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#1
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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. |
#2
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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. |
#3
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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 |
#4
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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? |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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. |
#7
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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. |
#8
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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. |
#9
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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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