Refrigerator Repair

Insignia™ - 165-Can Built-In Beverage Cooler - Stainless Steel

As part of the big 2024 remodeling project, we got a mini-fridge for the kitchen. Because it's the cool thing to do, I guess. It lasted for a year and then it crapped out. I could just buy a new one, they're only $400, which is a chunk, but doable, if I have to. But I really don't want to because a fridge ought to last longer than a year, and it's a nice machine, it would be shame to throw it out. Since it's got an electronic control panel, the problem is probably in the electronics, which means it should be fixable. So five months ago my wife and I carried it out to the garage and set it on a table where, intermittently I would poke at and see if it had decided to start working. 

QP2-4R7 4.7 Ohm 3-Pin PTC Starter/Start Relay and Overload Kit

The first suggestion I ran into was to replace the starter relay. It looks cheap and easy, lets give it a shot. Does Amazon have one? Of course they do, $7. Easy enough to install, they just clip onto the compressor. Only problem was getting the plastic cover off. It was big enough to hold like ten of these relays. Very weird. Anyway, replacing the relay didn't help.

Industrial Silver Conductive Paste

So I got out the multi-meter and started probing the wires connected to the controller. Pretty good wiring diagram. The two sensors both read about 2500 ohms which seemed reasonable, so I got the idea in my head that the connections to the sensors inside the fridge were suspect. Ran into the same problem with the controller on my water heater. The connectors look fine, but maybe they are losing contact when they get cold, so maybe a little conductive past would help. $9 from Amazon. Very messy. The kit comes with syringe full of viscous goop and two super fine needles which means that when you push on the plunger the needle comes off the syringe and the goop goes sideways and makes a mess. Still, I managed to get some on the pins and plugged them back in, but it didn't help.

ACTIVLIFE for Temperature Sensor

Now I try measuring the resistance of the sensor where it connects inside the fridge and found that it was open. Apparently my earlier measurements were wrong, probably the wrong wires. Anyway, new sensor from Amazon, $32. Plugged it in and bingo! We're running.