Ruud Air-condition possible compressor problem. urka-a060jk10e

[ryan111]

I am not an air-condition tech but naturally when the air when out at the shop they sent me on the roof to work on it. If you work on refrigerators you work on air-conditioners right!!! Lol

Best I can tell the compressor is bad but I would like a consult. Here is what I found.

The compressor will try to run but cut off within a few seconds. The start capacitor checks out ok. The compressor windings show continuity and it are not grounded out. The compressor draws over 100 amps when it tries to start but it never gets to lock rotor amperage, which is 144 amps. I halfway feel like it may be pulling 144 amps but it is cutting off on the overload before my meter reads it but I am not sure on that.

It is a Ruud Model number urka-a060jk10e

Does anyone think that it may be something other than the compresssor?

Does anyone agree that I have a compressro problem.

[JWWebster]

100 amps? That's a little excessive.

[jumptrout51]

The run winding may need a little boost.
Add a hard start to the capacitor and try it.
100 out of 144 is not too bad.
That is LRA for start.
The run winding is the issue here.

[ryan111]

Thanks for the replies!

I will try the hard to start capacitor if it works it will be better than a compressor. I do have one question. I have always regarded hard-to-start capacitors as a temporary fix (just buying time). Again I am not a HVAC guy at all but I wouldn’t use this on a refrigerator or a window unit (although I know some techs do) . But is it different with a large unit such as this? I mean can this be a permanent solution?

[JWWebster]

That is debatable. Some say piggybacking a hard start on a unit just gets it to the grave where it is already headed. However it may be more of a great way to delay the inevitable and that is compressor swap-out. I have sold a bunch of them hardstarts over the years. I got one on my home unit. Been on there 3 or 4 years.
I replaced the factory cap with a new exact rating cap and the sad old compressor on my Miller 3 ton unit would not behave. So I added a Hardstart to it and it has been working so far. I am going for a solar assisted heat pump and saying bye bye to my gas furnace one day.

[jumptrout51]

In the olden days,hard starts were factory installed on all units.
Compressors,regardless of age can be tight.
Hard starts give the extra boost to overcome tight.
I have put hardstarts on compressors 15 years ago that are running fine to this day.

[Earl Dryer]

144 amps is a little hard on 40 or 50 amp circuit breaker ain't it? Are you sure that you are not low on gas and the pressure switch is not kicking it out?

[jumptrout51]

The LRA on a compressor last only a fraction of a second.
It is normal as long as the LRA does not exceed the specs.

[Repair-man]

Probably a faulty run cap.

[ryan111]

I put the hard to start on and got the same result. So now I assume this compressor is bad.

Thanks for the replies.

[JWWebster]

Keep the HS in your tools for future testing.

[jumptrout51]

If the hard start did not work,your compressor is locked up.

[Icehouse]

  Try "Rocking" the compressor. To do this, switch the wires to the RUN and START terminals on the compressor and rapidly turn the disconnect on then off.
This was available with the "Hermetic Analyzer" ( a built in rocker switch).

http://www.ueitest.com/product-ha1.html

[jumptrout51]

Couldn't this be done at the control panel by switching the S/R wires at the cap?

[Icehouse]

Couldn't this be done at the control panel by switching the S/R wires at the cap?

Good point to address. As far as I was taught at Carrier "At the Compressor".