Aldi Wine Cooler no longer cooling

Roald Dahl · 26-01-2026 10:59PM #1

I have a wine cooler which has stopped cooling. The temperature gauge was showing a room temperature 21 degrees.

I opened it up and noticed that the Peltier cooler was not cold to the touch and so I replaced it with a like-for-like module (TEC1-12706). However, this replacement is acting as a heater! The module itself became hot, not cold, with the result that the temperature display rose to 28 degrees and it felt warm within the fridge. I switched it off at that stage.

Does anyone know how these things work and if there is anything else I can try before it will need to go for recycling?

Thanks for reading!

SupaCat95 · 26-01-2026 11:23PM

Yes you kept the receipt? Bring it back to Aldi? Full refund or replacement.

Roald Dahl · 26-01-2026 11:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124183352#Comment_124183352

It's a good few years old at this stage. We were given it by someone who never used it.

greenbin2 · 27-01-2026 12:05AM

Peltier cooler is only for occasional use, as they are pathetic coolers and waste lots of electricity

If I remember correctly a full size kitchen fridge uses less power then the Peltier mini fridge

But they make sense for occasional use (picnic) because a compressor fridge shouldn't be used for an hour after it's been moved, (although ice and a bucket would work far better for a picnic)

https://youtu.be/CnMRePtHMZY?si=TQQytQQZRob9JEwi

Sorry for the rant, I hate that they exist

Escapees · 27-01-2026 10:32AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058431709/aldi-wine-cooler-no-longer-cooling

Make sure you've connected the wires of the cooler the right way round. If so, make sure it's properly thermally coupled to the heatsink. If there is an additional cooling fan to take the heat away, make sure it's working. In simple terms, a Peltier cooler is used to cool something by transfering heat away from it, but it also generates heat in the process which also needs to be transferred away. If the heat is not effectively transferred away, you're left with a heater!

Roald Dahl · 27-01-2026 10:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124184003#Comment_124184003

Thanks everyone for the input.

The polarity is correct and I even reversed it to check if there was a different behaviour, but it didn't work at all that way around.

The replacement module came with a tube of thermal paste, which I did use. The fan is also working.

I would gladly replace it with a proper fridge, but the space where it is located is only about 35cm wide and I have not been able to find one that narrow.

Escapees · 27-01-2026 11:18PM

Something's not adding up here. You have a new Peltier cooler coupled to a heatsink that's fan cooled, yet you're not getting any cooling. Unless the fan air flow is being restricted (e.g. blocked air duct or filter), then the only thing that could be the problem is the power supply to the cooler or perhaps the control of this (presumably via a thermometer somewhere).

Roald Dahl · 28-01-2026 09:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186114#Comment_124186114

I'll take it apart and check everything again over the weekend.

Thanks!

Aldi Wine Cooler no longer cooling

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