On a refrigerator, the electrical relay diverts power to the compressor for the start and run phase of operation. The original relay for most vintage refrigerators were made of bake-a-lite and housed a series of bi-metallic contact points (see Sample photo of GE relay). The SR-8141 will replace the original relay on most all vintage refrigerators. A relay must match up to it's compressor's capacity, so be sure to check the horsepower rating on your original system. This information is typically provided on a small tag on or near the compressor. The SR-8141 is available in two horsepower ranges:
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1/12 - 1/5 HP
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1/4 - 1/3 HP
Because most vintage refrigerators lack original wiring diagrams and because color coding was not standardized, the installer should have a basic understanding of electrical circuitry in order to install this part. The SR-8141 comes with a basic wiring diagram; however, riginal wires may need to be traced to their terminal points.
