# Refrigerator not working = Help?



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

bad scenario 1st; compressor may be shot. Reefer* could* be equipped with a circuit breaker of some sort, look up model number at an appliance parts site Most have parts diagrams. Some have wiring diagrams, pdf owners, repair manuals. And do a check for electrical connections loosened in transit. Could have been one almost ready to fall, compressor vibrations finished job.
What is amperage and wire gauge of circuit it is trying to run on? Should* run* on 15 amp, depending on what else is on circuit. Induction motor needs a higher burst to start than run. Over loaded or under wired circuit, over long extension cord could not be delivering that boost.
I have an El Cheapo 8 gal air compressor, when empty it starts and runs fine on 15 amps but won't start or recycle if partially filled, just hums, doesn't blow circuit or burn out motor. Probably would if I let it keep trying. On 20 amp or if I just bleed some air to relieve starting load it works fine.


----------



## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

what switch do you hear click? the thermostat or the relay on the compressor. If you hear the relay clicking it could either be a bad relay or the compressor may have locked up. No real good way to check a relay. 22 years old may not be worth it.


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

You can jump a relay, but that can be a shocking experience.


----------



## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

notmrjohn said:


> You can jump a relay, but that can be a shocking experience.


not a very smart thing to say on these forums, I know your joking (at least I hope you are) but how would the op know that. He may take you at your word and try it


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

"that can be a shocking experience. " Anybody not smart enuff to get that, not smart enuff to know what jumping relay means. But warning heard and heeded.


----------



## Albe (Mar 2, 2012)

Well after doing some digging around, more like browsing to see what was under the referr and where, the unit turned on. It's been on since and cooling fine. That was several days ago it turned on. Me thinks the defrost timer may have been in the middle of a cycle or going into a
Cycle and just needed to realize there was nothing to defrost  

All in all it works and beautifully. And when it does die, I'm recovering the r12 refrigerant and charging my old fords air conditioning LOL


----------



## JasperST (Sep 7, 2012)

I lived next to an appliance business for 14 years, owner was my land lord. Never ever lay a refer down unless you are taking it to the dump or recycle center. You can get lucky but often once the oil drains out of the compressor that's it.


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

Well, that's cool. Hah! I crack me up.
I reckon the oil finally drained down. Why the compressor didn't lock and burn out when there wasn't enuff oil I dunno. Could be there is an auto reset overload protection breaker. It kept tripping and resetting until it would run. Could be your browsing jiggled a wire connection back into place. Could be the thermostat is "iffy" and messin with it finally made contact. Could be you got the magic touch, my Dad had that, he could fix most nearly anything. But sometimes he'd open something, take a look, say "There's nothing fixable in there," close it back, and it was "fixed." 

Here's a site that was some nice clear diagrams, enter the model number and see if you learn anything. if you didn't find a wiring diagram in your browsing, there are sites that have some, some are "wiki" sites where folks post diagrams. Google "wiring diagram" and your model number. 

Could be the psychic emanations from here scared the thing into starting, it knew there was no use goofing off anymore.


----------



## Vasken Jibilian (Sep 27, 2012)

Hello.
I have picked up a Frigidaire side by side from a neghibor who was getting rid of it. Brought it home and it is for my garage. I plugged it in and it would not work, I turned the cooling control knobs and got it to fire up. The problem that I am having is that when it runs for a few, the GFI trips and the refer shuts off. I tested the Defrost Thermostat and it needed another one. I also tested the heater itself and it is good when I checked it with an Ohm meeter. I have also adjusted the Timer Switch which is at the bottom of the unit and it seems to be ok. I am at the point now where it will run for 20 minn and then the GFI will trip. When the unit is running, it is quiet and nice and the freezer is doing its job by getting cold. Does anyone have an idea why the unit keeps on tripping after it runs for 20 minn? Could I have a faulty Timer? Please help.

Thank you.


----------



## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

how was it tranported...:wink: upright or on its side,and was he using it... unplugged it and it wasn't left off for a long time.


----------



## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Vasken Jibilian said:


> Hello.
> I have picked up a Frigidaire side by side from a neghibor who was getting rid of it. Brought it home and it is for my garage. I plugged it in and it would not work, I turned the cooling control knobs and got it to fire up. The problem that I am having is that when it runs for a few, the GFI trips and the refer shuts off. I tested the Defrost Thermostat and it needed another one. I also tested the heater itself and it is good when I checked it with an Ohm meeter. I have also adjusted the Timer Switch which is at the bottom of the unit and it seems to be ok. I am at the point now where it will run for 20 minn and then the GFI will trip. When the unit is running, it is quiet and nice and the freezer is doing its job by getting cold. Does anyone have an idea why the unit keeps on tripping after it runs for 20 minn? Could I have a faulty Timer? Please help.
> 
> Thank you.


So it is only a GFCI in a wall receptacle or in a panel circuit breaker that trips after 20 minutes?

Not exactly kosher but for a fridge that is otherwise running fine but trips the GFCI, I would do these two things:
1. Plug it into a non-GFCI-protected receptacle (using a not too light extension cord if needed).
2. Connect a #16 to #12 bare wire from the body or frame of the fridge to any known ground, preferably the panel ground or the fat ground wire (grounding electrode conductor) coming out of the panel.

At your leisure from time to time, unplug the refrigerator for a few minutes and test resistance between neutral plug prong (larger of the two, or leftmost if you point the prongs away from you with the ground prong down) and the frame. If you get less than "infinity" then you may have an intermittent ground fault that trips the GFCI. At your leisure you can try to find and correct the ground fault although this will be difficult and I don't have any hints.


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

" Connect a #16 to #12 bare wire from the body or frame of the fridge to any known ground," I'm not so sure about that, if it is truly a grounding problem, it could be some part is not grounded to the frame or grounding circuit.
But A refrigerator should not be on a GFCI circuit to begin with.The high inductive load of the compressor is gonna trip it. Use a non protected grounded outlet that you are sure is grounded. A reefer should be on its own dedicated circuit. Use of extension cord is not good idea. Best to bring the dedicated circuit to it. If it is absolutly necessary, extension cord should be as short as possible, 6ft max, rated for 15 amps, and at least 14 gauge wire. Larger is better. Longer than 6', your getting into some heavy wire so may as well add new circuit.


​


----------



## Vasken Jibilian (Sep 27, 2012)

*Refer Trips the GFI After 20 Minn*

Thank you all of you who have responded to my post. Today I am going to check the ground issues and see if that takes care of the problem. Just an FYI, from what I read and understand, Florida Law requires that all outlets in a garage are to have a GFI. I guess this law passed about 8-10 years ago. Is there any other way around this? I will post again of my findings and will let you know if this takes care of it.

Thanks again.
Vasken


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

Is this a wall mounted gfi for just garage? What is amp rating for it? Separate dedicated circuit with high amp GFI, satifies law. Most GFI protected main distribution panels can handle high amp appliances. Some have marked unprotected circuits for appiances. 

Have you tried reefer in non GFI protected grounded circuit yet? Could save you lots of time in searching for possibly non existant ground problem.

Once you are *positive* there are no ground issues in reefer or non GFI circuit (there are cheap ground testers that just plug in to outlet) and realizing legal and safety concerns, you could run reefer cord thru wall to inside outlet.


----------



## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

older refrigs will tend to trip gfci outlets for no apparent reason, seen it a hundred times. If it were mine I would not worry about it if you can get it into a non gfci. If it were a newer model refrig and trips the gfci then I would be looking for a reason.


----------



## Vasken Jibilian (Sep 27, 2012)

*Re: My Refergerator is tripping the GFI.*

Gentelmen, 
Here is where I am with your suggestions... I did run a ground wire from the back of the unit to a good ground sourse. Plugged it in and it ran for almost 1 hr better than before when it ran for only 20 minn before tripping the GFI. Now when I let it sit unplugged for 2 minn it will start up again and run for only 12-15 minnn before it trips again. Question, when I got the refrigerator, I unhooked and cut the water lines because I was going to put it in my garage. I also took off and unplugged the water valve, could this be a part of my grounding problem by removing the water valve and it may not be compleating the circut? 

Thanks 
Vasken


----------



## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

no, that would have nothing to do with it


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

I don't think this is grounding problem at all. That wouldn't cause unit to shut down. What's amperage and wire gauge of circuit?
Really seems as if compressor is on last legs and pulling heavy load just to keep running. low coolant level can have same effect, is there any icing up on cooling coils? Perhaps all oil did not run back into compressor B4 you started it up, damaging compressor.


----------



## Vasken Jibilian (Sep 27, 2012)

*My Refergerator is Tripping the GFI*

Gentelmen......
I want to thank you for your help with this, Ok here are the results. I did check all of the grounds going to the refer and all checked out good. I did take both of your advice and did connect the refer to a reg 110 outlet without a GFI and the unit was humming like a humming bird and kept on running. I turned it on at 2:00 pm and here it is now 9:00 pm and that puppy is running so quiet and smooth like it just left the showroom floor. I checked and it has gone through all the cycles and did see the heater coil come on when I had the lights off so the timer is working also. I will let it run for 12 hrs before I adjust the tempature dials for the freezer and the cold box. Just to make sure that it is getting cold, at 2 pm I put 4 bottles of beer to test it out and at 9 pm they were already nice and cold. Gentelmen, I want to thank you very much for your expert advice and knowledge to help me with this project. I wil repost tomorrow to let you know how it did overnight. Keep your fingers crossed. Oh by the way, not sure if I mentioned this before, but the refer was built in 2000. The gentleman that said that the older units cannot run on a GFI was right. :thumbsup:

Thanks again
Vasken Jibilian :thumbup:


----------



## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

we like succes stories, but how did you get it into a non gfci outlet? I thought you said your state laws required all outlets in garage to be gfci?


----------



## Vasken Jibilian (Sep 27, 2012)

*RE: My Refergerator Trips The GFI*

I plugged it into the outlet where the garage opener is in the celing and plugged it there that way I did not need a extention cord either. This is a test and i will install another 110-v outlet and leave the GFI alone. :thumbup:

Thanks again
Vasken Jibilian


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

"Gentlemen?" Who are you talkin to? Yes, thanks for final report, sometimes there's a dozen people tryin to solve a problem, 2 or 3 pages of advice, then we're all left hanging. Did any of it work? Did he just give up? And hardware worries that someone will follow my advice and is lying dead on the floor.
Opener, that was clever, not for too long now, if the reefer started right when opener started that load might trip circuit breaker. 
speakin' of openers, about those nice and cold bottles.


----------



## Vasken Jibilian (Sep 27, 2012)

*Re: My Refer is Tripping the GFI*

Not Mr. John
Thank you for your suggestions and toubleshooting.... Yes I did what you had recomended and it worked perfect. Yes this morning the beers are nice and cold and I also checked the freezer by putting in a tray for ice and it froze the water in 20 minn. I am very happy with this project and thank you for your advice. You can come over anytime to enjoy a nice cold bottle of beer.

Thanks again,
Vasken Jibilian :thumbsup:


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

One of the many ways is tellin me how to get closer to that cold beer. Me and hardware need an Obama beer fest to make peace anyway.


----------

