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Error Code
E5 reports an overcurrent condition in the compressor or a locked compressor motor. The compressor drew more current than its protection allows, so the system cut out rather than burn the winding. This is an electrical fault rather than a refrigerant one, and it needs a technician, because confirming it involves live measurement at the compressor terminals.
Current climbs when the compressor is working harder than it should, whether from a failing winding, a mechanical bind inside the shell or a supply that cannot carry the load. The protection circuit sees the rise and trips. Measuring current at start and again in steady running tells a technician which of those it is.
A compressor that cannot turn draws locked rotor current, several times its running current, and protection stops it almost immediately. The cause can be mechanical seizure or a failed start component. A rotor locked on every attempt is a different problem from a compressor that runs for ten minutes and then trips, and the two lead to different repairs.
Contactor pitting, loose terminals, a damaged cable or insulation breaking down will all produce overcurrent readings on a healthy compressor. These are the faults worth finding, because they cost little to fix and they are routinely mistaken for a failed compressor. Insulation resistance testing separates them.
The unit is isolated for a few minutes to reset the protection, then restarted while a technician watches and listens. Whether it starts at all, and how long it runs before tripping, is the most useful diagnostic on this code. Do not repeat a reset that trips instantly, because locked rotor current is hard on the winding.
Windings are measured for resistance across each phase and for insulation resistance to earth, and the readings are compared against each other. A winding significantly different from its siblings, or one that leaks to earth, has failed. This is the test that confirms a compressor rather than guessing at one.
Contactor points, terminal blocks and the cable run are inspected for pitting, heat discolouration and looseness. A contactor with burnt points creates resistance and heat, and the compressor then sees a supply that sags under load. Replacing a contactor costs a fraction of the compressor it protects.
