Defrosting your Samsung refrigerator is crucial to keep it running in the long run. Frost in the refrigerator can happen for several reasons, and it can damage your machine if not cleaned. A heavily frosted refrigerator leads to high energy bills because the unit works harder to maintain a constant internal temperature.
If you recently bought a Samsung refrigerator or don’t have the user manual with you, you may not know how to defrost your Samsung refrigerator. In this article, we will discuss how you can defrost a Samsung refrigerator.
The easiest and the most non-technical way to defrost a Samsung refrigerator or any other refrigerator is to turn off the machine, take out everything, open the door and let the unit defrost naturally. You can also use fans to speed up the process, but this will take time. Defrosting a Samsung refrigerator in this way may take up to 12 hours.
While this is the only way to defrost machines that don’t feature an automatic defrosting mechanism, it is not a good idea to follow this method for defrosting refrigerators with advanced control panels and automatic defrosting.
Let’s learn how to defrost a Samsung refrigerator!
How to defrost a Samsung Refrigerator?
Before discussing how you can defrost a Samsung refrigerator, it is important to highlight why frost forms in a no-frost machine or an automatic defrosting refrigerator.
Why Frost Forms in a Samsung Refrigerator?
Warm Air: Warm air is the biggest contributing factor for frost formation in your Samsung refrigerator. Warm air enters the machine when you open the door to grab something. As a result, ice forms in your refrigerator when the cool air from the air vents comes into contact with the warm air entering the door.
Therefore, you must not open the door without any need and try to close the door immediately after your work is done. Have you ever noticed that if you leave the fridge door open overnight or for 5-6 hours while the refrigerator is running, you will notice that the frozen stuff inside has melted, and some things start to rot. This happens because excess hot air overpowers the cool air inside your refrigerator.
Refrigerant (Cooling Gas) Level: The refrigerant level in your refrigerator can decrease due to several reasons. It can ultimately reduce after years of use or decrease due to a leak in the cooling chamber and coils.
Similar problems discussed below:
Whatever the reason behind a decreased refrigerant, low refrigerant can cause improper compressor working, and it will blow slightly warmer air in your refrigerator.
Damaged Parts: Though Samsung uses high-quality parts in its machines, mishaps can happen with any machine. Defrost thermostat, defrost control board, defrost timer, defrost heater assembly, and the main control board in your Samsung refrigerator may not work properly. It can lead to your refrigerator not defrosting properly.
Samsung Refrigerator Defrosting Steps
Please note that if your machine has a low refrigerant level or some part has gone bad, it will go into the defrost mode, but nothing will happen.
The process is simple; all you have to do is enter the forced defrost setting. Follow the steps below to do this!
- Press the freezer and the lighting buttons together for 12-15 seconds. The display will change, and you will now enter the forced menu of the refrigerator.
- Press the lighting button again to reach Fd mode. “Fd” mode stands for forced defrost mode.
- Some models may start beeping once you activate this mode. You may also hear the condenser powering off, and the defrost heater will turn off. Beeping in the forced defrost mode is completely OK, and there is nothing to worry about it. The beep sound doesn’t mean that something wrong is with your machine.
- Depending on the level of ice buildup in your refrigerator, you may need to repeat the defrosting process.
- That’s it. You can defrost a Samsung refrigerator in just two steps. Interacting with your refrigerator can’t get any better than this.
- Please note that one defrost cycle may last up to 40 minutes. The time may vary from one model to another.
Turning off the Forced Defrost Mode on a Samsung Refrigerator
You may need to cancel the forced defrost mode for various reasons. There are a couple of ways to exit the forced defrost mode on your refrigerator. Let’s check them out.
Method 1: Unplugging the Refrigerator
Turn off the machine by unplugging the refrigerator for at least 30 seconds. This will automatically cancel the forced defrost mode on your machine. However, this isn’t possible if you can’t reach the plugs, but you can always turn off the kitchen circuit breaker from the main control panel of your home.
Method 2: Using the Control Panel
The second method is the preferred one suggested by repair experts and most manufacturers. Hit the same combination you used to put your refrigerator in the defrost mode.
Once the refrigerator enters the option mode, press the buttons until you see Fd written on display. Now you need to take the fridge to the blank option. It will take the machine back to the normal operating mode.
Some models may take 5-10 minutes while coming out from the Fd mode.
How to defrost a Manually Defrosting Samsung Refrigerator?
Older models with a dial thermostat don’t have the luxury of automatic defrosting, or options to put the machine to forced defrost mode needs to be defrosted manually by turning off the machine and letting the ice melt. The simple rule is to defrost your refrigerator when you see 0.5-1 inch ice in the freezer compartment.
Apart from older models, mini-fridges are also defrosted in the same way. The process is pretty straightforward, too but requires some elbow grease and time so that the ice can melt.
Follow the steps given below for defrosting.
- Unplug the machine and open the doors of the machine.
- Remove all items from your refrigerator. It is best to plan the activity when your refrigerator is almost empty, or you can store the items in another refrigerator.
- Let the ice melt. You can use a fan or place hot water bowls inside the machine to speed up the process. Don’t use a hairdryer or heater to melt the ice inside the fridge. You can also move the machine near a window to increase airflow and evaporation rate.
- Place a towel in front of your machine to soak all the water. You can also place trays under the ice to catch the water.
- Wash or clean your machine’s shelves and other components while the ice melts.
- Clean the inside of the machine with a towel or clean cloth. You can use commercial cleaning liquid or add a couple of drops of a mild dishwashing liquid in a water bowl to remove any stains.
- Install the shelves and racks and turn on the machine.
You can read more about the defrosting process here.
Benefits of Defrosting a Samsung Refrigerator
- Ice accumulation prevents airflow. It makes it difficult for the cold air to reach the stored items in the fridge, resulting in your items rotting quickly. Hence, defrosting helps keep your food fresh for a long period of time.
- Defrosting your machine regularly allows the condenser to perform at its usual speed. It doesn’t have to overwork, and your electricity bills don’t get a hike.
- A frosted machine looks bad. Defrost your machine regularly to ensure it looks and smells pleasant. No one wants to grab a snack from a smelly refrigerator.
Some tips to follow while defrosting your Samsung Refrigerator
- Keep towels, trays, and water buckets with you if you have to deal with a flood.
- Make sure you place a shallow tray under the ice maker in your refrigerator to avoid water spills.
- Turn off the fridge if you are manually cleaning it.
- Don’t use sharp objects or electric heaters/hair dryers to melt the ice quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
This section contains all the questions about defrosting that Samsung users ask from our experts. We have listed them in one place to make things easy for you.
How to defrost Samsung RF28 French Door Refrigerator?
Samsung RF28 is a popular French door refrigerator. You can activate the defrost cycle on this mode by pressing and holding the Energy Saver and the Power Freeze/Freezer buttons together for 4-8 seconds. You will hear a beep indicating that you have entered the control mode on your machine.
You can then navigate through the menu to reach forced defrost mode.
How to defrost Samsung RF263 French Door Refrigerator?
You have to press and hold the Energy Saver and Fridge button simultaneously for 6 seconds. This will take you to the control mode, and you can then select Fd mode by pressing the fridge button.
How to force thaw the Samsung RF263BEAESR Ice Maker?
You can thaw Samsung RF263BEAESR Ice Maker by pressing the Energy Saver and Fridge button for 10 seconds. Select the Fd mode, and the fridge and ice maker will enter the defrost mode.
How can I defrost Samsung RF24FSEDBSR and Samsung SRF680CDLS refrigerator?
Push and hold the Fridge and Power Save button for 8-1- seconds to enter the control mode on your refrigerator. Navigate the options with the help of the fridge button and select the Fd mode.
How to defrost Samsung RF23J9011SR refrigerator?
Hold the Cool Select and Freezer button for 8-10 seconds to enter the control mode. Now navigate with any of the buttons on the panel to select the Fd mode.
How to defrost Samsung refrigerators with an internal panel?
Press and hold the Fridge and Flex Zone button for 8-10 seconds or until you hear a beep. All the button lights will flash at one time to indicate that you have entered the control mode. Navigate the options with the Flex Zone button until you see the Fd option on the screen.
Do I need to defrost an ice maker separately?
No. You don’t have to do this. The ice maker is an integral part of the refrigerator and does not behave separately from the main unit. You can turn it off when the fridge is running, but you can’t turn it on if the refrigerator is powered off.
What to do if the Samsung Refrigerator isn’t defrosting?
As we already discussed, if some component on your machine has gone bad, it will not respond to your Fd command.
You need to check all the components related to the defrosting mechanism, such as the control board, defrost thermometer, defrost heater, and defrost control board. Most of these parts rarely go bad, but you never know. So, if nothing happens when you select the Fd mode, it is better to contact Samsung customer service or schedule a visit from a certified technician.
How long does it take to defrost a Samsung refrigerator?
A forced defrost cycle on a Samsung refrigerator runs for 20-40 minutes.
Why is my refrigerator not cooling after running forced defrost mode?
If your refrigerator doesn’t start to cool after defrosting, it is due to a faulty defrosting timer. You need to get it inspected to ensure that it is working correctly.
How often should I defrost my Samsung refrigerator?
It depends on the model you have. If you have an older machine without a control panel and auto defrosting mode, you must defrost the machine when the ice buildup is more than ½ inches.
Newer models defrost automatically, so you don’t have to put them in the defrost mode. However, if you notice ice buildup on the ice maker or in the freezer section, you should immediately put it in forced defrost mode.
Final Words
We have explained everything you need to know about defrosting a Samsung refrigerator. If the machine doesn’t defrost after selecting a forced defrost mode, it indicates that something is wrong with one of the defrosting components.
Contact Samsung customer support right away if your refrigerator is under warranty. Try troubleshooting the problem yourself if the warranty period has expired or arrange a professional inspection.
