Help Please. Cut open my first compressor yesterday.

Ok, I had some compressors from mini refrigerators, and air conditioners sitting since last fall in my garage. For a long time I didnt make time and was actually overwhelmed and a little scared to try to cut open, because of some of the things that could go wrong that i read on the forum. Yesterday I decided to give a shot and started with a smaller one from a mini refrigerator. I had a fan set up to hopefully blow away some of the potentially harmful fumes and gases. IT WENT PRETTY SMOOTH and cut through it with my HF angle grinder in a few minutes, and was able to just pull the motor out, and just cut a small copper line, and a couple pieces of wire. I THEN went on to the big honkin compressor from an OUTSIDE central air unit. GOT IT OPEN , but wasnt able to just pull the motor out like the smaller one. I cant tell how to get it out and dont see any visible screws or bolts that are holding it down. only thing i think is going on is it appears its on like an axle or something that allows it to swing back and forth. (not sure if my description makes sense)


Well i took pictures they are attached, and on the ones that are close ups you can kind of see the axle thing im talking about. IS THERE something im doing wrong? what would be the best method to get it out of there?


http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/...ps84fbafe2.jpg

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1495ef38.jpg

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9213d4d9.jpg

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/...ps09d663ed.jpg

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0ff05419.jpg

maybe turn it upside down and cut the other end off, there might be screws/bolts holding it in on the bottom. I had one like that once, cut the top off and had to cut the bottom off too lol. good luck!

Stick a wedge between the winding core and pump assembly, then hit the center piece with a hammer. sometimes they stick. And they are heavy (about 20 pounds for one like yours).

I can't figure that out. You have taken out the bolts that hold the armature (the part with the copper windings, either the innner or outer part, it has windings in it), but its staying there.

Bash it sideways with a hammer, will it move?
Lever it up with a crowbar or something, will it move?

If its a heatpump, not a normal fridge, they are different.

There should be three springs that attach the motor to the case on the bottom of the unit. All the mini fridge compressors I have come across were built this way. you might be able to break it free with brute force they are not too thick, but it is much simpler to cut the bottom off and cut the springs then the motor slides right out.
don't forget the freezer tray ali/copper.:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eesakiwi

Bash it sideways with a hammer, will it move?
Lever it up with a crowbar or something, will it move?

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Thanks everybody. several attempts at trying to yank it up, I even try to take a chisel and hammer to the two axle / rod things. After that i took eesakiwi's advise, and just started bashing everything with the 2.5 lbs sledge hammer dont know which hit did it, the thing finally gave in and came out.

I usually get the GF to drop it out of the truck on a back road at 60 MPH and it usually loosens things up.