High-quality interior lighting is a determining factor in the aesthetic perception of cold rooms of various sizes. A burnt light source in a refrigeration unit can cause a lot of inconvenience, so it should be replaced immediately in case of a breakdown.
A new light bulb for a refrigerator should have an appropriate level of luminous flux and a base type.
The content of the article:
- Why in the fridge lighting?
- Existing lamp types
- Characteristics of lighting devices
- Rules for choosing the right device
- Step-by-step lamp replacement instructions
- The nuances of replacing different types of light bulbs
- Recommendations for use
- Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Why in the fridge lighting?
Refrigerators - insulated from the influence of the environment of the system, the doors with rubber seals which do not pass inside neither heat nor light waves.
Therefore, in household appliances for the storage of food provides its own lighting, making it easy to find food at any time of the day.
The power supply circuit of the bulb in the refrigerator usually includes a starting relay. This scheme ensures the automatic operation of the lighting each time the door is opened. This mechanism makes it possible to save energy and use the lamp resource wisely.
Artificial light provides the most convenient and fast search for products, as well as their optimal placement inside closed boxes
Sometimes a simple incandescent lamp is connected to an electrical circuit, bypassing the start protection relay, since lighting in a domestic refrigeration unit may be needed during compressor idle time.
In this case, under the door inside the chamber have a special button, breaking the circuit when closing.
At first glance, a burned-out lamp in a refrigerator may seem like a minor breakdown, which in addition to aesthetic discomfort does not pose any threat to household appliances.
However, this is not quite true. The lack of interior lighting leads to the fact that the door remains open longer than with a working light bulb.
As a result, the load on the compressor increases significantly and the cooling chamber fails prematurely. And because it is very important to quickly replace the light bulb, because of this may depend on the life of the refrigerator.
Existing lamp types
The first models of household electric refrigerators with compression cycle technology were not equipped with lamps at all. But with increasing popularity among consumers, food storage cameras have been constantly improved.
Over time, they began to build low-power vacuum lighting devices with electrical circuits. It was almost the same as in the chandeliers, incandescent bulbs, only of lesser power.
Today, domestic high-end comfort refrigerators are completed with energy-saving LED blocks with electronic control to indicate the operating modes and the current state of the equipment
Management of economical LED-lamps is realized through special relays or a regular button under the door, as well as using microcontrollers.
In modern refrigerators use 4 types of lighting devices:
- with filament;
- halogen;
- fluorescent gas-filled lamps;
- LED.
The first kind of lamps (incandescent) is easy to operate and affordable cost. They emit yellow light that is comfortable for perception, but they are very hot.
The life of the incandescent wire bulbs is short - up to 1000 hours. With unstable voltage in the network, their service life is significantly reduced
Halogen by design resemble previous ones. When working heat up, but shine brighter. Consume a minimum of electricity at high light output. The term of operation does not exceed 4000 business hours.
Luminescents emit cold white light, serve up to 15,000 hours. Resource work depends on the number of cycles off / on.
They are used in shops and shopping centers for lighting refrigerated display cases, allowing them to give products an attractive look.
The main disadvantage of these lamps - the content of hazardous mercury vapor. Used devices must be handed over to specialized points or points of reception for further disposal.
LED light They are environmentally friendly products that are practically not heated. They have high mechanical strength and consume a minimum amount of electricity.
The lifetime is 100,000 hours. After this time, the LED-lamps are not destroyed, they only decrease the intensity of the glow by about 2 times.
Currently, refrigeration manufacturers increasingly prefer to install LED lighting.
The popularity of the use of LED-lamps in domestic refrigerators due to high rates of efficiency. They last much longer than fluorescent and halogen bulbs, not to mention incandescent devices that often burn out.
Unlike gas-discharge light sources with mercury vapor, the diodes light up instantly and can generate illumination of any color.
Characteristics of lighting devices
The quality of interior lighting in refrigerators directly depends on the type of lamp used and its power, the design features of the lamp, as well as its location.
In most models of household refrigeration units, a single light source with a power of 15 W and, in some cases, 25 W is installed.
In large-sized technology, such lighting is clearly not enough. This problem is solved by installing two 15/25 W bulbs at once or installing one 40 W power one.
Attention should be paid to their caps, provided for different types of fastening. Standard lamp for domestic refrigerator has a base E14.
But there are also devices with plinths T-click on two terminals E12, as well as compact four-contact models 2G7.
Light sources can be installed on the top wall inside the refrigeration unit, on the rear and side panels of the chamber, on top of the visor.
Often, lighting devices in household refrigerators are assembled into a single control unit together with a switch and temperature controller.
Uniform illumination in refrigerators is provided by luminaires of vertical construction mounted on the lateral sides behind the inside of a closed chamber. Lamps located in the middle of the side wall also provide satisfactory lighting.
But mounted on the top panel only highlight the top shelves, while the lower ones remain in the twilight.
The most unfortunate location is fixed to the light bulb visor. In this case, they are unable to provide sufficient illumination of all areas in the refrigerator.
Rules for choosing the right device
Manufacturers of refrigerators install inside lamps special appliances that are resistant to low temperatures and moisture, as well as to voltage drops in the network. Therefore, replacement is recommended to use only original spare parts.
If there is no access to those, you can use universal ones. However, it should be clearly understood that the lamps that are not recommended by the manufacturer will heat the air and often burn out. Interior lighting in this case will have to be restored constantly.
When it is necessary to replace a defective incandescent bulb in an old refrigerator, the logical step is to purchase a similar device of the same capacity.
But, as practice shows, it is advisable to replace it with an energy-efficient LED lamp.
Installing a LED-bulb instead of other types of lighting devices, you need to choose an analogue with the appropriate level of luminous flux. Here is a table of correspondence of light power for different types of light bulbs.
When choosing a lighting device for a refrigerator, you need to remember three important points:
- Power should not exceed 11-40 watts. It depends on the model and size of the equipment, the type of light bulb and its location inside the refrigerator.
- Base - mismatch type lamp base cartridge is unacceptable.
- Size and shape - the lamp should be freely located inside the protective canopy or diffuser, without touching the walls.
The type of light bulb and its operating power affects the illumination of the surfaces of the internal chamber of the refrigerator, as well as the consumption of electricity.
Galogenka and incandescent devices emit warm yellow light, fluorescent - cool white, well, and LEDs can generate radiation in the entire visible spectral range.
Properly selected lighting for the refrigerator helps to detect food spoilage in a timely manner. Therefore, it is better to give preference to lamps that emit cold light in order not to artificially make the appearance of food more attractive.
It is noteworthy that the transparency of the bulb also affects the quality of lighting. Matte reduces the level of radiation flux by 10-30%. If it is critical, it is better to purchase a light source with a transparent bulb for a refrigeration unit.
Step-by-step lamp replacement instructions
To replace the light bulb in the refrigerator, you need to perform several simple operations.
Step 1. First of all, household appliances are disconnected from the power supply. This is the main safety rule, which in no case can not be neglected.
Step # 2. Then, if necessary, remove all unnecessary from the shelves, and sometimes the shelves themselves, as well as baskets, in order to gain access to the lighting fixture.
Step # 3. Next, you need to dismantle the transparent diffuser, which is important for Bosch refrigerators and some other brands, or the ceiling light, if there is one.
To easily remove the protective cover, experienced craftsmen recommend holding the refrigerator door open for 15 minutes. This will greatly facilitate disassembly.
The design of the ceiling are different. In refrigerators Atlant and Samsung they are screwed into the chambers Stinol - special snaps.
In refrigeration Indesit and Ariston the ceiling lamps are not completely removed, but fixed with a holding screw, which allows only one side to be released.
To gain access to the light bulb, you must loosen this screw and gently bend the dynamic part of the ceiling.
Remove the protective cover should be very careful not to destroy the coating of the inner walls.
Step # 4. Now you can unscrew the burnt out light bulb and install it in good condition.
In household refrigerators from SamsungBefore removing the old lamp, you need to disconnect the connectors and wires, and then remove the protective tape.
If an LED luminaire is installed in the refrigerator compartment, the cover can be removed only with the electronic unit, after which the light bulb is replaced.
Sometimes a block with a microprocessor is very difficult to dismantle. If you do not have relevant experience with electronics, it is better to seek the help of specialists.
Step # 5. Check the correctness of the work performed. To do this, turn on the replaced light bulb.
The last stage is testing the lighting device. If everything is in order, you can install protection in place and connect the refrigerator to the power supply network
The nuances of replacing different types of light bulbs
It should be noted that different types of lamps need a different approach. For example, the usual incandescent bulb allowed to take the glass partbut do not press or squeeze it.
Screw in necessarily with smooth movements, so that the base is correctly positioned in the cartridge thread.
In the process of replacing such a lamp, glass sometimes breaks. In this case, it is important to be careful not to try to get the remnants and fragments with your hands.
Round pliers or pliers will come to the rescue. You just need to grab with the tool the edge of the base and unscrew the lighting device.
Unlike vacuum light bulbs, halogen cannot be taken with bare hands by the glass part. At the point of contact, local overheating may occur. This reduces her work resource.
In the process of installing the quartz lamp bulb must be kept through a clean napkin or in gloves. In case of accidental contact, it is recommended to wipe the surface with a cloth that does not leave marks, for example, microfiber with an alcohol solution.
Fluorescent lamps have very fragile tubes with mercury vapor. Therefore, it is forbidden to hold them for the glass part - you can only take it as a base
Such lighting devices must be removed very carefully so as not to break the flasks with harmful mercury vapor. They are used mainly in the food trade.
Recommendations for use
To extend the life of even the simplest light bulb will help compliance with the basic rules for using the refrigerator. So, it is necessary to ensure that the doors are closed tightly, and also to prevent their prolonged downtime in the open state.
It is equally important to control the humidity inside the unit. Condensation can cause irreparable damage to electronic equipment.
To connect refrigerators, electricians recommend specifically to conduct a euro socket with grounding. To avoid breakages due to power surges, use of uninterruptible power supply units or connecting a surge protector will help.
If the lamp has burned out, not having fulfilled the period stated by the manufacturer, it is necessary to check the light-off button, which is usually located on the side or top inner wall of the chamber.
A faulty light button can cause not only lamp failures, but also burnout of the plafond, and sometimes lead to a short circuit.
The deformation of this element leads to uninterrupted operation of the lighting and rapid breakdown of the light source. In most cases, the key fails the spring, which is responsible for fixing the position On / Off.
And although the type of indoor lighting of the refrigerator is not an indicator of the quality of household appliances, when buying it is better to choose models with LED lamps. They are resistant to low temperatures, reliable and durable.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Arrangement of LED lighting on the door and in the chamber of the old Minsk-15M refrigeration unit with your own hands:
How to quickly replace the lighting device in Atlant refrigerators with different protective shades, step by step instructions:
How to replace a light bulb in the Nord refrigerating chamber:
Independently replace a defective lamp in the refrigerator is easy. It is only important to observe safety precautions and not to experiment with the electronic part of the refrigeration unit.. Characteristics of the light bulb, as well as recommendations regarding its installation in specific models of home appliances can be found in the instruction manual.
