Why Is My Whirlpool Fridge Not Working After Power Outage?
After a power outage has occurred, all of your outlet-connected appliances and devices will lose power; however in the case of the fridge, if the door is not opened after the power outage, it will still retain the cold air that is keeping it cool inside of the fridge for some time.
If you were to open the fridge door after a power outage and the fridge has not been turned back on, you risk losing precious cold air that could help your foods, drinks, and otherwise to stay at a safe temperature.
With this in mind, time is of the essence in this scenario, which means you want to be able to get to the bottom of the issue as fast as possible and not waste any time on speculation.
So, without further ado, let us get to some possible reasons why your fridge is not working after a power outage and what you can do to fix the problem.
1. Whirlpool Fridge May Require to Be Turned on Manually
As previously mentioned, after a power outage has occurred, some fridges need to be turned back on manually rather than coming back on their own.
This may be inconvenient but it is also a safety measure that is put into place to avoid any malfunctions that may occur from the fridge turning back on automatically after a power outage.
This can also help the fridge from triggering any further shortage by turning back on its own following a power outage. This is because refrigerators require an electrical power source to function properly and power the generators within the appliance.
Fix – Turn The Whirlpool Fridge Back on
Since some fridge models from Whirlpool will not turn back on automatically after a power outage, you will need to turn the refrigerator back on. This will help to reset the fridge’s compressor and should get your Whirlpool fridge back to a properly functioning state.
The very first thing you will want to do is to unplug the Whirlpool fridge from the wall outlet that it is receiving power.
After you have unplugged the power cord from the outlet, you may hear some peculiar noises coming from the fridge, which is perfectly fine. You will want to leave the Whirlpool fridge unplugged for at least a couple of minutes.
After unplugging the power cord from the wall outlet to your Whirlpool fridge, you will want to use the control panel to turn off the refrigerator portion of the appliance and then also turn off the freezer portion of your Whirlpool fridge.
You can do this by switching the temperature controls to zero or by completely turning them off. After you have turned off the fridge and freezer portion on your Whirlpool refrigerator, you can plug the power cord back into the outlet.
Now, you can reset the temperature settings for your Whirlpool fridge, which for a safe temperature will be around the “4” or “5” setting for both the fridge and freezer.
The appropriate temperature setting for your fridge and freezer may differ depending on the model and make of your Whirlpool fridge, it is best to refer to the user manual for these appropriate temperature settings (if possible).
After you have done all of this, you will want to give the Whirlpool fridge at least 24 hours to balance the temperatures (without opening the doors to the fridge). So long as your Whirlpool fridge is receiving power, this method should do the trick.
2. Examine The Circuit Breaker
The moment the power comes back on after the power outage, the first thing you will want to do is check the circuit breaker for your home.
It is a good habit to form to check the circuit breaker after a power outage to make sure the circuit breaker is still in good condition.
Since the circuit break typically takes the majority of the surge during a power outage, some components on the circuit breaker can become unstable or even broken, which means it is always good to check the circuit breaker following a power outage.
If you are not familiar with the circuit breaker for your home, you will be just fine as you can see the circuit breaker as a safety control center for all of the electricity in your home.
The circuit breaker may seem intimidating but it is made to be relatively simple for any homeowner to use. With that said, it is always a good idea to exercise caution when working with any electricity.
Fix – Flip The Switch on The Circuit Breaker
The first thing you will want to do after a power outage and your Whirlpool fridge is not working properly is to flip the power switch for the fridge on the circuit breaker.
Once you have located the circuit breaker for your home, it will typically have labels to indicate which switch controls which power line. For example, if there are labels, the label may read “Refrigerator” or “Kitchen.”
If there are no labels for the switches, your best bet will be to switch off the main power switch for the circuit breaker and then switch it back on.
When you flip the main switch for the circuit breaker, it will turn off the power supply for everything connected to an outlet in your home.
When you flip the main switch back on, the power will be restored to all functioning outlets within your home and this very well could get your Whirlpool fridge back to a properly functioning state.
3. Check The Electrical Outlet
It is important to understand that a refrigerator is typically plugged into a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) electrical outlet, which is not all too different from a regular outlet other than it serves as a protective measure to avoid electrical shock and the circuit will also have a “Reset” button or slide on the outlet.
The GFCI outlet may have been tripped when the power outage happened, which will require flipping the switch on the circuit breaker or pressing the “Reset” button or slider on the outlet.
However, if you have already tried both of these methods and your Whirlpool fridge is still not working, then you will want to examine the power cord for the fridge and the GFCI electrical outlet.
Fix – Evaluate The Power Supply
What you are looking for on the GFCI outlet and the power cable is any burning, melting, or damage.
Make sure to flip the circuit breaker switch for the GFCI outlet to avoid any potential electrical shock and also be sure to unplug the refrigerator. Are there any burn marks on the outlet or power cable? Has anything melted?
If so, you will want to transfer your food and drinks to a cooler and keep GFCI electrical outlet powered down. As for the power cable, you will also want to check for any exposed wires.
If you noticed any amount of insulation has fallen from the power cable, you will need to immediately disconnect the fridge, move your food to another cooling unit, and have a professional replace the power cable if possible.
Exposed wires can lead to electricity wildly arcing from the cable to nearby surfaces. That is how electrical fires begin and that is something no one wants.
4. Do Not Feel Any Cooling?
After a power outage, your Whirlpool fridge may still be running without you being able to genuinely tell that the appliance is still functioning. You will want to listen closely to your Whirlpool fridge to tell if it is indeed running.
It may be making whirling or swishing sounds, which is actually quite normal after the power has been cut so abruptly. Though your Whirlpool fridge can make a series of noises that may or may not indicate a problem with the appliance.
However, noises being made from the refrigerator are typically a good sign that the fridge is at least receiving power.
Fix – Have Patience and Observe
Does it not seem like the Whirlpool fridge is cooling? Do not panic quite yet. If you hear the refrigerator running, chances are there is nothing to worry about.
It needs at least 15 minutes before you will feel any genuine difference on the inside of the fridge.
Just make sure the temperature controls are set to 37 degrees Fahrenheit for the fridge and 0 degrees Fahrenheit for the freezer. The power outage might have reset the temperature settings.
If it has been an hour or so and nothing has changed, then you may be looking at a dead fridge or, best-case scenario, a component has failed. In fact, listen in for any noises.
Your fridge can make a number of noises that may or may not indicate an issue. Be patient and wait and see if the fridge starts to cool and function properly.
5. No Signs of Power
You may have tried every other method after a power outage such as turning the circuit breaker switch off and back on, and turning the fridge off and back on.
However, if none of these attempts showed any effect on the power of the Whirlpool fridge, there may have been an electrical issue that occurred during the power outage. This may include an electrical short, a damaged power cord, or even a damaged outlet.
Fix – Inspect Fridge For Visual Signs of Electrical Damage
There could be a component that causes the power outage and your fridge not to work after the said outage.
You need to inspect the fridge for visual signs of electrical damage. You can look out for this such as burn marks around the electrical outlet or cord.
If you can see electric damage, you will need to contact a licensed professional appliance technician.