Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Freezer failure

My chest freezer quit working and by troubleshooting I found that the compressor overload protector had failed, no continuity, and did not reset. I checked the compressor windings and found no shorts to ground and the winding resistances appear to be good, not shorted or open, right around 10 to 20 ohms. I don't think that the compressor stalled because there is a refrigerator on the same line and the circuit breaker didn't trip. Have I missed something or do these overload protectors sometime just fail? The overload protector is a "Klixon" 4TM.
Thanks for reading----Bill

Hi Bill,
The Klixon or overload can go out I have seen a few but in most cases the compressor is not far behind,
I would install a hard start kit. and it may give more life for a while.

Originally posted by appliancepresid
Hi Bill,
The Klixon or overload can go out I have seen a few but in most cases the compressor is not far behind,
I would install a hard start kit. and it may give more life for a while. I am not aware of this protector ever tripping before. It seems strange that a device like this would blow open upon its first overload-------they might have just as well put in a fuse----it would have been cheaper. I am not familiar with a "hard start kit" could you direct me to some info on this item? I have ordered a replacement for the overload---I sure hope it doesn't experience the same fate as the original when I power up the freezer. Thanks a lot for the speedy reply.
Bill

Hi Bill here is a web site that will go into more detail for you.
http://www.fridgedoctor.com/generic/art/a82a.html


hope that helps

Originally posted by appliancepresid
Hi Bill here is a web site that will go into more detail for you.
http://www.fridgedoctor.com/generic/art/a82a.html


hope that helps Excellent!!! Just the kind of site I was hoping to find. I'm going to recheck the start relay on the freezer to make sure it isn't frozen in the start or run mode. And if, after the replacement of the hopefully defective overload, the freezer blows again I'll try a "hard start kit' before shipping the whole thing off to the bone yard. Thanks again for your help------Bill

Good luck with the frig, it will help keep the landfills cleaner .

I checked the capacitor and the relay and they both look good. If my fix is either good or bad I'll try to track you down and let you know the results. Thanks!!
Bill

I told you that I would let you know the outcome of my "freezer problem". A real bummer----a stuck compressor. I guess I won't be able to keep the land fill empty after all.
Bill

Originally posted by Manny9844
I told you that I would let you know the outcome of my "freezer problem". A real bummer----a stuck compressor. I guess I won't be able to keep the land fill empty after all.
Bill Disregard the above post!! The compressor is running OK, it's just that after 69 years my hearing is kinda shot. The PTC relay works just as it's supposed to---the compressor has more sound at start and then gradually quiets down to about half the sound level. The family says that the freezer sounds just like it always did. I'm going to disassemble the old overload and see what caused the open condition.
Bill

Manny,
Glad to hear that it is up and running,
with a " hard start Kit" it will even be cheaper to operate on start up.

another cleaner landfill !!!!

good job Bill.


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