LG compressor replacement experience

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Jul 14, 2020
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my sister bought a home a couple of years ago that has an LG refig . last week it it stopped cooling. i went to check it out and told them its probably the compressor. according to the serial number its a 2018 model. They were about to just buy a new one when with a little digging we found out that LG had extended the warranty.

So yesterday morning she got on the chat with LG . they asked her a few questions and without much fuss told her they would send a tech out today. the tech came and i went over to watch. it as pretty much how its done on you tube vids, but instead of brazing he use some kind of crimp connection i have never seen before. he said they use this as the new refrig use butane as its coolant and boom boom is no beuno.

after crimping all the connection he did a leak test and then pulled a vacuum . he then recharged from a pre measured tube. no need to weigh or lug around a tank . he was in and out in about an hour.

i always thought about tackling a job like this, but i hate brazing or soldering , but with those connections no flame needed. the rest was pretty much like doing a car .

i must give kudos to LG for how they handled this.
 
Most likely the connection method was a Lokring fitting. We have been using these for 20+ years in Automotive for joining aluminum lines and making repairs to hard lines
 
These are the fitting he used. Needed a tool
 

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Good to know. I also have one of those LG fridges with the compressor issues and I'm pretty sure it was purchased in 2018.
 
Good to know. I also have one of those LG fridges with the compressor issues that I think is also from 2018.
so the warranty is 5 year parts and labor and 10 years parts on the compressor. after 5 years you pay labor . i aksed the tech how much was the labor and he said $250. i asked him how did he diagnose its the compressor. he said that if the compressor is running and not cooling then the MB is likely good and its the compressor. if the MB was bad, the compressor would not run.
 
Propane is REALLY bad for leaking-compressor running & not cooling isn’t necessarily a bad compressor. Although, running with no refrigerant is bad for them too. We have had a large quantity of brand new propane equipment with leaks, have to purge it out before it can be soldered on (& use a combustible leak detector to verify it’s empty).
 
Propane is REALLY bad for leaking-compressor running & not cooling isn’t necessarily a bad compressor. Although, running with no refrigerant is bad for them too. We have had a large quantity of brand new propane equipment with leaks, have to purge it out before it can be soldered on (& use a combustible leak detector to verify it’s empty).
this one used 134 . the new 2020 LG and up use butane
 
that was a good service for sure + like everything else issues are common just AFTER warranty expires + you got LUCKY $$
 
yeah down to 300 microns . i was nto sure how he was going to do it at first as some vids say can use the compressor to vac the system. is this even possible?
No, because the vacuum would just become pressure on the high side. Usually the low side is good enough with a vacuum pump, air & moisture is removed through the expansion device (capillary tube on a small system). These new small compressors seem weak compared to the old ones, which could last decades if the condenser was kept clean & fan motors didn’t fail.
 
huh.... mom and Dad replaced a 1993 model Whirlpool Fridge with an LG one sometime in the last couple years( not sure when... but the last few years all blend together)... have to look into/keep an eye on this issue...
 
Wow, good thing it was under warranty! Around here, if anything is done, you are looking above $750! It is expensive to have someone look at your washer/fridge/oven, and around here they making a 70 mile trip to your home.

I had a fan die in my refrigerator, he kept complaining that I didn't have enough cooling(frige was recessed in a cabinet space) and he had to take the whole inners apart to get to the fan. All he had was a tool belt and a mini laptop with factory manuals.

If you like working while the home owner watches, in uncomfortable cramped spaces, it's not a job I want!
 
Our house, which we moved into in 2020 had a 2019 LG sidexside refrigerator. It failed in October of 21... linear compressor. I was in the middle of remodeling our kitchen. I just ordered a new Whirlpool from Costco. Have had good experience with LG laundry products but not LG kitchen appliances.
 
I lived in an apartment in Korea for two years - Samsung fridge and LG washer both died …
So not just an ‘Merican thang 👀

Oh, and to be fair my Kia appliance was ok … 😷
 
I am hoping that the LG compressor issue is behind them and the design of the new refrigerators are good. We are torn trying to find three reliable products for our new home. Refrigerator, Washer and Dryer. We are leaning LG for the washer and dryer, Samsung is out on those two for sure. I honestly dont know... maybe even GE or Whirlpool. frustrating because most of the stuff now looks like dressed up junk.

I have heard in the past about class action lawsuit regarding LG compressors on the refrigerators and can only assume those issues are cleared up.
All in all LG has some nice looking stuff, I am jaded against Samsung and the other appliances in the home being built (in wall oven, cook top, dishwasher are GE so was thinking about keeping the brand all the same...
It used to be more easy because companies built their products on reliability and good ratings, now they are built on looking nice on the sales floor and reliability programmed to last just long enough if you are that lucky.

The home we just sold had Whirlpool Stove and Dishwasher from the builder.
We purchased Kenmore Elite Washer, Dryer, Refrigerator. ALL APPLIANCES still working 16 years later and still looked like new when we just sold the house. I doubt we will be so lucky again.
 
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