My uncle said to always check the capacitor first on a fridge that hums but won't start

He's been fixing appliances for 30 years in Fresno, so I listened. Last month I had a call for a Whirlpool fridge making noise but not cooling. I spent an hour checking the compressor relay and wiring before I finally tested the capacitor. It was dead, just like he said. I wasted so much time because I didn't trust the simple advice first. What's the one old-school tip you ignored that ended up being right?

3 comments

3 Comments

walker.hayden24d ago

Know that feeling all too well. My dad always told me to check the breaker first on any dead outlet, but I'd dive right into replacing switches. Had a whole kitchen circuit out last year and spent an afternoon messing with the garbage disposal wiring before I even looked at the panel. Sure enough, one tripped breaker. Felt like a total idiot for skipping the five-second check.

the_pat24d ago

My own rule is to waste at least an hour before checking the obvious.

lane.angela2d agoMost Upvoted

Classic move. Gotta respect the commitment to doing it the hard way first.