VERIFIED
After the lights come back
A longer outage lets the freezer warm, frost soften and meltwater run to the bottom. When power returns, the frost refreezes into a hard sheet, and the control logs that unusual defrost situation. E35 is a code owners often spot the morning after a storm or planned shutdown. The control cannot tell from the ice itself how long the outage lasted, so the code points to the situation and not to a specific failed part.
What it looks like
Packages stuck together, ice at the bottom of the freezer, a freezer fan that sounds muffled by new ice, and possibly a puddle in the drawer. In the fresh-food section, you may see condensation on the glass shelves.
Food first
- Check whether frozen items still have ice crystals; those that do can usually be kept.
- Discard perishables that sat above 40 degrees F for more than about two hours.
- Do not refreeze food that has fully thawed and warmed.
Then the cabinet
Leave the freezer closed for several hours so it can bring itself back down. Dry any water you can reach with a towel. Do not attack ice with tools. The next scheduled defrost period may clear much of it on its own.
When it needs a technician
If frost remains thick after a couple of days, if the fan seems blocked, or if the code returns without another outage, the defrost heater, the sensor and the control output are tested. A heater that was marginal before the outage may fail to restart afterward. The sensor tells the control when frost has cleared, so one that reads wrongly can end the defrost period early and leave ice behind.
Protecting the unit next time
Outages in the Bay Area happen during storms and utility work, so consider keeping a thermometer in the freezer and a few ice packs on hand. Keeping the doors closed during an outage is the most effective measure.
Reporting
When you book, give the length of the outage and the temperature in the freezer afterward, because both help the technician judge the condition of the heater circuit.
If an outage was long, it is also wise to check the fresh-food section for any smell or sliminess before using leftovers.
What the technician can learn from the outage
The timing of the outage and the way frost refroze give clues about whether the heater circuit is sound. A heater that works will clear the refrozen frost over the next cycles, while a weak one leaves the coil iced over and the fan struggling.
Frequently asked questions
Food that still has ice crystals can usually be kept. Fully thawed, warm perishables should be discarded.
Meltwater from the outage refroze when power returned.
Several hours with the door closed, depending on how full it is.
If heavy frost remains after two days or the code returns without another outage.
Model compatibility: Bertazzoni reuses codes across series and model years, so E35 may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
