DIY refrigerator zil repair

Hello to all members of the forum!
Repair of the ZIL-64 KSH 260P Refrigerator

I have read the instructions for replacing the starting protection relay RTK-X (M) of the compressor. I didn't quite understand how to get to the terminals, remove the relay and replace it with a working one. Those. I just can't get close because of the cross member that secures the compressor. The hand does not fit.

I read from the instructions on the internet:
[quote] Replacing the relay. Unscrew the two screws that fix the condenser to the rear wall of the refrigerator, as well as the four bolts that fix the unit at the bottom of the rear wall. Move the unit away from the refrigerator. Remove the spring clip for fastening the relay. Disconnect two wires of the electrical circuit from the terminals of the relay and with a slight sway, pulling it towards you, remove the relay from the plug connectors. [/ Quote]

My capacitor is secured with four screws. Unscrew the bottom 1 and 2?
I see four bolts (3,4,5,6), but the question is - what else is the compressor holding on to, or will it hang on two tubes? Will break them under the weight.
And the same question about the condenser: if you unscrew all 4 screws and move aside, then it will stand on two thin tubes. It breaks down.

And also to replace the thermostat. Did I understand correctly:

1. Pull the thermostat adjustment wheel to the right by swinging it.
2. To remove the protective grill of the evaporator, unscrew the screws 7 and 8.
3. Do the latches in the far corners of the grill come out without any tricks?
4. Is there anything else you need to do to remove the protective grill of the evaporator?
5. Do I need to unscrew the 2 screws behind the freezer door handle on the left?
6. Advice to lubricate the end of the thermostat tube with baby cream - is it serious or is it a joke?

Malfunctions of ZiL refrigerators are somewhat different from modern models. Now they are no longer produced. Traditionally, these were single-compartment refrigerators with built-in small freezers located at the top. As an exception, three-chamber models can be called, but they were produced in very limited quantities and, as a rule, for especially important people. Therefore, more often we have to fix malfunctions of the ZIL refrigerator of a standard design.

Most frequent breakdowns

A master who works only with refrigerators of a new generation may get confused when diagnosing this technique. Malfunctions of ZiL refrigerators and the method of elimination are well known only to experienced specialists. It refers to frequent breakdowns of rare Soviet equipment.

Evaporator duct corrosion

In the first models of refrigerators, the evaporators were made of stainless steel, due to which they were extremely reliable - many of them still work and do not require repair. But since these evaporators were expensive and difficult to manufacture, with the advent of competition in the market, they were replaced by aluminum counterparts.

The most unsuccessful are the models of the last release after 1986. Through corrosion of the evaporator appeared in them for ten years, which, of course, was accompanied by the leakage of freon. This is partly due to the design features of the box in which they are placed. A corrosive medium gradually formed between the box and the channels, corroding the metal. Moreover, there can be a lot of corrosion centers, so the only solution is to change the evaporator completely, and sometimes complete with a coil. Therefore, in case of insufficient cooling, the craftsmen first of all assume the corrosion of the evaporator channel.

In mechanical refrigerators, the type of thermostat depended on the response temperature threshold. In the first refrigerators, the temperature in the freezer was no lower than -6C.In later models, it reached -12C and -18C. Different thermostats were used in each case. In early refrigerators, they were attached to the evaporator, were extremely reliable - they worked without problems for 20-30 years.

Then they introduced an innovation - an analogue of a modern crying evaporator, which thaws every cycle. Because of this, the thermostat bellows is alternately frozen and thawed. Due to this design feature, the tip of the bellows tube is quickly destroyed and the thermostat breaks, leading to an open circuit in the power supply to the refrigerator motor. If the refrigerator does not turn on, then the problem is most likely in the thermostat.

Mechanical damage to pipelines

The motors on these refrigerators, when turned on, had a certain amplitude. Incorrect suspension adjustment leads to friction of the pipes against the refrigerator, which not only causes inconvenience to the user, but also leads to chafing of the copper pipes. Also, the constant oscillation of the compressor led to cracks in the tubes.

As a result, freon leaks. The leak is eliminated, if necessary, the section of the pipe is changed, after which it is again charged with refrigerant. Later refrigerators began to use internally suspended compressors and the frequency of breakdowns decreased. In case of mechanical damage, leakage, the compressor works non-stop.

Failure of the starter relay

Start-up relays in these refrigerators are unpretentious, they turn on the compressor even at low voltages below 180 Volts. But, despite the high quality of the parts, their core is gradually destroyed and sticking occurs. The item can only be replaced.

Sign of a breakdown of the relay - the refrigerator starts up, starts working and turns off. A compressor breakdown is not excluded, but these refrigerators are extremely reliable and still work without problems.

If your ZiL refrigerator is broken, and you do not know where to go for repairs, call the specialists of the "Gnome Workshop". They are perfectly familiar with the structure and problems of this refrigerator. All work will be carried out efficiently and in a short time.

The article may be of interest to those readers who are independently engaged in the repair of household appliances.

ZIL refrigerators in Soviet times were in deserved demand among citizens due to their reliability. For some, these refrigerators still work. Someone in the country, and someone in a city apartment.

- Ancient scary monster! Not modern and not trendy! Archaeological disgrace!

So in my kitchen there was a ZIL-64 KSh-290l refrigerator (with a “rectangular” door), which has served faithfully since 1988.

But nothing is eternal. One day it stopped working. The symptoms were as follows: the engine started for 1-2 seconds and turned off. After 30-40 seconds, everything was repeated.

Buying a new refrigerator in these difficult times is a serious blow to the family budget.

- That's kakbe yes! I would like to update the garderob by spring! Oh yes! And I need a new bag! Better 2! And an umbrella! What is there! Everything is simply necessary! Sweetheart and the nicest, do your best! Oh please!

Calling a repairman for repairs is not a cheap pleasure, and the quality of repairs also leaves much to be desired. Already once "burned" on this. Usually, after the repair, the foreman gives a 1 year guarantee for his work. Indeed, a little over a year later, the refrigerator again requires expensive repairs. It is clear why - everyone wants to eat deliciously and drink sweetly!

- And we did not even doubt!

Having suffered with such a refrigerator for 2-3 years, you come to the conclusion that it would be better to immediately buy a new one!

Therefore, it was decided to try to repair the “veteran” on our own, and first to carry out diagnostics in order to at least roughly estimate the possible material costs. To do this, I used the Yandex search engine, which, as you know, has everything.

- And some people go there and not for this! I just looked where and what you were interested in, now I know everything!

At my request "Do-it-yourself ZIL refrigerator repair" Yandex helpfully gave several dozen answers. But all the advice one way or another boiled down to the fact that the unit is 95% faulty. And the foreman is right here and now ready to leave to replace him. Well, the specialist knows better. However, it was this that confused: to ANY question from readers, almost all the masters gave an unequivocal answer - the unit is faulty. It does not matter which symptoms of malfunctions are listed. Although in the same description for the refrigerator, the failure of the starting-protective relay was indicated as a probable cause of the malfunction. But no! On an attempt to talk about a relay, the masters indignantly asked - What are you, a specialist in refrigerators? Not? Then just replace the unit! Immediately! The cost of work is from 4000 rubles. And higher!

It is understandable, no one wants to be engaged in replacing the relay for a penny, everyone wants to breed suckers-clients for expensive repairs.

- And this was even in the hairdresser's! Everywhere! Crooks!

What should I do? I decided to try it myself, although not a master. Optimism was added by the fact that the engine was started, albeit for a short time. Again, I can’t make it worse, because it’s worse than ever!

By this time, all the products were taken out of the refrigerator and transferred to the balcony, since it was cool outside.

- And something was eaten on the way! Most delicious! But imperceptibly! And then a million grief! Because the diet! Strict!

The sequence of actions was as follows:

1. Disconnect the refrigerator from the network (if it was still turned on before!)

2. Remove the tray from under the refrigerator, which serves to collect water during self-defrosting.

3. Carefully move or unfold the refrigerator so that you get free access to its back wall. This is not difficult since it is on casters.

4. Use a screwdriver to unscrew the 4 self-tapping screws that secure the bottom cover and remove it.

- Took up the whole kitchen for the whole day! Went with a friend for a walk in the park, and then turned into a cafe! I liked everything very much!

5. We find the relay, which is attached to the unit on the left side, when looking at the back wall. A relay is a small plastic box about 4.5 x 4.5 cm in size. For convenience, you can illuminate it with a table lamp.

6. Use a screwdriver to snap off the metal bracket that fixes the relay.

7. Swinging the relay from side to side, carefully remove it from the socket. It is advisable to pre-remember (sketch, photograph) its position in order to install the new relay in the same way.

8. Remove two clamps with wires from the relay.

For greater confidence, the relay can be disassembled and inspected. To do this, unscrew two self-tapping screws located diagonally from the lower side of the relay (where there are three sockets). Remove the cover.

A visual inspection revealed the destruction of the drive of the moving contacts (see photo at the beginning of the article). Repair of the relay was deemed impractical. To buy it, I returned to my computer again. For my refrigerator model, the relay type is RTK-X (M). There are a lot of offers in Moscow, the price range is from 500 to 700 rubles. There was no point in looking for the cheapest relay, so I bought it at the nearest store “Quartz” for 600 rubles.

Arriving home, I attached clips with wires to the new relay and installed it in place. I clicked on the retaining bracket and decided to check. I plugged the refrigerator into the mains. And oh, a miracle! It worked! I let him work for 7-10 minutes, then opened the freezer compartment door and touched the top of the evaporator with his hand. She got cold! The conclusion is unambiguous: the unit is in good working order, the refrigerant did not leak out, otherwise it would not cool. The refrigerator can be operated further without forgetting to install the back wall. To do this, be sure to turn off the refrigerator again from the network.

As you can see, there is nothing difficult to repair. You don't need a special tool either - just one screwdriver is enough.Some difficulties can be caused by the installation of the fixing bracket - it is quite rigid. But after a couple of unsuccessful attempts, she fell into place.

Yes, I almost forgot. Since the refrigerator has been pushed away from the wall, it is advisable to vacuum the radiator. For many years of operation, a lot of dust accumulates on it.

Similarly, you can try to repair the ZIL refrigerator of an earlier model (with an “oval” door). The procedure is the same, only there is no bottom cover and the type of relay will be completely different. When buying a new relay, be sure to check what voltage this relay is designed for. They are 220 Volts and 127 Volts (very old models). You need the voltage that your refrigerator is designed for.

That's all. I would be glad if this article will help you in the sacred matter of saving your family budget!

- Well done! Best of all because! Smack, smack! And how dirty the kitchen! I will not wash the floors! I am very tired today! Was busy all day!
- Mistress! A bottle would be needed! Wash repairs!

P.S. At the dacha there is a similar faulty refrigerator with similar symptoms. I will try to repair it in the summer. I will report on the results.

- Fine! You can always save money if you want to and I will spend it on serious things! Smack!

The refrigerator is a metal cabinet 6 (Fig. 1) of a welded structure with a built-in refrigeration unit. Inside the cabinet there is a refrigerating compartment 2 with shelves 1 for food products. The refrigerating chamber is fenced off from the outer walls with a layer of thermal insulation 10. In front, the chamber is closed by a door that has double walls with thermal insulation between them. To protect the chamber from heat penetration into it through the doorway (when the door is closed), an elastic rubber seal is placed on the inner wall of the door. The necessary adhesion of the seal to the cabinet is ensured by means of the shutter 8.

The sealed motor-compressor 14 of the refrigeration unit is located in the lower part of the cabinet in compartment 13. The condenser 9 of the unit is fixed on the rear wall of the refrigerator cabinet.

Rice. one. Refrigerator "Zil-Moscow" KX-240:

Condenser and evaporator 11 are aluminum with ducts blown up in the sheet (rolled-welded type). On the rear wall of the evaporator there is a collector with a drying silica gel cartridge. The evaporator is anodized and varnished to protect against corrosion, the condenser is painted. Condenser and evaporator with copper piping are connected using copper-aluminum tubes, pre-welded butt welded.

A full-width freezer compartment is integrated in the upper part of the chamber for storing frozen food and placing trays for making ice. Under the freezer compartment, there is a thermoplastic tray 4 designed to drain water when the snow cover is removed from the evaporator walls. The refrigerating chamber is metal, welded, covered with silicate enamel, which protects it from corrosion. It contains four shelves, extruded from aluminum, illuminated and varnished. The available additional supports allow you to move the shelves in height in relation to the dishes to be installed. In the lower part of the chamber there is a drawer for vegetables and fruits, closed with a glass lid. For the convenience of placing bottles with drinks and milk, eggs and butter, special shelves and nests are arranged on the inner panel 7 of the door. The doorway of the cabinet is lined with plastic plates. Thin fiberglass is used as thermal insulation in the refrigerator.

The set temperature in the chamber is maintained by means of a thermostat 5, the scale of which has divisions that determine the temperature regime of the refrigerator. The chamber is equipped with an electric lamp 3, which automatically turns on when the cabinet door is opened, which has a trigger with a key.

Unscrew the 10 self-tapping screws on the rear wall of the refrigerator, which secure the hatch cover, and remove it. Remove the thermal insulation from the hatch.Remove sealing rubber from pipe and wiring in electrical wiring diagram. Bend back the 12 mounting brackets on the aluminum reflector covering the hole in the top of the inner cabinet. Unscrew the two screws securing the evaporator to the uprights at the top of the refrigerator compartment and remove the evaporator door restraints. Remove the drip tray from under the evaporator, loosen the two screws on the strap securing the thermostat bellows tube to the evaporator (left side) and disconnect the bellows tube.

Carefully pull the evaporator towards you and remove it from the rubber slots on the back of the inner cabinet. Pull out the evaporator through the opening on the rear wall of the refrigerator cabinet. Unscrew the two self-tapping screws securing the condenser in the upper part and the four bolts securing the unit to the lower part of the rear wall of the refrigerator.

Disconnect two wires from the thermal relay (RTP-1). Remove the unit from the cabinet and tie the evaporator to the condenser.

Now start installing the new unit. Loosen the transport bolts on the motor-compressor. Connect the two wires to the relay. Insert the evaporator into the hatch. Attach the condenser to the back wall. Insert the evaporator into the rubber slots on the back of the inner cabinet. Insert the evaporator door stops and fix the evaporator with two screws on the brackets fixed on the upper inner wall of the cabinet. Connect the thermostat bellows tube to the evaporator and secure it with two screws and a strap. Insert the tube between the textolite gasket and the tube mounting plate.

Straighten the bent brackets on the reflector for its subsequent attachment to the refrigerator cabinet. Insert an aluminum reflector through the open cabinet door. Lower the bulb holder into the refrigerator compartment and insert the bulb into the lower cutout on the reflector. Insert reflector into hatch. In the upper part of the reflector there is a cut-out for the suction and capillary pipes of the refrigeration unit. If the tubes do not fit under the cutout in the reflector, they should be carefully folded down so that they line up with the hole in the reflector. While supporting the reflector with your hand from the inside of the refrigerator compartment, bend the brackets that attach the reflector to the inner cabinet, while the brackets must be firmly pressed against the side of the inner cabinet.

Insert sealing rubber into the cutout on the reflector under the capillary and suction tubes. Insert thermal insulation into the hatch on the rear wall. Close the hatch with the rear cover and secure it around the edges with the two top screws.

Bend the suction and capillary tubes of the unit in such a way that they pass in the center of the hatch and coincide with the recess on the rear hatch cover. Put sealing rubber on the wiring harness and on the suction and capillary pipes through the recess in the rear hatch cover. Fasten the rear hatch cover with the screws. Check if the refrigerator is switched on. If necessary, eliminate the noise of the refrigerator by adjusting the suspension of the motor-compressor or by bending the discharge and suction tubes in their places of contact with the casing of the motor-compressor, condenser or refrigerator cabinet.

Open the cabinet door and the evaporator door. Loosen the two screws securing the bellows tube to the evaporator and remove the thermostat knob. Unscrew the two screws securing the thermostat shield to the upper decorative strip and remove the shield. Unscrew the two screws securing the thermostat to the inner strip. Pull the thermostat towards you and disconnect from its clamps two conductors going to the refrigerator wiring diagram. Carefully pull the thermostat towards you and at the same time pull out the bellows tubes through the opening in the upper part of the refrigerating chamber.

On the new thermostat, straighten the bellows tube. Lift the thermal insulation with a screwdriver and insert the thermostat bellows tube into the hole on the outside of the cabinet (in the upper part of the refrigerator compartment).Install the thermostat so that the clamps for connecting the wires from the electrical circuit are on the left side, and connect two wires from the electrical circuit to them.

Insert the thermostat into the socket and fix it with two screws on the strip (on the two outer holes). Install and fix the shield with two screws, put the handle, bend the bellows tube along the evaporator walls and fix the end of the tube to the evaporator with a bar and two screws.

Unscrew the two screws securing the condenser to the rear wall of the refrigerator, as well as the four bolts that secure the unit to the lower part of the rear wall, and move the unit away from the refrigerator. Remove the relay retaining spring clip. Disconnect the two wires of the electrical circuit from the terminals of the relay and with a slight swing, pulling towards you, remove the relay from the plug connectors.

Install the new relay so that the arrow on its inner side points up.

The device of the refrigerator is approximately the same as the previous one (see. rice. one.).

Open the evaporator door and, while holding it, unscrew the four screws 5 (Fig. 2) with Phillips head.

Rice. 2... Evaporator door of the Zil-Moscow refrigerator KSh-240 mod.62:

The refrigerator most often breaks down at the most inopportune moment. What was the reason, how serious the breakdown is, how it can be fixed - the summary table of refrigerator malfunctions will help to answer these questions.

Classic refrigerator (without No Frost system) works as follows:

The motor - compressor (1), sucks in gaseous freon from the evaporator, compresses it, and pushes it through the filter (6) into the condenser (7).
Freon heated by compression in the condenser
cools down to room temperature and finally turns into a liquid state.
Liquid freon, under pressure, through the opening of the capillary (8) enters the inner cavity of the evaporator (5), turns into a gaseous state, as a result of which, it takes away heat from the walls of the evaporator, and the evaporator, in turn, cools the inner space of the refrigerator.
This process is repeated until
reaching the temperature of the evaporator walls set by the thermostat (3).
When the required temperature is reached, the thermostat opens the electrical circuit and the compressor stops.
After a while, the temperature in the refrigerator (due to external factors) begins to rise, the thermostat contacts close,
using the protective and starting relay (2), the electric motor of the motor-compressor is started and the whole cycle is repeated from the beginning (see point 1)

Now that we are familiar with the refrigerator device, we propose the following sequence of actions:

Try to identify the problem. in the vast majority of cases, this is not difficult by following the instructions for troubleshooting.

If possible, repair it yourself. A person who is familiar with the device of the refrigerator and has a minimum set of tools is able to eliminate most of the malfunctions not related to depressurization of the system.

If self-repair is not possible, choose a company, determine the cost of repairs and call a master.

At the end of the repair, adhere to the recommendations for operating the refrigerator.

The sequence of actions to identify the failed part and recommendations for repair. For compressor refrigerators without No Frost system.

Check the voltage in the outlet, it should be in the range of 200-240 Volts, if this is not the case, the refrigerator is not obliged to work (although it may work for a while, especially the old models.)

All repair work must be carried out with the refrigerator unplugged and defrosted!

a) Check if the light inside the refrigerator is on, if it used to be on, but now it is not - there is a malfunction in the power cord or electrical plug (this is a fairly common malfunction and it is not necessary to call a refrigerator repair technician to fix it).

b) If the light comes on, the first thing to do is to check the thermostat:

- we find two wires suitable for the thermostat, remove them from the terminals and connect them together. If
the refrigerator will then work - we change the thermostat and the repair is completed.

c) If the thermostat is working properly. In the same way, we check the button for defrosting the refrigerator.

d) For further diagnostics, you will need an ohmmeter. We disconnect and call the starting and protective relay (they can be assembled in one case), if we find an open circuit, we replace the defective part.

e) The electric motor of the motor-compressor remains, it is difficult to replace it without the participation of a specialist, but since we got to it, it is worth finding out what exactly the malfunction is. There may be three defects in this unit:

- winding breakage;
- turn-to-turn closure of the winding;
- short circuit to the motor compressor case;

How to identify them is generally clear: all three contacts of the electric motor should ring among themselves and not ring with the case. If the resistance between any two contacts is less than 20 ohms, this may indicate an interturn closure.

f) If you carefully completed the previous points and did not find a malfunction, this most likely indicates oxidation of the contacts in one of the connections of the refrigerator electrical circuit. Carefully inspect and clean all the contact groups that you disassembled, restore the refrigerator circuit in the reverse order - the refrigerator should work.

1 - electric motor
motor-compressor
1.1 - working winding
1.2 - starting winding

3 - thermostat contacts

10 - defrost button

11 - protection relay
11.1 - bimetallic plate
11.2 - relay contacts

12 - starting relay
12.1 - relay coil
12.2 - relay contacts

a) Defect in the bimetallic plate 11.1 of the protective relay: determine the malfunction and replace the part.
b) Defective coil (or other current sensor) 12.1 starting relay: determine the malfunction and replace the part.
c) Breakage of the starting winding of the electric motor 1.2: we determine the malfunction and call the repairman of refrigerators to replace the motor-compressor.

a) Freon leakage: Determined as follows - if the compressor is running and the amount of freon is normal, the condenser should heat up, touch it with your hand (carefully, it can heat up to 70 degrees), if after prolonged engine operation it remains cold, then the system is depressurizing ... Disconnect the refrigerator from the network and call the wizard.
b) Violation of the thermostat regulation. The device can be temporarily replaced with a known good one, if the refrigerator works in normal mode - return the faulty thermostat for adjustment.
c) Decreased performance of the motor-compressor. This is a hard-to-diagnose malfunction, call the wizard

a) Violation of the thermostat regulation. The device can be temporarily replaced with a known good one, if the refrigerator works in normal mode - return the faulty thermostat for adjustment.
b) The rubber of the refrigerator door seal has lost its shape and elasticity. If the door does not close tightly, warm air will enter the refrigerator, the temperature regime will not be maintained and the motor-compressor will work with increased load. Inspect the seal carefully, if it is defective, replace it. (see also next point)
c) The door of the refrigerator led. The door geometry is adjusted by changing the tension of the two diagonal rods located under the door panel. For more information on how to adjust the door, see Removing gaps in refrigerator doors.
d) Decreased performance of the motor-compressor. This is a hard-to-diagnose malfunction, call the wizard

a) If the refrigerator turns off from time to time, but the temperature in it is too low - slightly turn the thermostat knob counterclockwise, if this does not help - see.Violation of regulation of the thermostat
b) The fast freezing button is forgotten in the pressed position - turn it off.

Many malfunctions that subsequently lead to costly repairs to the refrigerator arise as a result of improper operation of the unit. Here are some simple tips:
a) If the refrigerator has been turned off for any reason, wait five minutes before turning it on again. This process can be automated, see the timer to delay the inclusion of the refrigerator

b) If the refrigerator has been defrosted, do not load it with food before it runs empty for one cycle and turns off.

c) Do not set the thermostat pointer further than the middle of the scale, this will not give a significant gain in temperature, and the engine will work in a hard mode.

d) On some refrigerators, a “crying evaporator” is located in the back of the refrigerator compartment (on the back wall). Do not lean food against it and do not forget to clean the water drain underneath.

e) When defrosting the refrigerator, it is unacceptable to pick off the ice using hard objects, defrost only with warm water.

f) On some refrigerators there is a “quick freeze” button (usually yellow), this button closes the thermostat contacts and the engine runs without shutting down. Do not forget this button is pressed.

g) Do not store vegetable oil in the refrigerator, oil is not required, and the rubber of the refrigerator door seal loses its elasticity.

h) Do not place the refrigerator near heating appliances.

The reason for the appearance of water in the refrigerating chamber is defrosting, as a result of improper operation or loss of tightness. Even a small puddle is a bad sign. The refrigerator has time to thaw and flow - look for leaks, as a rule, the sealing rubber does not fit tightly in the door. However, the reason may be trivial, the refrigerator doors were not closed tightly.

The USSR collapsed a long time ago, many factories modernized or completely replaced production lines that produced household appliances. But some engineering projects still surprise with their reliability, despite the imperfect operating conditions.

One such example is the ZiL refrigerator - a truly "indestructible" technique, which can still be found in the kitchens of our apartments or summer cottages. What is the secret of such longevity? Let's try to figure it out.

The starting point for the start of production of domestic compression refrigerators operating on freon is considered to be the Decree of September 7, 1949, by order of which a design bureau was created at the Moscow plant named after J.V. Stalin.

It was here that the drawings were developed and prepared for the manufacture of small 85-liter units "Saratov" and more spacious 165-liter ZILs.

The prototype for the first refrigerator "ZiS-Moscow" was a sample of the pre-war production of the USA. One of the "premiere" devices, by the way, was presented to Brezhnev and received a high appraisal from that.

But in the difficult post-war times, the people were not able to purchase expensive equipment - at first the plant had serious problems with sales, but after a couple of five-year plans, the line for products was scheduled for many years in advance.

More than 5 million ZILs were collected at the Likhachev plant, but after the collapse of the Union, foreign manufacturers appeared on the market.

Domestic technology could not compete with them due to interruptions in funding for new developments and incorrect marketing policies.

In order to stay afloat, the management began to reduce the quality of products, “turn a blind eye” to various defects, which immediately affected consumer demand.

In 2016, the legendary Likhachev plant celebrated its centenary, but the restoration of its production capacity is out of the question - most of the workshops were demolished for the construction of a new residential neighborhood.

The main secret of the longevity of Soviet refrigerators is the high quality of all parts., from body materials to all components.

For a long time, these devices belonged to the elite technology, which is far from accessible to everyone: a third of the output volume was exported, the same amount was sold in Moscow, and the rest was released on orders for high officials from various cities of the Union.

Advantages of ZIL refrigerators:

• stylish (at that time) appearance;
• high-quality assembly;
• thick-walled sturdy body;
• durable, height adjustable, odorless and easy to clean shelves;
• loyalty to voltage drops in the network;
• easy disassembly and high maintainability.

Each product has undergone strict quality control. Even a fully functional device could be rejected if there were only minor scratches or minor irregularities on the welded material of the body.

But in other factories that produce refrigerators, such nuances were not considered defects.

High standards were placed on every detail. There are cases when whole wagons with blanks were rejected, on which spots or deviations in the color of the surface were found.

Components that did not pass the control were redirected to other, less "fastidious" factories. Such a tough position became the main reason why the ZiL brand has long been considered the manufacturer of the most reliable refrigerators in the Union.

At the Likhachev plant, several lines of ZiLs were created, each of which had its own indisputable advantages at that time.

Of course, there were some drawbacks, but in terms of service life, Soviet refrigerators leave modern appliances far behind, and many of them faithfully serve their owners to this day. Let's take a closer look at the ZiL model range.

The flagship of the enterprise was assembled at the plant from 1951 to 1960. The first "swallow" of the design bureau of the plant. Likhachev had a small freezer with a volume of 8 liters, a stainless steel evaporator and a reliable steel condenser.

The body, with rounded corners and streamlined shapes, was made of 8 mm thick welded steel and protected from corrosion by a layer of silicate enamel. A characteristic "highlight" of the model is a massive handle, which could be used as a lock.

But the "first pancake" of the plant also had impressive drawbacks:

1. The normalized temperature was not maintained in the freezer (even up to the declared indicator of -6 ° C, the device did not pull out in hot climates).
2. A huge amount of metal was used in the production.
3. The unit itself was massive, heavy and took up a lot of space in the kitchen.
4. At that time, the volume of 165 liters was considered unreasonably large (consumer demand for the 85 liter model was much higher).

But over time, when people appreciated the advantages of storing food in the refrigerator instead of a string bag outside the window, this disadvantage not only turned into an advantage, but also served as an impetus for the development of more capacious devices.

Few of such refrigerators were produced - about 50 thousand a year. And today this model is equated to a rare technique.

There is a known case when in Kazakhstan it was possible to sell a unit for almost 1 million tenge, but this is rather a fluke than an adequate price of the device.

The second model of the plant. Likhachev was produced in 1960-1969, and the production volumes increased significantly due to the already high demand and the best advertising - positive consumer reviews.

Refrigerators of this line had a total volume of 240 liters, and the capacity of the low-temperature compartment increased to 29 liters.

In addition to increasing the useful volume, the modernized ZIL had 4 duralumin shelves for dishes of various sizes, illuminated and varnished.

There are also trays for eggs, a place for storing butter and "nests" for bottles.A pull-out metal tray was installed at the bottom of the refrigerator for fresh vegetables / fruits and other refrigerated products.

In addition, the designers corrected many of the shortcomings of the previous model and increased the shelf life of the provisions due to the temperature set for the NTO of -10 degrees.

The doorway was lined with plastic overlays, and thin fiberglass was used as insulating material.

A tight closing was provided by an elastic rubber seal installed along the perimeter of the inner wall of the door, and a trigger bolt.

In the third model of "ZIL", the appearance of the unit has changed significantly. It turned out that despite the attractive rounded lines, the design of the device does not allow it to be compactly placed in small-sized Soviet kitchens.

Therefore, the shape of the case has acquired the form of a rectangle with clearly defined right angles.

At the same time, the volume of the device remained the same - 240 liters, but the new models could be installed in the same block with the kitchen set, and the upper surface could be used as a shelf (objects were constantly falling from the previous sloping forms).

In addition, the rubber seal on the doors was replaced with a magnetic one, which is still used today on almost all refrigerators, and the width of the case is brought to the standard - 60 cm.

1. Obsolete compressor model, famous for its loud "soundtrack" during operation.
2. Low quality of thermal insulation, which did not allow to significantly reduce the thickness of the walls of the case and led to the appearance of a snow "coat" on the freezer.
3. Shelves that made it difficult to store food in non-standard containers.
4. New "trauma" handle design with sharp edges.

In addition, the developers did not manage to eliminate the main production problems of the previous versions - the high consumption of metal and the laboriousness of manufacturing.

With the appearance on the Soviet market of the first two-door models "Minsk" and "Oka" with an auto-defrosting system and a volume increased to 300 liters, the demand for "ZIL" fell sharply.

Therefore, the design bureau of the plant. Likhachev was instructed to create a three-compartment refrigerator project that could compete not only with domestic, but also foreign appliances.

The design of the new devices was developed together with specialized institutes, and a license was purchased from the American brand Tecumsen to replace the outdated compressor.

But, as it turned out, the industrial capacities of the plant were not ready to bring the promising project to life - it “stalled” as soon as it became clear that it would be necessary to build a new workshop and purchase a production line for the then scarce currency.

Therefore, on the basis of new developments, a model of increased comfort was released - "ZiL-63" KSh-260/26 **, which was assembled at the plant until 1988.

And although the device was conceived as a transitional model before the launch of a fundamentally new refrigerator, strong demand and excellent profitability indicators "delayed" its production for 12 years.

The management was satisfied with the high sales volumes, so promising developments were put aside.

A compression refrigeration unit was installed in the Zil-63, and the compressor and an asynchronous electric motor with a starting winding were mounted on a spring suspension and hid under a common casing.

Advantages of the new line:

• improved thermal insulation;
• noise reduction - the machine compartment of the device began to be closed with a sound-absorbing shield;
• shelves made of metal rods, comfortably height-adjustable in 3 cm increments;
• increase in usable volume by 20 liters;
• the ability to "outweigh" the doors in a convenient direction;
• lightweight removable handle with comfortable length.

In addition, the device has been supplemented with numerous comfort elements - a small shelf for small products, compartments for butter and cheese, a tray for 15 eggs, a limiter for the maximum door opening up to 105 degrees.

And also with adjustable rollers for transport, an ice cube tray, a container with a glass lid for keeping fresh vegetables and fruits.

The disadvantages were the remaining manual defrosting, a reliable and durable, but outdated compressor, which was still manufactured in-house.

But the persistent use of backward technologies and the cessation of continuous improvement of their product took the "palm" away from the ZIL refrigerators.

Since 1988, the modernized ZiL-64 KSh-260/30 models, which were produced until 2001, have been on sale.

These refrigerators already have an automatic defrosting function, improved PU foam insulation and the ability to reduce the freezing temperature to -18 degrees.

The volume of the NTO was increased to 30 dm 3, a plastic separating shelf appeared in it for the rational placement of products.

But these devices could not compete with foreign manufacturers for a long time, so their production was stopped.

Despite its reliability and build quality, the "oldies" of the ZIL also fail.

But even here they have a slight advantage over modern technology: the devices are easy to disassemble by yourself, and consumables are inexpensive, however, over the years, there may be problems with their purchase.

More information about famous refrigerators - see our video selection.

The history of the Soviet brand of refrigerators "ZIL":

Replacing the thermostat at the "ZIL-64":