First, I want to say that I found you guys and thought I'd join due to the nice things another newbie had to say:
http://forum.appliancepartspros...-freezer-warming-up.html

He said you were helpful - what a nice change!

My story is this - I bought a used kitchen off of **** that came with my white elephant. She worked fine, until we moved her home to our house...then freezer but no refrigerator. I had one repairman (I use the term loosely here) come over & put in a new starter (not an OEM one) but, of course that didn't work. I then called an expensive store who's repairman came over and wrote up a $1500 estimate for a new compressor, evaporator, etc. However, he told me to just get rid of it. I could tell he didn't want the job, and quite frankly I didn't see how he came up w/those parts other than previous subzero experience as the system had freon, he didn't use a sniffer or really any tools...so my husband and I decided we'd try to fix it. We're both ASE in A/C systems for cars and so lugged our big recovery machine into the kitchen, hooked it up - recovered the freon and installed the compressor - and wa-la it worked great!

She worked great for nearly a year...until that fateful day when I moved her. She had been the center of attention standing in the center of the kitchen as everyone was too afraid to touch her sensitive self and move her back three feet. I dared to do it - and as I was alone and she is heavy, I had to sort of rock her a bit, well she didn't like it...at all. How do I know this? Well, a few days later the lights in the kitchen started to flicker sometimes, then we heard an awful electrical humming sound once in awhile coming from the subzero area...not good. Then the breaker for the fridge blew... Then after a few weeks - no more cold milk.

The freezer still works, there is still freon in the fridge side - but that's it. We tried inspecting the starter, but it broke apart and stuff went flying (so we'll need one of those and a part#). My husband attempted to jump the compressor, and he, not it made a noise - and he thinks it probably is the compressor seized up. I just can't believe that a new SZ compressor would only last 9 months... So, here's my questions to you.
Is there anything else it could be? Could it be a thermal switch somewhere that got hot and then wouldn't let the compressor start, some sort of safety feature, or am I making that all up? Could it be the starter? Are there any other tests I can do to ensure it is the compressor?

So, if I lose again, and it is the compressor - is there anything we should do the second time around? Could this one have failed because bits of shrapnel from compressor #1 were still in the system and got to compressor #2? Is there an oil drain/cleanout? Should we blow out the lines? Any hints or tips or sympathy would be most appreciated. Thanks for the forum and your time!) Winter has made this a bit easier and my milk is resting on the roof for now...but spring is a comin!!!

You say you work on MVAC systems, and if you used recovery equipment for an MVAC system, you have likely contaminated the system if it wasnt evacuated and dehydrated completely. Im assuming of course that you used the same refrigerant you recovered...but if it is R134A, by using an MVAC recovery equipment, even a trace amount of HCFC refrigerant will damage HFC refrigerant