A wine cooler that won't turn on is diagnosed from the wall outward: the outlet and circuit first, then the power button and display modes, and only then the cord, the internal wiring and the control or power board. You can help by testing the outlet with a lamp and noting whether there's any light, fan sound or cooling at all.
Before the visit
- •Model and serial number, usually on a label inside the cabinet on a side wall or near the bottom.
- •What still works. Interior light, display, fan sound, or cold air, even if the display is dark.
- •When it started, especially after a storm, power outage or breaker trip.
- •How it's plugged in. Directly to the wall, through a power strip or extension cord, or into a GFCI outlet.
- •Any codes that showed before it went dark.
- •Access to the outlet and enough room to slide the unit out if it's built in.
Safe pre-checks:
- Plug a lamp into the same outlet. KitchenAid's wine cellar guide suggests this test, says not to use an extension cord, and says to avoid outlets controlled by a wall switch.
- Check the breaker and any GFCI outlet, and reset if tripped. If the problem continues, KitchenAid says to call an electrician.
- Press and hold the power button for a few seconds. Zephyr's troubleshooting page gives this step for a unit that won't turn on or off.
The checks, in the usual order
| Step | What's tested | What it rules in or out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The outlet, with a lamp or tester | Rules out a dead outlet or a switched outlet that's off |
| 2 | Breaker, fuse and GFCI | Rules out a tripped circuit |
| 3 | Extension cords and power strips removed | Rules out a weak link between the wall and the unit |
| 4 | Power button and display modes | A Sabbath or showroom mode can make a working unit look dead |
| 5 | Cord and internal connections | A damaged cord or loose connector stops power at the unit |
| 6 | Power supply or control board | No output with good power coming in points to the board |
| 7 | Cooling parts, once it powers up | A unit that lights up but won't cool is a separate diagnosis |
Display modes trip people up. Zephyr notes that if the display and lights don't work but the unit is cooling, it may be in Sabbath Mode, and that a flashing light by the "R" on its panel means demonstration mode is on. KitchenAid adds that its wine cellars need a 115-volt, 15- or 20-amp fused, grounded supply.
Tools you may see
- •Outlet tester or multimeter, to confirm voltage and grounding at the outlet.
- •Multimeter, with the unit unplugged, to check the cord and connectors, and live checks on the board by a trained technician.
- •Thermometer, to see whether the unit is quietly cooling with a dark display.
- •The unit's own reset, such as a timed power-off, which Zephyr uses to clear some codes.
Questions you'll probably be asked
- •Is anything lit inside, and is the cabinet cold?
- •Is it on a GFCI outlet, a power strip or an extension cord?
- •Did it go dark after a storm or outage?
- •Is the cooler built in, freestanding or in an outdoor kitchen?
- •Did it show a code or make noises before it stopped?
- •Has the panel been pressed or cleaned recently?
What the findings usually mean
- •Dead outlet or tripped GFCI: a household electrical issue; an electrician may be needed if it keeps tripping.
- •Works direct from the wall but not through a strip: the cord or strip was the problem.
- •Cool cabinet with a dark display: a mode setting, not a failure.
- •Power reaches the unit but nothing comes on: the cord connection, power supply board or control board.
- •It lights up but won't cool: the problem has moved to the cooling side, which is a separate diagnosis.
An undercounter ice maker on the same bar circuit is covered in how an undercounter ice maker that stops producing gets diagnosed.
Sources
- •No Operation, Will Not Turn On, Wine Cellar, KitchenAid Product Help
- •Presrv Cooler Troubleshooting, Zephyr
Good to know: A dark display on a cold cabinet is often a mode, so check the temperature before assuming the unit has failed.
To have a wine cooler checked, call TrueFix San Antonio at (210) 401-3007 or see our wine cooler repair page.