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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?

Is it possible to tell if a roof-top AC still has freon in it?

Is there a gauge, or can I push a valve and open it a tiny bit and
hear if anything comes out? Or some other way. I figure they might
be empty already, and that's one likely reason why they don't work.

I"m cleaning out a building that is about to be razed, and it has 3
big AC's on the roof. Two are broken. The third was fixed 9 months
ago and probably still works. We don't want to vent freon, but if the
freon has already escaped, a friend and I would like to sell the
copper, etc.

Last week we took 1875 pounds of various metals to the scrap yard.
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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?


"mm" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to tell if a roof-top AC still has freon in it?

Is there a gauge, or can I push a valve and open it a tiny bit and
hear if anything comes out? Or some other way. I figure they might
be empty already, and that's one likely reason why they don't work.

I"m cleaning out a building that is about to be razed, and it has 3
big AC's on the roof. Two are broken. The third was fixed 9 months
ago and probably still works. We don't want to vent freon, but if the
freon has already escaped, a friend and I would like to sell the
copper, etc.

Last week we took 1875 pounds of various metals to the scrap yard.


If it is a large unit, it should have two Schrader type valves where you
hook up the gauges. Window AC and refrigerators usually have a pinched off
copper tube. Scrap junkies often check by poking a hole, but getting caught
can be a big fine.


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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to tell if a roof-top AC still has freon in it?

Is there a gauge, or can I push a valve and open it a tiny bit and
hear if anything comes out? Or some other way. I figure they might
be empty already, and that's one likely reason why they don't work.

I"m cleaning out a building that is about to be razed, and it has 3
big AC's on the roof. Two are broken. The third was fixed 9 months
ago and probably still works. We don't want to vent freon, but if
the freon has already escaped, a friend and I would like to sell the
copper, etc.

Last week we took 1875 pounds of various metals to the scrap yard.


If it is a large unit, it should have two Schrader type valves where
you hook up the gauges. Window AC and refrigerators usually have a
pinched off copper tube. Scrap junkies often check by poking a hole,
but getting caught can be a big fine.


If you're not sure, you probably shouldn't be monking around with it. A
realease of refrigerant through the schrader valve core can have problems.
Like you open it to let a little out and the core sticks, then in your
panic, you try to stop it - and since it's attached to the liquid like,
liquid refrigerant starts to escape, and now you've frost bit your fingers
[ minis 40 degrees]. It's best just not to monkey and let someone who knows
do it.

--
Zyp


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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:38:40 -0800, "Zyp" wrote:

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to tell if a roof-top AC still has freon in it?

Is there a gauge, or can I push a valve and open it a tiny bit and
hear if anything comes out? Or some other way. I figure they might
be empty already, and that's one likely reason why they don't work.

I"m cleaning out a building that is about to be razed, and it has 3
big AC's on the roof. Two are broken. The third was fixed 9 months
ago and probably still works. We don't want to vent freon, but if
the freon has already escaped, a friend and I would like to sell the
copper, etc.

Last week we took 1875 pounds of various metals to the scrap yard.


If it is a large unit, it should have two Schrader type valves where
you hook up the gauges.


Thanks. One of the two broken ones is very big and I'm not sure about
the other. But I'll look.

Thanks a lot.

Window AC and refrigerators usually have a
pinched off copper tube. Scrap junkies often check by poking a hole,


Yeah, that's what I don't want to do.

but getting caught can be a big fine.


Not just because of the fine but because of the freon. I try to do
the right thing.

If you're not sure, you probably shouldn't be monking around with it. A
realease of refrigerant through the schrader valve core can have problems.
Like you open it to let a little out and the core sticks, then in your
panic, you try to stop it - and since it's attached to the liquid like,
liquid refrigerant starts to escape, and now you've frost bit your fingers
[ minis 40 degrees]. It's best just not to monkey and let someone who knows
do it.


Ah, but there is no one else to do this, except the one friend I
mentioned who is no more capable than I.

After I read Edwin's post, I was planning on using a screwdriver or
something to push the valve open a bit. The unit has had maintenance
lately and the valve probably won't stick, but if it does, it takes
more than freon to make me panic. (I have a couple stories OT and too
long to print here.)

The freon might be at -40 when the AC is running, but since it hasn't
run for at least 8 months, maybe 16 or more, are you sure it would be
that cold? I know the air coming out of a tire is colder than the
air in the same tire at the same time (10 degrees colder?), because
it's no longer under pressure, And the pressure in the AC would be
higher than the pressure in the tire. And the ambient air might be
only +30 degrees this week. But wouldn't the high pressure part of
the system leak back into the low pressure part, and even out the
pressure, in 8 months?

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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?


"mm" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:38:40 -0800, "Zyp" wrote:

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...
Is it possible to tell if a roof-top AC still has freon in it?

Is there a gauge, or can I push a valve and open it a tiny bit and
hear if anything comes out? Or some other way. I figure they might
be empty already, and that's one likely reason why they don't work.

I"m cleaning out a building that is about to be razed, and it has 3
big AC's on the roof. Two are broken. The third was fixed 9 months
ago and probably still works. We don't want to vent freon, but if
the freon has already escaped, a friend and I would like to sell the
copper, etc.

Last week we took 1875 pounds of various metals to the scrap yard.

If it is a large unit, it should have two Schrader type valves where
you hook up the gauges.


Thanks. One of the two broken ones is very big and I'm not sure about
the other. But I'll look.

Thanks a lot.

Window AC and refrigerators usually have a
pinched off copper tube. Scrap junkies often check by poking a hole,


Yeah, that's what I don't want to do.

but getting caught can be a big fine.


Not just because of the fine but because of the freon. I try to do
the right thing.

If you're not sure, you probably shouldn't be monking around with it. A
realease of refrigerant through the schrader valve core can have problems.
Like you open it to let a little out and the core sticks, then in your
panic, you try to stop it - and since it's attached to the liquid like,
liquid refrigerant starts to escape, and now you've frost bit your fingers
[ minis 40 degrees]. It's best just not to monkey and let someone who
knows
do it.


Ah, but there is no one else to do this, except the one friend I
mentioned who is no more capable than I.

After I read Edwin's post, I was planning on using a screwdriver or
something to push the valve open a bit. The unit has had maintenance
lately and the valve probably won't stick, but if it does, it takes
more than freon to make me panic. (I have a couple stories OT and too
long to print here.)

The freon might be at -40 when the AC is running, but since it hasn't
run for at least 8 months, maybe 16 or more, are you sure it would be
that cold? I know the air coming out of a tire is colder than the
air in the same tire at the same time (10 degrees colder?), because
it's no longer under pressure, And the pressure in the AC would be
higher than the pressure in the tire. And the ambient air might be
only +30 degrees this week. But wouldn't the high pressure part of
the system leak back into the low pressure part, and even out the
pressure, in 8 months?

The only "right thing to do" is have a licensed technician check the units
and recover the refrigerant if there is any present. The technician should
then tag the units to indicate that they are free of refrigerant. This is
required by federal law and penalties for venting freon into the atmosphere
can be severe. The freon may have residual value, also. There has to be
someone in the area who services such units. Call and ask

Any liquid freon in the unit would be at ambient temperature and under
pressure. If the freon escapes and the pressure is no longer present, it
will spew and boil violently and get extremely cold. It can be very
dangerous, especially if there is a large quantity present. Do not risk
messing with it, due to the danger and the legal issues.

Don Young




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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:52:47 -0600, "Don Young"
wrote:


The only "right thing to do" is have a licensed technician check the units
and recover the refrigerant if there is any present. The technician should
then tag the units to indicate that they are free of refrigerant. This is
required by federal law and penalties for venting freon into the atmosphere
can be severe. The freon may have residual value, also. There has to be
someone in the area who services such units. Call and ask

Any liquid freon in the unit would be at ambient temperature and under
pressure. If the freon escapes and the pressure is no longer present, it
will spew and boil violently and get extremely cold. It can be very
dangerous, especially if there is a large quantity present. Do not risk
messing with it, due to the danger and the legal issues.

Don Young


Thank you.

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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:52:47 -0600, "Don Young"
wrote:


The only "right thing to do" is have a licensed technician check the units
and recover the refrigerant if there is any present. The technician should
then tag the units to indicate that they are free of refrigerant. This is
required by federal law and penalties for venting freon into the atmosphere
can be severe. The freon may have residual value, also. There has to be
someone in the area who services such units. Call and ask

Any liquid freon in the unit would be at ambient temperature and under
pressure. If the freon escapes and the pressure is no longer present, it
will spew and boil violently and get extremely cold. It can be very
dangerous, especially if there is a large quantity present. Do not risk
messing with it, due to the danger and the legal issues.

Don Young


Thank you.

Clicked too soon. Thank you. I'll talk to the other guy, whose idea
this was, and we'll do it right.

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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?

On Feb 20, 1:31*am, mm wrote:
Is it possible to tell if a roof-top AC still has freon in it?

Is there a gauge, or can I push a valve and open it a tiny bit and
hear if anything comes out? *Or some other way. *I figure they might
be empty already, and that's one likely reason why they don't work.

I"m cleaning out a building that is about to be razed, and it has 3
big AC's on the roof. *Two are broken. *The third was fixed 9 months
ago and probably still works. *We don't want to vent freon, but if the
freon has already escaped, a friend and I would like to sell the
copper, etc.

Last week we took 1875 pounds of various metals to the scrap yard.


there is likely a sight glass somewhere in the line; a little window
about the size of a dime. i know on the hooked in to the furnace
central ACs they're in the line close to the evaporator, near the
furnace. if the thing is running and you see bubbles in the sight
glass, it's got freon in it but not enough. if there are no bubbles,
it's either full or empty. you should be able to tell the difference
by whether it's cold or not.
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Default Can I tell if there is freon in the AC?

On Feb 20, 1:31*am, mm wrote:
Is it possible to tell if a roof-top AC still has freon in it?

Is there a gauge, or can I push a valve and open it a tiny bit and
hear if anything comes out? *Or some other way. *I figure they might
be empty already, and that's one likely reason why they don't work.

I"m cleaning out a building that is about to be razed, and it has 3
big AC's on the roof. *Two are broken. *The third was fixed 9 months
ago and probably still works. *We don't want to vent freon, but if the
freon has already escaped, a friend and I would like to sell the
copper, etc.

Last week we took 1875 pounds of various metals to the scrap yard.


there is likely a sight glass somewhere in the line; a little window
about the size of a dime. i know on the hooked in to the furnace
central ACs they're in the line close to the evaporator, near the
furnace. if the thing is running and you see bubbles in the sight
glass, it's got freon in it but not enough. if there are no bubbles,
it's either full or empty. you should be able to tell the difference
by whether it's cold or not.
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