Help my fridge keep it's cool!

[MashBag]

Although uncommon I have seen 1 fridge where the light does not come on unless the fridge is cooling, that also had a digital thermostat similar to the ops

That strikes to me, that the lights' live is plugged on the wrong terminal of the stat.

 

[MashBag]

Have you bypassed the stat?

 

[clyne]

Have you bypassed the stat?

I don’t know how…

 

[clyne]

Mine is an indesit tall larder fridge, the dial is turned to full and plugged into an inkbird works a treat

I don’t have a dial like that though - mine is an electronic one that won’t even come on to let me adjust it. Very frustrating.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Ha i get it now, hope you mange to fix i am hopeless at electrics

 

[gavp1979]

That strikes to me, that the lights' live is plugged on the wrong terminal of the stat.

This is on a standard fridge, not one that has been modified. It's in my mum's caravan and I had forgotten about it until we stayed there for a couple of days over the weekend

 

[MashBag]

Confirm for me that is an led light cluster on the pic with you hand in?

Do you need a light? Or will be much easier to bypass if we just ignore the light.

 

[clyne]

Confirm for me that is an led light cluster on the pic with you hand in?

Do you need a light? Or will be much easier to bypass if we just ignore the light.

thank you :) Yes it’s an LED cluster. I don’t need a light just a cold fridge ;-)

 

[MashBag]

Where do you set/adjust the temp?

 

[MashBag]

Is there any numbers on the white box (with all the terminals) in the first pic?

 

[clyne]

Can’t see any part numbers but here’s a few more pics. The sticker on my finger was on the bite cable at the terminal block at back of fridge.

 

[clyne]

anyone offer any advice on this before I have a hack at it myself

 

[MashBag]

In the junction box...

I can see 6 wires.

3 on the grey cable (thicker)
Blue.. Neutral
Brown.. Live
Yell/green.. Earth
These are the live feed and I would expect these to connect to the plug.
Please check this cable going into the plug is grey?


3 from the smaller white cable (thinner wires)
Blue neutral.. Ignore
Brown.. Live to stat
Black.. Switch live from stat..
These are the feed for the light and switching. I would expect these to connect to the stat.
Please check this cable (white) is going into the fridge compartment.

To test the compressor, if I was fiddling with this. And I am not a Frige engineer or an electrician. I would make sure the plug lead is grey and unplugged.
I would the pull the black wire out and isolate it. I would then pull the brown out and put it where the black was.
I think that will bridge the switch, making it "on" as soon as you plug it in & flick the switch.

If it came on, (as opposed to making a fooking great bang and creating an unpleasant smell immediately behind you) I would leave it on for a bit to see what happens.

 

[MashBag]

In the stat...

There is a pair of red wires I think they go to the probe. I don't think they are relevant.

There is a pair of wires (in a whit e sleeve) I cannot identify.
They look like a neutral and live (only) pair. I would trace these.

I wouldn't use the inkbird until I knew if the fridge was working.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Remember electrikery is invisible and can make you fly across a room in an instant (speaking from expirience)

 

[MashBag]

Reminds me of an old girlfriend

 

[clyne]

Well this just gets more and more annoying. Tried as suggested @MashBag, removed black cable and connected the live instead. Switched on, nothing.

With better light today was able to disconnect that terminal at the back of the fridge completely from the compressor and have tested both the start relay and compressor with a multimeter and (based on what I can find on YouTube!) ohms readings suggest both are fine.

The creamy coloured cable that comes into the fridge top panel I think runs to the thermostat probs at the bottom of the fridge as it’s the same colour cable. No idea where those red cables run to though.

Some more pics if they help. I’m at point of giving up but it feels like nothing is wrong. I’ve actually been looking for an on/off switch as it feels like something that stupid!!

 

[MashBag]

See pic.

My next step would be to connect the heavy brown (live) and blue (neutral) directly to the compressor now and see if it runs.

And find somewhere to connect the earth.

 

[clyne]

Long time in getting back to this, sorry! But have connected live and neutral directly to compressor (and earthed) and something is working. It’s making a bit of gurgling noise but I’ve left it running for now with a temp probe inside the fridge and will see if it brings the temp down. Assuming it does any suggestions on next steps? Do I just hook it up to an inkbird and let it flick the compressor on and off as needed?

 

[MashBag]

How's the temp doing?