Quote:
Originally Posted by kolelt
Yeah I agree. The compressor has been used about 10 times since it came out of the box. It’s wired in the back of the 4runner out of the Elements. But I agree, it sitting for almost a year could have caused it to seize up. The switch is clean. No corrosion visible. Is that a common thing on a ARB compressor? I’m sure many let it sit for a while before they have to use it ?
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I don't know if it's common thing for a ARB compressor....but for any electrical motor with brushes it can sometimes be a common issue, I would check and see if the brushes are stuck in their holders and not making proper contact with the commutator on the armature, brushes are a common failure in electrical motors usually from just wearing out over time and use and most all can be replaced with new brushes, but in this case, since they haven't been used very much they can just be stuck and need cleaning.
Also on the switch, I guessing the switch has possibly two contacts one for the fan and one for the motor, but I could be wrong not knowing how the ARB compressor and or switch is designed, but I do know how electrical motors function, and the common issues when they don't work.
As far as the compressor being inside the vehicle, humidity can build up inside a vehicle that is just sitting for a long period of time, and the contact areas of the brushes inside the motor are raw metal and can corrode from the humidity being ever present inside the vehicle, a motor in a vehicle that is used daily will not have that constant humidity affecting the raw metal inside the compressor.
I'm not saying the brushes are the problem but that's what I would check next to be sure they are able to move freely in their holders so they make proper contact with the commutator on the armature, if the brushes seem to be able to move freely in their holders, I would check with a multi-meter to see if there's continuity to the brushes when the switch is on, to do this disconnect the power and the turn on the switch then using the OHMS function check for continuity from the "hot" wire and the lead on the brushes, if there's not continuity then there's either a break in the circuitry or the switch is not making proper contact inside the switch, if there's is continuity and the motor still doesn't work then there's most likely a break in the wires on the armature or in the field windings that the armature rotates inside of.
If you are unfamiliar with using a multi-meter for checking continuity there are plenty of YouTube videos on how to check for continuity, basically you are check to see if current will flow from one point/contact to another through the circuitry or a wire, switch, etc.