Zanussi chest freezer - ZAC164

[tmcw]

Looking at my folks chest freezer, has a problem, not freezing down.

Before I saw it, I was told that it was tripping the switch on the distribution board.

When I got to it, I noticed that there looked like a bit of a mouse nest near the black compressor, and after hoovering that out, inspected the wires and pipes around there, but there doesn't appear to be any damage around that area, although I didn't go into the small electrical box attached to the compressor container.

When we switch on the freezer, it stays on, the red light (warning) comes on, and if we press the orange button (super-freeze), that light comes on too, but the only noise the compressor makes is a quiet clunk every 30 seconds or so. No other noise as you'd expect with a normal running fridge or freezer.

The light inside the freezer comes on when the lid is opened.

The compressor has the model number GL90AA / R134A.

Can anyone tell me what's likely to be wrong? My guess would be the compressor, though are there any checks I can do, or is this really all that goes wrong with them?

 

[Diyisfun]

is the comp running & then switching off, then after 10 mins or so will run again?
If so its the thermal cut out on the compressor(the little blk box thing)

 

[tmcw]

If the compressor was running, wouldn't I be able to hear it running, or if it's a quiet running one, be able to feel it vibrating if I put my hand on it?

(to be honest, I don't know how loud the compressor should be on this freezer).

The only noise I can hear is the quiet "cluck" it makes every 30 seconds or so. The noise comes from somewhere around the compressor, maybe from the plastic box attached to the compressor.

 

[Diyisfun]

You would hear or feel vibrations if it was running.
I think you may have a faulty compressor & the thermal cut out (black box) is doing its job.

 

[tmcw]

Thanks for that, I was thinking that might be the case.

I did a bit of reading up on them, and decided to take the relay off, and test it. I've attached a photo. The 3 red circles are where it plugs onto the compressor part, you can see also the 3 holes on the cover (top-left) that was removed from the main body of the relay.

I understand that this is a solid-state type relay. Can these be tested with a multimeter?

Also, is the disk-type object inserted at the bottom-right part of the thermal overload circuit?

Untitled

• tmcw
• 12 Nov 2011
• 1