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What Causes AC Compressor Failure?
Air conditioners don’t often break down. However, many factors can lead to an AC breakdown.
A common factor is the failure of the AC compressor.
The question is: what causes an AC compressor failure?
We will get into that question below, showing you what might be the cause of your current AC failure.
Ready? Let’s get started!
A Lack of Refrigerant
One of the most common causes of AC failure is the condenser overheating.
When a condenser overheats, it shuts down as a precautionary measure.
It then takes hours before it can start back up again.
Now, what leads to an overheating condenser? In most cases, it’s a lack of refrigerant.
This is the liquid that goes through the condenser and produces cold air.
When an AC condenser lacks refrigerant, its windings can’t be cooled.
When these don’t get cooled, they overheat and degrade.
Therefore, if you don’t replace the refrigerant in a timely manner, your AC will suffer premature death.
The fix is simple: have more refrigerant added to your air conditioner.
If you need help with this task, call your local HVAC company.
Too Much Refrigerant
Not only is a lack of refrigerant a problem, but so is adding too much refrigerant.
When too much refrigerant is added to an AC condenser, liquid flooding is likely to occur.
This is when the refrigerant is forced back into the system.
Floodback not only has the potential to wear down internal condenser components, but it also has the potential to cause slugging.
Slugging is when liquid refrigerant enters the condenser during startup.
Should this occur, it could destroy internal components, resulting in immediate compressor failure.
This is why, when adding refrigerant to your AC, you must measure it.
You also need to be sure that your refrigerant line is long enough to handle refrigerant adequately.
Your local HVAC repair technician can help you with this matter.
Electrical Issues
Another common cause of AC compressor failure is electrical issues.
These can come about due to a number of different factors. In most cases, aging is the culprit.
See, condensers are subject to various oils and acids, not to mention water.
These substances can cause oxidation around electrical circuitry, eventually resulting in the failure of those circuits.
While these circuits can be replaced, depending on the AC’s age, replacing them could be more expensive than just replacing the AC as a whole.
Regardless, you should have your AC inspected by a professional AC repair tech.
They’ll find the source of the problem and then either repair your AC or replace it.
Objects Being Stuck in the Condenser
Over time, all sorts of entities will enter your AC condenser.
These run the gamut from leaves to sticks, grass clippings, trash, and much more.
Initially, these won’t have any effect on the performance of your AC.
As time passes, however, there’s a risk of these entities impairing the condenser’s internal components.
This could eventually result in a shutdown.
As such, it’s imperative that you clean the area around your air conditioning condenser.
You’ll also want to have your condenser tuned up annually. This way, such objects can be removed.
Blocked Suction Lines
Suction lines are used to carry refrigerant from place to place.
As you might expect, these are not infinite.
They do eventually break down and will often incur blocks.
When suction lines become blocked, the compressor motor has to work harder to push refrigerant through the system.
The harder the motor works, the sooner it dies. This can eventually result in a breakdown.
As such, cleaning or replacing the suction lines in a condenser is sometimes necessary.
Call your local AC repair company if you need help with this task.
Poor Lubrication
Another potential cause of compressor failure is poor lubrication.
When you fail to lubricate your compressor motor, its parts run roughly against one another.
This causes them to break down prematurely, thus resulting in motor failure.
Of course, when the motor fails, the condenser also fails to run.
This is why, in any reputable HVAC maintenance guide, you’ll find the need to lubricate your condenser motor.
Your HVAC repair tech can assist you if you need help with the task.
Filthy Coils
Your AC condenser utilizes a series of coils to cool, heat, and release air.
Whereas the evaporator coils cool hot air from outside, the condenser coils release warm air inside.
Unfortunately, because the condenser coils exist outdoors, they’re ultra-prone to becoming dirty.
When they become dirty, they struggle to release warm air.
This can result in the AC system breaking down.
This is why you must clean your condenser coils every year.
Cover them in a specialized coil cleaner.
This will eat away at any existing residue.
Then, you can wipe away the residue with a towel.
If you need help, call your local HVAC maintenance technician.
Dealing With AC Compressor Failure?
Are you dealing with AC compressor failure currently?
Need help fixing the problem?
If so, and if you’re in the Mesa, AZ area, we here at Mark Daniels Air Conditioning & Heating are the ones to see.
We’re well-versed in the realm of AC compressor failure.
Whether you need an AC replacement, AC repair, or AC compressor maintenance help, our team has you covered.
Contact us today to get the process started!
Is your Gold Canyon air conditioning system giving you trouble? Dealing with AC compressor failure can be a headache, but don’t worry, we’re here to help! We have been providing AC services in Gold Canyon, Chandler, Mesa and surrounding areas since 1996. Call (480) 571-7219 or request service online today!
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