Are you facing problems with your GE refrigerator motherboard? The control panel is technically the motherboard, as it is a circuit with all the right connections to make your fridge work.
GE refrigerators are one of the most reputed brands in the industry, so you cannot expect them to build a problematic appliance. However, it is all upon your usage pattern.
Electric appliances are prone to malfunctions. There is no definite period or reason behind a specific problem. If the display of your fridge or any other component is not working, there can be a problem with the control panel.
There are two control panels in the fridge. The main control panel is at the back of the fridge, while there is a secondary control panel called the dispenser control panel (located beside the dispenser).
All the components in your fridge are connected to these control panels. A problem in your fridge will have some connection with the control panel, which is why you should know how to reset it.
How to reset the GE refrigerator motherboard?
Control panel/control board reset
The control panel reset is one of the most common fixes to malfunctions. The basic reset is pretty simple to perform. The procedure is as under:
- Unplug the refrigerator from the power source. If the power cable is not easily accessible, turn off the circuit breaker to ensure the fridge is not connected to a power supply.
- Let the fridge rest for around 30 to 60 seconds. This will allow the fridge to erase the temporary memory. All the temporary glitches will be removed, and the control panel will be reset to the default settings.
- Replug the refrigerator back into the power source. The reset is complete, and you will need other things to do.
The voltage check
Control board at the back
If the touch panel is not responding and there is no light depicting a dead control panel, you should check the voltage supply. The main control board is located at the back of the refrigerator. Check the bottom right of the back of your fridge. Unscrew the lid fixed at the back.
Connect your multimeter to the control board to check the input and output voltage. Make sure that the voltage is between 12 and 14. A low voltage would mean that the board is not producing enough voltage.
Broad below the display
Once you have checked and confirmed that the rear board is fine, the next thing to check is the board under the digital display. Grab the control panel by placing three fingers of both hands below it. Pull the control panel from the bottom, and the circuit will come out. See the wire connections on the back of the panel to ensure all the wires are connected properly.
Connect a multimeter to the board to check the voltage. The voltage must be between 12 and 14 volts. Once you have checked it, proceed to the ice maker. You will find a shutdown button inside the ice maker. Turn it on and off three times consecutively. This will complete the whole procedure.
Why does a GE refrigerator control panel malfunction?
Knowing the solution to a problem is always satisfying. However, one must understand what the problem is. The GE refrigerator control panel might have the following issues:
Glitches
The glitches are one of the most common and simple kinds of errors that you will come across. GE refrigerators are electric appliances; they have components that are prone to malfunction from time to time. A glitch does not mean that the control panel is faulty. It depicts that the panel is going through a small operating inconsistency. This can be resolved by simply unplugging the fridge and resetting control panel.
No power supply
Another reason why your control panel is unresponsive can be the inconsistent or no power supply at all. This happens when the electricity voltage is not what the fridge needs. A power supply cut-off will stop your GE refrigerator from performing certain basic functions like water dispensing.
Demo mode
The demo is not a problem but rather a mode integrated by the manufacturer. The demo mode is tailor-made for a showroom display. All the lights turn on in this mode, and other functions are turned off. This feature is also very handy while repairing the refrigerator.
When the demo mode is turned on, you cannot render commands to the control panel. All the functions are disabled so that you might confuse the demo mode with a control panel malfunction. The “showroom mode” on the control panel screen indicates that your appliance is in demo mode.
Control board malfunction (dispenser)
There is a control board with the dispenser. You interact with it every day because it is located under the display. This control board is an electric circuit vulnerable to malfunctions and short circuits.
These issues can render the whole board useless and unresponsive. On the contrary, the board might be partially unresponsive. In this case, a few buttons will work while others will be dead. Besides the electric malfunction, the dispenser control panel might be depreciated due to long usage.
Main control board
Like the dispenser control board, the main control board is also an electric circuit with all the necessary components. You should make sure that you check this board in the end. A fault in the main control board can influence the whole fridge.
The reset did not solve the problem.
Did the reset not solve the problem that you faced with your control board? Well, there are other things that you can try. These solutions are summarized as under:
- Check the power cable, as a worn-out power cord can be why the control board is not working. Change the power cable to ensure an uninterrupted flow of electricity.
- Perform a voltage check on both control boards to check if the electric current is normal. Interrupted or fluctuating electric current will usually cause the control panel to misbehave.
- Try exiting the demo mode. The method varies from model to model. Check your user manual or search the internet to find the right procedure.
- If the dispenser control panel is not working and you have tried everything, then go with replacing the dispenser control panel.
- If the dispenser control panel is not faulty and everything else is fine, then replace the main control panel.
- The wiring in the fridge door serves as the connection between the dispenser control board and the main control board. If both boards are fine, but there is still a disconnection between them, inspect the door wiring.
Conclusion
The motherboard or the control board is considered the brain of a refrigerator. It is an electric board that is connected to all the components. This board transmits signals to the components to operate as required.
All the minor problems, such as small error codes and uncharacterized functionality, can be handled by merely resetting the control board. The resetting procedure is pretty simple as we have mentioned above.
For other issues that do not get resolved with a reset, you should find other, more effective solutions. However, your understanding is critical thing. If you do not understand the problem or the solution, you should consider calling a professional technician.
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