Date: Fri, 10 May 2013 15:19:08 -0500
Reply-To: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Re: A/C tools question
In-Reply-To: <1368199030.88204.YahooMailClassic@web164504.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
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No responsible shop will top-off a R12 system that measures no pressure on
the gauges and no responsible shop will top-off a R12 system that is low
enough to not cool without asking the owner enough questions to satisfy
themselves that they aren't chasing a recently started leak.
But some will top off a system that has a very slow leak if they have R12.
Problem is because of the cost of R12 & the cost of maintaining a second
aging recovery system, most shops don't have the ability to do anything but
convert your system to R134a.
Thanks, Tom Hargrave
www.stir-plate.com
www.towercooler.com
www.kegkits.com
www.grow-sun.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Stephen Grisanti
Sent: Friday, May 10, 2013 10:17 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: A/C tools question
" But oddly enough it's not illegal to top off a known leaky system even
though you are indirectly doing the same thing!"
May not be illegal but it seems like "responsible" shops refuse to do it.
Even the guys who gave me the scary-high repair estimate would not top off
the original R12 and send me on my way with the bill for that fix. That is
what prompted me to try the cheapo R134a conversion in the first place.
Stephen
--- On Thu, 5/9/13, Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET> wrote:
From: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Re: A/C tools question
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Thursday, May 9, 2013, 10:24 PM
When R12 was more common I used to borrow a friend's setup & give him the
reclaimed R12 for the trouble. These days I would have a shop pull a vacuum.
Just remember a "empty" R12 system is still full of R12, it's just R12 at
atmospheric pressure of ~14.6 PSI. And it's just as illegal to intentionally
vent that gas into the atmosphere as it is to vent pressurized gas into the
atmosphere. But oddly enough it's not illegal to top off a known leaky
system even though you are indirectly doing the same thing!
Thanks, Tom Hargrave
www.stir-plate.com
www.towercooler.com
www.kegkits.com
www.grow-sun.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Todd Last
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2013 10:21 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: A/C tools question
For those who work on their A/C, how do you recover the refrigerant and
evacuate the system so you can do repairs?
Does anyone own their own A/C recovery unit? Or do you take it to the local
A/C shop?
What are the best strategies & what are the favorite tools?
For example, if you need to replace the compressor - what it the best DIY
strategy?
BTW - if you want to buy R-12 you have to get EPA609 certification.
http://www.epatest.com/609/
thanks,
Todd
'88 Westy
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