a situation, check the climate category of a particular unit and maintain the required temperature conditions in the room where the equipment is installed.

When there is a compressor pair in the refrigerator, it is difficult to determine the time period of operation of such a unit, since they can start one after the other. But, nevertheless, when a continuous noise is heard, this is a sign of malfunction or some kind of malfunction, for example, a refrigerant leak due to depressurization of the cooling circuit.

How long should a refrigerator run without turning off?

There is no specific amount of time for non-stop operation of the refrigerator. It is influenced not only by the model of the device, but also by the temperature in the kitchen, the level of compressor wear, the number of chambers, the settings, etc.

You can highlight the average value for uninterrupted operation of a compressor in a refrigerator: it is 1 hour .

But don’t worry if your household appliance periodically makes noise longer than usual. After all, the thermostat and sensor constantly analyze the condition inside the refrigeration chambers. If the food placed inside is warm or the refrigerator has not been operated for a long time, the operating time of the compressor will increase.

But there are still a number of alarming signs that, combined with long-term operation of the device, indicate possible defects:

• The “rumbling” sound becomes too loud and a rattling sound appears;
• Household appliances emit an unpleasant burnt smell;
• The noise either increases or decreases sharply over a short period of time.

In this case, the compressor or other part of the refrigerator fails and you should call a technician.

In this video, master Dmitry Kondrashev will tell you how to understand whether your refrigerator is working correctly at the moment:

Normal operating cycles of a refrigerator

The operating cycles of refrigeration equipment are represented by a pair of periods – active operation and “rest”. The first period is characterized by the startup of the electric motor-compressor assembly and a decrease in air temperature (cooling) to user-specified values. In the second period, the motor-compressor stops and the air temperature inside the refrigerator chambers gradually increases due to incomplete sealing of the chambers and the presence of heat exchange processes with loaded food products.

It is pointless to accurately indicate the duration of each period of the refrigeration equipment operation cycle, since much depends on other factors. When the refrigerator is placed in a cool room with an air temperature of +15...+20 ̊C, the operating cycle will be shorter. If hot products and dishes are loaded into the unit, the duty cycle increases accordingly. And in the reverse order - when the food is already frozen, the refrigerator does not have to work as hard, which helps reduce the operating cycle time.

A significant impact on the cycle length is the degree of isolation, that is, tightness, of the chamber. When the refrigeration equipment is placed in a warm room, and the sealing rubber on the door has dried out or deteriorated for some other reason, this contributes to the virtually continuous operation of the refrigerator.

When purchasing a household refrigerator, most buyers are concerned about the normality of the long-term continuous operation of the electric motor-compressor. In normal mode, in the case of a working modern refrigeration cabinet with a large capacity, the average compressor can work non-stop for 12-10 minutes. But, such a phenomenon does not act as a variant of the norm in cases where a unit purchased a long time ago begins to operate in this mode, although this has not been observed before. This may be due to the room temperature being too high.

Advice! It is advisable to contact a refrigeration equipment repair specialist in cases where the electric motor-compressor operates continuously for one hour or more, provided that this is not the initial start-up of the unit after purchase.

Reasons for prolonged non-stop operation of the compressor

When the motor-compressor operates without stopping for more than 60 minutes, this can be evidence of breakdowns of refrigeration equipment that occurred under the influence of the following negative factors:

1. The refrigerator doors do not fit tightly due to deteriorated rubber seals, sagging hinges, excessive load (food is in the way) or due to incomplete closing of the door when using the unit.
2. The freezing mode is set, in which the motor-compressor of the refrigeration equipment is able to operate non-stop for several hours in a row.
3. In the room in which the refrigeration cabinet is located, elevated temperature values ​​are constantly observed due to weather conditions or other circumstances.
4. The refrigerator is not positioned correctly in the room - near heating elements, a heating system, a frying surface, an oven, in direct sunlight, or in contact with other heat sources or heating components.

The result is that the motor-compressor overheats and wears out quickly. When refrigeration equipment operates non-stop, the service life of the compressor does not exceed 6 months. To prolong the operation of the unit, carefully monitor its normal functioning and, at the initial signs of instability, seek the services of a repair and maintenance specialist for refrigeration equipment.

Despite the above points, there are acceptable values ​​for the working time coefficient. It is calculated based on the ratio of the operating time of the refrigeration equipment to the sum of the operating cycle and the stop cycle. In an example it looks like this:

1. Let's say that the refrigerator worked for 20 minutes.
2. Afterwards the unit turned off and remained in this state for half an hour.
3. So, the coefficient will be equal to 20/ (20+30) = 0.4, which is a fairly good indicator indicating the serviceability of a particular household refrigerator.

Attention! The lower the final coefficient, the better. Since the shorter the operating cycle, the more modest the energy consumption.

For the most part, the described coefficient cannot be less than a value of 0.2. When this indicator is lower, then most likely the temperature values ​​are set incorrectly - they are too high and the unit does not sufficiently cool the air inside the chambers. When the resulting coefficient exceeds 0.6, then there is a high probability that the tightness of the chambers is not complete enough due to wear of the sealing rubber or another defect in the sash. This situation leads to an increase in the operating time of the electric motor-compressor and, accordingly, to increased electricity consumption by refrigeration equipment.

Cyclicity of work and its dependence on correct installation

When purchasing a new unit, it is important to comply with all norms - allow the unit to rest for a set time, remove all excess from its chambers, which can be represented by the following:

• packaging polyethylene;
• polystyrene foam;
• paper;
• cardboard and the like.

When you decide to carry out the initial launch yourself, it is important to complete all the steps, the first of which is the correct installation and placement of the refrigerator. This is quite a crucial moment, since if placed incorrectly, energy consumption can increase, which ultimately leads to an accelerated reduction in the operational life of the device. The main points when selecting a location and installing a household refrigeration cabinet are as follows:

1. The plane of the floor covering on which the refrigerator will be installed must be absolutely flat.
2. The legs of the equipment are adjustable so that the cabinet stands upright and does not wobble.
3. It is permissible to place the unit in any suitable place, but be sure to maintain a distance from heat sources - frying surface, radiators, oven, etc.

Despite the fact that, according to the instruction manual, a household refrigerator must be positioned absolutely vertically, it is better to install it with a slight angle of inclination back. This will eliminate the need to apply additional efforts in the future to close the doors tightly - the door in this version will fit into place on its own.

Proper electrical connection for proper operation

When preparing for the first connection of refrigeration equipment to the electrical network at home, for the normal functioning of this device, follow these recommendations:

1. The vast majority of sellers recommend purchasing a surge protector or stabilizer in addition to your household refrigerator, which will prevent the unit from failing due to power surges in the network. But, when there is a good grounded outlet at home, such a filter is not always needed. If you have a modern extension cord, there is also no need for a network adapter, since all the contacts in such devices are grounding. But, nevertheless, it is not advisable to connect the refrigerator through an extension cord.
2. When you plan to connect not only a refrigerator, but also several other devices, it is advisable to use a network adapter to prevent possible network overload.
3. If refrigeration equipment was purchased during the cold season, then after delivery to the address it is strictly forbidden to connect it to the electrical network for the initial 3-6 hours. During this period, all parts of the equipment will warm up sufficiently and become equal in temperature to the environment, but the condensation formed inside will have time to evaporate, so the device can be connected to the electrical network without unnecessary worries.
4. When connecting for the first time, it is not advisable to immediately load the refrigeration device to the maximum. When it is impossible to allow the unit to reach operating temperature and you urgently need to put food into it, it is better to load them in small portions - first only what can no longer be at room temperature, and load everything else in modest portions after 5 hours from the moment of startup.
5. When for some reason it is impossible to leave the unit running - there is a plan to switch the power supply or another circumstance, make sure that the unit is not turned off for less than a minute, as this is a common reason for the motor-compressor jamming. It is impossible to solve such a problem without a refrigeration equipment repair specialist.

Reference! Modern cooling and freezing devices in the vast majority of variants are characterized by an electronic control option. Used sensors are highly sensitive to voltage changes in the electrical network and therefore can deteriorate faster, disrupting the normal operation of the unit.

The impact of product overload on work cycles

The lack of uniform distribution of food products in the chambers of a household refrigerator can disrupt the circulation of cold air masses. Due to this circumstance, the products will not be able to receive the required degree of cooling and their safety will be at risk. Excessive loading of the unit's chambers with products leads to the fact that on the lower tiers of the chamber the temperature values ​​begin to increase rapidly. This will lead to frequent starts of the electric motor-compressor.

In addition to the above, food products loaded in adequate volume can act as a kind of cold accumulator. Thus, cold and frozen items are able to maintain temperature values ​​in the chambers, which contributes to rarer periods of activation of the electric motor-compressor.

When the owner adheres to the standards recommended by the manufacturer in the attached instruction manual, in the next 5-7 years the likelihood of failure of the electric motor-compressor is minimal. However, it is advisable to monitor the operation of the unit, since the possibility of manufacturing defects or other damage in a particular device cannot be completely excluded.

Cyclical functioning of home refrigerators of different brands

The cyclic operation of refrigeration equipment, in demand by manufacturers in the domestic market of large-sized household appliances, with a drip defrosting option is ensured by a temperature regulator. Such popular brands include the following refrigerator manufacturers:

• Atlant;
• Indesit (Indesit);
• LG;
• North;
• Samsung (Samsung).

The duration of continuous operation of the motor-compressor depends on the specified temperature values ​​and other factors. The cyclicity coefficient with a value of 0.37-0.5 is considered normal for such models.

Reference! For Atlant and Nord brand units, the cycle lasts on average a longer period of time.

In the case of refrigerators with No Frost defrosting technology, which are currently in great demand among consumers, cycle control is also ensured thanks to the temperature regulator, but the heating element also takes part in this process. This element affects cycling due to the features of the No Frost technology, which allows preventive shutdowns of the unit from the power grid once every 10-12 months. This system of self-defrosting of the refrigeration unit prevents the formation of ice and snow “coat” on the internal surfaces of the chambers. Thus, moisture is removed through a specialized system, which allows the refrigerator to provide high-quality cooling of loaded food products without the formation of ice build-up.

Among the units of popular brands are Samsung, Atlant and, which use automatic defrosting technology; after starting and completing freezing, a defrosting mode follows. The heating element (thermoelectric heater) provides defrosting, and then the liquid is removed through the tubes and evaporates. The average cycle duration in the case of refrigeration equipment with No Frost is 9-16 minutes, and the cold is generated within 2-5 minutes, the remaining time is spent on defrosting.

When the operating cycles and their duration in a unit with No Frost technology suddenly change, this should become a reason to call a specialist for the repair and maintenance of refrigeration equipment. The services of a specialist in this range are not required in such cases of changes in the duration of the refrigerator operation cycle:

1. For some reason, the refrigerator cabinet has changed position and is now at a slight angle, which has led to the incomplete fit of the doors. In this situation, it is necessary to adjust the unit so that it is vertical again.
2. The owner of the refrigerator made changes and set a different temperature mode, which accordingly led to a change in the duration of the operating cycle.
3. In the case of units with an electronic or electromechanical control option and the presence of some options that allow you to set certain temperature conditions (options “Holiday”, “Super Freezing”, “Super Cooling” and others).

Also, the duration of the period of active operation of the electric motor-compressor can increase due to the fact that they forgot to close the door - the door was open for a long time. In this option, the compressor will operate for a long time, since it requires time to restore the temperature values ​​​​set by the user inside the chambers.

How to define normal work?

An ideally functioning refrigerator should work for 10 to 15 minutes and rest for 25-30. The duty cycle coefficient is calculated as follows: the working time is divided by the “idle” time. For example, 10/25 = 0.4. The interval between 0.37 and 0.5 is normal. Any deviation (0.2 or 0.6) indicates problems. Correction requires the intervention of a master. Malfunctions of the Atlant refrigerator are often easy to fix, so it usually serves people for more than a decade.

If you have any questions, you can kill two rodents at once - ask them to the author of this video and at the same time watch interesting material:

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Results

The relationship with very frequent starts of household refrigeration equipment and increased energy consumption is clear. To reduce such expenses, it is recommended to load the unit - the refrigeration compartment and the low-temperature chamber only in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. In this embodiment, these products will play the role of cold accumulators. When the inside of the chambers is completely empty, the air will heat up faster and the device will have to start up more often. But overloading is also harmful, which similarly leads to frequent starts of the motor-compressor, since the products will not have time to cool during the standard cycle.

In the summer, to reduce energy consumption and prevent excessively frequent starts of the electric motor-compressor, it is recommended to open the shutter as little as possible. This way, the temperature in the chambers will not increase rapidly, and the motor-compressor will not wear out, which will prevent premature failure of the refrigerator.

When the norms of operating cycles have changed, provided that the operating rules of the refrigeration equipment are strictly followed, this indicates some kind of malfunction of the unit. In this case, they call a refrigeration equipment repair specialist, who will first check the serviceability of the temperature regulator. If this component is normal, then most likely the problem is a short circuit in the windings of the electric motor-compressor, which has already used up its own operating reserve.

Video: The principle of operation of the refrigerator and the refrigeration cycle

The principle of operation of the refrigerator and the refrigeration cycle

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Video: The principle of operation of the thermostat in the refrigerator

The principle of operation of the thermostat in the refrigerator

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Reasons for continuous operation of the compressor

If the compressor stops turning off, first check the mode that is set in the refrigerator. When the maximum value is set or the “super freeze” mode is turned on, the unit will work continuously. To correct the situation, the settings are changed. If the problem is not in the mode, inspect the location of the device. The refrigerator should be located on a flat surface, away from a gas stove and heating appliances, in a room with normal air temperature. If the room is hot, the compressor wears out. Then check whether the door is sealed against the body. Perhaps food or dishes are in the way, or the rubber seal is dirty. As a result, warm air enters the chamber, and the compressor works continuously to cool it. To eliminate the malfunction, the seal is washed with soap and water and dried, and the dishes and food are moved away.

If the check shows that the rules for care and operation are followed, the unit is defrosted. After thawing, wipe it and leave it for 1-2 hours to evaporate any remaining moisture. Then the equipment is turned on and allowed to run idle for 1-2 hours, then filled with products. If, after defrosting, the unit does not turn off or turn on, it means a breakdown has occurred. In this case, it is better to call a technician to diagnose and fix the problem. Self-repair can lead to permanent equipment failure.