Tried ultrasonic cleaning on a sealed compressor and it actually made things worse

I work out of a shop in Phoenix and last week I had this old GE fridge compressor that was locked up tight. Everyone online swears by ultrasonic cleaning for unsealed units but I figured why not try it on a sealed one. Popped it in my 6 liter tank for 30 minutes with some degreaser. After drying and recharging it just hummed louder and tripped the overload faster. Learned the hard way that vibration from the ultrasonic can loosen internal windings or shift the rotor. Has anyone else made this mistake or found a real fix for sealed compressors that doesn't involve cutting them open?

3 comments

3 Comments

william_garcia1mo ago

Wait, ultrasonic cleaning shouldn't mess with internal windings that way.

simonp761mo ago

Did you ever try one of those cheap ultrasonic cleaners from Harbor Freight? I killed a vintage watch with one.

uma_williams1mo agoProlific Poster

@william_garcia has a point, but knowing me I'd probably forget to take the battery out first and turn it into a little grenade. lmao

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