SMC Discussion Areas

Trouble-Shooting => Refrigeration => Topic started by: RustyGold on November 21, 2014, 04:24:53 pm



Title: Compressor Test Tool
Post by: RustyGold on November 21, 2014, 04:24:53 pm
This was given to me by a retired Coke Tech who worked on Vending machines his whole career.  Its old, but it looks like it would very usefull to quickly test compressors.  The way I understand it is you can start and run the compressor directly with this tool taking the rest of the wiring harness out of the equation.  Does anyone use this or something similar?  


Title: Re: Compressor Test Tool
Post by: MoonDawg on November 21, 2014, 04:40:38 pm
      Looks kind of cool, hoping our Reefer guys can give us a little more info.  :happydrinkers:


Title: Re: Compressor Test Tool
Post by: cmike101 on November 21, 2014, 06:57:18 pm
That is great..I want 1


Title: Re: Compressor Test Tool
Post by: johnieG on November 21, 2014, 10:40:52 pm
I've seen this & other manual compressor jigs made by various techs & service departments, We have an   "ANNIE"  nick-names for "analyzer"  (we have one at my work place) a nice little test box that can help diagnosis a compressors state of health, the one shown is basic & functional but lacks one important feature, a grounding system, so it's a good way to kill yourself if the windings are shorted to the chassis.  :biggrin:

Always check for shorted windings first with an ohm-meter BEFORE you plug it in...and make sure that damn things grounded too ( the compressor, chassis & line-cord to a grounded/earthed outlet and/or a GFCI device.


Title: Re: Compressor Test Tool
Post by: RustyGold on November 22, 2014, 02:45:30 pm


Always check for shorted windings first with an ohm-meter BEFORE you plug it in...and make sure that damn things grounded too ( the compressor, chassis & line-cord to a grounded/earthed outlet and/or a GFCI device.

As said many times before by Mike Rowe, "Safety Third!"

Seriously though, good advice.  I need an Ohm-Meter.


Title: Re: Compressor Test Tool
Post by: cohammer on December 03, 2014, 07:43:04 pm
I think that was what a friend used when he came out to test my air condition compressor about 15 years ago . When I moved 10 years ago there was still oil on the brick wall from the explosion. I check my own now with ohm meter  :biggrin:


Title: Re: Compressor Test Tool
Post by: RustyGold on December 12, 2014, 07:31:17 pm
Thank you johnieG for pointing out the potential danger of using this tool on a machine with a bad compressor.  I bought an ohm meter and have been studying on how to test the compressor properly  :smile:    

The service cord on the machine that I have lacks a ground pin or pigtail.  I'm not sure if that's correct or if it was replaced along that way with a non grounded cord.  The terminal block appears to have a green wire on the outside of it wire secured to the top of it with a screw.
If and only when my compressor checks out ok electrically (with my shiney new multimeter) I want to make sure the whole compressor deck is grounded properly prior to juicing it up with 110 for a test.
This will be a bench test with the enire cooling system removed from the machine and on my work table.  The test tool that is pictured (with its non grounded plug) will be plugged into a GFI outlet and connected to the compressor with the Start Common Run clamps.   The compressor dome/chassis will have a jumper cable secured to it at one end and the other will be on the ground rod that is beneath my electrical panel for my house which just so happens to be right next to my work bench.  I am going slow and welcome any advice anyone may have.  Thanks!