What Does the Evaporator Fan Do?
The evaporator fan is one of the most important components keeping your commercial cold room working efficiently. This is the fan that blows air from inside the cold room over the evaporator coils which in turn draw out the heat from the air and keep the interior of your commercial refrigerator at a constant predetermined temperature.
The evaporator fan works in tandem with the compressor. Often, a problem with the evaporator fan is identified when the compressor starts to malfunction. A faulty evaporator fan can cause the compressor to work much harder to maintain temperature which can cause ice build-up and compressor breakdown. Eventually, ice formation on the evaporator coils can lead to decreased function and lead to problems like:
- Sudden and significant increase in cool room temperature
- Ice build-up on the inside of the unit
- Damage to mechanical component due to excessive load
- Obstructions to the fan blades which can cause even more damage
Preventative Evaporator Fan Maintenance
To avoid encountering these issues, it is important to conduct regular evaporator fan maintenance to keep your system running smoothly. The most important factor in evaporator fan maintenance is regular defrosting of your commercial refrigerator. Allowing frost to build up can create obstructions for the fan blades which need to run efficiently to perform their critical task.
Before you decide to contact a refrigerator technician to check your unit, you could consider switching off the power and checking the fan yourself. If you spot ice build-up or other dirt and debris, a careful cleaning of the area with a cloth soaked in hot water and soap might just do the trick. In most cases, this should get your system back to working condition. If the fan and coils are extremely dirty, you may need a refrigerator technician with a steam cleaner to conduct maintenance.
Repairing Refrigerator Evaporation Fans
Check Electronic Control Board
Most modern freezers and refrigerators allow users to enter a diagnostic test mode to confirm if the evaporator fan is running. Make sure to check the technical sheet often taped to the back of the unit or on the bottom near the front grill. If the fan is operation during the test mode but not in normal operation, it is a sign that the electronic control board needs to be replaced.
Check the Wiring
If the fan does not run when using diagnostic mode, it is likely that there is an issue with the electrical connections. Unplug the refrigerator first to ensure safety and check the wiring thoroughly for continuity. Unscrew the control box and trace the wire that leads to the fan, inspecting for physical damage and using a multimeter to check for electrical problems. Usually, there are two wires, a red and a blue which need to be checked for continuity and must register zero ohms on the multimeter.
Comprehensive Cool Room Solutions
When it comes to keeping your refrigeration equipment in top working condition, nobody does it better than Cold-Rite. Our licensed and experienced refrigerator technicians conduct regular evaporator fan maintenance for all types of cooling units. We support businesses across Sydney with cool room solutions that are efficient and reliable. Click here for signs that you cold room needs a check-up or contact us on 1300 33 66 28 for commercial refrigeration consultancy.
