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Could this be systemic? Something in the electrical system for instance? Or is it likely coincidental?

HVAC repair says they can't find a leak but the freon is very low and was fully charged in September. It is 4 ton a/c unit split system with furnace from 1998.

Refrigerator repair says it needs a new board of some kind and that it will take 2 weeks to get one. GE Profile fridge from 2004.

Pool pump is not diagnosed yet. It did have low pool water level earlier in the week causing air to be sucked in. Pump made a weird whining sound so I shut it off.

Should I have house electric checked?

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  • I made a number of changes to your text, all of which were intended to be improvements. Please review carefully and let me know if I changed your intended meaning.
    – wallyk
    Apr 17, 2016 at 17:26
  • It wouldn't hurt to check the voltage w/ a standard meter to make sure you're not dealing with continuous overvoltage. I did once find that the street regulator was going bad and everyone on my street was receiving about 134 VAC.
    – Carl Witthoft
    Apr 18, 2016 at 11:46

3 Answers 3

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Sounds like a string of bad luck.

While an electrical spike/surge will cause problems and failures in the controllers and motors, the freon exists in an enclosed system and therefore this will not cause a leak. The compressor is a hermetically sealed unit, so there are no shaft seals that will cause freon loss.

The refrigerator is the most likely to have succumbed to a power spike/surge.

Pumps will make weird sounds if there is a lot of air being circulated in the water, when they lose prime (run empty) they can destroy the shaft seal from it running without water to lubricate and take away the heat. Typically, the pump motor will not make noises from power surge/spike damage, it's more likely bearing failure (ball bearing type motors) from water leaking into the bearing through the failed shaft seal. The type of failure you see from electrical damage is overheating, shorted windings or failure to start because the start capacitor has been burned out. The stalled motor or shorted windings can cause the circuit breaker to trip, though they usually have internal thermal protection that shuts them down, causing the motor to shut off.

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I believe @Fiasco Labs is correct. In addition to his answer I will add that if your AC repair man says your system is low on refrigerant, but can't find any leaks, it's time for a new repair man. Refrigerant doesn't magically disappear. It's an 18 year old system so it's almost garunteed the leak is in your evaporator coil.

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A power surge will do this. I suggest to call an electrician to evaluate the circuit panel. Bad circuit breakers could also contribute to these problems.

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  • 1
    I doubt bad circuit breakers could do all of this, but certainly a voltage spike could.
    – wallyk
    Apr 17, 2016 at 17:30
  • One way to check if the breakers are faulty, are any breakers hot to the touch during operation? Corroded or dirty contacts can contribute to poor performing circuit breakers or if moisture got into the panel. If your not drawing the proper current required by the motor your going to fry them fast.
    – Been There
    Apr 17, 2016 at 17:58
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    A power surge would cause a refrigerant leak, and pool pump running dry?
    – Tester101
    Apr 17, 2016 at 20:06

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