How To Test a Refrigerator Run Capacitor?
A multimeter can be used to test an outlet. The multimeter should have a voltage measurement function. Place the probes of the multimeter on either side of the outlet. If one probe is closer to the middle, then that is the hot wire and you should place it in the right slot in your outlet. If both probes are in contact with each other, then you need to turn off power to that outlet before testing it.
Here’s another way to test it out:
1. Find the voltage (in milliVolts) on the left side of the meter.
2. Connect one probe to the red wire (line) of the refrigerator power cord and the other probe to the black wire (line) of the refrigerator power cord.
3. Observe the meter. The needle will start off in the center and then move to the right as the capacitance of the circuit increases. When the needle gets to about 50% of the way across the scale, it will stop. This is where the “sweet spot” of the circuit is located.
4. Disconnect the two power cords from the refrigerator. Move the meter all the way to the left until the needle stops. This is where the “dead zone” of the circuit is located.
5. Now reconnect the two power cords to the refrigerator but this time connect the black wire to the red wire. The needle should jump to the right and stay there. This indicates that the circuit has become ineffective because the black wire is now the line of least resistance and provides a short circuit path to ground.
6. Therefore, you’ve found the run capacitor. It’s a good idea to double check by unplugging one of the power cords from the refrigerator and observing the meter when the black wire is no longer connected to ground. The needle should move back to the middle of the meter’s scale.