Re: Aircon pump...
" It's actually quite a feat of engineering because it's totally sealed with the motor coils sealed inside the unit with the refrigerant."
Wot - like that black thingie at the bottom at the back of my fridge freezer - the bit wiv the wires and all the pipes going to it?
The special gas used to be a freon, (think they're still used on cars) but the greenies don't like those. So now we use isobutane. Works ok unless it develops a leak into the cabinet, reaches the lower inflammability limit and the cheap electromechanical stat clicks in. Tends to blow the bl**dy doors off. The kitchen doors. And windows.