Residential Refrigerator/Freezers
Regardless of type of system your working on you must determine if the compressor is running. This can be accomplished a number of ways. Assuming you have read (See Determine Compressor Type ) we can now determine if compressor is running.
- Check the temperature with your hand or laser thermometer. If compressor is warm to touch 10-20° above ambient it’s probably running.
- If compressor is over 100° it might be running. If you pull your hand away in pain the compressor is receiving electrical power but is not running or is about to stop running.
- Feel for vibration. If vibrating it might be running: Does vibration match rhythm of condenser fan or is it a different beat? Might be the fan.
- Compressor has 2 to 4 service lines coming out of it. Short tubes are service stubs for filling. Lines that attach to other lines are refrigerant Hi/Low (liquid/vapor respectively). The thinner tube is the Hi pressure liquid line. The thicker line is Low pressure vapor line. If Hi side is hot and Low side is cool it’s probably running. (Note: The tubing near the front of condenser fan tend to feel cool to touch. Find a spot on tubing not in front of air flow.
- Determine current draw of refrigerator.
- To the uninitiated this may or may not work. Using a clamp type ammeter find the first connection of the refrigerator power cord. The power cord has 2 or 3 wires: the HOT or common (BLACK) and the COLD or neutral (WHITE). Most cords have a 3rd wire the GREEN ground connection.Follow cord into compressor compartment and the first wire nut connection is near water lines. The first wire nut allows you to seperate the neutral and common wires. The ammeter only works on one or the other not both; never use the ground. While clamped around black common or neutral wires any reading over 1.4 amps the compressor is running.
- Determine current draw of compressor! Non-Inverter only!
- Assuming you have determined your compressor is standard Non-Inverter type find the 2 wires going into compressor starter area; usually on left side. Common colors are white/red, black/white and black/blue. Clamp around only one of these wires. If compressor draws between .5 and .8 amps it is running normally; .9 and 1.3 amps its running but may be under adverse conditions. Any current draw above 1.4 amps the compressor may have problems, but it is running.
- Try to unconnect condenser fan to see if you still hear machinery in compressor compartment without fan running. This is only used after other methods fail or you lack tools needed.
TO BE CONTINUED