How do you know a compressor is blown?
46 views
Skip to first unread message
Hing Lum
Jul 9, 2011, 9:52:06 AM7/9/11
to Hallowell Acadia
Would appreciate to learn more.
one mad dealer
Jul 9, 2011, 11:07:48 AM7/9/11
to Hallowell Acadia
Hing,
A good tech will ohm a compressor with a good meter. What they would
look for is no resistance (from r-c or r-s or s-c) on the motor or
continuity from the motor windings to ground. If a motor has a short
to ground, the breaker would trip when the compressor tries to start.
What is frustrating about compressors is sometimes you get correct
meter readings but yet the compressor won't start. If you have good
starting components (caps, contactors and relays) and the compressor
tries but can't start its likely no good. By the way, a good tech
won't mind you watching and explain even if you don't completely
follow. Hope that helps.
Gabe
On Jul 9, 9:52 am, Hing Lum <bestrealestat...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Would appreciate to learn more.
A good tech will ohm a compressor with a good meter. What they would
look for is no resistance (from r-c or r-s or s-c) on the motor or
continuity from the motor windings to ground. If a motor has a short
to ground, the breaker would trip when the compressor tries to start.
What is frustrating about compressors is sometimes you get correct
meter readings but yet the compressor won't start. If you have good
starting components (caps, contactors and relays) and the compressor
tries but can't start its likely no good. By the way, a good tech
won't mind you watching and explain even if you don't completely
follow. Hope that helps.
Gabe
On Jul 9, 9:52 am, Hing Lum <bestrealestat...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Would appreciate to learn more.
Ernst denBroeder
Jul 9, 2011, 12:23:29 PM7/9/11
to hallowel...@googlegroups.com
Hing,
In the case of my 1st Acadia unit, when the primary compressor went bad, the motor ran but it made zero differential pressure. That diagnosis requires gauges (although an amp meter could have suggested the same I suppose).
Ernst
---
Sent from my iPod
KMS
Jul 20, 2011, 2:22:40 PM7/20/11
to Hallowell Acadia
Thought I would piggy back on this thread since this is a blown
compressor question.
For about two months now one of my units has been down with what I'm
told is a blown compressor. Yet when it's checked with a meter it
looks fine. Today I installed the FWO #1, and replaced both the start
and run caps. When I press the contactor, it sounds like it really
wants to start but just doesn't have enough ummph. Does this make
sense? Is it really blown and just not reading that way?
On Jul 9, 12:23 pm, Ernst denBroeder <erns...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hing,
>
> In the case of my 1st Acadia unit, when the primary compressor went bad, the motor ran but it made zero differential pressure. That diagnosis requires gauges (although an amp meter could have suggested the same I suppose).
>
> Ernst
> ---
> Sent from my iPod
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
compressor question.
For about two months now one of my units has been down with what I'm
told is a blown compressor. Yet when it's checked with a meter it
looks fine. Today I installed the FWO #1, and replaced both the start
and run caps. When I press the contactor, it sounds like it really
wants to start but just doesn't have enough ummph. Does this make
sense? Is it really blown and just not reading that way?
On Jul 9, 12:23 pm, Ernst denBroeder <erns...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hing,
>
> In the case of my 1st Acadia unit, when the primary compressor went bad, the motor ran but it made zero differential pressure. That diagnosis requires gauges (although an amp meter could have suggested the same I suppose).
>
> Ernst
> ---
> Sent from my iPod
>
> On 2011-07-09, at 11:07 AM, one mad dealer <G...@JosephsIAQ.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Hing,
>
> > A good tech will ohm a compressor with a good meter. What they would
> > look for is no resistance (from r-c or r-s or s-c) on the motor or
> > continuity from the motor windings to ground. If a motor has a short
> > to ground, the breaker would trip when the compressor tries to start.
> > What is frustrating about compressors is sometimes you get correct
> > meter readings but yet the compressor won't start. If you have good
> > starting components (caps, contactors and relays) and the compressor
> > tries but can't start its likely no good. By the way, a good tech
> > won't mind you watching and explain even if you don't completely
> > follow. Hope that helps.
>
> > Gabe
>
> > On Jul 9, 9:52 am, Hing Lum <bestrealestat...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Would appreciate to learn more.- Hide quoted text -
>
>
>
> > Hing,
>
> > A good tech will ohm a compressor with a good meter. What they would
> > look for is no resistance (from r-c or r-s or s-c) on the motor or
> > continuity from the motor windings to ground. If a motor has a short
> > to ground, the breaker would trip when the compressor tries to start.
> > What is frustrating about compressors is sometimes you get correct
> > meter readings but yet the compressor won't start. If you have good
> > starting components (caps, contactors and relays) and the compressor
> > tries but can't start its likely no good. By the way, a good tech
> > won't mind you watching and explain even if you don't completely
> > follow. Hope that helps.
>
> > Gabe
>
> > On Jul 9, 9:52 am, Hing Lum <bestrealestat...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> - Show quoted text -
Kris Heikkila
Jul 20, 2011, 4:26:37 PM7/20/11
to hallowel...@googlegroups.com
Sounds like a locked rotor. Mechanical failure rather than electrical
in nature, either way you are screwed with out a new compressor.
Do you have an amp meter?
A clamping meter would show locked rotor amp draw, ( very high)
Watch how long you hold in the contactor. It may fry the wires before
the thermal overload kicks it out.
Kris
in nature, either way you are screwed with out a new compressor.
Do you have an amp meter?
A clamping meter would show locked rotor amp draw, ( very high)
Watch how long you hold in the contactor. It may fry the wires before
the thermal overload kicks it out.
Kris
David Friedman
Jul 20, 2011, 4:53:10 PM7/20/11
to hallowel...@googlegroups.com
That very bad news and I agree with Kris - it looks like an internal mechanical failure. Does it not start in either run direction? (you go one way with primary one pushed in and the other way with primary two pushed in)
With power off - did you ohm both contacts on both relays. If the power contact was high resistance that could cause a failure to start due to voltage drop.
If is is a mechanical failure internal to the compressor, I have had a suspicion that the Bristol TS compressor is prone to that problem which is why we backed down on the start cap values so as to not hit the compressor so hard at start. I think this class of failure is totally and completely a Bristol problem - but my guess is that they will not honor the warranty due to the non related oil line mod.l Hopefully you can recover based on the class action suit.
Could you please determine if the right hand contacts on your primary one contactors had failed and then caused the problem - or whether the compressor just failed on its own - possibly due to the high torque starts.
Can you measure the resistance of the right hand contacts of the GE contactors - and see if the right side shows high or even mildly low resistance when you push the contactor in.
David Friedman
Chris
Jul 20, 2011, 5:25:29 PM7/20/11
to Hallowell Acadia
My primary compressor was internally shorted to ground. I had very
low resistance when connecting an ohm meter between any terminal and
the outer shell. This should always be infinite. My compressor would
run 1st stage but rattled badly, and only hum in 2nd stage. I have
just finished replacing my primary compressor today and am very happy
to say my acadia is alive once again! I was concerned about internal
damage but the refrigerant system was totally clean and the oil was
also clean and full in both compressors. This was very good news.
There are other ways compressors can fail too, but be sure to check
for continuity to ground!
low resistance when connecting an ohm meter between any terminal and
the outer shell. This should always be infinite. My compressor would
run 1st stage but rattled badly, and only hum in 2nd stage. I have
just finished replacing my primary compressor today and am very happy
to say my acadia is alive once again! I was concerned about internal
damage but the refrigerant system was totally clean and the oil was
also clean and full in both compressors. This was very good news.
There are other ways compressors can fail too, but be sure to check
for continuity to ground!
Kris Heikkila
Jul 20, 2011, 5:56:25 PM7/20/11
to hallowel...@googlegroups.com
Where did you get the compressor?
one mad dealer
Jul 20, 2011, 6:22:32 PM7/20/11
to Hallowell Acadia
That's great Chris, now you won't have to burn cow dung. What did you
do to prevent a future failure?
Gabe
> > for continuity to ground!- Hide quoted text -
do to prevent a future failure?
Gabe
Chris
Jul 21, 2011, 5:36:54 PM7/21/11
to Hallowell Acadia
I was lucky enough to get it from hallowell just weeks before they
disappeared.
disappeared.
Chris
Jul 21, 2011, 5:43:10 PM7/21/11
to Hallowell Acadia
Next time it blows it will be dung for sure!
I installed a check valve and solenoid as I previously discussed. I
also installed 2 pressure transducers. It is stinking hot and I got
sick of playing games. My time is limited so for now I am running in
original configuration. I was sent new siemans contactors, relays and
caps, so I am running on these. Soon I will begin using the solenoid
and potentially the transducers for control. I am documenting start
current and will do the same as I implement my changes. I will
continue to post here, I would join your site but I won't be a part of
censorship. The idea of a public talk group is to share everyone's
ideas, not block the ones you don't care for.
I installed a check valve and solenoid as I previously discussed. I
also installed 2 pressure transducers. It is stinking hot and I got
sick of playing games. My time is limited so for now I am running in
original configuration. I was sent new siemans contactors, relays and
caps, so I am running on these. Soon I will begin using the solenoid
and potentially the transducers for control. I am documenting start
current and will do the same as I implement my changes. I will
continue to post here, I would join your site but I won't be a part of
censorship. The idea of a public talk group is to share everyone's
ideas, not block the ones you don't care for.
one mad dealer
Jul 22, 2011, 11:16:17 AM7/22/11
to Hallowell Acadia
Chris,
what matters. I am just as interested in your fix and the results,
and I have said that before. Stay here at the google group, thats up
to you, but at least provide feedback on cost to do the upgrade and
the reliability. As we speak, I am testing the siemens contactors
with the original potential relays to see if they will still fail.
> I will continue to post here, I would join your site but I won't be a part of
> censorship. The idea of a public talk group is to share everyone's
> ideas, not block the ones you don't care for.
I think everyone wants a solution, and at the end of the day, thats
> censorship. The idea of a public talk group is to share everyone's
> ideas, not block the ones you don't care for.
what matters. I am just as interested in your fix and the results,
and I have said that before. Stay here at the google group, thats up
to you, but at least provide feedback on cost to do the upgrade and
the reliability. As we speak, I am testing the siemens contactors
with the original potential relays to see if they will still fail.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages