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Our fridge has stopped cooling (it's a 4 year old under the counter sized fridge).

The light is still on when I open the door. The thermostat hasn't been touched/moved. However, the compressor, etc. is not running. I don't hear any relays clicking either. Basically, all I have now is an insulated box with a light in it.

Any ideas?

Sounds like it might have blown a fuse (assuming it has one). You might try seeing if you can find a schematic online to determine if there is one. I'm not sure why they would have excluded the light from fuse protection though. Another thing to check is whether a GFI was triggered, but I would think that would douse the light as well. I'm assuming the fridge has both a compressor and a fan, and that it is unlikely both would fail at the same time.

Here is what I’d do.

First I’d get the part number and do a google search. #xyz not getting cold. Sometimes a specific model has an issue and places like appliance pros.com have a solution. Basically a new part. Or better, a cleaning. I had a Korean fridge that had a duct that froze up with ice and didn’t flow chilly air. The fix was chip away the ice.

The fridge is made up with a few components. A temperature sensor. A controller switch. And a compressor/expansion valve. A fan.

All this stuff is sold online. If I cannot find a quick fix via google I’d go through with a voltmeter from compressor to sensor or sensor to compressor and find out why things aren’t turning on. If you’re really brave you can try jumping the compressor with straight AC power and see if it starts.

Or if the fridge is warm, see if the compressor is running. It should be. If not check the voltage. Work your way back.

something the chain has failed. You just need to pinpoint it.

Only 4 years old? I'd check to see if it was still under warranty.

Sclass wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:13 am

First I’d get the part number and do a google search. #xyz not getting cold. Sometimes a specific model has an issue...

It happened to me a year ago. I googled it and found out that it was a very common failure in that model (mine was 10 years old) after the electrical mains went down. I got two capacitors replaced and voilá!

The first step would be to reset everything. The breaker. The ground fault outlet if it is plugged into one. Some refrigerators have a reset button for the compressor also.

Probably the compressor. They're usually a tad under-sized.

This looks like a nice place to start: Mini Fridge Refrigerator Troubleshooting - Part 1 of 2 (Part 2).

The prices on them seem low on Craigslist so I'd be tempted to consider swapping it out after confirming it wasn't a simple cheap fix.

I award myself an F for fail.

It was "hard" to do continuity tests on all the (four ) parts w/o taking it apart. Repairmen (two) either didn't want to consider looking at it or wanted an inspection fee ~2/3 of the price of a new one. For all intents and purposes, minifridges appear to be disposable commodities, so we bought a new one. Now/eventually, I'll take the defunct one apart as an exercise, but if anything is broke, the parts will cost more to source individually than the price of a new one, so ... it'll probably end up as a BBQ cooler.

I meant t test for voltage not continuity but I think you understand that...just a nomenclature issue. To get access to harnessing I use these.

https://www.zoro.com/pomona-insulation- ... lsrc=aw.ds

They’re great to check out where signal/power is being lost.

Well, the compressor makes an awesome vacuum pump. Good for casting and mold making among many other things.