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Do Evaporator Fans Run All the Time? (Explained)

You will find a fan just in the fridge compartment if you have a refrigerator. Do you know what the purpose of this fan is? It helps the refrigerator get an even temperature by circulating the air through its coil.

However, this is the evaporator fan. It takes all the heat air from the refrigerator and processes them through the coil. After that, it produces cool air and supplies it to the fridge.

However, most users want to know if evaporator fans run all the time. If you are looking for the same, go ahead. We are about to answer this question.

Do evaporator fans run all the time?

No, evaporate fans don’t run all the time. It stops when you open your refrigerator door. Also, if it gets damaged, it will stop suddenly. However, the main job of the evaporator fan is to take the heated air from the refrigerator and create cool air. Thus, it maintains the temperature.

Most users ask why the evaporator fan stops working and why it doesn’t run all the time. To get the answers, keep reading.

First of all, the evaporator fan is mainly developed to maintain the refrigerator’s temperature. So, it will stop automatically when the fridge gets its desired temperature. Until the inside is filled with cool air, the fan will run.

There are some other reasons why it doesn’t run all the time. One of the common reasons is opening the refrigerator’s door. When you open the door, the fan will stop. It happens with all updated refrigerators.

Moreover, the evaporator fans are automated machines. They only run to make your appliances cool. If it gets damaged, the refrigerator will fail to fridge the items.

When does the evaporator fan turn on?

The evaporator fan turns on when the refrigerator doesn’t get the cool air and increases its temperature. When such incidents occur, the evaporator fan turns on itself automatically. Then, it makes the air cool.

Furthermore, the fan will try to decrease the overall temperature of the refrigerator. But it doesn’t take too much time to even the temperature. In addition, it works from the motor to make the process fast.

Most of the time, you will find the evaporator fan turned on. That doesn’t mean it runs all the time. It stops when needed and takes rest as well.

How long and how often should the evaporator fan run?

The evaporator fan should run around 20 hours daily, though the running time depends on the refrigerator’s brand. Different brands have come up with different defrost time sets. And, the running time of the fan depends on the defrost time.

In most cases, the defrost time is half an hour. That means your refrigerator will start to defrost every 8 hours or so. And, it takes half an hour.

In that time, the fan will remain off and won’t make any cool air as it might inhibit the defrost system. If you calculate this cycle correctly, you will find that the evaporator fan turns off for around 3 to four hours a day.

That means it remains on for about 20 hours. It is your answer to the question of how long should the evaporator fan run.

On the other hand, people also ask how often the evaporator fan should run. To find this answer, you must understand the basic cycle of it. Typically, when the compressor cycles on, the evaporator fan should run at that moment.

However, the compressor cycle lasts for about 15 minutes. That means it will repeat the cycle at least three times in an hour. Therefore, the evaporator fan will also follow the same. It will also run for about 15 minutes in a cycle and 3 times in an hour.

So, you got all the answers. If anyone asks you how often the evaporator fan runs, you should reply three times in an hour. And when you are faced with the question of how long the evaporator should run, the answer would be approximately 20 hours in a day.

How to tell if the evaporator fan motor is bad?

Some particular indications will tell you if the evaporator fan motor is bad. Follow these tips to know if the evaporator fan motor is bad.

Chirp sound:

If you hear any chirp sound from the evaporator fan, you must check it out. The fan only creates such a sound when the motor is bad or loses its efficiency for some reason.

Stops running:

You can tell that the evaporator fan motor is bad if it stops running. In that case, the refrigerator will not perform well. After days, the fridge will create heating issues.

Running after opening the door:

If you find the fan is still running after opening the refrigerator’s door, you can tell that the fan motor is going bad.

Rotates slowly:

When you find the evaporator fan is running, but it rotates slowly, you should check the motor. Maybe the fan motor gets bad.

Produce heat:

An evaporator fan will produce heat when the fan motor is bad. Therefore, it won’t process the heated air to turn it cold. In this regard, you might need to change the entire motor.

What happens when the refrigerator evaporator fan fails?

When the refrigerator evaporator fan fails, it will not balance the temperature. As a result, the temperature will rise soon and ruin the inside environment. Eventually, it loses its ability to preserve foods.

The evaporator fan mainly works to turn the heated air into cool air. If it fails to produce cool air, the refrigerator will also fail to preserve the food. Mostly, the refrigerator increases the temperature; eventually, the food preservation goes terrible.

How to test an evaporator fan motor? Where is it located in a refrigerator?

Testing an evaporator fan is no longer a challenging task. You can do it by opening the fridge door. In that case, if you feel the cold air with your hands, there is no issue with your fan motor.

But it goes wrong if you don’t feel any cold air. However, it is the best way to test the evaporator fan motor. You can surely try some other ways too.

Now the fact has come where to find the refrigerator. To find the evaporator fan follow these simple steps. You will locate it quickly and replace it if needed.

Go behind the refrigerator:

First, go behind the refrigerator where the compressor and other parts are located. Most of the time, this part remains open. Therefore, you will easily find everything.

Under the refrigerator:

If you cannot find any available part, there might be a box under the refrigerator. Try to find out that first. You will get the compressor there.

Nearby from the compressor:

Do you find the compressor? The evaporator fan is nearby. That’s your ultimate goal for the time being.

Check its working capacity:

If you find the fan, you need to check its working capacity. Ensure it is okay and produce cool air and pass through the refrigerator.

How to replace the evaporator fan motor?

Replacing the evaporator fan motor is no longer a difficult task. You can easily do that without spending a penny. Follow the steps that we are going to explain below.

Plugging it out:

The Refrigerator’s power is the first step before you replace the evaporator fan motor. Plugging it out is the best way to do that.

Remove the freezer shelf:

Try to remove the freezer shelf. You have to do that to replace the fan’s motor. Otherwise, it won’t be easy.

Remove the evaporator cover:

Now, remove the evaporator cover. But don’t make any rush. Do it slowly. Try to find the screws and remove the mounting screws.

Remove the fan cover:

It’s time to remove the fan cover. Before replacing the evaporator fan motor, you need to uncover the fan motor. After that, you will get the final fan motor.

Detach the motor:

If you find the screws on the motor, you need to remove them. Otherwise, you cannot detach the motor.

Replace it:

If you properly follow these steps, you have done it. And the bad motor is in your hand. Now it’s time to replace it.

Place the new one:

Place the new one into the same place. And attach the screws as before. Cover the fan and evaporator as well. And then place the shelf. Everything is done.

Sometimes you might need to change the entire fan and buy the new one. In that case, buy the new one and follow the same steps. You can easily replace it too.

Final Thoughts

If you read out the entire write-up, you know the evaporator fan doesn’t run all the time. It runs to produce cool air and replace the heated air from the refrigerator. The evaporator fan does the work to help the refrigerator get to the set temperature and stops after doing that.