Huge price to replace A/C compressor

[Timmo]

I spoke to the company and they said it didn't need a new drier as it didn't burn out, it seized due to lack of oil because the gas leaked out. Seizing presumably doesn't contaminate the system.

I also removed the cover from the outdoor unit and it already has an EK-053S drier already fitted, which is soldered in and doesn't seem to have replaceable anything. According to the net, it is a loose bead type, and is about $20-40 USD (or $49 in AUD). It doesn't look like it is a large capacity drier to layman me (see pic - it's not very big, and there are no ports to measure the pressure drop either).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/totoblu...7600545952409/

The suction accumulator is a bit rusty too - don't know if that is a problem but it could be a potential leak.

The compressor is a YHE6-0500-TFDC Copeland. Seems to be about $600-800 USD on the net.

I asked about replacing the whole thing and they said about $7-8000 for a similar sized Mitsubishi ducted inverter system, which would save about 25-30% on electricity.

They did come up with another idea which is to replace just the outdoor unit. York can supply replacement outdoor units that are compatible with old systems like mine. Provided the price is reasonable, that sounds like a good idea for resale. Might get a new thermostat fitted at the same time and it'll look like a whole new air-con system (and it will be, almost).

The drier you have is just a filter drier, not a burnout drier. The Alco driers are pretty much the best performing ones around. I work for the company that owns Alco controls and Copeland compressors so I have a pretty good understanding of the products, although i didnt realise the old Yorks ran them.

Depending on the size of the leak, the compressor would have been running low for some time which would cook the gas and oil breaking it down reducing its lubricity leading to the siezure. Losing a single charge of gas would not carry away enough oil to make it run dry.

It's possible its not acid contaminated but I'd personally test it myself to be sure.

The replacement of the outdoor unit sounds good. if the indoor unit works fine then flushing the pipework and pressure testing it sounds like a good way to go.

[totoblue]

It turns out that York can't supply a replacement outdoor unit for my AC system as it is too old. So I got the compressor replaced.

Didn't get the thermostat replaced. I was thinking of doing that for aesthetics but the AC guy said the old thermostats with the mercury switches are extremely reliable and probably better than a new one. Plus I was feeling cheap at the time.

The AC unit is outside our bathroom window so we could hear the AC guy swearing etc. Went out to see how he was going and he says yes its going fine. Come back inside and he resumes swearing.

He insisted it wasn't acid contaminated and didn't need a burnout drier as it didn't burn out. He reckoned it didn't smell like acid and the vac would clean any contamination out.

It's been a week now, and last night the outdoor unit wouldn't run after about 10pm (it was not that cold that it would shut off and anyway it didn't go onto emergency heat). This morning it is working again. Hope that's a one off.