You might be tempted to reach for whatever light bulb you have on hand, but that's not recommended. The main difference between an appliance bulb and a regular one is that an appliance bulb is a smaller-profile bulb specially made to withstand heat and cold.
Similarly, lightbulbs for refrigerators are manufactured to withstand cold environments. Even though a regular lightbulb may fit in terms of size, you should only use an appliance lightbulb, which is a lightbulb designed to adapt to the extreme conditions and temperatures found in appliances.
Selecting and Replacing Refrigerator Light Bulbs
The 40 watt appliance bulbs are used in the fresh food as well as the freezer sections. Some Refrigerator models use a 60 watt bulb. This is not specifically an appliance bulb but is a standard incandescent light bulb.
If your refrigerator was purchased before 2008 chances are it contains incandescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs are far less efficient than the new LED bulbs, but in a refrigerator they create an even bigger issue, the get really hot. Heat is the last thing you ever want inside your refrigerator.
LED lighting is low power, so you are not at risk of overloading any wiring or circuits with this additional or supplemental lighting, and they won't be on very long at any point. It's also very thermally cool, so there's no risk of heat related issues.
An LED bulb will not work in an enclosed or airtight space because, in these fixtures, there is not enough room for the LED bulb to dissipate heat.
Refrigerators typically use a 25W or a 40W standard appliance bulb. Some models use a T8 intermediate base light instead.
It is only if you live in a climate that is warm all year round that you would need to refrigerate the bulbs, as this simulates the cold winter the bulbs otherwise would not receive during the winter months.
Although your fridge can still run if its light went out, it is important to identify whether you have a lightbulb issue or an issue with the appliance itself. For example, if your refrigerator door has been open for an extended period of time, many refrigerator lights automatically turn off.
The overheating capabilities of both incandescent and halogen bulbs make them frequent culprits of house fires. In fact, 97% of the electricity they use becomes heat that poses serious risk to everyone in your home.
The average home refrigerator uses 350-780 watts. Refrigerator power usage depends on different factors, such as what kind of fridge you own, its size and age, the kitchen's ambient temperature, the type of refrigerator, and where you place it. Different types of fridges have different power requirements.
If your refrigerator light is not coming on, it may be that the bulb has reached the end of its lifespan and has burned out. Check the bulb to see if it has a dark area in the bulb or has a broken and loose filament.
Many refrigerators require a smaller bulb like the A15. Regular bulbs are a little too long in size, so the A15 does the trick. As mentioned above, due to frequent opening and closing of refigerator doors, the A15 can easily handle the cycling and still provide long life and good light quality.
Although fridge bulbs appear almost identical to oven bulbs, oven bulbs are rated to a higher temperature. Therefore, a bulb designed for a fridge would not work in an oven but an oven bulb would work in a fridge.
The benefit of having a light inside either compartment is that it becomes easier to find things. Since most people open the refrigerator far more often than the freezer, the benefit of having a light in the refrigerator is considerably larger.
When the light in your fridge freezer is no longer working, you first need to identify why the light is not shining. The most common result of your fridge having no light could be a faulty or damaged bulb; like any bulb, these will die over time which of course requires a replacement.
Fridge temperature settings are generally numbered from 1 to 5, with 5 being the coldest. A fully stocked fridge may need to be set to a higher setting (around 3 or 4), whereas one with more space is best suited to temperature setting 2 or 3.
It's important to use bulbs with the recommended wattage and the proper base size. Light bulbs for appliances like ovens, microwaves, ranges, range hoods, refrigerators, freezers, and dryers are specially made to handle that appliance's impact.
Cold weather tends to wear on electric and traditional bulbs, especially when they're directly exposed to cold weather. This includes external fixtures, like streetlights, decorative, and security lighting. Their excess emission of heat causes them to burst due to the drop in temperature.
You can use a regular light bulb in a refrigerator if it fits, but it is not smart to do so. There are bulbs specially made for refrigerators and these appliance bulbs handle lower temperatures better than standard bulbs and, they are often shatterproof too.
Safety first! Start by unplugging the refrigerator. If the plug is tricky to reach, switch off the power at your circuit breaker. This small step is vital to keep you safe from accidental shocks while tinkering inside.
Who thought of putting lightbulbs in there? The cold temperature helps the Led bulbs last longer .