“Some compressor manufacturers claim nearly 40 percent of compressor warranty returns are attributed to burned-out start windings from incorrect hard start devices installed by service technicians,” said Riley Archer, national technical manager, RectorSeal® Corp., who recently presented a session on compressor starting problems as part of the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board’s HVAC Continuing Education Units Program.
Archer, who conducts free HVACR training classes upon request for contractors and distributors nationwide, spoke to 40 service techs at the Dayton, Ohio, branch of HVACR contractor Service Experts, and 15 techs and countermen at the Dayton branch of nationwide wholesale chain R.E. Michel Co. in April. The North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certified class addressed the harmful effects of heat on compressor motor windings, the benefits of hard start devices, and the dangers of incorrect start devices.