# Options for a stuck compressor



## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

You may also want to check the voltage at the compressor during attempted startup; the problem may be in your house wiring.

If the voltage stays high enough, as a last resort, and the motor capacitor may not like this, put 360 vac or 480vac into the compressor for a very short interval using a 5 kw or 10 kw boost transformer or other means. This gives you ~2.3x or ~4x the normal starting power.
If you do this, stand a good ways away.

I am not an HVAC tech.


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## mikethe ductman (Jun 2, 2010)

If you can find a tech with an Annie he might break the compressor loose by reversing the rotation.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Yoyizit said:


> You may also want to check the voltage at the compressor during attempted startup; the problem may be in your house wiring.
> 
> If the voltage stays high enough, as a last resort, and the motor capacitor may not like this, put 360 vac or 480vac into the compressor for a very short interval using a 5 kw or 10 kw boost transformer or other means. This gives you ~2.3x or ~4x the normal starting power.
> If you do this, stand a good ways away.
> ...


So your recommending doing more harm to the compressor to get it to run.

Not to mention frying other parts at the same time.



OP: While you can try a higher powered start kit. You will also be doing more harm to the system if the compressor doesn't start. You'll burn up the windings and cause an acid formation. Which will cost you money to clean up if you op to change out the compressor after that.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

trademark for 'Annie'

The description provided to the USPTO for ANNIE is 
ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR CHECKING AND TESTING REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT, NAMELY, . . .HERMETIC ANALYZERS, HERMETIC/CAPACITOR ANALYZERS, HERMETIC COMPRESSOR/COMPONENT ANALYZERS, MULTI PHASE HERMETIC ANALYZERS, . . .CAPACITOR ANALYZERS

Sounds like there are several options for diagnosing/fixing this problem. 

Do Annies rent for "south of a grand"? If they rent for $500 the OP should rent it if the chance of it fixing the problem for the foreseeable future is *greater than* 100($500/$3000) = 17%.


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## Marty S. (Oct 31, 2009)

Might ask the buyers if they want a compressor in the old system or if they would rather have the cost of the compressor in cash to apply to a new system. Bet they go for the cash towards a new system , you don't have to pay for labor and refrigerant that way. It's a win/win for everybody.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Never rented one. Got one. Hardly ever use it though. They don't cost but a few hundred bucks.

I've freed up more then one compressor, only to have it lock up a few days or weeks later.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Marty S. said:


> Might ask the buyers if they want a compressor in the old system or if they would rather have the cost of the compressor in cash to apply to a new system. Bet they go for the cash towards a new system , you don't have to pay for labor and refrigerant that way. It's a win/win for everybody.


Smart buyers will say neither. And want an allowance for a whole new system.


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## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

_"I've freed up more then one compressor, only to have it lock up a few days or weeks later."

_So VERY true. :whistling2: Hard start kits never last more than a year on a seizing unit. On a new stiff compressor they are useful but when it gets old it just delays the inevitable or expedites it.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

msummers80 said:


> outside AC unit


How old?


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

do you actually have a pending contract on the house? Has the bank approved the sale?

and the biggie: was the AC working when the contract was signed?


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

beenthere said:


> Smart buyers will say neither. And want an allowance for a whole new system.


It's already a short sale. Highly unlikely the buyers are going to get any consideration for anything.


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## NHMaster (Dec 21, 2009)

I'll add one more voice to the change the compressor ( or whole unit ) comment. Stuck compressors never, ever work out of it. They just fail shortly after you put a couple hundred dollars into limping them along.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

nap said:


> It's already a short sale. Highly unlikely the buyers are going to get any consideration for anything.


Buyers aren't worried about it being a short sale. They just worry about what they are getting. 

And since there are still many home owners that are either short selling, or selling for just enough to pay off the bank. The buyer still has the ability to say. Ok, I'll look for another place. And probably find one without too much looking or trouble.

Its a buyers market in most areas.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

beenthere said:


> Buyers aren't worried about it being a short sale. They just worry about what they are getting.
> 
> And since there are still many home owners that are either short selling, or selling for just enough to pay off the bank. The buyer still has the ability to say. Ok, I'll look for another place. And probably find one without too much looking or trouble.
> 
> Its a buyers market in most areas.




Depending on the answers to the questions, the buyers may simply have to accept it as is. Without the poster answering, there is no way to tell.

and to add: by simply freeing up the compressor, you are building liability for yourself for a claim in the near future should it break down again. The buyers now have a legal right to know the AC is having problems and a failure to disclose that is not a good idea. It would be better to work with it up front.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

nap said:


> Depending on the answers to the questions, the buyers may simply have to accept it as is. Without the poster answering, there is no way to tell.
> 
> and to add: by simply freeing up the compressor, you are building liability for yourself for a claim in the near future should it break down again. The buyers now have a legal right to know the AC is having problems and a failure to disclose that is not a good idea. It would be better to work with it up front.


Lots of things that are suppose to be disclosed. Aren't.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

beenthere said:


> Lots of things that are suppose to be disclosed. Aren't.


and there are a lot of lawsuits because of it. Glad to here you advocate breaking the law especially when you are dealing with several thousand dollars of some stranger's money.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

nap said:


> and there are a lot of lawsuits because of it. Glad to here you advocate breaking the law especially when you are dealing with several thousand dollars of some stranger's money.



I'm not advocating breaking the law.
But I'm also not pretending that everyone obeys the law.

Just as you can't rely on everyone to stop at stop signs. You can't rely on everyone to actually disclose everything about their house.

Law suits don't help while the new owner is without A/C, and waiting for ti to even get to court.

Small claims is not as quick as some people think. And in some states. The amount for something like this, is too high for small claims. And it takes longer. And a lawyer they can't afford, after having bought the house.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

If it sticks once it will stick again....replace the compressor or the unit.. you will only be aggravated later and be putting money into a doomed machine. Pay me now or pay me later be remember later will cost you more.


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## msummers80 (Jun 4, 2010)

Hey, Sorry I posted and ran. Had a busy/ fun last night and today. After talking to my real estate agent, he informed me that it would be OK to go to closing with the AC as-is (as-is now). If the current buyer decides to back out, he says he has two good backups. 

After considering everyone's opinions on legal issues, forcing the thing to work to break it worse later, trying to force it to work but having it break on my again in a week or two, I have decided to let it be. I'll get a little portable unit, a couple extra fans, and tough it out the next couple months until I'm out of here. 

After all the fixes and updates I've done to this house, it is pretty bitter to give up now and find something I wouldn't be able to do myself anyway. Hopefully I'll be doing home improvements again in a couple years.


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## Flashheatingand (Sep 7, 2009)

You might be able to find an acceptable condensing unit on craigslist or another source to find second hand equipment. Nothing is guaranteed, but generally, used equipment that is for sale works alright.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Flashheatingand said:


> You might be able to find an acceptable condensing unit on craigslist or another source to find second hand equipment. Nothing is guaranteed, but generally, used equipment that is for sale works alright.


Him, or any home owner can do that.

But they should make sure that the new home they are buying hasn't had that done. Since most, if not all home warranty companies are now voiding the HVAC warranty when the indoor and outdoor are not matched units.

Of course, this only happens when the HVAC tech reports the mismatch.


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## Flashheatingand (Sep 7, 2009)

I would agree that the best thing to do is to be straightforward, and take the price of the compressor replacement off the selling price. But it's going to get hot soon,and they might want to have a working a/c while they are there. The seller should just be honest.... found a secondhand a/c... it does the job. 

You do bring up a valid point in making sure the a/c is a valid match (size for size and S.E.E.R. for S.E.E.R.). But I would bet that the equipment in question is ten seer or less and a feasible replacement would be readily available.


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