Re: Fridge compressor capacitors
There's various types of single phase induction motors..... they all need some sort of rotating field, either temporary or permanent, or a manual turn to get them started. Once they're going the simple oscillating field from the single phase will keep them going as long as the load doesn't stall them.
Capacitor Start where a capacitor feeds a second winding briefly before being disconnected by a centrifugal or time delay switch.
Capacitor Run where a capacitor feeds a second winding continuously.
Shaded Pole where a short circuit round part of the magnetic circuit generates a phase shift in part of the field.
Yours sounds like it might have been a capacitor start type where the capacitor and centrifugal switch arrangement has been replaced by the electronic starter you describe. Is there a largish (few uF ) ac rated capacitor in there?
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