Surprised to learn that most fridge compressor failures are actually due to weak start relays, not the compressor itself.

I found this stat from a manufacturer tech bulletin last month that said over 70% of callbacks for 'dead compressors' were just bad relays, and since I started testing them first I've saved myself and customers a pile of money on unnecessary parts - has anyone else seen numbers that high in their own shop?

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan.joseph20d ago

Mia's got it right. My buddy runs an appliance repair shop and he told me the same thing, says he basically just stocks a pile of those little relays now instead of compressors. It's wild how often people jump to the worst conclusion.

mia_anderson20d ago

Exactly! That tracks with a bigger pattern I've noticed across all kinds of mechanical stuff, not just fridges. The simplest, cheapest part often fails first while the expensive, complex part stays totally fine. It's like how car owners will replace an entire starter motor when it's just a bad solenoid connection costing ten bucks.