Kitchenaid superba refrigerator gone wrong, not cooling enough and clicking
 

Hi there all, please help!

Moved into new house in March, fridge/freezer there is around 3 years
old (Kitchenaid superba, stainless steel). Loved it until today.
Started to defrost on me.

Here's what's new: I hear a click about once a minute from near the
bottom right, kinda underneath it. The fan speed reduces a little, and
it sounds like the compressor is running but its rather quiet so its
hard to tell. It clicks on like this for around 10 secs, and then off
again for about a minute, repeating continuously. The air coming out
near the top inside the freezer part is cool/cold, but its not getting
it down cld enough. Its as if the compressor is not on for long enough.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't think it clicked like
that at all, but I can't be 100% sure.

Thanks!

Dean

dean wrote:
Hi there all, please help!

Moved into new house in March, fridge/freezer there is around 3 years
old (Kitchenaid superba, stainless steel). Loved it until today.
Started to defrost on me.

Here's what's new: I hear a click about once a minute from near the
bottom right, kinda underneath it. The fan speed reduces a little, and
it sounds like the compressor is running but its rather quiet so its
hard to tell. It clicks on like this for around 10 secs, and then off
again for about a minute, repeating continuously. The air coming out
near the top inside the freezer part is cool/cold, but its not getting
it down cld enough. Its as if the compressor is not on for long enough.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't think it clicked like
that at all, but I can't be 100% sure.

Thanks!

Dean

Hi,

Here's what's new: I hear a click about once a minute from near the
bottom right, kinda underneath it.

Often the compressor trying to start but cannot and the compressor
shuts off on it's built in safety device.

Bad compressor, dirty condensor coils, bad compressor relay or
combination of a couple are common trouble makers.

http://www.repairclinic.com/referral.asp?R=153&N=586234
Relay/overload repair kit.

http://www.applianceaid.com/clean_condenser.html
http://www.applianceaid.com/refrigerator.html#clicking

jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
http://www.applianceaid.com/

Jeff! Thanks a lot for the reply!

I took off the back panel at the bottom, and watched it. The relay
(white color) on the black compressor turned on, but nothing else
happened. After 10 secs it clicked off, with a small blue spark flash.

I tapped the compressor a few time, shook it a bit. Next time the relay
clicked, the compressor started up and did its thing! It didn't click
off after 10 secs either.

So, what's the next step. I'll leave it alone for now and see if it
cools ok and runs. If it stops again, what should I do? In the US, do
people normally have someone come out to repair it? If so, should I try
the relay first and do it myself? Any opinions welcome. I'm quite
handy, sometime at least!

Thanks

Dean

Update: Its still not working. Next time it tried to start, same thing
the clicking and not the compressor.

So what do you think, relay or compressor?

dean wrote:
Update: Its still not working. Next time it tried to start, same thing
the clicking and not the compressor.

So what do you think, relay or compressor?

G'day,

So what do you think, relay or compressor?

I'd try relay and test amp draw with an amp meter.

jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
http://www.applianceaid.com/

G'day too!

Do you mean run the thing through a multimeter, in AC currant mode?

As I think about it more, it could be the starter - I presume that's a
capacitor attached in parallel with the relay?

THX!

Dean

Do you mean run the thing through a multimeter, in AC currant mode?

http://www.applianceaid.com/electric...ting_tips.html
http://www.applianceaid.com/images/ampmeterhowto.JPG

I presume that's a capacitor attached in parallel
with the relay?

Usually a run capacitor.

jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
http://www.applianceaid.com/

I think it is probably a start capacitor, not a run capacitor, not
positive. If the compressor actually runs for a bit it is probably the
relay, Very carefully unscrew one of the wires from the capacitor to
the relay, With a helper hold the loose wire on terminal with a
insulated pliers. Have assistant plug in fridge, as soon as compressor
starts remove loose wire. If compressor keeps running you need a relay.
You are being the relay holding the wire, If it is a run capacitor I
think fridge would still run just at higher amps.


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h1ebs
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If the compressor starts, it runs smoothly for a few hours till the
fridge is cold. Problem is getting it to start. When I knock the
compressor with my hands, I dunno if its jiggling the wires or doing
something inside.

Its got a 1,5,10,Lifetime warrantee, which I presume means the
compressor is 5 years. It was made in 12/2000, so I'll call them
tomorrow and ask them to fix it. Updates soon, and thanks!

Dean

FIXED! FIXED! FIXED! FIXED! FIXED! FIXED! FIXED! FIXED! FIXED!

I changed the capacitor and the starter relay and it worked perfectly.

Thanks all!

Dean

Glad to here it!


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h1ebs
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I have a question along the same line of discussion. I have a Kitchen
Aid Superba that was manufactured in 5/2000 bought in 6/2000. Ran fine
until last Sunday and the freezer and fridge defrosted. I bought it
from Sears but a Sears tech could not come out until late in the week
so I went with a local repair shop that is factory trained. The local
shop indicated a bad compressor and said it needed to be replaced.
Wanting a comparison on cost I called Sears to compare the service cost
of new compressor. Both about the same but Sears offered an extended
warranty that was 1/2 the cost of the compressor and labor quotes. So,
Sears comes out and replaces the relay (part 2261636).

The local shop called to see what I wanted to do and I told them that
Sears replaced the relay. He said that was just a quick fix and that
he believed the compressor would go bad/blow the relay again and that
the policy of a reputable shop would be to tackle the problem and not
the electrical (replace the compressor and relay not just the
compressor)
So, after being long winded (typed)

Here is my question:
What is the most likely solution? Should Sears have replaced the
compressor? Does a relay act as a fuse and if replaced can run fine
for the life of the unit?

Thanks for any responses.


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fritznewton
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local shop is full of s**t. if any thing would go bad it would be the
over load. And if compressor was bad it probably would not start. The
only way I would agree with local shop is if fridge is drawing higher
amps then specified.


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hiebs
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I'm with heibs, shop is one to avoid at ALL costs from now on. Geez!
Its like giving someone a heart replacement for a broken fingernail!

Thanks for your help and response.


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Hi,

Definetly we see more relays failing than compressors on these. But too
little info is posted to know for sure...amp draw, condensor coils
dirty, etc.

jeff.
Appliance Repair Aid
http://www.applianceaid.com/