When the compressor becomes faulty, your fridge cannot operate correctly, and you also run the risk of having to throw food away.
So, if your refrigerator compressor has divided, it will need to be replaced. However, before you replace the compressor, you should weigh the cost of replacing it with investing in a new refrigerator. Investing in a new refrigerator may be a better choice.
Replacing a compressor is a very difficult repair to make and involves welding. You should only attempt this repair should you be experienced and/or a qualified technician. It is also an extremely dangerous repair to carry out, as it involves working with highly flammable gasses.
Here`s a step-by-step guide for how to replace the compressor.
Step One. Take away the Old Compressor
The first step is to take away the old compressor. To achieve that:
Turn the power off to the refrigerator and pull the plug out.
Remove all the contents of your fridge. Since replacing a compressor may take a long time, it could be best to place your food into coolers.
Pull the fridge out from the wall so you can access the back of it.
Take away the back panel of the fridge. To remove the panel, you just need to unthread the screws that hold it in place, also it should come off. Once removed, stick it taken care of.
Locate the compressor. It really is behind the fridge on the bottom of it.
Disconnect the power cable, and take away the cover that protects the electrical components.
Take away the relay, the capacitor, and the overload protector.
Release the refrigerant by attaching a perforating valve onto the procedure tube and then releasing it. Make sure you have adequate ventilation.
Once released, you need to connect a nitrogen cylinder onto the manifold and inject the gas at a pressure of 50 PSI.
Take away the manifold valve.
Sand the compressor tubes in the areas that have been soldered so that they are abrasive.
Cut the discharge and suction tubes (leave about 20-30 mm from the finish of the procedure tube).
Remove the compressor.
Remove the filter. You should employ a soldering torch (use a neutral flame).
If the compressor motor burned out, you need to clean the tubes. This is done by welding on a tube connector to the suction line and then charging a cylinder with about 500 ml of solvent. You then attach the cylinder to the suction line and attach the finish of the cylinder to the solvent cylinder. Put the end of the capillary right into a container to get the used solvent. You can inject the solvent through the system. After refrigerator repair service , you need to give the system a nitrogen charge to drive out any residual solvent.
Step Two. Install the brand new Compressor
Now that you have removed the old compressor, the next thing is to install the new one. To do that:
Attach the brand new filter (be sure you have the right one). You first have to solder a Schrader valve onto the excess connection (make sure you take the cap off before welding). Next, connect and weld the filter onto the condenser outlet. You can then attach the filter to the capillary tube and weld it on.
Place the new compressor into the correct position.
Connect all the tubes around it, and weld them on.
You should then do a leak test by injecting nitrogen into them and using a sniffer tool. If you don`t have a sniffer tool, it is possible to place soapy water onto them and appearance out for just about any bubbles that appear, as this indicates there exists a leak. Once tested, release the nitrogen.
Use a vacuum pump to remove air from the compressor.
Install the capacitor to the relay, followed by the overload protector, and then attach the relay to the compressor`s terminal.
Connect the cooling system wires to the relay and the overload protector terminals.
You can now put the electrical components cover back on.
Fill the compressor with refrigerant (make sure you have the right volume).
Double-check that of the wires and tubes are correctly positioned, and if so, your new compressor should now be successfully installed.
THIRD STEP. Test That It Works
The final step is to test that your new compressor works. You can certainly do that by simply turning your refrigerator back on and testing to see if it's working. If not, you need to contact a technician to have a look at it.