Perhaps the biggest tell-tale sign that your compressor is bad is the noise it will make. Depending on the refrigerator, replacing the compressor may also require welding. This is because refrigerant gas is dangerous and able to cause an explosion, while also being harmful to the environment if released.
How to tell if your refrigerator compressor is bad Safety warningĬompressor testing, repairs, and replacement should be left to a qualified technician that specializes in compressors and handling refrigerants. Bad compressors will usually continue to work to some degree for years after they begin failing the tradeoff is your refrigerator will likely become very noisy and inefficient. However, most compressors are built to last a long time, so if the refrigerator is less than five years old, it is unlikely to be wear and tear that has caused the compressor to fail. Like all mechanical components, the compressor can fail because of natural wear and tear. Power surgeĪ high-voltage power surge, such as a lightning strike, causes an excessive amount of electricity to surge through the refrigerator and “fry” refrigerator components, such as the compressor and its start relay. When the condenser coils are dirty, they cannot work as well, so the compressor needs to work harder to cool the refrigerator, which, over time, damages the compressor.Ĭompressor coils can be cleaned with a compressor coil cleaning kit or by accessing the coils and cleaning them with a vacuum attachment. It also does not help that most people are unaware that condenser coils need to be cleaned every now and then. The location of the coils and the fan blowing outside air over the coils means that it is easy for the condenser coils to become covered in dust, pet hair, and dirt. The condenser coils work by having the condenser fan blow air over the coils to help produce cold air for the refrigerator. Dirty condenser coilsĬondenser coils are usually located underneath or at the back of the refrigerator. Too much refrigerant can cause the refrigerant to return to the compressor in liquid form, which damages the compressor. Refrigerant leaks happen when there is a puncture, while refrigerant contamination occurs when moisture gets into the refrigerant system. If the refrigerant becomes contaminated or if there is too much or too little, the compressor will not be able to effectively do its job. Read on to properly identify the issue and learn how to fix it.īut first… What causes the compressor to go bad? Refrigerant issuesįor the compressor to work properly, it needs refrigerant, which it compresses to cool the refrigerator.