This is an update on the A/C topic a few weeks ago about alternate coolants and refilling A/C.
If you are posting to tell me I am an idiot for doing this, please don't. I know I'm an idiot, I am told that regularly.
If you are posting to tell me I don't know what I am doing, I know that that too. No need to remind me.
If you are posting to tell me you would NEVER do this!!!! good for you. Don't do it. Don't post either.
If you have valid questions or points to make that are constructive, please post them. I am not a professional. I do IT stuff. My answers may be wrong.
A few weeks ago there was a thread about alternate coolant and whether they work. Well, just before that my rooftop (Dometic SL135) stopped cooling. The compressor ran, the fan ran but no cold air.
I emailed Dometic and asked for advice. They were friendly and asked for voltages on the compressor. All was ok, but there was nothing they could recommend I do.
The A/C I have had been retrofitted with a Line Piercing Access port (Grainger part 6X898 or 6X899 depending on line size Granger catalog pg 4368 A/C & Refrigeration Components) on the top of the coil over the compressor. It a had been recharged in 1999. There was a written note on the metal housing.
I did some research and decided since it was junk anyway, I was going to try to recharge it.
I decided to go with es-refrigerants (www.es-refrigerants.com) 22a refrigerant replacement. I emailed their tech people and they answered my newbie questions quickly and without telling me I was an idiot (or even implying it!)
I ordered WAY too much (3 8oz cans and a hose).
Long story short, I recharged the line with a couple of squirts maybe 1/2 a can.
The output of the AC went from 78 to 51 within a minute. Within 1/2 hour it was at 40.
I will check it and make sure there is not a leak, but it works. Simply. It cost about $60.
What would I change?
1. Buy a hose with a gauge. I am doing that next to make sure the A/C is charged to proper pressure.
2. Buy 1 can of the coolant. I think I can recharge this thing for ever with what I bought!
So yes these units can be simply and inexpensively recharged if you know the components are good and are willing to chance ruining it. I was. I am glad I did!
DISCLAIMER
This is an active electric component that can hold a charge after it is off. USE CAUTION.
This is what I did. I don't recommend you do it. Ever.
You could fall off the roof, touch an active wire, get hit by lightning, a meteorite can hit you or other bad things!
You could get tetanus and lockjaw from rusty screws!!! (thx Todd!)
You could be so happy it worked that you fall off the ladder!!!! (thx Ozlander!)
* This post was
edited 06/28/12 08:50am by jswalls110 *
Sir,
I applaud you for your actions. I have seen so many shy away from "stepping outside the box" in these forums. "If it's not factory, I'm not going to do it, or fix it that way, or tamper with it in any way, shape or form, or not use factory replacement parts etc.etc.etc."
As you said, it was junk anyway so, what did you have to loose but, a few bucks and some time, big deal. I have done EXACTLY what you did in the past, way more times than I can remember. Now, I have not recharged a roof air like you did but, I've done repairs, alterations, refabrications on many items in or on cars, trucks, motor homes, boats, motorcycles and more.
So many folks (guys) shy away from the unknown. They simply say, "Call the factory and do what they say, PERIOD! Well, you can do that if you wish, if you have no ability to reason, think, or in any way try to come up with a repair, fix or alteration to help keep that item in service without spending too much money which, to many, is hard to come by.
Air conditioning is sort of complicated. High and low pressure in one system. How it works is still FM to me. I just know it works. I've known guys that have tried propane, and butane in auto A/C units with some degree of success. I used Gasoline in a Coleman lantern a few years ago and got chastised by many for doing so. They, the uninformed, thought I'd have been blown to the ends of the earth for such a endeavor. Well, what the uninformed didn't know, white gas or, Coleman camping fuel, is just exactly as volatile as regular gas is. Duh!
So, again, glad for your accomplishment. Hope it continues to work. And, keep on the "MAcGyver" trail.
Scott
Scott and Karla SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 White Honda CRV EX-L,4WD w/NAV Toad 2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing KI60ND
Even if the line tap leaks a little bit (they often do) it will probably last a season.In this case it looks like it lasted 10+ years. I like a guy that doesn't take NO or You Can't as the final answer. Sounds like me, you are not over educated as I'm called an idiot too.
This post is my opinion (free advice). It is not intended to influence anyone's judgment nor do I advocate anyone do what I propose.
In the past, whenever I puncture one of those refrigerant cans, the freon leaks out over a couple of months and I have to puncture a new one the next time I need it. You may be glad you have a couple of extra cans.
2008 Fleetwood Jamboree 25G
1999 Jeep Wrangler
100% Solar Powered Home
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
Good for you since there already was a service valve installed, it makes it easy to recharge with a substitute for R-22. This is something a service tech can not do since they have to follow EPA guide lines on handling refrigerants. I have a 134a recharge kit for my vehicles which needs a shot every couple of years or so because the systems have a build in leak problem from the seals in the different connections.
Not RV... but recently my day to day car... a 1999 Saturn, stopped blowing cold air...
Did a bit of online research and just about every thread had the obligatory...
"Don't add coolant... have it fixed.."
"If you try to add coolant, you'll blow up the car..." yada yada
well.. the like the OP's A/C unit... the car has 190,000 miles...I'm not gonna spend several hundred dollars or more to get the A/C fixed
Long story long...but one of the hose filler kits and a can of coolant...
Car blows nice cold air...
It is good for folks to step out of their comfort zones a bit......
tinker... have fun.....
I had that done back in '86 on my '76 Fireball Class C. The place got 3 guys on the roof to work and fractured the wood rafters, added too much refrigerant and blew the compressor. A friend of mine installed a new compressor and it ran for 3 more years until I traded it. You made out much better.
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire, Workhorse W22, 2008 Saturn Vue, Falcon 5250, & US Gear Unified Tow Brake
"O M G !, don't touch it, take it back to the dealer and let him deal with it"
I hate people that post an answer like that when someone asks a mechanical or electrical question. I grew up on a farm and we had to learn how to fix everything ourselves. Remember when my brother blew out the transmission in his Ford. He took it out of the car and put it in his basement, asked me if i ever rebuilt one, i said" No, but i will be a good time to learn". So, we rebuilt it and it ran great, only had a couple left over parts that weren't in the rebuild kit.
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