Your wine cooler isn't cooling properly any more
Due to how practical they are, wine cabinets are increasingly becoming part of our everyday lives. For optimum storage, a wine cabinet must stay at a temperature between 10°C and 14°C. However, over time or due to a malfunction, your wine cabinet may not stay cool enough to store your wine optimally. Find out the possible reasons for this issue below and how to fix it.
THE CAUSES FOR THIS ISSUE:
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The door seal is not airtight
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The thermostat isn't set properly
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The compressor heats up and runs constantly
WARNING
Before you do anything to your appliance, make sure you disconnect it from the power supply.
There is a risk of an electric shock.
Use suitable gloves if you are taking it apart.
There is a risk of getting cut.
The door seal is not airtight
The door seal keeps your wine cabinet airtight. In fact, the set temperature is regulated by two sensors located on the inside and the outside of the wine cabinet. When the outside temperature changes, the cooling or heating cycle is triggered and continues until stabilisation at the desired temperature. If your door seal is damaged, torn or bent, the regulation between the internal and external temperature will no longer be optimal. A faulty or dirty seal can also prevent the door closing properly. In both cases, it is advisable to clean or even replace the seal on your appliance.
The thermostat isn't set properly
The thermostat can be set if you have a multi-temperature storage or cooling wine cabinet. If it is analogue, simply turn it clockwise. If it is digital, you just need to enter the number you want on the control keyboard. Please note, if you don't want the wine to deteriorate due to changes in temperature then you shouldn't touch the thermostat too often to change its temperature.
Buy a thermostat for my wine cabinet
To find the optimal temperature for your wine cabinet, put a thermometer in a glass of water for 24 hours. Then, depending on the temperature, set your thermostat between +10°C and +14°C. If your thermostat is manual, you should adjust it in gradual increments. If you have an electronic thermostat, you shouldn't trust the temperature it shows 100% because there could be a difference between the display and the real temperature. We advise you to test the temperature with another thermometer.
It is quite common to confuse wine storage cabinets with wine service cabinets! Wine storage cabinets are used to store wine in the best conditions, whether it is red wine, white wine or champagne. In fact, contrary to popular belief, white wines are kept at the same temperature as reds, rosés and sparkling wines, so around 12 °C. They are chilled to serving temperature in the refrigerator a few hours before serving. Service cabinets are for professionals who need to manage large numbers of bottles for service. Some cabinets allow you to combine temperatures depending on what you are looking for, whether you want to age the wine or chill it to service temperature.
The compressor heats up and runs constantly
And now for the worst case scenario: if your wine cabinet is no longer cool at all or not cool enough and the compressor is running continuously and getting hot, your device is probably suffering from a compressor fault. If the compressor is running, and running permanently at that, it is because the thermostat has told it to. It is very likely that the gas system is empty. If this is the case, it may not be possible to repair the appliance. If it's the compressor that is malfunctioning then it is technically possible to replace it but it can be expensive. Please note! Any work on the gas system or the compressor must be performed by an authorised repair person.