AC problem

Ok, then in order to tell if charge is correct without tapping into the unit. the only way to tell is to measure current draw. The symptoms are saying it's a bad compressor. They can run without doing anything and an amp measurement or tapping into the system is the way to tell. At this point, why not. If it has a leak, you'll have to fix it anyway so you fix the hole made by the piercing valve at the same time. Same with changing out a compressor, if you are a DIY,you have to do some brazing anyway. If it has lost it's charge, or if the compressor is bad, either way will put you close to the cost of a new unit. If it's less than five years old and only has a leak, then it's probably economically feasible to fix it. if it's older than that or if the compressor is in fact defective, then a replacement makes more sense that repairing it. My point was, unless you have the tools to diagnose it and know how to use them, any assumption about the problem is just that, an assumption and an unfounded one.