This is an amateur video describing how you can accurately measure how much energy a fridge or other appliance is consuming. This data is useful if you are wondering if the system is beginning a progressive course of failure.

Many appliances such as fridges and air conditioners have a duty cycle that represents the fraction of time the motors need to take to do their job. As motor efficiency and refrigerant charge sags, the proportion of time they run will increase. This results in an increase in total energy consumption that can be measured and compared.

The device used for this analysis is the Ki**-a-watt energy meter, which has been around for many years. I've had mine for over a decade. There are many generic options available now although I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how accurate and inexpensive these tools are.

Whenever you are making a decision about whether your skill set is up to the challenge of DIY repair, always bear in mind the risks you take, both with reference to personal injury and equipment damage. Only you can evaluate your own skill set and stomach for risk tolerance. Any misadventure you have after making a decision to attempt at DIY repair is on you.