Sub-Zero Refrigerator Keeps Shutting Off in Palm Harbor: A Burned Power Switch
- Symptom
- The refrigerator kept shutting off and wouldn't cool until its power switch was flipped back on.
- Cause
- The power switch had burned, and the connectors on it were scorched, so power to the fridge kept dropping out.
- Fix
- We took the switch out of the circuit and joined the wires directly. The client doesn't need it, and the breaker works as the off switch.
A client in Palm Harbor called about their built-in Sub-Zero side-by-side (model 590, built in 1997). The fridge kept shutting off, and it wouldn’t cool until the power switch was flipped back on.
Up top, in the machine compartment
On this model the machine compartment sits above the doors. We took the cover off and looked at everything that feeds power to the fridge.
The switch had burned
The power switch sits on a bracket at the front of the compartment. It had burned, and the plastic connectors that plug into it were scorched brown.
This fridge is rated at 12 amps. Once the contacts in a switch wear, that much current can heat the switch and its connectors until they burn, and then the power drops out. That’s why the fridge kept shutting off.
Taking it out of the circuit
We could have ordered a new switch, but this client doesn’t need one. If they ever want the fridge off, they’ll use the breaker. So for reliability we took the switch out of the circuit and joined the wires directly with insulated connectors, one less part that can burn.
If the switch or connectors on your own fridge are turning brown, something is running hot and it’s best to have it looked at soon. More on our Sub-Zero repairs.
FAQ
Why does my Sub-Zero keep shutting off?
On this 590 a burned power switch was the cause. When a switch or its connectors overheat, they can lose contact and drop power to the fridge, and it stops cooling until power comes back.
Can a burned power switch be taken out of the circuit?
Sometimes, when the owner doesn't need the switch. We joined the wires directly with insulated connectors, and the breaker became the way to shut the fridge off. That's a repair for a technician, not something to try yourself.