Fridge Death?

[bugwan]

It seems my 620ltr Westinghouse Frost Free has passed out today. I'm hoping I can waft smelling salts under its nose and revive it...

I'd love some feed back from any fridgies around. I bought the fridge off eBay just a month ago and it's been working a treat. The power all comes on nicely when plugged in, but the compressor runs for about 3 seconds before cutting out. It tries to cycle on again after a few minutes, but then does the same.

Are these the symptoms of a dead compressor? Or does the thing just need a kick in the guts? Are there websites around with quick-fix remedies for home-made fridgies? Can I easily check for leaks or test the compressor motor?

I have a long history of breaking warranties, ignoring OH&S warnings and sticking screwdrivers into bits of machinery at risk of life and limb ( :blink: ), so I'm happy to take any half-arsed advice that will get my baby back online...

If the prognosis isn't good, please break it to be gently. I spent a whole night of my life lugging this huge beast home on a trailer...I hope it wasn't in vain. :unsure:

Cheers guys.

 

[Batz]

I am not a fridgie,or a sparkie,just a dumb arse fitter.
Perhaps the thermostat has shit it's self,try putting a loop in it and make the fridge run flat out,if that works you could buy a Brizzy Brew thermostat replacement perhaps,or grab another from the dump.

Batz

 

[homekegger1]

Not a fridgie either.... But I guess that it goes to show how e-bay can be a very tricky place to purchase stuff. Totally of topic I scored a trailer of e-bay and it wasn't till I got it home I discovered that I needed a new seal. By this stage I had posted positive feedback. oh well... I hope that it is as simple as replacing the thermostat for you. if not and you get in a rutt for a new replacement fridge, and I suggest this to all trying to get a new BEER fridge, try calling Harvey Norman and see if they have an old fridge they would like to off load. Usually they pick up old working fridges when people replace them. Then they need to get rid of them. Free of charge.

Cheers

HK

 

[WildaYeast]

Hey there,

Not a refer man either -- at least anymore. However, have had occassion to fix most anything at one time or another, or at least try.

Recently 'scored' a free freezer from the alley near work. The chef at the restraunt said he'd replace the black thing (pointing here) for about $300. Worked for a bit and then died. He also said it had been frequently cycling on/off for short bursts (before it died again, I think).

I took it home anyhow and plugged it in. Compressor kicked in and shut off after <10 sec. Smelled burning -- ozone. UNPLUGGED. Visited a fridge repair place. He said burning smell usually indicates bad relay -- they get condensation in them. Showed me the part, typical for a Dayson compressor ($42) -- looks a bit like an adapter for a foreign plug, bakelite, with a few slots & pins. No way to test part. I described part that chef had said had been replaced. He wasn't sure what it was, but thought it sounded like a large capacitor.

So, got home and had another look. Found the old capacitor, with wires cut (round, about the size of a $0.20 piece in diameter and 8 cm long. Had a closer look at the black thing. It is a capacitor/relay combo. It is wired in to the place where the relay probably was, I imagine. It rattles when you shake it. Not a good sign.

So, I'm thinking at this stage that the repair guy repalced the relay & capacitor with one of these slick combo units. But it only lasted a short while. That probably means the compressor is stuffed. Far as I can tell, when that goes, most fridges are history (unless commercial).

Haven't decided what I'll do yet (will probably visit fridge place again). But seems like there are mostly three fixable things to go wrong: capacitor, relay and thermostat. Not sure how to test. I guess you could bypass thermostat, but I don't thing tha's your problem. Trouble is, you could end up spending $ on a non-returnable electircal part and find out your throwing good money after bad...

Hoping someone else can offer more advice for me as well.

Cheers, Brian

(Boy, this is a PistolPatch length post

 

[bugwan]

Cheers for the replies guys. Sorry for not getting back, I've just put down a wheat beer, so hopefully all's well with that. At least I can brew Ale's in this weather without the fridge...

Batz, I was using a temp controller (from Brissy) and it was reading 18 degrees (probe is in the fridge) when I wandered into the shed this morning... Never a good sign. You might be onto something with the thermo. Will take a look and see if I can bypass it somehow.

Thanks again for the help.
Dave.

 

[ausdb]

It seems my 620ltr Westinghouse Frost Free has passed out today. I'm hoping I can waft smelling salts under its nose and revive it...

I'd love some feed back from any fridgies around. I bought the fridge off eBay just a month ago and it's been working a treat. The power all comes on nicely when plugged in, but the compressor runs for about 3 seconds before cutting out. It tries to cycle on again after a few minutes, but then does the same.

Are these the symptoms of a dead compressor? Or does the thing just need a kick in the guts? Are there websites around with quick-fix remedies for home-made fridgies? Can I easily check for leaks or test the compressor motor?

Sounds like the compressor is cycling on the klixon overload, if that is the case the the start relay would be the 1st place to look as it is probably not be engaging the start winding and the comrpessor is sitting there drawing locked rotor current.