How to Check a Refrigerator Compressor 

The most to the point, clear and well put together video I have found on RU-vid yet.

Blake, you literally just saved me from having to buy a new refrigerator. I found out after following your amazing instructions exactly as given, that it was just the relay that had gone bad. In fact, it even rattled when shaken just as you described. From $2500 to $30 or less, wow! Thank you so much. You just made a real difference for THIS family. Thank you again! 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Very helpful to have demonstrated the ohm readings on both a good and a bad compressor. You have the only video that I found that discussed and demonstrated the use of the clamp meter to measure amps and how that may show a bad compressor if greater than the LRA. Great job.

I've watched a half dozen refrigerator not cooling videos today. You did an extra good job on this. Very clear info. Thanks

Great tutorial, comprehensive lesson on the compressor. I'm grateful for you taking the time to teach us for free. Thank you!

After watching gazillion of videos all over RU-vid on the same subject, this one is the only one straight to the point and most informative!! Thank You!!

I’m in HVAC school right now. I appreciate you for making this.

Glad this video was still up. You saved a refrigerator from going to the land fill. Bad relay fixed for $10. Your explanation to the point and easy to follow.

You are very kind.My fridge is approximately 5.5 years young...it is a 3 door...2 top doors..bottom pull out freezer door and I gotta give you so much credit. That man who came here never took anything apart . It's a massive fridge.THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

Hats off to Black Tube, I got my compressor start relay yesterday and it plugged rite in just like you said, I couldn't be happier, you are the man thanks, after it sat outside here in the Mojave desert for 2 weeks in the 90s here I let it run for 2 hours and the freezer got down to 8 degrees above 0 Awesome Thank You Again 😁😁😁

Excellent information, thanks for explaining how to check the compressor. Helped me rule the compressor out as the problem. Looking at replacing a relay.

Outstanding explanation! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with the community and helping us to diagnose or frig problems ourselves.

Thank you for this video. I just wish I had found this before my repairman came out. At least now I am a bit more knowledgeable so when the next one who comes that will actually (hopefully) fix it I'll be better prepared. Thank you!!

Thanks to your video we discovered our relay was bad on our fridge. This saved us a service call, and the possibility of buying a new fridge. Now we just have to put a new relay on order! Thank you for this amazing video!

Really good explanation. I have spent days trying to find something to explain this. Finally something that lets me be sure that I need to chuck the fridge out!

very informative video, especially with the continuity testing, i pulled my tester and did exaclty this test, showing that my pump is infact good, so i now can go order the relay, fingers grossed my fridge is saved, and not going into the landfill, love repairing things rather than throwing them away. bless you sir.

I really like how you explained everything ! For anybody with hands on / mechanical knowledge but no knowledge of refrigeration .... this really helps. thanks! S.

Great job. Quick, precise and to the point. Easy to follow and understand. Thank you.

Great video. You showed exactly how to test and gave safety warnings.

Very thorough and informative, thank you so much Sir!

Thanks man even from six years ago. I knew the continuity between terminals trick but needed to refresh to make sure it was all three work is good only one with continuity bad. Couldn’t find anywhere else but you explained exactly what I needed.

You just saved me money in diagnosing a bad compressor. Thank you and keep up the great work.

you did a really good job of explaining things. I like that you have a known good, a known bad to showus along with one that is installed so we had an idea of what we are looking for. Great job!

I liked your video and how you add common problems found not just a specific one. You're the type of expert I like and a good teacher. Thanks.

Nice Job...very informative and WAY better than most! Thanks!

Your video,saved me the cost of a new refrigerator,thank you,all I needed was a new relay, refrigerator is now working perfectly.

I am so grateful I found this video! Easy to understand, clear picture, and easy-to-follow. Thank you for making this! Is there any chance of you making a video showing how to remove the compressor and install a new one?

I am a homeowner and my compressor went out on my modern kenmore fridge I have a contract with BGE and they are coming out tomorrow to install a new one I have been without a fridge since last Thursday smh 🤦‍♀️ but your video helped me to know what I should expect from the technician so thank you.

This is an old video, but my kegerator died on me and had the same compressor as your video. $5 and a new relay later, it’s back up and running. Thank you very much for this video and for saving me from buying a whole new fridge!!

Very educational. I fixed my first refrigerator after watching this video. Appreciated.

Fabulous! All three prongs on the compressor have continuity, but the relay rattles. Thanks for the excellent advice.

I am dealing with this right now, as a matter of fact, LG tech will be here shortly, thank you for this helpful information, i now have some knowledge when going over the repairs with him. My LG fridge is 5 years old, fan working, just nothing with the compressor, hopefully it will be an easy fix! Thank you again for your time

Fantastic. Clear and precise from the start. Thank you!

Thanks! I didn't know about 'locked rotor amps', this is very helpful for me to complete my diagnosis on our wine cooler which is out of warranty. I appreciate you not rattling around about nothing between your main points of focus. Have a good day!

Thanks Brad, 20 years ago I used to assemble refrigeration systems for Centrifuges. Using my alleged memory, I tore into a small refrigerator just like the example in your video. I didn’t get too far before I found extreme burn marks at the solenoid and starter. I’m not going any further, time for another new Chinese refrigerator as I’m not taking any chances with this one!

Thank you Blake for this very informative video; I don't have a compressor problem but I feel now if I did, I would feel more confident just by knowing what to do if that were the case, for knowing what I just learned thanks to you. I liked your disclosure at the end. 👍

This was the most perfect video I stumbled across looking for information on older Frigidaire by its model number. I actually followed you by listening while I showed my boyfriend. It was the click noise you mentioned that I knew I found something! You should be a teacher of not already

Nice video. It was really helpfull and informative. I really appreciate you taking the time to show/teach us how to check the compressor. Thank you and keep up the good work!!

Great vid u helpt me out. My fridge stopt cooling and its like u said. Compressor was hot gave a ticking sound ur a good teacher very calm and clear instructions.

You are spectacular! Made it clear, logical and simple.

Definitely the best explanation and video angles which is extremely important to me. Thank you!

A great refresher for an old man who did his frig and A/C edu. probably before you were born. Thanks.

Hey, you did a great job showing how to test the components. I had a bad thermal protector. Easy fix 5 bucks. Thank you. I found this by a trash can.

Great job young man very informative you should teach appliance repair because you are very good at it very easy to understand with your way of teaching thank you looking forward to you next video even though im just trying to fix my deep freeze.

Hey You are the man. You save $250.00 dollars. Thank you so much. Be blessed.

You are very excellent in your description.Thank you I learned a lot. Have a Merry Christmas

I have never commented on the hundreds of how-to videos I've watched (until now) but this was very informative. Great job!

I watched several other videos. You are the best teacher ! Thanks !

Great video. Watch many videos on compressor diagnostics and yours is the first to mention the LRA which is very helpful...thanks. A couple question though, 1.) Is it possible for a bad relay to cause high amp draw (12+ amps)? 2.) Is there no way of freeing a locked compressor?

Wonderful information from someone who knows it. Thanks for this and may the Almighty God add you more wisdom

Informative, educational, and helpful. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.

thanks guy your last comment on the overload relay helped solve my problem...working like new!

Thanks for making this vid...you just allowed me to validate the compressor on my 10yr old Amana french door was good. Kudos Brother! 👍

Easily explained and demonstrated. Good content!

Great video. We have a hotel and my little girl fixes TVs and Refrigerators. Usually it's the thermostat, the relay, or the heat protection. Your video helped determine that it was the compressor this time.

Many thanks for this, saved me wasting time and money (and hope) on a relay, my commpressor tested tha same as your bad one in the video.

Best explanation I have ever seen on this type. Well done man thank you.

Nice job explaining the practical tests and the theory! much appreciated.

Sure I learned something...This was a great and timely video.

FYI. LRA is Locked Rotor Amps. That is when something is preventing the rotating parts in any motor from moving at all. Electrical fields causes the amps to go high and hopefully a protective device will trip. Good Video. Thanks... EDIT: Didn't see the other post on LRA. Great Explanation...

Finally a clear explanation on how to verify if the compressor is bad or not. Never knew what that LRA rating was for

Thank you very much for the excellent video. It helped me so much. I just have one question if you don't mind. Can I also do a continuity test on the relay to make certain it's starting the compressor. I don't know much on terminology, but I'm learning. Thank you again.

like the video. this guy is sharp, to the point and easy to understand

Best video to explain the compressor thank you for helping me. Hope you keep making videos.

I think you just saved me a couple hundred bucks. Thanks man.

Thanks man. Great tips. My freezer stopped freezing. Comp is humming nicely, fan is spinning. No meter so I can’t check properly. Pulled the relay and it rattles like a kids toy. Sounds like a solution. Thank you

Good video. Working on getting that exact mini fridge up and running again.

Excellent instructional video, Blake. Many thanks!

Thanks for the details. I caught a few things that really helped.

Great video!! My Magic Chef went out and i'm going to check all of these items!! You are a great benefit to RU-vid. I saved at least $200 from buying a new freezer!!

Very helpful. The compressor on my bait tank isn't cooling as it should so now I know what to check. Wish you were closer as I'd trade your services for a fishing trip!!

Thanks man, I didn't know how that amp draw worked with the clamps this was the first video to tell me that!

VERY helpful video. Thanks a lot and keep up the videos.

Thank you, that helped me do some trouble shooting and sort out my fridge.

Thank you for making this so clear. Great video!!

Thank you, really tough me a lot that I wanted and needed to know about compressors

thanks, you are a good speaker. a bit of southern twang perhaps. going to work on my fridge today armed with knowledge.

Clear and to the point. Very good, thank you sir.

Good vid you made it so easy to understand keep making more vids like this. Thanks bro.

Thank you for these troubleshooting steps!

good job man lots of help I just fixed my refrigerator for the cost of a relay

Thank you. Especially the bad relay. Saves the day.

Thanks for the information!!! easy to follow and understand.

Thanks, your explanations were clear and easy to follow.

Brilliant ! Very helpful. Many thanks.....all the way from London !

Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge with us. It was just what I needed.

thanks man this helped me save my fridge and money thumbs up !!

Thanks for posting! I have a refrigerator that isn’t cooling. I’m determined to get it fixed myself!

This video helps me a lot, thanks bro for the loud and clear instructions...❤

Thank you, I appreciated learning from this video, it was helpful!

Awesome!! very informative! I'll be a subscriber! Thank you!

Thanks Blake, You’ve made it look easy. Keep up with the good work!

Clear concise advice, Good video, & thank You. Aram Portsmouth UK.

Thx!!!!!! This really explained what I needed to know!

Excellent video. Liked it. No idea why anyone would dislike it.

Great video. Thanks for posting.. I'm trying to determine why my little.wine fridge isn't cooling. With your help I found that the start relay was off a bit - I cleaned up the ceramic disc. I'm getting power to the compressor - just waiting now to see if it gets cool... manual says it could take a couple hours(The temp setting aren't as easy as they should be..) Thanks again.. good explanations

Good video!!!! Thanks for your help!!! Very clear and precise!!

This is a great video it is absolutely great and it is in perfect common language not as technical as it could be thank you for that and thank you for saving me a bunch of money just great

Gracias desde Nebraska,great video really appreciate it.

Good job explaining.. Very detail.. Thank you have a good day..