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Rick
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it? I've
googled the subject and not found anything! I really do not want to
pay a repair man $100 to add one pound of refrigerant into the system,
when I own the coolant and tools. Thanks in advance.

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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

id get a good book on the subject and read it.. might search hvac
books..

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

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udarrell
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Rick wrote:

I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it? I've
googled the subject and not found anything! I really do not want to
pay a repair man $100 to add one pound of refrigerant into the system,
when I own the coolant and tools. Thanks in advance.


The leak should be fixed.

You need far more than a manifold gage to accurately charge an air
conditioner!
Read and learn what you need in instruments and know-how. - udarrell -
Darrell
After you know what to ask a service tech, call and get the leak located
and fixed, ask the tech to use your R-22.

--
Air Conditioning's Affordable Path to the "Human Comfort Zone Goal"
http://www.udarrell.com/air-conditio...tent-heat.html
http://www.udarrell.com/ac-trouble-s...ubcooling.html
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Sacramento Dave
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C


"Rick" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it? I've
googled the subject and not found anything! I really do not want to
pay a repair man $100 to add one pound of refrigerant into the system,
when I own the coolant and tools. Thanks in advance.


I would start buy Finding the leak, the refrigerant must be going
somewhere. These days $100 dollars isn't a lot to pay for experience and
convenience. Plus if you need special tools, Gauges, hoses, regulator, buy
the time you chase all that down what do you really save? There's a real
fine line between saving money and Cheap stupidity.


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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Plus, isn't it illegal to recharge a leaking AC system? I like to do
as many repairs as I can myself, but if my AC was leaking, I'd gladly
pay to have it fixed right once, instead of hacking around.



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digitalmaster
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C


"Rick" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it? I've
googled the subject and not found anything! I really do not want to
pay a repair man $100 to add one pound of refrigerant into the system,
when I own the coolant and tools. Thanks in advance.

the low pressure port is on the side with the larger tube.Make sure the can
is upright with the hose out the top when putting refrigerant in the low
side.Add a little at a time with the system running till the system runs
right.
BE AWARE you may be breaking the law...it would be best to bite the bullet
and get this system fixed right as the tech may spot something that will
save you from total replacement later.Talk to the tech about trading the
refrigerant you have to him for a discount??


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Joseph Meehan
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Rick wrote:
I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it? I've
googled the subject and not found anything! I really do not want to
pay a repair man $100 to add one pound of refrigerant into the system,
when I own the coolant and tools. Thanks in advance.


Step #1 fix the leak.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit


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Doofus
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

"Rick" wrote:

I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it? I've
googled the subject and not found anything! I really do not want to
pay a repair man $100 to add one pound of refrigerant into the system,
when I own the coolant and tools. Thanks in advance.


Ask over in alt.hvac. This is their kind of question.

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Joseph Meehan
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Doofus wrote:
"Rick" wrote:

I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to
top off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4
years. Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the
low pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it?
I've googled the subject and not found anything! I really do not
want to pay a repair man $100 to add one pound of refrigerant into
the system, when I own the coolant and tools. Thanks in advance.


Ask over in alt.hvac. This is their kind of question.


You are mean. :-)

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit


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Richard J Kinch
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Rick writes:

Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it?


It will be simpler if there is a charging chart, such as should be pasted
inside the cabinet, or in documents that came with the unit.

If you don't know this procedure already, then how can you know it needs a
top-up? How do you know it has a leak? I wouldn't necessarily trust the
diagnosis that has been performed in the past by someone else.
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

I would agree with the other posters that if the refrigerant is getting
out, there is a leak, and you should fix the leak in conjunction with
refilling the refrigerant. You will regret doing this yourself, and it
is best advised to hire a trusted professional to do it for you.

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Rick
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

I like the idea of having a professional use my freon. I trust the guy
that did it before, and he said that a slow leak like mine will take
some time to find, and will cost me more than $100 for showing up and
finding and fixing the leak. I went with the cheap route and he agreed
that topping it off every few years would be the cheapest approach.
This will be my third top-off in 8-9 years; I don't consider that to be
excessive given the cost of a proper fix. The last time he "fixed" the
system, it took him less than 15 minutes after removing the AC case
(that took 15 minutes in itself!) The original AC system is 12 yrs
old. Does anyone have a web site or book recommendation? I'm certain
I can learn the know how and get it running again in short order.

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John Gilmer
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C


"Rick" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it?


While I go along with the posters who say: 1) FIX the leak first; and 2)
hire a professional.

If you want to try, you will often find instructions inside the unit on how
to charge it. In addition to the gauges, you will need a fairly accurate
thermometer. You will also have to educate yourself on the meanings of the
technical terms: "Super Heat" and "Super Cooling."

If you play nice there is a very slight chance that the "pros" on alt.hvac
will give you WAGS on "typical values" but be prepared for some very nasty
replies if you venture there.


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Pete C.
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

John Gilmer wrote:

"Rick" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it?


While I go along with the posters who say: 1) FIX the leak first; and 2)
hire a professional.

If you want to try, you will often find instructions inside the unit on how
to charge it. In addition to the gauges, you will need a fairly accurate
thermometer. You will also have to educate yourself on the meanings of the
technical terms: "Super Heat" and "Super Cooling."

If you play nice there is a very slight chance that the "pros" on alt.hvac
will give you WAGS on "typical values" but be prepared for some very nasty
replies if you venture there.


Don't waste your time on alt.hvac, it's just a social club for paranoid
union type coil cleaners to try and boost their egos by attacking anyone
who dares venture into what they think is "their" turf. If anything it
may convince you to avoid all the "pros" including the few who are
actually competent and professional (hint - the competent and
professional ones don't do residential work).

Pete C.


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Stormin Mormon
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Lack of cooling can be one of several problems. While you've had freon
leak in the past, the problem may easily be something different this
time.

I got my freon certificate from the government in 1994. Been working
for a friend of mine part time, installing furnace and AC. Not a lot
of experience with service and repair, though I have done some. One of
the many things I have learned, is that adding freon is not a
cure-all. Plenty other things can go wrong. go wrong. go wrong.

One of the things you (should) get from the $100 AC guy is to check
the several other things which might make a system stop cooling.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Rick" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have a manifold set and 30lb can of R-22 refrigerant and need to top
off my home AC system that seems to need a recharge every 3-4 years.
Is there a do-it-yourself guide that shows how to locate the low
pressure recharge point and steps a repair person through it? I've
googled the subject and not found anything! I really do not want to
pay a repair man $100 to add one pound of refrigerant into the system,
when I own the coolant and tools. Thanks in advance.


  #17   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

You should be able to serach the internet and find instructions on how
to add freon. That's actually easy enough to do. I've done it planty
of times to automotive A/C and have watched other people do it on home
A/C once ot twice. The difference being that on a car A/C I was uaully
just adding increments in terms of the number of cans until I got cold
air out of the vents. With a house A/C, you could concieveably do the
same thing, however, with a house A/C you really need to know
information about the compressor, and figure in things like the outside
temperature to get the right amount. The difference being that for a
house A/C you want the optimal amount because too little and your A/C
is inefficient and too much causes problems as well. I'm not saying
that you can't do it yourself, I'm saying that if you really want it
done right, you need to do a lot of reasearch first.

And as for all the people saying fix the leak, they have a point too,
but I'd use it as an excuse to upgrade if your old unit is less than 10
SEER and you use it a lot. You didn't say where you live. I live in
Baltimore, and if I had a problematic unit that was less than 10 SEER,
I'd trash it. If you live in Canada or someplace else where you don't
use much A/C, then maybe even 8 SEER would still be OK.

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Craven Morehead
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

The only problem in paying a competent pro to do this is...there are only 3
and none of them live in your area (earth).
wrote in message
oups.com...
You should be able to serach the internet and find instructions on how
to add freon. That's actually easy enough to do. I've done it planty
of times to automotive A/C and have watched other people do it on home
A/C once ot twice. The difference being that on a car A/C I was uaully
just adding increments in terms of the number of cans until I got cold
air out of the vents. With a house A/C, you could concieveably do the
same thing, however, with a house A/C you really need to know
information about the compressor, and figure in things like the outside
temperature to get the right amount. The difference being that for a
house A/C you want the optimal amount because too little and your A/C
is inefficient and too much causes problems as well. I'm not saying
that you can't do it yourself, I'm saying that if you really want it
done right, you need to do a lot of reasearch first.

And as for all the people saying fix the leak, they have a point too,
but I'd use it as an excuse to upgrade if your old unit is less than 10
SEER and you use it a lot. You didn't say where you live. I live in
Baltimore, and if I had a problematic unit that was less than 10 SEER,
I'd trash it. If you live in Canada or someplace else where you don't
use much A/C, then maybe even 8 SEER would still be OK.



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richardcool
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Nice Thread.

I was actually considering doign a recharge on a smaller unit (Carrier
International Series.. mfg date Dec '89). It sits in my kitchen
windowsill.

The unit requires 23.5 Oz of R-22.

I opened up the unit and all looks very basic. There is a condenser,
compressor, a few relays, and some control circuit. The unit even has a
schematic printed on a sticker in the unit (which is nice since I don't
have the manual).

Now, A question for all the A/C buffs-- I moved into this house in '94 and
haven't done a recharge to date. My A/C finally gave out last summer.. Is
this typical for a good unit? How often do "leaky" units get recharged?

Thanks,
Richard
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Edwin Pawlowski
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C


"richardcool" wrote in message
Now, A question for all the A/C buffs-- I moved into this house in '94 and
haven't done a recharge to date. My A/C finally gave out last summer.. Is
this typical for a good unit? How often do "leaky" units get recharged?

Thanks,
Richard


They get recharged every time they leak. Smart people repair the leaks
first.




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Jeff Wisnia
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

richardcool wrote:
Nice Thread.

I was actually considering doign a recharge on a smaller unit (Carrier
International Series.. mfg date Dec '89). It sits in my kitchen
windowsill.

The unit requires 23.5 Oz of R-22.

I opened up the unit and all looks very basic. There is a condenser,
compressor, a few relays, and some control circuit. The unit even has a
schematic printed on a sticker in the unit (which is nice since I don't
have the manual).

Now, A question for all the A/C buffs-- I moved into this house in '94 and
haven't done a recharge to date. My A/C finally gave out last summer.. Is
this typical for a good unit? How often do "leaky" units get recharged?

Thanks,
Richard


Fughedit. For what you'd have to spend on things like a vacuum pump,
gages, brazing equipment. filling fittings and an online course/license
so you could legally handle refrigerants, you could buy three or four
brandy new window AC units.

Sometimes you just have to accept "disposable economy" things like that
and resist the temptation to try and fix them yourself. The unit you
have prolly cost you less than $15/year for the 15 years you've had it.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"What do you expect from a pig but a grunt?"
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Edwin Pawlowski
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C


"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message

Now, A question for all the A/C buffs-- I moved into this house in '94
and
haven't done a recharge to date. My A/C finally gave out last summer..
Is
this typical for a good unit? How often do "leaky" units get recharged?

Thanks,
Richard


Sometimes you just have to accept "disposable economy" things like that
and resist the temptation to try and fix them yourself. The unit you have
prolly cost you less than $15/year for the 15 years you've had it.

Jeff


And a new model will save more in electricity than the cot of repair. I had
a couple of old window units and was glad to see them go. New ones, though
"cheaper constructed" are lighter and more efficient.


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Stormin Mormon
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Yes, much more efficient. the old ones were real gas hogs. Walmart has
them down under a hundred bucks. I can't hardly fix one for that.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news

And a new model will save more in electricity than the cot of repair.
I had
a couple of old window units and was glad to see them go. New ones,
though
"cheaper constructed" are lighter and more efficient.



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Stormin Mormon
 
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Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Window units more often need cleaning. Not need freon. Though, some do
need freon. I've made a pile of money cleaning window AC.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

I was actually considering doign a recharge on a smaller unit

(Carrier
International Series.. mfg date Dec '89). It sits in my kitchen
windowsill.

The unit requires 23.5 Oz of R-22.

I opened up the unit and all looks very basic. There is a

condenser,
compressor, a few relays, and some control circuit. The unit even

has a
schematic printed on a sticker in the unit (which is nice since I

don't
have the manual).

Now, A question for all the A/C buffs-- I moved into this house in

'94 and
haven't done a recharge to date. My A/C finally gave out last

summer.. Is
this typical for a good unit? How often do "leaky" units get

recharged?

Thanks,
Richard




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external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,515
Default Recharge my home's own A/C

Stormin Mormon posted for all of us...
I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.

I can't hardly fix one - any one!


--
Tekkie
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