Kirk, Go online and get your refrigerant license. I did that years ago and I think it was $35 or so and it makes you legit so you can buy parts and stuff from local HVAC houses. The test is fall over simple... They offer a little readme type course to step you through it. The test is online and I think they give you 3 hours to complete it, and it is open book of course.
R12 is crazy expensive. I would not go that route. I think there is an oil compatibility problem going from R12 to R134. So you will need to extract the oil and replace it. Or you might want to consider replacing the compressor with an R134 unit. Or as has been mentioned find a R12 substitute. Might want to look into what the classic car guys are doing for R12. I'm sure they are not buying R12. A knowledge of brazing is valuable for mending lines. Right now R22 (which is used in my heat pump) is about $30 per pound in bulk. R12 is much more expensive, if you can find it. Refrigeration is a really good skill to have. I've replaced compressors in my house heat pump, and a few cars now. Once you get a handle on it, it is really not difficult. Dave On 4/11/2017 1:32 PM, Gene Heskett wrote: > On Tuesday 11 April 2017 10:49:24 Kirk Wallace wrote: > >> On 04/10/2017 07:26 PM, Gregg Eshelman wrote: >>> You wouldn't want to put R-134a in it. >>> http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?133531-SubZero-532 >>> >>> On Monday, April 10, 2017, 3:44:48 AM MDT, Kirk Wallace >>> <[email protected]> wrote:On 04/09/2017 09:16 PM, Kirk >>> Wallace wrote: >>> >>> ... snip >> (just by turning the thermostat off) >> >>>> It turns out, without adding more ice the cabinet actually got >>>> cooler by 5 degrees. Uhh? >>> ... snip >> The S-Z 532 datasheet shows an R-134a version later in the serial >> numbers. I suppose I could study the parts lists to see what changed >> and order the R-134a parts. The tools such as the manifold gauge set, >> vacuum pump, reclaiming tank, and others should not be expensive. I >> have enough ice containers (plastic peanut butter jars, extra chunky >> of course) to last years, plus I can move the downstairs refrigerator >> into the S-Z hole while I'm working on it. I'll gain a valuable skill >> and tool set, that I can use on other units in my sphere of influence. >> It would be nice to tackle this "Refrigerator" once and for all. The >> thread link above (thank you) will help with my issues check list. >> >> Oops, after more thought, "You wouldn't want to put R-134a in it." >> doesn't necessarily mean stick with the R-12, but there may be a >> better alternative. I'll have to work on this some more. > If you have a slow leak with R-12 in it, putting R-134a in it will > probably let you hear the leak, its a much smaller molecule and can get > out of a leak R-12 can't. R-134a also operates best at 2-3x the high > side pressure R-12 works best at. Enough diff I blew the R-12 rated > hoses on my old gauge kit, and a new R-134a rated kit was cheaper than > just the hoses. I expect I'll have to charge both rigs before the > weather gets out of hand in the next month. > > Cheers, Gene Heskett ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
