KitchenAid LED lights issue

Thanks for the info. I am not good at electronics and circuits. I just accessed the led connection and plugged in one I got from my job. I found their’s a different led for the freezer section. Just curious what the difference is. And why my others are out. What’s the symptoms of a bad circuit board. Can the board shows visible signs of damage or faults?

@nvrgvup

Since there's only the one LED for the freezer then it may be a different LED as it may have to be brighter than the others because there are more of them. I don't know this is just a guess.

If the power is there it should turn on if connected correctly. If the voltage is insufficient it may not turn on but I doubt that. I think that it would just be dimmer rather than not on at all

The components in the LED string need to be connected correctly for it to work. If the connector plug only goes in one way that makes it easier but if it is reversible then it could be connected in the reverse manner and they won't work.

There are 5 LED's in the freezer LED circuit - 1 in the freezer and 4 in the sides of the refrigerator. Usually LEDs require approx. 3V each to work so that means the 15V DC should be on the output between the LED power board P3/3 and P3/4. P3 is the connector designation on the board and the power is supplied on pins 3 and 4 of the connector.

The refrigerator top lights are connected to P3/1 and P3/2. Since they work if you have a voltmeter if you connect it across P3/1 and P3/2 and open the door you can measure the voltage at that point. Hopefully it should be the same at P3/3 and P3/4 when you open the freezer door.

If you get voltage on the connector and the LEDs don't turn on you've either connected them around the wrong way or they are faulty.

If you get no voltage on the LED power board then either the board is faulty or the door switch may be faulty because it tells the control board that the door is open and the control board tells the LED power board to turn on the power to the freezer LED and the refrigerator side LEDs.

With electronics sometimes you need to have test equipment i.e. a digital multimeter to know what's happening because unless if it obviously faulty i.e. burnt out or broken it's not easy to know.

Great this helps. If my freezer led is bad and first one in line that would answer that. My led below the ice maker front is # 2 in line so that would solve that. Not good with meter but I had a power indicator stick that would chime if I have power in the connnector so I’ll try that. I’m thinking if I take the lead from another lead. Cut it. Wire it together and jump the connection to complete the circuit that could give me an answer. Hmmmm.

@nvrgvup

Not sure if this is what you're planning but maybe use your measuring device and check if there is voltage at the P3/3 point and also on either side of the freezer LED

If you're planning on bypassing the freezer LED to turn on the other LEDs then this will expose them to a higher voltage than what they're designed for in this circuit and you could end up damaging them

e.g. 5 LEDs require 15V so each LED is 3V (15 ÷ 5 = 3) but if you by pass 1 LED then 4 LEDs share 15V (that doesn't change) so each LED then has 3.75V now across it. (15 ÷ 4 = 3.75)

It doesn't sound much but it also means an increase in current through the LEDs which may cause them to run hotter so they are brighter but may also burn out quicker

Thank you. That’s useful. Won’t be trying that. Just have to be patient and keep my eye out for a similar frig to come into work. We see about 20 a day get dropped here.