Why does nobody talk about moisture in compressor oil during winter

I was at a shop in Minneapolis last month and noticed three techs all dealing with burned out compressors on the same week. Turns out nobody was checking for moisture in the oil before starting up units that sat in unheated garages. Has anyone else run into this when temps drop below zero?

3 comments

3 Comments

max_hernandez271mo ago

I read a technical bulletin from Copeland that said moisture in winter can freeze inside compressor oil and wreck the bearings before you even hear anything wrong. Definitely a hidden issue when it gets that cold.

sage_moore371mo ago

Hits on something bigger I see all the time - we tend to blame the big obvious stuff first when the real problem is usually some tiny hidden thing we ignored until it was too late.

brianm661mo ago

I had three compressor failures at my shop just last January and it drove me crazy until I figured out what was happening. I finally started pulling a sample from the oil separator on every unit that sat in the unheated storage lot before startup. The moisture just collects in the oil from condensation when those big temperature swings hit, and then when it freezes it turns into little ice crystals that grind the bearings down fast. I felt like an idiot once I realized it was such a simple thing to check with a basic oil test kit. Seriously makes me wonder how many compressor jobs I lost money on over the years because I didnt bother looking for water in the oil first.