Directions:

1) Disconnect power cord and remove back cover from wine fridge. Disconnect power connector from PCB and remove cable strain relief to free power cable. Strip off approximately 12” of the outer sheath from the cable to expose the wires. Cut the hot and neutral wires, leaving about 9-10” running from the PCB connector and about 3-4” left on the power cable. Leave the ground wire intact and connected.




2) Attach relay with double sided tape. You want to get the good industrial grade tape so that it doesn’t fall off later. The relay must have a 120VAC coil and contacts rated for at least the current draw of the wine fridge. My 28-bottle thermoelectric fridge draws 1A. I used an old relay I pulled a long time ago from a broken vacuum cleaner, but a new one shouldn’t cost more than $10 online.




3) Cut hole in the back cover for the switch. I already had some small rectangular rocker switches, but a round switch would be easier to install since you just need to drill a big enough hole. Alternatively you can leave the switch hanging loose and tucked away behind the cover, just make sure to insulate the connections well with heat-shrink tubing or electrical tape. The most idiot-proof way is to use a momentary, SPST, NO switch to close the relay, but you can use a maintained switch as long as you remember to leave it open after you power on the fridge.




4) Cut additional wires, strip the ends, and crimp on female quick-disconnects to make the circuit as shown in the diagram. You can solder the connections if you prefer, but I find crimping to be faster and easier and you can disconnect it later if needed. Some switches come with solder tabs while others have male spade connectors.