When recovering refrigerant into a non-pressurized container from a refrigerator with an inoperative compressor, what action is necessary?

When recovering refrigerant from a refrigerator with an inoperative compressor, heating and striking the compressor may facilitate the recovery process. This action can help to vaporize any trapped refrigerant within the compressor, making it easier to capture the refrigerant effectively. In the case of an inoperative compressor, significant amounts of refrigerant might still be trapped within it, and simply connecting recovery equipment may not adequately remove all of the refrigerant if the compressor isn’t operational to facilitate the flow.

While disconnecting the power supply is a necessary safety measure to ensure that the unit cannot accidentally be restarted, it does not directly aid in the recovery process itself. Vacuum pumping the system is typically reserved for preparing the system for a recharge or maintaining a vacuum in a closed system, not for recovering refrigerant. Replacing the compressor would only be warranted as a long-term solution to restore functionality, and is not an immediate action relevant to the refrigerant recovery process at hand. Therefore, heating and striking the compressor is the most practical and efficient approach to ensure that the refrigerant can be fully recovered from the system.