KitchenAid Superba - Still Not Cooling, Even with New Relay

Refrigerator & Freezer Repair
1

Hey guys, first time poster here. Stumbled across this great site while googling for help on this fridge!

Details on the model:
KA KSRS251LSS03 Superba Side By Side
Mfd: Sep 2003
Compressor: EGY90HLP
Relay Switch (Original) - 2220475 + Rectangular Clip-on Capacitor
Relay Switch (Replacement) - 2188830 + Original Cap from above

UPDATE: I traced the voltage problem to a burnt trace on the controller board which sits in the box with the temp displays and control panel on the fridge side. Repaired the trace and now the compressor & relay are getting 120V.

Unfortunately, the compressor only comes on for 10 sec at a time every 3 min. I am assuming there’s another fault in the system, but I can’t figure it out…

Here’s the story so far:

  1. I noticed the fridge was not working right…it would get too cold or stuff in the freezer would start melting. This was a few months ago.

  2. Couple of days ago, the fridge just stopped cooling altogether. After some googling, I checked the comp relay and of course, it was burnt out. I pulled it off the fridge and it literally broke apart in my fingers. The ceramic disc was totally shattered inside.

  3. In a panic, I called every local parts shop, found only one open. Drove there like a madman, bought a Supco 3 in 1. Installed it on my fridge (upside down triangle connector on the compressor)

  4. The compressor fan came on and the compressor turned on for about 30 mins. Got b!tchin hot! Fridge seemed to be working…the world was a happy place again and I took some time to smell the flowers…then got a vaccuum and cleaned up all the accumlated gunk everywhere before putting the cover back.

  5. About 1 hr later, fridge stopped working. Compressor fan was no longer spinning and compressor not turning on. I left it plugged in and decided to go to sleep. Hoping that positive thinking overnight will result in return of fridgey functions! No such luck. Woke up next day, fridge still not cooling…lights are all on etc. So there’s power…

  6. Went out today and paid $110 for the “official” Whirlpool kit. Get a mixed bag of silly parts and a cheap manual written by a blind caveman. Removed the 1-day old Supco and replaced with the official replacement part. Installed the little black capacitor from the original onto the new relay.

  7. Left the fridge plugged in over 5 hrs, still no compressor fan and no compressor turning on. Not even clicking.

I removed the switch and hooked up the good old Supco one more time…this time around, even it had no effect. No fan and no compressor.

I got a brain flash and decided to check voltage across the relay terminals (the ones connected to the fridge harness - red and white wires). Only getting about 7V at the terminals.

  1. I am pretty sure the problem now is the low voltage coming to the fan + relay. I am guessing that the required voltage is more like 120V. I believe something in the circuit is burnt or needs to be reset. However, I don’t have a wiring diagram so I am kinda stuck at this point.

So, can someone here kindly help? If you have the wiring diagram, please send me a copy - email a2mann at hot mail dot dot dot :slight_smile:

Questions:

  1. What sends power to energize the relay and turn on the fan? What is the required voltage - 120V?

  2. What would cause this voltage to be only 7V? Where are the other components located? There’s not much in the compartment next to the compressor. I am guessing there’s a board hidden away somewhere?

  3. Any other tests I can do? I don’t wanna throw away this stupid fridge…cost me a small fortune but I happily forked out the cash…thinking that KA ‘quality’ justified the cost margin…moohahahaha!

PS. I also checked the resistance across the 3 pins on the compressor. I get 4.5 ohms across 5 & 6 and 1.2 (C-6) and 3.3 (C-5) ohms between the C and 5, 6 pins. There is no short to ground on any of the 3 pins.

Please help :slight_smile:

May god bless you with 10 wives, 100 sheep and 5 donkeys

Cheers

Ash

2

You probably burned out the start winding by using the 3n1 hard start kit. You can check other postings on this: They supply way too much power to the windings that cause them to burn open. In addition, it probably blew out your control module. These 3n1’s are only good for the old, high hp compressors!!

3

Your unit is actually a KSRS25iLSS03 not a 1L unit.

Here are your parts
Replacement parts for WHIRLPOOL KSRS25ILSS03 Refrigerator | AppliancePartsPros.com

Here is the tech sheet
http://www.servicematters.com/docs/wiring/Wiring%20Sheet%20-%202255376.pdf
[COLOR=“Blue”]

  1. What sends power to energize the relay and turn on the fan? What is the required voltage - 120V?[/COLOR]
    The control board (Item 6 in Section 10)
    [COLOR=“Blue”]
  2. What would cause this voltage to be only 7V? Where are the other components located? There’s not much in the compartment next to the compressor. I am guessing there’s a board hidden away somewhere?[/COLOR]
    Could be that the 7V you see is just ghost voltage.
    See the parts breakdown for the parts locations.

[COLOR=“Blue”]3. Any other tests I can do? I don’t wanna throw away this stupid fridge[/COLOR]
Run the diagnostics.
Try running the unit with the compressor disconnected to see if the condenser fan will come on. The compressor and it’s fan are on the same circuit.
[COLOR=“Blue”]
PS. I also checked the resistance across the 3 pins on the compressor. I get 4.5 ohms across 5 & 6 and 1.2 (C-6) and 3.3 (C-5) ohms between the C and 5, 6 pins. There is no short to ground on any of the 3 pins.[/COLOR]
It is had to tell if the above is a problem as I am not sure where you are measuring. Also the resistances can vary greatly, see the tech sheet. May well be that one of the windings has shorted internally to itself.

4

Thanks guys. Latest Update. I took the relay off the compressor and measured voltage across the energising connector. I figured if the problem has to do with the control circuitry, it should not get a consistent 120V.

Well, the voltage starts off at 12v when you just plug in the fridge and then stays at 120V. The fan is also on consistently.

At this point, I’m guessing the compressor is fried. Do you guys know what the warranty on them is ? I have read its 7 yrs parts + labour and 12 yrs parts. If it makes a difference, I am in Toronto, Canada (sometimes the warranty terms are different)
Thank you once again!

5

Here is the operators manual and the warranty info from the Kitchenaid site
http://shared.whirlpoolcorp.com/assets/pdfs/literature/Use%20and%20Care%20Guide%20-%202255706.pdf

http://shared.whirlpoolcorp.com/assets/pdfs/literature/Warranty%20Page%20-%202255706-W.pdf

6

Thanks guys. Got the compressor replaced from some local guy. KA told me they will pay for the part, but I must use one of their recommended installers. Well, one of them had a D- rating on BBB and the other told me it will be $500 just for the labour cost! I called a local guy who did it for $400 including the part.