Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - Refrigerator buzzing

This is a Kenmore Elite, about 5 years old. Couple of months ago (not sure exactly because didn't pay much attention early on) the refrigerator would make an audible buzzing noise for about 10-15 seconds several times a day. Over the weekend the buzz has gotten louder and increased to about every couple of minutes or so and lasts as near as I can tell for 15 seconds at a time. Up unitl recently there was no problem with cooling, but this morning I check the freezer section and things are thawing. Checking with a thermometer now so I can report temps. I'm assuming it's time for the repairman, but hoping for some clue on what'$ up. :(

Okay, 45 degrees in the fridge compartment, quite a bit higher than I would expect. Also last night I had the back open and it's possible (after looking up the diagram) that what's buzzing is the "overload relay" which would seem to make sense since there is a distinct, relay-type, "click" when the buzzing stops.

And, looks like about 40 degrees in the freezer.

Well, you'll have to remove the relay off the 2 compressor prongs anyway. Good time to test the compressor prongs with ohm meter with elec. plug pulled out of wall.

Between any 2 prongs you should get a very low ohms number, like 1,2 or 3. And the addition of the two low numbers would equal the big one.

And also ohms test between any prong and the compressor housing itself, to test for short. A good place to try to ground out to actually is the copper that is unpainted. If the previous test numbers show good and you have no continuity with the grounding test, then electrically the compressor is good.

That does not mean you can't have a mechanical failure inside it. But if the elec. tests show good, I'd just throw in another comb relay-overload-run capacitor into it and hope for the best. Combined, these things may cost about the same or less than what a refrigeration service company would charge you just to come out.

Check the coils underneath and the fan that cools them. Is there anything blocking the fan from turning. Buzzing could be a stuck fan. Just a guess.

Diagnosis is the compressor is a goner, which is sort of what I was guessing. My wife and I did the math and it's more like 8 years old, so it's nowhere near new but I would have thought had more life left in it. Looks like we'll be shopping. Let's see, have to check the archives here because I know the brand value/reliability question has come up beofre. Thanks guys. Beer 4U2

The service call was $49, but the repair estimate is about half the cost of a new fridge.

Does the model # start with 253? For a new fridge look at Whirlpool. I think WP builds a fridge with a French door top and bottom freezer but not sure. A WP built Kenmore or Sears Coldspot will have a model # 106.xxxxxxxxxx 253.xxxxxxx is Frigidaiare,
596.xxxxxx is the bottom freezer Amana. Avoid GE and LG like the plague they are. You'll also find Samsung's, I know in Asia they're not bad but I don't know enough about their North American experience to comment. Don't lose that guys phone #, you hardly ever see a $49 service call anymore.

It was a .596, the three-door model. For what it cost new I would have liked to have seen another 5 years service out of it.

Pretty discouraging to see that the standard warranty on refrigerators now appears to be one year. Do they still refer to them as "durable goods"? :rolleyes:

I think they call them "doneable goods"...as in after 1 year..yer done...unless you pay us ridiculous prices for an extended warranty which we may or may not honor.

That's a shame; for years Amana made a good fridge. I always liked the bottom freezer design with the pullout drawer.

Diagnosis is the compressor is a goner .

:eek:

That's too bad. Was it electrical or mechanical? I was hoping you would have been able to save the $49 (which actually was a very reasonable bill ----especially for where you live).

I wasn't here, so got the story second hand, but my wife was very impressed with the guy. New fridge coming tomorrow; meanwhile doing the post-hurricane power-out practice drill - bags of ice and coolers. Last time we had to that was "Charley".

I wasn't here, so got the story second hand, but my wife was very impressed with the guy.

And that is how door to door salesman struck it big, waiting for husbands to go to work, so they could sell the easily impressed wives on stuff. :D

Yeah, but she's been married to me going on 30 years so she can usually tell the difference between appearances and substance. Beer 4U2

TG well apparently not..since she's been married to you for 30 yrs! LOL j/k Leatherneck

Knew that was coming from some quarter. Beer 4U2

And who better than a Squid...?