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