Blinking interior light in Samsung Refrigerator

Blinking interior light in Samsung Refrigerator I have a Samsung RB195BSSB. The interior light in the refrigerator is intermittent. The light in the freezer has no issues. When you open the door, you can hear the relay click but the bulb barely flashes and once in a great while will come on, but typically never does. I’ve replaced the bulb but it didn’t fix it. What else? Door switch? PCB board? Any feedback much appreciated. It’s driving me nuts!

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mcgyver89 [Entry]

"Hi @montanaman

Use a voltage detector -example only to check if there is power being applied to the lamp with the door open.

Unscrew the lamp and place the detector on the centre terminal of the socket (avoid touching the “threads” of the socket) and check if it lights up with the door open

Be safety aware when you do this, as it is a 120V AC lamp, lethal voltages are present when you are testing

If there is voltage present it may mean that there is not enough tension being placed on the base of the ES (Edison screw) lamp for a good connection when the lamp is screwed in.

With the power totally removed from the refrigerator, see if you can gently prise the connector terminal upwards so that the lamp will push it back down and make a good connection when it is screwed in.

If there is no voltage present on the lamp terminal it may be the door switch that is the problem.

There is only one door switch part #31 mentioned in the parts list, but when viewing the video on how to replace the switch, it is stated that it is a two button switch that operates the freezer lamp and also prevents the auger (presumably in the ice maker) from operating. There is no mention of the refrigerator light.

It is not a simple circuit to operate the lamp.

Here’s an image taken from the service manual. It shows that the door switch operates and sends a signalto the relevant section in the main control board which then operates the lamp. So basically door switch - main pcb - lamp. The problem could be anywhere in this path.

(click on image to enlarge for better viewing.

Fortunately the service manual does have a schematic circuit so that you can determine which connector the door switch connects to on the pcb and which connector the lamp connects to on the pcb so that helps a little bit."