What happens when a compressor burns out?
When a compressor burns out, the oil becomes extremely acidic and if all this acid is not removed when the compressor is replaced, the elevated acid levels will attack the new compressor and cause another compressor motor burn-out. Premature compressor burnout after a prior burnout is quite common, because of residual acid. Acid cleanup normally involves changing the compressor oil and the refrigerant to reduce the acid level (and changing the hermetic or semi-hermetic compressor if it did burn out). Unfortunately however, removal of the oil, contained in the compressor, does not remove all the oil or acid in the system since acid is carried throughout the vapor-compression loop by the flowing refrigerant and therefore acidic oil or its residue is throughout the system. (This residual acid has been shown to shorten the life of the system since this residual acid will lead to accelerated acid formation in the system. This has been supported by experimental evidence in the literature tha
