Fridge/Freezer will not cut in?

This is a followup to my previous answer. It turns out that changing the relay only fixed the problem for a few months. The underyling problem was that the voltage on the low voltage side was getting lower and lower (should have been 24V, got down to 12V) due to a faulty capacitor. (Changing the relay helped temporarily because the new relay needed less power to energise it.)

I later replaced C1, C2 and C3 which cured this voltage regulation problem. However be very careful if you do this. C1 is a high-voltage type and the whole circuit is a not a very brilliant way of generating 24V from the mains (no isolation; possibly wouldn't be allowed today).

Also the fridge went wrong in a different way a few months after this, and I gave up on it and got a new one!

Alex
June 2008

I forgot to say, my email address can be found in the image at http://www.archduke.org/email.gif.

Alex
July 2007

I had the same problem with a Hygena 6825 (which I think is similar). The problem is with the relay on the control PCB which is getting stuck. You could get a new control PCB, though these tend to be expensive (I've seen prices from £80 to £190). I think the part number is 45X8924, but you should check this. If you don't mind a small amount of soldering (and some time spent dismantling the PCB which is a bit tricky) you can actually replace just the relay (which costs about 99p). My original relay was a Schrack or Tyco T7NS5H1-24. I replaced it with a T7NS5D4-24 (RS component number 334-0020). Please let me know if you need more details.

Thanks for your 'tapping' tip. It was extremely useful in diagnosing the problem and saving a fridge/freezer full of produce.

Alex
July 2007

thermostat needs replacing

airkool@hotmail.co.uk
December 2006