Sparks/Smoke from repaired fridge

KarlJay

I did a repair on a fridge about a year ago, here's the thread:Whirlpool Mark I Just died, need help

I didn't replace the BiMetal part until about a week ago when the fridge started acting up again.

Once I replaced the BiMetal part, it was working perfect for about a week, now it's acting up and I touch this adjustment and get sparks inside the hole:
http://www.diychatroom.com/attachmen...pic0404003.jpg

I remember something about two different types of hook up, Continuous run: 12 or 24 vs cumulative compressor 8 or 10 hour.

Could I have hooked it up wrong and it would only make a difference when I changed out the BiMetal sensor near the coils?

Thanks.

hardwareman

if you hooked it up wrong, cumulative versus run time, it would not have worked this long. I suspect a bad timer. Take it out and look at it.

__________________
................."I want a house that has gotten over all its troubles. I dont' want to spend the rest of life bringing up a young and inexperienced house"...........

KarlJay

Thanks for the reply!

Might have found the problem. Because of a current remodel in progress, I'm running the fridge off an extension cord and it's on the same outlet as the 11K BTU A/C.

It looks like the fridge wasn't getting enough amperage thru the cord while the A/C is on. Last night, with the A/C off, the fridge worked fine.

gregzoll

Usually once the magic smoke is let out, it is hard to put it back into the appliance or gadget.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: Now listen, Cadet. I've got a job for you. See this button?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: Don't touch it! It's the History Eraser button, you fool!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: So what'll happen?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
: That's just it. We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know, 'cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?

hardwareman

what would that have to do with sparks and smoke?

__________________
................."I want a house that has gotten over all its troubles. I dont' want to spend the rest of life bringing up a young and inexperienced house"...........

KarlJay

I'm not sure. I know that it only gave me a problem when I'm running the A/C and they are both on the same plug. I checked the breaker and it's warmer than the others and it seems like the fridge is not getting the power it needs to restart the compressor.

Also, it seems like the very warm days is when the problem happens.

I remember a long time ago, I was told to not run a compressor using an extension cord. IIRC, the longer the extension cord, the more amperage loss. I'm also using a generic extension cord, not an appliance specific cord.

notmrjohn

I think touching the adjustment open and closed some contacts somwhere, that was the sparks. The ice genie may have escaped, but I heard about some dude across town that sells magic smoke. I made a briskett smoker out of an old refrigerator once, so old it predated plastic and foam mind you. It worked great, as long as you didn't mind cold bar b que, maybe I should have unplugged it. Didn't make no sparks tho, that woulda been neat.

__________________