Air fryers are a life-saver when it comes to healthy cooking. They use a lot less oil than normal cooking methods.
The best thing about cooking with an air fryer is the ease of use. You don’t need to keep a watch all the time. It’s a delight to cook with an air fryer.
However, this situation can turn around in a jiff if there’s a problem with your air fryer. One of my friends had a Power air fryer, which always had problems with its fan.
If your Power air fryer’s fan is not functioning well, it won’t be possible to cook anything in it.
Frustrating, isn’t it?
There could be several reasons for the fault. Most of the time, the safety button on the base of your Power air fryer’s drawer could be the problem.
But no need to worry about it. I’ll guide you through each step in detail and help you to fix the fan of your Power air fryer.
Let’s dive right in.
Why Your Power Air Fryer’s Fan Is Not Working
As I said, there could be several reasons for this. It can be due to a faulty safety switch, loose connection, thermal fuse problem, or motor malfunction.
The first step towards repairing your air fryer is locating the problem. Without understanding the problem, you can’t find the solution.
So, let’s look at some common problems that your Power air fryer could face with its fan.
1. Safety Switch Fault
This is the most common problem with many air fryers, even for Power air fryers.
Your air fryer has a basket to keep the food items for cooking. A safety switch is at the point where the basket drawer’s base fits.
When you insert the food basket into the air fryer, it activates the switch. This completes the air fryer circuit, and the fan starts working.
As long as the basket is out of the air fryer, the safety switch won’t turn on, and your air fryer can’t run. This is a safety countermeasure to prevent mishaps if you accidentally turn on the air fryer without the food basket.
Now, imagine what would happen if there’s a fault in the safety switch. What if it doesn’t activate when you insert the basket back into the air fryer?
This situation leads to the failure of your air fryer fan. It won’t run until that switch isn’t activated/turned on.
There may be a problem with your basket drawer too. The safety switch won’t activate if your food basket becomes loose.
2. Thermal Fuse Has Blown
The thermal fuse is a small device inside your air fryer. It protects the fryer from overheating.
The thermal fuse blows away as soon as the temperature inside your Power air fryer exceeds the normal limit. As a result, the electric supply is cut, and the fryer stops working.
This prevents damage to other parts of the air fryer due to overheating or fire.
If the thermal fuse of your Power air fryer is blown, then its fan and heating element won’t work.
Overheating of the air fryer is also a problem. If the thermal fuse is intact, then it could be that the air fryer is overheating.
Turn it off in this case and wait for it to cool down.
3. Faulty Power Cord Or Outlet
A malfunctioning or broken power cord can be the culprit sometimes. If the power cord of your Power air fryer has gone bad, it can’t supply current to the machine. Due to this, the fan of your air fryer won’t run.
You must check your power outlet next if your power cord is fine. A broken power outlet can’t pass current to the air fryer.
A broken power outlet is also dangerous as it can leak electric current. If you find yourself in this situation, stay away from that outlet. Call a professional to handle the situation.
4. Debris In The Fan
Regular cooking with an air fryer feels good. But things can go wrong if you don’t clean it up from time to time. Oil, grease and food debris will start accumulating in the fan, causing it to choke.
That’ll stop the fan from running. The heating element will function well, but the fan won’t run.
Remove the food basket and clean the fan with a paintbrush and compressed air. Don’t use water as it can damage the motor. You can use rubbing alcohol or a degreaser instead.
5. Fan Motor Not Functioning
The Power air fryer’s fan has a motor which runs the fan. It’s the most important part of the air fryer’s fan.
The motor can stop working if it gets damaged due to voltage fluctuations or a power surge. This can be a big problem since the fan won’t run without a functioning motor.
How to know if you have a damaged motor?
Bring your face close to the air fryer. If you can smell the scent of burning wire, there’s a high chance that the motor has fried up.
Fixing Your Power Air Fryer’s Fan: Easy Steps
Now that you understand the reasons why your Power air fryer’s fan may not work, the next step is to fix this problem.
Here’s how:
We’ll go through all the possible problems related to your Power air fryer fan and try troubleshooting them. If you’ve a multimeter, keep it handy in case there is a need to use it.
1. Fixing The Safety Switch Of Your Power Air Fryer
The first thing you should look out for is the safety switch of your air fryer’s fan. It’s the most common problem with a Power air fryer.
The food basket not triggering the safety button stops your air fryer fan from working.
If you’re facing this problem, then don’t worry. You can fix this all by yourself.
How?
Let’s understand this step-by-step:
- You’ll need to use either a butter knife or a small card (a credit or debit card). A knife with a long blade will also do.
- To prevent mishaps, turn off the air fryer and remove the plug from any power source.
- First, take the food basket of your Power air fryer and try sliding it in & out 3-4 times. When you’re sliding it in, apply extra force.
- Keeping the basket inside, plug in the air fryer. Check whether the fan is running or not. You’ll hear the fan run if the safety switch is activated.
- In case you don’t, no need to worry. We’ll try a different approach. Plug out the air fryer again.
- Look closely at the base of the food basket of your Power air fryer. You’ll see a tiny gap between the basket and its compartment.
- Take the knife or the credit card and insert it into the gap.
- You should feel a clickable switch at the end of the compartment. That is the safety switch I was talking about.
- Try to press hard with whatever object you’re using. Do it 4-5 times to make sure the switch gets activated.
- Now plug in your air fryer again and check whether the fan is running or not. If you followed the above instructions, the safety switch should be active now. You’ll hear the noise of the fan running.
Your problem is now solved. The fan of your Power air fryer should be up & running.
If the problem arises again, call your manufacturer so they can fix it permanently. You can also call a local professional, and they’ll replace the food basket.
If the fan is not working even after following all the above steps, it could be a loose connection. Call a local technician to check the wiring behind the safety button.
They can bypass the safety switch, making a direct connection, and then you can replace it with a new one.
Don’t try to unscrew the air fryer on your own unless you’ve experience with it. You can damage some other components instead.
2. Changing The Thermal Fuse
After trying the above solution, the fan should work. But, if it isn’t, then the problem could be elsewhere.
This takes us to the thermal fuse of your air fryer. If the thermal fuse is blown, your air fryer won’t work.
In this case, the thermal fuse needs a replacement. It’s deep inside the air fryer and needs soldering to hold it in place.
You’ll need to go through many screws and delicate parts of the air fryer to reach it. That’s why I’ll advise not to do this yourself.
Call a local technician or your manufacturer. The replacement won’t cost you anything if the air fryer is in the warranty period.
Even if it’s not, a thermal fuse replacement doesn’t cost a fortune. Your manufacturer will send a professional to replace the fuse.
3. Fixing A Faulty Power Cord Or Outlet
Before you call a professional to replace your thermal fuse or the safety switch, check the power cord and the outlet. Otherwise, it can be an embarrassing situation.
Do this before you call anyone:
- Plug out your Power air fryer. Take your hair dryer or any other small electric device.
- Plug it into the same outlet and check if it’s working or not. If the other device is also not working, the fault lies with the power outlet. Use your air fryer on any other working power outlet and see if the fan starts working.
- If the other device works fine, move on to the power cord of your Power air fryer. Check the cord for any wire damage or hard-bent ends.
- If everything seems fine with it too, then proceed to call your electrician.
- In case there’s damage to the power cord, you can buy a new one according to the model. Replace it yourself or ask a professional to do it for you. It’s a pretty simple process.
4. Dealing With A Damaged Fan Motor
At last, if nothing works, then most probably it’s a damaged motor. In that case, you have no option other than to replace it.
Every fan has a motor inside it, which rotates the fan’s blades. If there is any damage to the motor and it burns, the fan won’t run.
To check any damage to the motor, take your nose to the top of your Power air fryer and try smelling. You’ll smell a strong odor of burned wires.
Replacing a motor can cost you a large sum of money. It’s best if your Power air fryer is in the warranty period. Call your manufacturer, and they’ll replace it for you. That’ll save you the expense.
If it’s not, you can buy one online or through an electric shop. Search & buy a motor specific to your model’s fan. Then hire a professional electrician to replace it for you.
After trying any of the above solutions, it’s certain that you’ll have a working fan on your Power air fryer.
But prevention is always better than cure. So let’s look at some ways in which you can protect your air fryer from any future damage.
If you follow the upcoming instructions, your chances of dealing with a damaged air fryer will diminish.
How To Protect Your Power Air Fryer From Damage?
An air fryer can be an exciting entry to your kitchen when you get one for the first time. The comfort and health benefits it provides can be an overwhelming experience.
However, this could also turn into a disaster. With every new gadget you add to the kitchen, the responsibility of maintenance increases. The same applies to your new Power air fryer.
Air fryers are a delicate piece of equipment. So, you need to be extra careful while handling them.
Here’s how:
- Turn off your Power air fryer after cooking. Keeping it turned on all the time is not a good practice.
- Don’t overstuff your Power air fryer food basket. Filling more than its capacity won’t leave much space between the food and the heating element. This can lead to a clogged fan or even start a fire.
- Use as less oil as possible. Your air fryer uses hot air to cook the food. Too much oil will splatter over the heating element and the fan. Again, a fire can start due to this.
- Keep your Power air fryer in a well-ventilated area. Leave ample space behind your air fryer. The heat goes out through an air vent in the back. If it gets blocked, the heat build-up will damage the air fryer.
- Regularly clean the air fryer. The oil and food debris build-up can block its fan. Some parts of the air fryer are dishwasher safe. You can use a small toothbrush to clean the fan and other delicate parts.
- If you feel the air fryer overheating frequently, call your manufacturer and report the problem.
Remember these tips while using your air fryer. You’ll have a great experience with it.
Conclusion
Power air fryers possess splendid qualities. You can use them for cooking almost any dish.
But a problematic fan can be a headache sometimes too. If your Power air fryer’s fan is not working, you can follow a few troubleshooting methods:
- Check the safety switch on your air fryer. If the switch has a fault, the fan won’t run. Try turning it on manually.
- Adjust the cooking basket. If the cooking basket doesn’t fit right, it won’t trigger the safety switch.
- Check the thermal fuse of the air fryer for any damage.
- Check the power outlet and the power cord too, for any fault.
- If the air fryer gets overheated, it can cause problems with the fan. Let it cool down before using it again.
- Food debris can build up inside the fan. Clean it thoroughly, and then try running the air fryer again.
- At last, if the motor is damaged, call a professional, and they’ll help you fix it.
You can also call the manufacturer if your Power air fryer still holds its warranty.
Dealing with a damaged air fryer is easy if you know these tips. Repair your air fryer and start cooking the most delicious dishes for you and your family.