Kitchenaid superba refrigerator gone wrong, not cooling enough and clicking

[dean]

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

[Appliance Repair Aid]

Hi,

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.

repair kit.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[dean]

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

[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?

[Appliance Repair Aid]

G'day,

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

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[dean]

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

[Appliance Repair Aid]

Usually a run capacitor.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[h1ebs]

I think it is probably a start capacitor, not a run capacitor, no positive. If the compressor actually runs for a bit it is probably th relay, Very carefully unscrew one of the wires from the capacitor t the relay, With a helper hold the loose wire on terminal with insulated pliers. Have assistant plug in fridge, as soon as compresso 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 think fridge would still run just at higher amps

-- h1eb

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[dean]

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

[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

[h1ebs]

Glad to here it!

[usenet]

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.

[hiebs]

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.

[dean]

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!

[Appliance Repair Aid]

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

[usenet]

Thanks for your help and response.