Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Dead fridge, brought back to life!  (Read 3398 times)

narvin

  • Guest
Dead fridge, brought back to life!
« on: May 24, 2013, 12:49:21 pm »
My kegerator stopped working last week.  It wouldn't chill and the only noise it made was a loud click every few minutes.  This is exactly what happened to my last chest freezer that died, which I replaced.  This was a lot worse, though, since I have the fridge built into a larger bar and replacing it would be a total PITA.

I decided to do some more research and it sounded like it could just be the start relay.  I found the right part and ordered from repairclinic.com, and lo and behold, it works again.  So if your fridge/freezer won't start and you don't hear any noise from the compressor, you might be able to fix it for cheap instead of throwing it out.

Offline dannyjed

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1496
  • Toledo, OH
Re: Dead fridge, brought back to life!
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2013, 06:20:06 pm »
I can relate. Last week I came home from work and poured a glass of beer from my kegerator and noticed that the beer was not very cold...I check the thermometer in the fridge and it reads 60 and I hear no noise from the fridge whatsoever.  It's an old fridge so I unplug it and plug it back in again and nothing...I think, oh well I got it for free I guess I have to get a new one.  I go to the appliance store and order a new fridge (not cheap by the way) and when I come home...the kegerator is working fine and the thermometer is reading 42...next, I cancel my order and fridge is working fine all week....damn gremlins >:(
Dan Chisholm

Offline HoosierBrew

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 13031
  • Indianapolis,IN
Re: Dead fridge, brought back to life!
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2013, 08:47:04 pm »
My kegerator stopped working last week.  It wouldn't chill and the only noise it made was a loud click every few minutes.  This is exactly what happened to my last chest freezer that died, which I replaced.  This was a lot worse, though, since I have the fridge built into a larger bar and replacing it would be a total PITA.

I decided to do some more research and it sounded like it could just be the start relay.  I found the right part and ordered from repairclinic.com, and lo and behold, it works again.  So if your fridge/freezer won't start and you don't hear any noise from the compressor, you might be able to fix it for cheap instead of throwing it out.

Man, I wish I had a do-over.  I got rid of my lager fridge, which I reconditioned, a few months back. It was an old fridge.  A couple times it lost its cooling and I noticed the clicking.  What I did each time was unplug it, wait an hour,plug it back in and it reset and cooled again. Until the last time when it didn't.   If I'd thought to look for a site like this, I maybe could've found a relay for it.  Like I said, it was old and there might not have been a part for it, but now I'm back to square one. Thanks for the link!
Jon H.

Offline In The Sand

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 398
Dead fridge, brought back to life!
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2013, 06:28:58 am »
Last week I had a major scare too. Was brewing a 10-gal batch when the GFCI tripped and all 3 fridges and my fan shut off. Narrowed it down to the kegerator. Checked the compressor, working fine.  Ended up being the fan underneath the fridge. Took an air hose and blew it out good, plugged back in and now it works fine. I guess the fan was restricted by some gunk buildup over the years and it was pulling too much current and tripping the GFCI. Good news is I didn't have to build a new kegerator and waste the 15 gallons or beer inside. :)
Trey W.

Offline oscarvan

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1707
Re: Dead fridge, brought back to life!
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2013, 07:50:50 pm »
Pulling too much current will not trip a GFI. A conductive path from neutral to ground will. Probably had enough dirt in there to create that, especially if conditions were moist.
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Dead fridge, brought back to life!
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2013, 12:03:29 pm »
Another way.
 
 
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958