2020 WP fridge bad compressor...

[cfz2882]

...WRT318FZDW05: Chinese made compressor is locked up-fridge otherwise in mint condition with all parts,thinking about replacing the compressor with a suitable higher quality replacement as this is a decently made fridge by modern standards.Just wondering if these fridges are known for evaporator cracks or other bad habits...I will dig into the old compressor to see what went wrong with it.

 

[norgeway]

The days of Whirlpool

Having the best compressor on the market, is long gone, They used until 1984 the Seeger designed rotary compressor which was one of the very best.

 

[turbokinetic]

That's a shame about the almost-new compressor seizing up.  It is likely that it was a random defect caused by poor quality control in China. Was there any warning before it went out? The reason I ask is because often there are other problems which can mimic a locked-up compressor.

 

A blocked capillary tube can prevent starting due to failure of the pressure to equalize. Also, a bad start device can cause the compressor to fail to start and seem locked up. 

 

[cfz2882]

co-worker gave me the fridge-it quit on them,had repairman come to check it,and said the compressor was bad.Winding ohms are about right,but compressor will not run direct connected with a cheater cord.I was expecting a PTC start device,but looks like it is started with a run capacitor-15 uf IIRC.New compressor for this unit is ~120-150$,but I will probably identify the specs(I think is about 1/8HP,r134.)and see if a good salvage compressor appears while the fridge waits in storage. "Jaiaxipera"comp. in the 2020 WP while 2013 has Samsung,1991 and 2000 WP have Matsushita/Panasonic compressors.

 

[littlegreeny]

Are you sure it's not something simple like a bad capacitor?

 

[kenwashesmonday]

How long is Whirlpool's warranty on the sealed system these days?

 

[vacerator]

My parent's

1967 Coldspot (Whirlpool) compressor died while still within the 4 year parts warranty. It was rare, but did occur.

 

[turbokinetic]

Hi Brendan. Is the Jia Xipera compressor an R600A unit? Most of them are. That company claims to be one of the pioneers in R600A compressors.  I've seen used pull-outs on eBay very inexpensively.

 

Sincerely,

David 

 

[fan-of-fans]

Don’t know the answer but

I had no idea replacement compressors were that inexpensive (in relation to the whole fridge).

I see French door and side by sides on Craigslist and FB marketplace free or cheap with bad compressors. I always figured a new compressor would cost almost as much as a new unit, or almost, but I guess not.

I suppose the main issue is installing the new compressor and recharging the system.

I used to hear cutting into a sealed system can cause issues due to contamination in the lines. Think either GE or was it KitchenAid had this issue when they had a bunch of bad compressors that were field replaced under warranty.

 

[cfz2882]

#7-thanks for looking into that-I was also suspecting this might have R600,but it is R134
#8-yep,replacement compressors,at least those ~1/8 hp,are very cheap-I think they are all imports in this size. It was GE that had the bad compressor problem:~1985-89-ish,these were rotary vane compressors IIRC,and rotor made of sintered iron wore rapidly...-I think that is what the story was

 

[tomturbomatic]

Decades ago, John and Jeff used Embraco compressors as replacements. I don't know if they will work in a box as new as yours, but they were good compressors back then.

Google Search

 

[cfz2882]

Brazil

Embraco is high on the list of good replacement brands to use-I obtained an inop.wine chiller to examine suitability of Salvaging the compressor if good,and found a mouse nest blocking the fan of the Uline wine chiller-easy fix.The compressor in the Uline was Embraco and R134,but a bit small at 1/10 hp

 

[circlew]

Embraco was owned by Whirlpool from 1994 until 2019, when it was sold to Nidec.

 

[jeff_adelphi]

Start device

This compressor does use a PTC start device; I would not replace the comp. without trying a new one.

 

[ea56]

Re: Reply#13 Sorry totally off thread topic but…

Jeff, your avatar looks just like the laundromat that used to be two blocks from my home here in Cotati, Calif. in the 70’s. The floors, the window and of course the Bendix FL’s on the raised concrete platform with the floor drains all look just the same.

I used to go there even though I lived in Petaluma at the time, which is 8 miles away because it was the least expensive laundromat around. It was only 20 cents to wash. I once saw Jon Provost (he played Timmy in Lassie) there in ‘70 or’71 doing his laundry. He was a student at Sonoma State College at the time.

Eddie

 

[thatwasherguy]

Just Ridiculous...

I find it absolutely appalling that a 2 Y.O. fridge already has a bad compressor. Especially considering that I have a 70’s-era mini fridge that sat outside for years and still ran just how it was. As far as replacement goes, I personally like Embraco compressors. (My personal fridge is a 2012 WP equipped with one, compressor hasn’t skipped a beat.) That said, I also really like Copeland and Tecumseh compressors, but I don’t think they make ones that small. Good luck repairing it! I bet it’ll sell for some decent money.
Thatwasherguy.

 

[viewsaver]

Embraco and Danfoss

Both Danfoss and Embraco (Now called Nidec Global Appliance) make excellent small compressors. Many are made in Slovakia. Quality issues are nil. Tecumseh makes most of their small compressors in Brazil and they, too, are also excellent but they are not as prevalent in the really small sizes (under 2000 BTU).

 

[cfz2882]

update on this situation

Junked the fridge and dismantled the compresser for cause of failure:conrod "big end"had seized to crank journal-probaly a speck of debris got in the oil tube.Got the compresser freed up once apart...Just a random failure-compresser was actually nicely made and very conventional in design-kind of impressive for Chinese origin...The fridge itself was cheaply made.but cheaply made very well-good plastic parts.nicely insulated,and the shell was made well. Several parts were salvaged including the two BLDC fan motors,new condition gaskets,temp control,etc.