Is the outlet, plug, or cord suspect?
Remove extension cords and power strips. Test the same outlet with a simple lamp or load. Stop for heat marks, loose fit, or another breaker trip.
Freezer startup problem
Danby Chest Freezer Clicks but Won't Start? Check Power and Relay
Direct answer: If the Danby chest freezer clicks but will not start, check the outlet, plug fit, cord, and compressor heat before blaming the control board. A good clue is click-buzz-click after good power and a cool, clean compressor area; inspect the start relay/overload with the freezer unplugged.
Most likely: The useful split is power, heat, or start circuit. Watch for a loose outlet, a dusty hot compressor area, or a relay that rattles, smells burned, or looks cracked.
Use the first minute to sort the sound: dead outlet, single click, brief buzz, hot compressor, or a failure that started after the freezer was moved.
Don’t start with: Do not keep plugging it back in while the compressor is hot. Unplug it, let it cool, and leave compressor or refrigerant work to an appliance tech.
Interior light or display is deadStart with outlet, breaker, GFCI, plug fit, and cord damage before opening the freezer.
Click, short buzz, then another clickLet the compressor cool, clean the airflow area, then inspect the start relay/overload with power unplugged.
Do this first
- Unplug the freezer if the compressor shell is too hot to touch.
- Move food to another freezer or a cooler if it is thawing.
- Plug the freezer directly into a wall outlet for diagnosis, not a power strip or extension cord.
- Stop if the outlet is loose, warm, scorched, or trips the breaker again.
- Do not remove compressor covers until the freezer is unplugged.
- Do not cut refrigerant tubing or attempt compressor replacement.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-14
60-second startup check
Is the compressor too hot to touch?
Unplug the freezer and let it cool. Clean the lower rear airflow area before trying one controlled restart.
Do you hear click-buzz-click every few minutes?
That pattern points toward the compressor start relay/overload or a hard-starting compressor after power and airflow check out.
Was the freezer moved or tipped?
Leave it upright and unplugged for several hours before testing. Check for a jarred loose plug, damaged cord, or loose start device.
Does a good outlet still produce only a click?
Listen near the lower rear compartment and inspect the start relay/overload with the freezer unplugged.
Did a correct start device not change anything?
If the correct start relay/overload still leaves the freezer at click-buzz-click, stop the DIY path. A locked compressor or sealed-system problem needs appliance service, not another guess-buy part.
Check power and compressor clues before parts
A clicking Danby chest freezer can fool you. The same noise can come from weak wall power, an overheated compressor area, or a failed start relay/overload.
Before you buy anything
Copy the full model number from the Danby tag before you shop. A start relay belongs in the cart only after the outlet and cord check out, the compressor has cooled, the airflow area is clean, and click-buzz-click still points at the start device.
What is probably happening
The click is usually the compressor trying to start or the overload opening to protect it. Check the outlet and cord first, then let the compressor cool and clean the airflow area; what happens on the next controlled restart decides whether the start relay/overload belongs in the parts list.
- Weak power: a loose receptacle, tripped GFCI, damaged cord, or light-duty extension cord can let the freezer click without giving the compressor a clean start.
- Heat trip: dust, blocked clearance, or a very hot room can make the compressor run hot until the overload opens with a click.
- Start-device failure: a relay/overload can crack, burn, rattle, or stop giving the compressor the extra push it needs at startup.
- Moved-freezer trouble: a recent move can jar a weak connection, damage a cord, or leave the compressor needing upright settling time.
- Compressor failure: this moves up only after power, airflow, and the correct start device are ruled out.
- Control-board guessing: this symptom rarely starts there, so do not make the board your first part.
What not to do
Do not let one click turn into a parts order. Let the compressor cool, plug the freezer directly into the wall, and inspect the start device only after the power and airflow checks point there.
- Do not keep hot-starting the compressor every few minutes.
- Do not run the freezer through a power strip or light-duty extension cord.
- Do not order a compressor or control board just because the freezer clicks.
- Do not pry on compressor terminals or force the start device if it will not release cleanly.
- Do not replace parts without the full Danby model number.
- Do not open refrigerant tubing or treat compressor replacement as a homeowner repair.
Step-by-step fix
Work from outside the freezer inward. These checks do not require powered wiring work inside the compressor compartment.
- Step 1: Unplug the freezer and let a hot compressor cool. A hot overload can click even when the deeper problem is heat buildup.
- Step 2: Remove any extension cord, splitter, or power strip. Plug a simple lamp or load into the same wall outlet and check whether the freezer plug fits tightly.
- Step 3: Inspect the freezer cord and plug blades. Stop for cuts, crushed insulation, melted plastic, scorch marks, or a plug that gets warm.
- Step 4: Pull the freezer out enough to see the lower rear area. Vacuum dust and lint from accessible vents, compressor surfaces, and condenser areas without disturbing tubing.
- Step 5: Plug the freezer directly into the wall and listen from the lower rear. Note click only, click-buzz-click, or a smooth steady hum.
- Step 6: With the freezer unplugged again, inspect the start relay/overload on the compressor side if it is safely accessible. Look for cracked plastic, charring, melted terminals, burnt odor, or loose rattling pieces.
- Step 7: Replace the start relay/overload only when the symptom and inspection support it. Stop if the correct part does not change the startup behavior.
What the checks tell you
Use the result to choose the next move. The goal is to stop guessing before the repair gets expensive.
| What you found | What it usually means | Best next move |
|---|---|---|
| Outlet is loose, warm, scorched, or trips again | House-side power problem | Leave the freezer unplugged and fix the outlet or circuit first. |
| Freezer starts on a direct wall outlet | Extension cord, power strip, or weak connection was the problem | Keep it on the wall outlet and watch temperature recovery. |
| Compressor is very hot and area is dusty | Overload may be opening from heat | Clean airflow, let it cool, then try one controlled restart. |
| Click-buzz-click returns with good power and clean airflow | Start relay/overload or hard-starting compressor | Inspect the start device with the freezer unplugged. |
| Start device is burnt, cracked, melted, or rattles | Start relay/overload failure is supported | Order the exact matching part by model number and compressor layout. |
| Correct new start device changes nothing | Compressor or sealed-system failure is likely | Stop DIY and get an appliance diagnosis before spending more. |
Tools You May Need
These tools are for basic homeowner checks with the freezer unplugged or at the wall outlet. They are not permission to work on energized appliance wiring.
Inspection flashlight
Helps when: You need to see the plug, wall outlet, cord jacket, compressor compartment, and start-device damage without guessing in a dark corner.
Skip it when: The freezer must be tipped, wiring is burnt, or access would require forcing panels.
Compare inspection flashlights on Amazon
Vacuum with brush attachment
Helps when: Dust or pet hair is packed around lower rear vents, the condenser area, or the compressor base.
Skip it when: Cleaning would pull on wires, bend tubing, or push debris deeper into the compartment.
Compare vacuum brush attachments on Amazon
Work gloves
Helps when: You are reaching around sharp sheet-metal edges after the freezer is unplugged and the compressor has cooled.
Skip it when: The compressor is still hot or the access area has burnt wiring.
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Outlet tester
Helps when: You want a simple check for an accessible wall outlet before blaming the freezer.
Skip it when: The outlet is scorched, loose, hot, or the breaker trips again. That is an electrician path.
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Replacement Parts
Buy parts only after the freezer passes the power and airflow checks. Danby freezer start parts are model-specific, and lookalike relays can have different ratings or terminal layouts.
Freezer compressor start relay and overload assembly
Helps when: The freezer has click-buzz-click, good wall power, a cooled and cleaned compressor area, and the old start device is burnt, cracked, melted, or rattles.
Skip it when: The outlet is loose, warm, scorched, or untested. Also skip it if the compressor is still hot from dust, or the listing does not match the full Danby model number and compressor layout.
Compare start relay assemblies on Amazon
Freezer overload protector
Helps when: Your parts diagram lists the overload separately and the existing overload is heat-damaged or sold as the correct matching piece.
Skip it when: The parts diagram calls for a combined relay/overload assembly, or click-buzz-click returns after good power, clean airflow, and the correct start device. That points past this part to appliance service.
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What to write down before service
Good notes keep the service call short and help prevent another round of parts guessing.
- Full Danby model number and serial number from the rating tag.
- Whether the freezer was recently moved, tipped, cleaned, or plugged into a different outlet.
- The exact sound pattern: single click, click-buzz-click, or steady hum.
- Whether the compressor was too hot to touch before you unplugged it.
- Outlet result: direct wall outlet, loose plug, tripped GFCI, breaker trip, or visible heat damage.
- Start-device result: normal looking, burnt, cracked, melted, burnt smell, or rattling pieces.
- Temperature result after several hours and after about 24 hours if it starts running again.
FAQ
Why does my Danby chest freezer click but not start?
The compressor is usually trying to start and dropping out. Check wall power, cord condition, compressor heat, airflow, and the start relay/overload before buying parts.
Can an extension cord make a freezer click?
Yes. A light-duty extension cord or power strip can drop voltage at startup. Test the freezer directly at a solid wall outlet before judging the start relay.
What does click-buzz-click mean?
It usually means the compressor is being asked to start, buzzes briefly, then trips off on overload. The start relay/overload is high on the list after power and airflow check out.
Should I replace the start relay first?
Only if the symptom supports it. Buy the start relay/overload after good wall power, a cooled and cleaned compressor area, and visible or likely start-device failure.
How do I know if the start relay is bad?
Strong clues are cracked plastic, melted spots, a sharp burnt smell, loose rattling pieces, or repeated click-buzz-click with good power and clean airflow.
What if the compressor is too hot to touch?
Unplug the freezer and let it cool. Clean the lower rear airflow area, then try one controlled restart. Repeated hot restarts are hard on the compressor.
What if it started after the freezer was moved?
Leave the freezer upright and unplugged for several hours if it was tipped. Then check the cord, plug, outlet, and any start device that may have been jarred loose.
Can dirty coils or blocked airflow stop startup?
They can contribute. Heat buildup can make the overload click off before the freezer gets through startup, especially when the compressor area is packed with dust.
What if a new start relay does not fix it?
Stop buying parts. With good power and the correct start device, the remaining likely path is a hard-starting or failed compressor, which needs appliance service.
Is compressor replacement a DIY repair?
No. Compressor and sealed-system work involves refrigerant, specialized tools, and testing beyond basic homeowner repair.
How this page was built
Repair Riot built this page around homeowner-visible clues: wall power, compressor heat, airflow, start-device damage, and the point where compressor work stops being DIY.
- Danby product manuals — Danby tells owners to use the model number to find the correct owner's manual
- Danby customer support — official support path for model-specific freezer help
- Danby Parts Canada freezer category — model-specific freezer parts categories and part lookup context