Found a stat about compressor burnouts that caught me off guard

I was looking through some warranty return data from our local supplier in Phoenix last week, and I noticed that nearly 40% of compressor failures happen within the first 6 months of installation. That surprised me because I always figured most burnouts come years down the line from contamination or wear and tear. But the report said a big chunk is from improper start-up procedures or voltage issues right out of the gate. I guess it makes sense with how rushed new installs can get on new builds around here. Has anyone else seen numbers like that from their parts house or manufacturer?

3 comments

3 Comments

juliarodriguez1mo ago

That 40% number from Phoenix tracks with what I've seen out here in Tucson actually... bet you half of those are from guys rushing through startup and skipping the hard start kit or not checking voltage drop under load. Warranty forms are definitely garbage though, I've seen guys mark "electrical failure" when they really forgot to close a service valve and the compressor ran with no suction for twenty minutes. Classic case of "the computer says no" but the real story is someone's screw up. Next time someone tells me improper startup I'm gonna ask if that means they plugged it in and it went poof or if they actually watched the gauges for more than 5 seconds. Half the time I think "first six months" is just code for "we handed the key to a guy who learned HVAC from YouTube and called it good".

bennett.harper1mo ago

Hang on, is that stat really that shocking though? I mean, 40 percent sounds like a lot, but you gotta wonder if the data is skewed. Maybe the first 6 months is just when people actually pay attention and report stuff, you know? After that, they might just diy it or call someone else instead of filing a warranty claim. Plus, "improper start-up" is kind of a catch-all that could mean anything from the tech forgetting to pull a vacuum to a homeowner flipping the breaker on and off. How do you even verify that kind of thing from a warranty form?

logan5251mo ago

Finally started snapping a pic of the startup sequence on my phone for every new install, and it's saved me on warranty disputes more than once. Now I just pull up the timestamped photo of my gauges and voltage readings before I even call the supplier.