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Message
AC Compressor Broke While Being Serviced
Posted on 7/11/24 at 1:56 pm
Posted on 7/11/24 at 1:56 pm
I had the AC company come out to the house because I heard the blower rattling, and we were also due to have it serviced. So the request was general service call and check out the air handler to make sure there are no issues. The air had been blowing cold, it had been working its butt if recently, but usually able to cycle, so really not a huge concern.
While the guy is working, I notice it is getting warmer in the house. He told me he would be switching on and off from attic, so I don’t bug him right away. A few knocks at the door later, he informs me he has found the problem, my compressor is dead and in need of replacement. I was and still am a little shocked by this, because it was working before he got there, it literally broke during servicing. The guy that installed the system (same company) came out later that day
The compressor is under warranty, but they don’t seem to be giving me any break on the labor, it’s like $2k. And I’m not sure that the air handler issue was actually addressed.
I’m not trying to get out of paying for their time, several people came to my house and sweated their butts off. I am willing to pay for their time. However, I asked for a service call, now my house has been without AC for 2 days, which is exactly what I was trying to avoid by getting the maintenance done. Regardless if I am getting a “free” compressor out of this, I don’t want to pay for unnecessary time that they may be responsible for. They also are not rushing to get it fixed.
Is it possible he fried the compressor while cleaning the outside unit? Created a power surge while in the attic?
While the guy is working, I notice it is getting warmer in the house. He told me he would be switching on and off from attic, so I don’t bug him right away. A few knocks at the door later, he informs me he has found the problem, my compressor is dead and in need of replacement. I was and still am a little shocked by this, because it was working before he got there, it literally broke during servicing. The guy that installed the system (same company) came out later that day
The compressor is under warranty, but they don’t seem to be giving me any break on the labor, it’s like $2k. And I’m not sure that the air handler issue was actually addressed.
I’m not trying to get out of paying for their time, several people came to my house and sweated their butts off. I am willing to pay for their time. However, I asked for a service call, now my house has been without AC for 2 days, which is exactly what I was trying to avoid by getting the maintenance done. Regardless if I am getting a “free” compressor out of this, I don’t want to pay for unnecessary time that they may be responsible for. They also are not rushing to get it fixed.
Is it possible he fried the compressor while cleaning the outside unit? Created a power surge while in the attic?
This post was edited on 7/11/24 at 5:02 pm
6
Posted on 7/11/24 at 2:14 pm to OceanMan
Is it possible he fried the compressor while cleaning the outside unit? Created a power surge while in the attic?
--
Hard to tell.
Was the outside unit or inside unit rattling?
How old is the compresser and what brand. Just curious.
Posted on 7/11/24 at 2:15 pm to OceanMan
If a single speed scroll compressor, there wouldn’t be a whole lot he could have done to kill it if it wasn’t already dying. Turning on and off fast before pressure relieves could speed up the process though.
If it is the really old(25 years) type then that would possibly knock it out even if somewhat healthy.
If it is the really old(25 years) type then that would possibly knock it out even if somewhat healthy.
This post was edited on 7/11/24 at 2:18 pm
Posted on 7/11/24 at 2:23 pm to ItzMe1972
The inside unit was rattling. Entire system was replaced in 2017, it’s an Amana.
It really didn’t give signs that it was dying.
It really didn’t give signs that it was dying.
Posted on 7/11/24 at 2:29 pm to Dallaswho
It was a single speed compressor. Being replaced by 2 speed, which they are trying to make me feel better about.
The guy said he noticed the breaker was tripped which hasn’t happened before, and this was at like 9am so it wasn’t brutally hot yet and had been on 73 all night.
I guess the thing I am more upset about is not having AC for 2 days, I could have just waited for it to die with the same result. I mean it went from working, to no longer functioning while he was working on it.
The guy said he noticed the breaker was tripped which hasn’t happened before, and this was at like 9am so it wasn’t brutally hot yet and had been on 73 all night.
I guess the thing I am more upset about is not having AC for 2 days, I could have just waited for it to die with the same result. I mean it went from working, to no longer functioning while he was working on it.
Posted on 7/11/24 at 3:24 pm to OceanMan
My 4 ton compressor failed 2 summers ago. With compressor under warranty, I was charged $2200 to replace it. That was around 12lbs of R410A and labor. I agree that the price is high but it appears to be consistent with others.
Posted on 7/11/24 at 3:34 pm to ManK
The cost doesn't seem to be his real issue. He's wondering why a compressor that was seemingly working fine with no issues prior to the service call failed while the service tech was working on the system?
Posted on 7/11/24 at 3:48 pm to OceanMan
I’d check or change the capacitor before replacing the compressor.
Posted on 7/11/24 at 4:04 pm to OceanMan
2 speed adds a lot of complexity for almost zero efficiency gain. Maybe more of a comfort gain but I wouldn’t know.
Single and variable are where it’s at as far as your pocketbook.
$2k would be asinine for winter but it’s summer time and they have to make money when they can. So does everyone else.
Breaker tripping may be suspect. Maybe it was tripping because it was just pressured up while starting multiple times. Make sure it’s actually bad. Could even be capicator like guy above said. There is a chance your compressor still works.
If there is anything this board has taught me it is that AC guys are morons. We’ve had 2 techs miss overflow sensors in just the last two or three weeks.
Single and variable are where it’s at as far as your pocketbook.
$2k would be asinine for winter but it’s summer time and they have to make money when they can. So does everyone else.
Breaker tripping may be suspect. Maybe it was tripping because it was just pressured up while starting multiple times. Make sure it’s actually bad. Could even be capicator like guy above said. There is a chance your compressor still works.
If there is anything this board has taught me it is that AC guys are morons. We’ve had 2 techs miss overflow sensors in just the last two or three weeks.
This post was edited on 7/11/24 at 4:46 pm
Posted on 7/11/24 at 4:25 pm to LegendInMyMind
Understood. Thanks.
It seems like Dallaswho offered a reasonable explanation. Cycling power quickly will cause the compressor to start against a higher head pressure. Probably not the best idea if the compressor is already struggling.
I would want to know why the tech had to cycle power at the air handler.
If the tech lets the unit sit for a few minutes, the refrigerant pressure will stabilize at the saturated pressure. Thus making it easier for the compressor to start.
My $0.02.
Posted on 7/11/24 at 5:10 pm to LegendInMyMind
quote:
The cost doesn't seem to be his real issue. He's wondering why a compressor that was seemingly working fine with no issues prior to the service call failed while the service tech was working on the system?
Exactly. It was super hot one day a couple weeks ago, the inside temp was 77 during the heat of the day (it was otherwise comfortable, I just happened to notice it when I walked by), I had been hearing the noise and basically called them to be safe. I haven’t noticed it struggling this summer beyond that. I really was trying to make a point to my wife that we need to be proactive about these things, and now it’s broken
And I should add, these guys installed the system in 2017. I like working with them and think they have treated me fairly in the past. . But the tech this time did not seem sharp compared to others that work there. They even sent another 2 people including the guy that installed it (who basically runs the show there now from what I have gathered). I just don’t know what to make of this
Posted on 7/11/24 at 5:12 pm to White Bear
quote:
I’d check or change the capacitor before replacing the compressor.
I basically requested that they come back out and look at that (I thought maybe it fried when he sprayed it down and got it wet). But the second tech confirmed it.
Posted on 7/11/24 at 5:21 pm to Dallaswho
quote:
2 speed adds a lot of complexity for almost zero efficiency gain. Maybe more of a comfort gain but I wouldn’t know. Single and variable are where it’s at as far as your pocketbook.
He basically made it sound like that’s what was in stock as a warranty replacement, so I’m not really overthinking that aspect of it.
quote:
Breaker tripping may be suspect. Maybe it was tripping because it was just pressured up while starting multiple times. Make sure it’s actually bad. Could even be capicator like guy above said. There is a chance your compressor still works.
This is basically what I think is going on. It was just a tough spot, I had a babysitter at my house and a meeting I needed to get to (which I was already hours late for), and was at a crossroads of getting a second opinion and possibly back up and running by end of day before it got too hot and calling them back to try and make it right.
quote:
$2k would be asinine for winter but it’s summer time and they have to make money when they can. So does everyone else.
This is where I get a little hung up between being fair and throwing a fit. If my unit went out, and they had me back up and running in 48 hours from calling them, with parts under warranty for that price, I would be pretty happy with them. But it took them 10 days to get there, and now another 48 hours since then before they are projecting to fix it.
Posted on 7/11/24 at 9:42 pm to OceanMan
I had a guy somehow cause my whole circuit breaker to catch fire when he serviced my air condition compressor. Then the company that installed a new one a couple of years later installed it wrong so it died. They came out to replace it, he saw it wasn’t installed properly. So he fixed their mistake and charged me labor for it. I should have told him to pound and that I wasn’t paying for him to fix their company’s mistake. Heed to find good companies.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 12:43 am to OceanMan
Have you voiced your concerns with the owner of the company?
Posted on 7/12/24 at 6:44 am to windmill
quote:
Have you voiced your concerns with the owner of the company?
I did. I talked to both owners and like I said before the GM came back out to check it to confirm what the tech said.
I haven’t thrown a fit about it yet, but I let them know that this doesn’t make sense to me. And that’s basically why I made the thread - I’m not exactly sure what they could be doing differently. I think he broke it, but I really don’t know how or what he could have done. So I told them please proceed, but I didn’t expect to be out of AC for 2 days, and related work disruptions because I called them, I expected the opposite.
I read his text again last night, there is a chance that they are replacing the entire outside unit today (he used the word condenser, not compressor). If that’s the case, that’s a bigger job and would make the labor/materials estimate make more sense.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 10:05 am to OceanMan
quote:
there is a chance that they are replacing the entire outside unit today (he used the word condenser, not compressor). If that’s the case, that’s a bigger job and would make the labor/materials estimate make more sense.
It’s probably less labor and easier to replace the condensing unit than just the compressor.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 11:04 am to OceanMan
Really hard to believe a tech could have done something to kill a compressor. Was the rattling in air handler-furnace associated with blower wheel itself, or something associated with Evap coil that was signaling a failing compressor? I guess you weren’t provided that answer.
Amana, which is top of the line Daikan product, if I recall correctly, does replace the entire condensing unit if the compressor fails or leak occurs in the condensor coil. At least they do on the newer models - your is 2017.
I don’t know the nature of the compressor failure, but watch this video. There is very specific protocol that could be followed to decontaminate the line-set/system to prevent re-occurrence. You should be discussing this with the owners.
LINK
Amana, which is top of the line Daikan product, if I recall correctly, does replace the entire condensing unit if the compressor fails or leak occurs in the condensor coil. At least they do on the newer models - your is 2017.
I don’t know the nature of the compressor failure, but watch this video. There is very specific protocol that could be followed to decontaminate the line-set/system to prevent re-occurrence. You should be discussing this with the owners.
LINK
Posted on 7/12/24 at 9:19 pm to CrawDude
If he was charging the system with refrigerant, he could have fed it in too quickly and damaged the compressor. You have to put it in very slowly so that liquid refrigerant doesn't go into the compressor.
Posted on 7/12/24 at 11:02 pm to OceanMan
You sure you didn’t hear your compressor going out? Sounds like your compressor needed replacing. Keep your records. If it’s something else it will show soon
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