Refrigerator Help

[nealperkins]

OK, so my first refrigerator (fermentation chamber) died but that was expected.

I retrieved a second, newer, fridge from my cabin. It was on it's side for an hour. I let it sit upright for 4 days and plugged it in. It worked for a very short time and quit. The ground fault receptacle was tripped.

So, now it won't run at all. Does this sound like a problem that could be repaired? Suggestions?

Thanks

 

[twocylndr]

Check for loose wires, or something foreign shorting out. Being on it's side something may have been jarred loose.

 

[nealperkins]

Thanks for your response.

Last evening I got another clue as I plugged it back in and it came on for a couple hours. Then, again, the ground fault tripped and it would not come back on. Hmmm, how to diagnose the problem . . . not being electrically savvy. But, maybe this puppy can be saved?

 

[Pimp Juice]

sounds silly but try another outlet. Otherwise sounds like a short or ground fault. But I don't think it would even come on if there was a short.

 

[nealperkins]

Thanks for the answer.
A friend "guessed" that a capacitor was leaking leading to the voltage difference and thus the ground fault trip. I did try 2 outlets.

So, I'm calling a repair guy - I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[samc]

Make sure you are testing on a different circuit not just a different outlet. You could have a GFI tripping or a bad breaker or wire. I have a circuit in my garage that has a GFI and kept having a problem in another part of the house with power going out. For some reason they wired the outlet on an outside deck with that circuit. Changed that and problem is gone.

 

[nealperkins]

Repair guys were here...problem(s) gone on both fridges.

They ID'd two defective ground fault plugs. When the heater kicked on, it would trip the circuit. I'll replace those.

The second fridge had a part break off and occlude the air inlet to the fridge...they took it apart and it also works...presently cooling a Scottish Ale.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[jpc]

One other thing, for future reference-- refrigerator compressors use a lot of current upon start-up and can trip a GFCI. This is why the refrigerator outlet in your kitchen is the only one that is not a GFCI.