Why is there a slight electric shock from the body of a refrigerator, washing machine, or computer?

Has it ever happened to you that when you touch the metal parts of the case, the refrigerator gets an electric shock? Even if the discharge is insignificant and does not create significant discomfort, this kind of problem should be corrected as soon as possible, since it can be a symptom of serious damage. In addition, electric shocks themselves are dangerous, especially for small children and pets.

As soon as you first encounter sudden electric shocks when in contact with the unit, we strongly recommend that you call a specialist to carry out diagnostics by phone or online. At the service center you will be provided with qualified assistance in repairing refrigerators manufactured under the brands Indesit, Daewoo, Samsung, Liebherr, Sharp, LG, Ariston, Bosch and many others. Trust our experience: we have been successfully servicing household appliances for more than ten years and have acquired many regular customers during this time. We work from 7:00 to 23:00 without weekends and holidays.

Causes of problems

Current flowing through the body is not normal. The shock may be quite strong if you touch it with a wet palm or accidentally grab the battery with your other hand. Electric shocks are also observed when the refrigerator is installed on a cement base. What is the reason for this phenomenon?

1. An old electrical outlet is not equipped with a ground connection or does not make tight contact with the plug.
2. Destruction of the insulating layer of residential electrical wiring.
3. Damage to the insulation of the power cord wires, wiring inside the compressor or other modules.
4. Icing or thermostat malfunction.

The first two reasons are not directly related to the technical condition of the device; in this case, the device operates without grounding and you will need to call an electrician. In other situations, the breakdown is caused by current leaks into the housing due to damaged insulation of the refrigerator itself. Insulation failure can occur at the production stage of the device, during transportation or directly during operation due to moisture and temperature changes or mechanical stress.

The cause of current leaks may be the thermostat. An electrical insulating gasket is installed between its mechanical part and the electrical circuits. Over time, it wears out and holes appear in the body.

From a technical point of view, it is most difficult to repair a compressor if current leaks are caused by a breakdown of the winding. Replacing a damaged section of wiring does not always solve the problem, or repair work will be too expensive. In such cases, a complete replacement of the unit will be required. A similar decision is made for other conductive parts - installing a working module guarantees that the problem will not appear again after some time. It is important that the components being replaced are fully compatible with the device and certified by the refrigerator manufacturer.

Final conclusions

If current passes through the cabinet, serious injury can result (especially if you grab the refrigerator with a wet hand or accidentally catch the other hand on the battery). The danger also increases greatly if the refrigerator is placed on a cement surface. To avoid the risks that are invariably associated with self-checking, when faced with the problem of current leakage on the body, it is logical to immediately contact a specialist.

Let us separately mention a special case: if a new refrigerator is electrocuted, but the external grounding (socket) and the condition of the facility’s electrical network are in order, this is a bad sign; in this case, it is advisable to contact the service center under warranty and, if possible, return the unit, since it is almost certainly one of the defective units. If you have been using the device for a long time, it is possible that one of its components has become unusable and the equipment requires serious repairs (unlike a procedure like filling a refrigerator with freon, you definitely won’t be able to do it yourself).

Diagnosis of current leaks

With basic knowledge of electrical engineering, you can determine the source of current leakage into the housing. To do this, you will need a multimeter with a megohmmeter function. The diagnostic procedure consists of the following steps:

• the device is disconnected from the power supply;
• A visual inspection of the electrical wiring insulation is carried out. You need to make sure there are no exposed wires;
• the thermostat is set to an arbitrary operating position;
• the “Ground” megohmmeter lead is tightly attached to the body; at the point of contact, a small area should be cleared of paint and the contact should be fixed;
• the “Line” pin is connected to the pins of the plug;
• to find the location of the leak, the wires and functional units (thermostat, relay) are sequentially disconnected until the resistance level is restored to an acceptable value.

But any manipulation with electricity is dangerous. If you do not have sufficient experience, call a specialist who will carry out the diagnosis himself.

How to fix the problem yourself?

It is necessary to conduct a visual inspection of the connection cable, socket, and compressor wiring on the reverse side. A multimeter can be used. If there are no defects, diagnostics must be performed. For this purpose, specialized tools and testing accessories are used. Often they are absent in standard everyday life. That is why it is better to choose the services of professionals, otherwise you risk facing such troubles as:

• incorrect diagnosis, replacement of serviceable spare parts with new ones;
• damage to third-party parts when performing independent repairs;
• installation of low-quality components of unknown quality.

Each situation negatively affects the cost of subsequent repairs. And if you use devices from premium brands Liebherr, Bosch, Samsung, the price can rise quite seriously, taking into account the prices for original spare parts. Do not risk repairing a refrigerator with your own hands if you do not have the appropriate skills and tools.

Grounding check

Since the refrigerator was originally designed in such a way as to make any current leakage impossible, voltage on the body often occurs due to insufficient external grounding. To check the grounding loop, a multimeter is also used, which places a wire with a phase in the electrical outlet, after which it is determined in resistance measurement mode whether the power is grounded. In addition, a phase on the housing may appear due to unreliable grounding contact between the electrical outlet and the plug from the refrigerator power cord.

There is no or poor contact on the grounding, grounding in the shield

Often, even in newly built houses with 3-wire cable lines, a situation occurs when there is a small voltage within a few tens of volts on the grounding conductor, and accordingly on everything to which it is connected.

It seems that the wiring in the apartment is new, and everything is assembled in junction boxes according to the diagrams with respect to “polarity,” but electric shock occurs everywhere you don’t touch.

The explanation may be very simple. In the apartment panel, all grounding wires are collected in a heap and connected to one common bus.

But it is just neither grounded nor zeroed! The electricians simply forgot to do this. This is where all the problems come from.

Or there is a break somewhere in the main ground wire from the circuit to your panel. Check the voltage in the panel between the ground bus and the phase. It should be stable around 220V. If the voltage “floats” in absolutely arbitrary parameters, then there is clearly a break somewhere.

Contacting "Remontano"

Troubleshooting is a rather non-trivial task if you have no experience working with electrical equipment. Contacting a service center allows you to avoid breakdowns caused by unqualified maintenance. The specialists of the Repair Center know how to fix problems of any complexity in the shortest possible time. With us, you will be absolutely sure that your household appliances will work flawlessly, and you will not encounter any unpleasant surprises during its operation. All types of services are guaranteed. We have our own spare parts warehouse. We work from 7:00 to 23:00. You can call a specialist at your home by calling the number or filling out the feedback form on the website.

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When to check the compressor - signs of malfunction

The motor-compressor is an important working unit of the refrigerator, which ensures the circulation of refrigerant through the piping system. The motor is located at the rear at the bottom of the refrigerator. It can be located in a closed compartment behind the panel or in an open niche.

Most old and new models have linear compressors connected via a relay.

In improved modern ones - inverter ones controlled through a current converter. The motor is connected to them via a terminal block.

By design, compressors are divided into piston (the majority of them) and rotary. But the signs of a malfunction are common to all. The main list includes:

• elevated temperature in only one or both compartments;
• the compressor works constantly, with very short rest periods;
• the unit turns on, works for a few seconds, then the relay clicks and the motor turns off, after a while the cycle repeats, the compressor housing gets very hot;
• The engine does not start, the body does not heat up.

Malfunctions may be associated with defects in the start-up relay or compressor.

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Why does the compressor motor in the refrigerator fail?

Like any other, a refrigeration motor-compressor breaks down for four main reasons:

• Incorrect operation of the refrigerator. The refrigerator is installed next to a heat source: a radiator or stove, so the engine overheats. Elevated temperatures can cause breakdown of winding insulation. If the refrigerator is connected to a network with large differences in voltage or current without a stabilizer, surges in electrical values ​​can cause insulation overheating. Prolonged overheating violates the integrity of the windings and leads to a short circuit or break.
• Engine wear . The motor has a working life of hours. After its depletion, productivity drops and the insulating properties of the windings deteriorate. The engine loses power, runs longer without rest, which causes it to overheat. The resistance of the windings becomes lower, the insulation heats up and cracks. Because of this, a short circuit, break or breakdown on the housing may occur.
• Factory defective engine. Although marriage is a rare reason, it does happen sometimes. During assembly, the winding insulation, contacts, piston or compressor valves may be damaged. During testing, defects will not appear, but when the refrigerator is operating, defects will quickly “come out”, and the equipment will have to be sent in for warranty repair.

Have you checked the refrigerator motor for operation and found a malfunction? Call Ice Man! The technician will come and install a new compressor. We repair after the application within 24 hours, we give a 2-year guarantee on installed components, spare parts and maintenance.

We wish your equipment excellent performance!