Serious question, fridge compressors that hum but don't start are confusing me

I worked on a Kenmore fridge today where the compressor kept humming without starting up. The start relay and capacitor tested okay, so I'm not sure what's next. Has anyone found a common fix for this kind of problem, or is it usually something tricky?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel_hill9d ago

Oh man, my buddy had this exact thing happen. His fridge was humming but not starting, even with a good relay and cap. Turns out it was the overload protector on the compressor itself (that little black box with wires on the side). It had a tiny burnt spot you could barely see. Swapping that out got it running again, no problem.

harperc799d ago

But how often does that actually happen? Seems like a rare fix for most people.

brooker822d ago

Actually, that overload protector fix isn't as rare as @harperc79 might think, it's a pretty common culprit. I've seen it a bunch on older units just like that Kenmore. When the relay and cap check out, that little black box is the next logical thing to swap.