Two Big Wall AC's

I just got two BIG wall AC's. One is very old, and the other is from '06. In the past I have dropped them for shred, but I think I will break these down. The main reason I am posting this is I am wondering what to do with the freon. Is there any market I could sell into? Would an AC guy want to recover the freon, or should I just pop them and get the goodies?

This topic is brought up many times and always seems to get a lot of responses.

1. If you are just dropping them for shred, you are losing a lot of money
2. Do not break them down if they are not evacuated. The EPA can fine you $37,500 for the intentional release of refrigerant.
3. yes you can sell the refrigerant if you are licensed by the EPA.
4. Some people that are willing to recover the refrigerant for you will charge you (about $25 per unit plus the refrigerant) and others will just be happy to get the refrigerant.

Hope this answers your questions.

If you are thinking about getting licensed. It cost me about $200 for the class and test and about $1500 in equipment.

If you post on here that you cut the lines and let the refrigerant fly, be prepared for some harsh comments from some of the other refrigerant guys.

Originally Posted by mthomasdev

This topic is brought up many times and always seems to get a lot of responses.

1. If you are just dropping them for shred, you are losing a lot of money
2. Do not break them down if they are not evacuated. The EPA can fine you $37,500 for the intentional release of refrigerant.
3. yes you can sell the refrigerant if you are licensed by the EPA.
4. Some people that are willing to recover the refrigerant for you will charge you (about $25 per unit plus the refrigerant) and others will just be happy to get the refrigerant.

Hope this answers your questions.

If you are thinking about getting licensed. It cost me about $200 for the class and test and about $1500 in equipment.

If you post on here that you cut the lines and let the refrigerant fly, be prepared for some harsh comments from some of the other refrigerant guys.

Every bit of refrigerant made, without exception, will wind up in the atmosphere.

That said, I will do my best to get it evacuated. If anyone in the SRQ area wants free refrigerant, let me know and you can get it.

Originally Posted by t00nces2

Every bit of refrigerant made, without exception, will wind up in the atmosphere.

That said, I will do my best to get it evacuated. If anyone in the SRQ area wants free refrigerant, let me know and you can get it.

I beg to differ on this one. Proper evacuation and reclaimation keeps this out of the atmosphere. Refrigerant that is not highly contaimanted gets reclaimed into reusable refrigerant. Other refrigerant that is not able to be reclaimed gats incarnated / destroyed. As Mech implied, do it right or find someone who will. Don't trip over dollars to pick up pennies and contaiminate the air at the same time.

Well, I do know that if I take it to the yard as shred, it will be picked up by the big pincher thing and ruptured. What is the difference if they do it or I do it?

How do I find someone to evacuate the units? I am not going to pay $25 to recover $8 in scrap.

Originally Posted by t00nces2

How do I find someone to evacuate the units? I am not going to pay $25 to recover $8 in scrap.

You are certainly not in the AC business. We removed a larger AC unit recently, we got almost 400.00 from just the indoor air handler. Even a smaller residential outdoor unit would scrap out at 60.00.

Keep in mind, the fine last time I checked for venting is 10K (which usually goes to the person who turned you in).....

Originally Posted by Phantoms001

You are certainly not in the AC business. We removed a larger AC unit recently, we got almost 400.00 from just the indoor air handler. Even a smaller residential outdoor unit would scrap out at 60.00.

Keep in mind, the fine last time I checked for venting is 10K (which usually goes to the person who turned you in).....

Fortunately for me, both these units were retired because they did not work because the coils were leaking. Neither has a charge of freon. I was asking for future information.

Originally Posted by spinroch

I purchased a refrigerant recovery machine & equipment, along with the study materials to get certified.
That's how I am solving the problem.

were you required to show certification to purchase the equiptment?

Originally Posted by miked

Well for future reference you could do a local search(I don't know what SRQ means) for anyone who does refrigerant service. You could work out a deal with one of these businesses and instead of avoiding opportunities you could make more money. Or you could equipe yourself and add an additional service which would mean more money for you.

I avoid refrigerant devices because they weigh too much. I have had the refrigerant license for many years now and got it through a class at my local commuity college.

If you have any interest in this subject I recommend reading freonjoe 's threads. He is heavily into the recovery of refrigerants and selling them. All his how to's are in his threads. Mike

SRQ is the airport code for Sarasota Bradenton airport.

I'm afraid t00 is correct on refrigerant gases eventually getting into the atmosphere. Correct in a way that he probably didn't realize.

Before everyone starts to flame, I'm just pointing out the laws of physics....entropy. And the time scale I'm talking about is a h*ll of a lot longer than a human lifetime.

Every time you move pressurized gases from one place to another, a small amount is lost....do it enough times, even with approved equipment, and you've lost the entire volume. But "enough times" could be hundreds or thousands of times.

How is the gas lost? By the gases that are required to fill the lines of the evacuation equipment and pump. They are small lines and short, so the volumes are small, but even if one molecule of Freon is left after the transfer is done it is lost to the atmosphere.

Physics lesson {end}

I am fully in support of getting the licensing and doing it right. From what I've read over time on SMF, the guys who recover refrigerant make just about the same money on the gases as scrapping out the mechanical refrigerant equipment. So, as far as I'm concerned, its a heck of an incentive to get the equipment and do it right.

Jon.

Originally Posted by Phantoms001

You are certainly not in the AC business. We removed a larger AC unit recently, we got almost 400.00 from just the indoor air handler. Even a smaller residential outdoor unit would scrap out at 60.00.

Keep in mind, the fine last time I checked for venting is 10K (which usually goes to the person who turned you in).....

The fine is $37,500 and I believe there is a "finder's fee / incentive"

Originally Posted by t00nces2

How do I find someone to evacuate the units? I am not going to pay $25 to recover $8 in scrap.

Better to leave them for someone who is certified.

Originally Posted by t00nces2

Fortunately for me, both these units were retired because they did not work because the coils were leaking. Neither has a charge of freon. I was asking for future information.

How convenient? Let me guess, you had the pressure gauge and the tools to tap the line. Or did you just cut the line!