A fridge compressor price depends on three things: the horsepower, the refrigerant it is built for and whether you buy the part alone or have it fitted. Household fridges usually use a small 1/6 to 1/3 hp compressor, and the gas type on the rating sticker decides which one fits. Fitting means opening the sealed system, so it is a job for a qualified refrigeration technician. Send the model number, gas and fault, and suppliers and technicians near you quote on the part or the full job. It costs nothing to ask and there is no obligation.
Is it really the compressor?
Many fridges are written off for a compressor fault when the real problem is cheaper. Before you buy one, rule out the parts around it:
- A clicking sound every few minutes with the compressor not starting often means a failed start relay or overload, not a dead compressor.
- A compressor that runs but the fridge stays warm may have dirty condenser coils, a failed fan or a gas leak.
- No sound at all can be the plug, the thermostat or the board.
A technician measures the windings and the current draw before condemning it. Ask for that diagnosis in writing. If it turns out to be a control fault, see fridge thermostats.
Choosing the right compressor
A replacement must match the refrigerant (R600a and R134a compressors are not interchangeable), the capacity, the voltage and the type of start. Inverter fridges use variable-speed compressors driven by a board, and these generally need the matching inverter compressor and sometimes the board as well. A refrigeration wholesaler will match a fixed-speed unit from the capacity and gas listed on the old compressor and the rating sticker. Freezers usually need a compressor rated for low back pressure, so a unit built for a fridge may struggle in a chest freezer. Send a photo of the plate on the old compressor and the rating sticker; between them they give the supplier almost everything needed to match it.
What drives the cost
Shop prices are about R700 to R1,100 for the part, for 1/6 to 1/3 hp household sizes, depending on the model. Fitted with a regas, technicians often quote about R2,500 to R5,000. The fitted price covers recovering any gas, brazing in the new compressor and a new filter drier, pressure testing, pulling a vacuum and charging by weight. Inverter compressors and larger commercial units cost more. For bigger cold room machines, see condensing units.
Repair or replace the fridge
On a newer, larger fridge, a compressor swap usually pays. On an old small fridge, the fitted price can come close to a new one, and the seals, fans and liners are also ageing. Put the fitted quote next to the price of a comparable new fridge, and ask what guarantee is given on parts and labour, in writing, before you decide. If power cuts and load-shedding are common in your area, a surge protector or delay plug on the new compressor is cheap protection. A fridge repair quote can help you compare.
What to include in your request
- Model number and rating sticker photo
- Gas type and hp from the old compressor
- Part only, or fitted with a regas
- Any test result or diagnosis you already have
- Where the fridge is and how to reach it
Fridge Compressors for different clients
- Households: a new compressor fitted and regassed in a large family fridge that went warm
- Landlords, guest houses and B&Bs: a compressor swap in a landlord's fridge instead of buying a new one
- Shops, cafes and supermarkets: a replacement compressor for a bottle cooler that trips the plug point
- Restaurants, butcheries and caterers: a compressor for an under-counter fridge or prep freezer in a busy kitchen
- Farms, packhouses and dairies: a compressor for the farm chest freezer after a lightning surge
- Factories and cold stores: compressors held as spares for canteen and staff room fridges
- Schools, clinics and public buildings: a compressor quote for a clinic or school kitchen fridge
- Technicians and repairers: R600a and R134a compressors in common sizes bought for repair jobs
Frequently asked questions
How much is a fridge compressor?
Can I fit a fridge compressor myself?
What are the signs of a failed compressor?
Do you sell compressors?
Fridge Compressors by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg