Appliance Spares
Quick answer: A fridge that clicks every 2-5 minutes but won’t run is almost always the PTC starter relay — a small plastic block bolted to the side of the compressor. It costs $20-40. The compressor itself ($400+ part, $800+ with a tech) is almost certainly fine. The clicking is the overload protector cutting power because the compressor never spun up. Pull the relay, shake it (rattles = dead), swap it, fridge runs again. We stock the Westinghouse Electrolux PTC starter relay (P/N 1441033) — fits 184+ Westinghouse, Electrolux, Kelvinator platform fridges — same-day dispatch from Sydney.
Before you do anything: don’t buy a compressor
If a tech came out, listened to the clicking, and quoted you $700-$1,200 to replace the compressor — get a second opinion before you sign anything. The compressor is the most expensive part in the fridge. It’s also one of the most reliable. Compressors usually last 15-20 years.
The PTC starter relay and the overload protector — the two little parts bolted to the side of the compressor — fail far more often. They’re $20-40 each. Diagnose those first.
We’ve seen too many customers told “the compressor’s gone” when the fix was a $30 part and 10 minutes with a screwdriver.
What’s actually happening when your fridge clicks
A fridge compressor is a sealed motor with two windings — a start winding and a run winding. To get spinning, it needs the start winding energised for about half a second, then dropped out. The PTC relay does that job. It’s a ceramic disc that conducts for a moment, heats up, then blocks current — perfect timing for the start kick.
When the PTC fails (cracked ceramic, burnt contacts), the start winding never engages. The compressor sits there drawing locked-rotor current. Within seconds the overload protector (the second little part) trips on heat or amps and cuts power. A few minutes later it cools down, resets, tries again — click — fails — click — fails. That’s your noise.
The 10-minute diagnostic
1. Confirm the click is the relay/overload, not something else
- Click every 2-5 minutes, no motor hum = relay or overload. Read on.
- Click followed by a low hum that quits after 5-10 seconds = relay, overload, or seized compressor. Read on.
- Clicking from inside the cabinet, fridge otherwise running fine = damper motor, ice maker, or door switch. Different fault — not this guide.
2. Unplug the fridge at the wall. Not the knob — the wall.
Compressor circuits stay live with the thermostat off on some platform. Pull the plug.
3. Pull the rear lower panel
Cardboard or thin metal cover, 2-6 screws. Behind it: the black compressor (looks like a bowling ball), and bolted to one side a small plastic housing — that’s the relay + overload assembly.
4. Unclip the relay and shake it
- Rattles like a tic-tac packet → PTC ceramic disc has cracked. Dead. Order the relay.
- Silent, but visibly burnt, melted, or has a black smudge → also dead. Order the relay.
- Looks pristine, doesn’t rattle → could still be electrically failed. If you’ve got a multimeter, check resistance across the relay terminals (should read a few ohms cold, infinite when warm). If you don’t have a multimeter, just swap it — at $30 it’s cheaper than a callout.
5. Check the overload protector while you’re in there
Small metal disc with two terminals, usually clipped next to the relay. If it’s burnt or the body is cracked, swap it too. They often die together.
The parts (Westinghouse / Electrolux / Kelvinator platform)
The Westinghouse / Electrolux / Kelvinator manufacturing platform covers a huge slice of the Australian fridge market. The same PTC relay and overload fit across 180+ models including the BJ, C, CS, EBE, EBM, EFM, ERM, ETE, ETM, FD, FJ, FN, FR, KBM, KTM, N, NB, RJ, RP, SB, SBM, SR, STM, WBE, WBM, WCM, WFM, WRM, WTE, WTM series.
| Part | Suits |
|---|---|
| Westinghouse Electrolux PTC starter relay (1441033) | 184+ Westinghouse / Electrolux / Kelvinator platform fridges |
| Westinghouse Electrolux compressor overload protector switch (1443933) | Same platform — pairs with the relay above |
Other brands (Samsung, LG, Bosch, Haier, Fisher & Paykel) use their own PTC relay format — run your model through the Part Finder and we’ll match the exact fit.
The swap (5 minutes, no electrical licence needed)
- Fridge unplugged at the wall. Already done above.
- Pull the old relay off the compressor pins. It clips on with friction — give it a firm wiggle. Take a phone photo first so you know which way the new one goes.
- Push the new relay onto the same pins — only fits one way.
- Refit the overload protector if you’re swapping that too — clips beside the relay, one orientation only.
- Refit the rear cover.
- Plug back in. Within 30-60 seconds the compressor should kick in and run continuously. No more clicking.
- Wait 4-6 hours for the fridge to pull down to temperature before re-loading food.
If it clicks once and starts running, you’re done. If it still clicks and won’t start, the compressor itself may genuinely be seized — that’s the call where a tech (or a new fridge) becomes the honest answer.
When the compressor really is dead
Sometimes it really is the compressor. Honest signs:
- New relay fitted, still clicking, compressor body is rock-hard to spin by hand (if you can access it) → mechanically seized.
- New relay fitted, compressor hums loudly for 5-10 seconds then trips → likely a shorted winding or seized rotor.
- Fridge is 15+ years old, has had multiple repairs already → economic write-off.
If the fridge is past 12-15 years old and the compressor is genuinely gone, a new fridge is usually the smarter spend than a compressor swap + regas (which needs a refrigeration ticket — not DIY-legal in Australia).
FAQs
Q: My fridge clicks but the light still works — is it the power supply?
A: No — interior light runs off a separate circuit from the compressor. If the light works and the compressor clicks, power’s getting to the fridge. The fault is the PTC relay, overload, or compressor itself.
Q: How often should a fridge compressor cycle on and off?
A: Healthy fridges cycle the compressor roughly every 30-60 minutes — on for 15-25 minutes, off for 15-30 minutes. Clicking every 2-5 minutes with no run-time in between is the relay/overload symptom, not normal cycling.
Q: Can a power surge kill the PTC relay?
A: Yes — brownouts and surges are the #1 killer of PTC relays in Australian homes, especially regional areas and storm-prone Sydney suburbs. If your fridge died right after a power event, the relay is the first suspect.
Q: Will the 1441033 relay fit my Samsung / LG / Bosch / F&P fridge?
A: No — the 1441033 is a Westinghouse / Electrolux / Kelvinator platform part. Samsung, LG, Bosch and Fisher & Paykel use their own PTC relay formats and physical connector layouts. Run your model through the Part Finder for the exact relay match.
Q: My fridge is humming loudly but not cooling — same fix?
A: Different fault. Loud continuous humming with no cooling usually points to a refrigerant leak, blocked capillary tube, or a failed condenser fan — not the relay. The relay symptom is clicking with no sustained motor noise.
Q: I swapped the relay and now the fridge runs but isn’t cold — what next?
A: Compressor’s running but cooling has another fault — usually a low refrigerant charge (needs a licensed tech), blocked evaporator, or a defrost system fault. See our related fridge guides below.
Related guides
- Westinghouse fridge repair hub
- Fridge not cold but freezer works — sealed-system check
- LG fridge ER IF / ER FF errors — fan faults
- How to replace a fridge door seal
- Find your fridge model number
Ready to fix it?
- Run your fridge model through the Oz Appliance Spares Part Finder — model in, exact-fit relay out.
- Browse fridge parts
- Order before 12pm AEST → ships from our Sydney warehouse same day, Australia-wide.
