How can check compressor

Cover the terminals and take a hose and pour water over the compressor for a half hour or more. It has to be cool to the touch before the compressor will run again.

Using a hard-start kit can get the oil flowing properly. This is a sign that the system may not have a lot longer — its days are numbered. If the compressor will not unlock, you must replace it. Do your due diligence to get it unlocked. Orr suggests techs utilize a high-quality multimeter or even a megaohmmeter when troubleshooting compressors. Orr also noted that some compressor manufacturers recommend against using megaohmmeters, especially on scroll compressors.

Matta also prefers to use a multimeter when troubleshooting a faulty compressor. Megaohmmeters are great for long-term monitoring, though we never want to tell a customer he or she needs to replace a compressor prematurely, he said. If a compressor is a little off on an ohm test, a hard-start kit can sometimes get it going. One of the worst mistakes you can make in a refrigeration system is to diagnose a compressor as failed when it has not failed.

You never want to replace a compressor and later learn it was just an open internal overload switch. Want more HVAC industry news and information? Herb Woerpel is editor-in-chief of Engineered Systems. From working with authors to moderating webinars and more, he helps maintain ES' reputation for delivering practical, insightful engineering information in an accessible, engaging way.

Herb joined BNP Media in Contact him at or woerpelh bnpmedia. Wait until the AC unit completely cools down before trying to test the voltages. Purchase a multimeter and set it to continuity. There should be a dial on the front of your multimeter. Set this dial to continuity so that you can test each individual terminal to determine where the fault is.

Continuity tests whether there is an electrical flow between the terminals. Find the terminals marked C, R, and S. Your compressor should have three terminals on it or in the access panel. The terminals should be marked C, R, and S. Place the red pin on C and the black pin on S. Place the pins on the black and red wire from your multimeter onto the terminals.

Once you place the pins on the terminals, your multimeter should have an ohm reading of less than Anything significantly above this reading indicates that your compressor may be broken. Place the red pin on C and the black pin on R. Repeat the process, this time checking the continuity between the common and run terminals. Again, the continuity should read under Put the red pin on R and the black pin on S. The final test is between the run and start terminals.

The continuity between these terminals should be under Purchase a new compressor motor if your ohm readings are high. A heating and air specialist may be able to repair the broken compressor motor instead of having to buy an entirely new compressor. Purchase an entirely new compressor if your ohm readings are low. If you want to make sure that this is indeed the case, refer to a heating or air specialist to get a second opinion.

Method 3. Turn off your vehicle. Turn off the engine so that the moving parts under your hood are stationary. If your engine or internal parts are hot, wait for them to cool down before checking your compressor. Open the hood of your car and locate your AC compressor clutch. The compressor clutch will usually be located under your hood on the left side near the front of your car. It will look like a cylindrical metal piece with tubes and wires running from it. Examine the compressor for damage.

Compressors are prone to rust on older vehicles. Check the compressor itself for holes or rust damage. If they are, you can replace them more cheaply than it would cost to get an entirely new compressor. Disconnect the wires running from your battery to the AC compressor. There should be wires running from the top or side of the compressor. The white wire is your live wire that carries electric current, while the black wire is your ground wire.

Press on the sides of the plastic fittings and pull on the wires to remove them. Insert the multimeter pins into the plastic fittings to get a reading. Set your multimeter to continuity and place the pins on the contacts. Setting the dial on your multimeter to continuity will test if current is properly running through your compressor clutch. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns.

These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Search KB Delta. Check the Discharge Line Temperature In addition to pressure, temperature measurements help you get a good idea what is going on inside of an air compressor.

Record Temperatures in the Refrigerated Space Another vital data point in your troubleshooting diagnosis is the temperature of the space needing refrigeration. Perform a Compressor Valve Test Use the following method when testing the hermetic and semi-hermetic pressures of compressors.

Using the pressure module on your DMM, do the following: Connect the module at the suction line service port Close the compressor on the low side of the system by front seating the suction service valve Let it run for at least two minutes, but not more than three Turn off the compressor and take the reading The compressor should pull around 15 inches of Hg.

For hermetic systems, this means replacing the whole compressor. Refrigerant System Problems Sometimes mechanical problems are the core issue when compressors fail to function properly, but more often there are refrigerant system problems contributing to the issue in ways that cause the mechanical failure.

Rule out these issues as when replacing or troubleshooting a compressor. Poor piping practices preventing oil from properly returning to the compressor while running High discharge temperatures creating acids that can damage the system Insufficient air flow to either the condenser or evaporator coil Low suction pressures Liquid refrigerant flooding back Sometimes you can fix these issuesby replacing the compressor itself, like when a mechanical problem in the compressor causes low suction pressure.

Metallic Plates KB Delta manufactures and stocks a complete range of metallic compressor valve plates and rings for the natural gas, refrigeration and P. Thermoplastic Plates Our specialized precision tooling and proprietary lapping process gives our customers the highest quality thermoplastic plates and rings in the industry. Springs We manufacture our own springs and stock over 2 million springs for a variety of OEM spring styles, forms and materials.

Peripheral Valve Internals KB Delta offers one of the most complete lines of valve internals in the industry. Complete Valve Repair Kits KB Delta offers a full line of valve repair kits for all the major reciprocating compressor manufacturers. Compressor Parts KB Delta specializes in manufacturing compressor valve parts for high pressure air compressors used in the P.

Industries we serve. Natural Gas Industry The processing and refining of Natural Gas into a marketable products, by separating gas into pipeline-quality natural gas and a stream of mixed natural gas liquids and the transportation of natural gas to through a series of reciprocating compressor stations and pipes, and from there to end users. Blow Molding Industry This industry manufactures blow molding machinery. Medical Technology Industry The medical technology industry is an important part of the healthcare sector.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.