Frigidaire Electrical Short or Ground Fault

Refrigerator trips circuit breaker or GFCI outlet intermittently.

Advertisements

Safety Warning

This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.

If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.

Advertisements

Possible Causes

Shorted defrost heater, Damaged power cord, Shorted fan motor, Moisture in electrical connections

How to Fix / Troubleshooting

Safety first: Do not repeatedly reset a tripping breaker; this indicates a potentially dangerous fault. Unplug the refrigerator and leave it unplugged until inspected.

Steps to diagnose (advanced):

  • 1. Visual inspection: Check the power cord, rear compartment, and under the unit for damaged wires or signs of arcing.
  • 2. Isolate components: A technician can disconnect loads (defrost heater, fans, compressor) one at a time to identify the shorted component.
  • 3. Replace faulty part: Common culprits include the defrost heater and fan motors. Replace any component that shows a short to ground.

Because of shock and fire risk, this repair is best left to a qualified appliance technician.

Advertisements

Repair Difficulty

Professional Required 5/5

Required Part

Defrost Heater
Check Price on Amazon

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Advertisements