Just a Quick Heads Up....

I have gotten two pool heater/AC compressor units left on the side of the road sealed and full of Freon. It would seem that installers are letting the scrappers or garbage trucks worry about recovering the refrigerant rather than taking care of the issue themselves. Be sure you are prepared to deal with the issue if you wind up grabbing curbco AC's.

This is always the case by me. Not ever have I found one WITHOUT freon in it .... Which is why I stopped taking them. However, I have seen tons of acs and water coolers and fridges in my yards shred pile, with freon still in them.... So ... I think the yard takes them like that and hopefully has a guy that empties them properly... My guess tho is that the yard probably does NOT empty them properly and just takes em and let's the freon out. So not sure if I want to be complacent in that if that's what they are doing .. but on the other hand, if I don't grab it, the next guy will and he will take it to the same yard ... So.... Idk

Originally Posted by blackgold12

Well that makes a lot of sense?

Well how it's SUPPOSED to work is you can set out a freon containing appliance, and the township will take it with trash every week and bill your account. So if a scrapper doesn't take it, it goes through proper channels. So either I take it, and it POSSIBLY doesn't, through the yard, another guy does, and it still possibly doesn't through the yard, or no one takes it, the township gets it , and it gets properly handled. So.... It's a crapshoot all around

Yeah it can go both ways if your lucky enough to find a nice condenser unit at the curb. Window units and dehumidifires, always charged

Get licensed to discharge freon. Do so. And make more $ selling the freon too. Otherwise leave it for the township since they do it right.

Originally Posted by JJinLV

Get licensed to discharge freon. Do so. And make more $ selling the freon too. Otherwise leave it for the township since they do it right.

That has been my strategy this far. However leaving for the township actually means leaving it for another scrapper unfortunately. But at least it isn't on my conscious

Originally Posted by JJinLV

Get licensed to discharge freon. Do so. And make more $ selling the freon too. Otherwise leave it for the township since they do it right.

I checked it out. The pumped Freon is worth nothing. There is no guarantee it is not spoiled by contaminants.

Originally Posted by t00nces2

I checked it out. The pumped Freon is worth nothing. There is no guarantee it is not spoiled by contaminants.

Gotcha. Will check with local hvac folks here and see how they do it. I know they sell their various freons but don't myself know the ins and out of it

Originally Posted by hobo finds

In So.AZ Freon items get dumped in with the shred, you see it almost every time you go to a scrapyard here.....

It would seem.

The two yards I go to around here take refrigerated items no problem. One started paying less last year I think it was, meaning shred is $135 / ton, and stuff with refrigerant is $60 / ton so you have to weigh in twice to get paid for your normal shred if you have something with freon. You then put it in a separate pile to be drained and a form to fill out, but at $60 a ton I don't bother taking it there anymore.

The other yard pays the same price for the refrigerated stuff as the shred (currently $120 / ton), but you have to put it into a separate pile also, and an extra paper as well so they keep track of what comes in, pretty easy though.

I do see some fridges and stuff dumped in the shred pile occasionally that someone tosses out of a box truck or something, not sure if it gets sorted or not, but they are supposed to go into a specific area and where I always put mine. Once these yards drain them they push them into the shred pile, so you will see them there from the yard too though.

I get refrigerators, AC units, dehumidifiers all the time that are still fully charged unless it leaked on its own. I don't take this stuff apart, it goes in complete. Of course the nice fridges or freezers that just need a relay or control board, etc. I fix and sell. However, many of them are moldy / nasty though so I don't bother, but occasionally pickup some real nice ones just needing a cheap part.

The only units I get in the summer that are drained are the central AC units people have replaced and set at the curb, I got a ton of these last year, and since these are drained I pull the coil and compressor for profit.

Bummer if some of you guys can't take this stuff in.

One yard here buys complete ac's at .10/LB

Originally Posted by SKWrapper

People are pretty lax I think on those federal laws... I am sure plenty of people knowingly and intentionally cut up AC units and what have you with the coolant still in it.

One of the very first times to a scrapyard that I won't post the name of here - true story: Me at the scale, employee says loudly: "Hey - make sure you cut the line on that refrigerator when you take it back there to let out all the Freon" Me: blank stare... knowing that is illegal from wrenching on cars for years then thinking to myself - so they yard doesn't remove the coolant on these things, now I know how they take care of it - NO I didn't cut anything or vent anything... but I find that memory hilarious for whatever reason. It's like seeing a mechanic at a professional shop just letting the AC out of a compressor on a car like air from a tire LOL. Sure maybe a backyard mechanic or something but a place of business instructing someone do that and on their property to boot was hilarious to me for whatever reason. Still is.

It is unfortunate how lax people are with the federal laws, and I certainly don't want to be part of the problem, and would never cut them myself, but passing them along to someone who does (knowingly) is just as bad in my opinion. I just wish there was a better way that worked for everyone....

A way from people to get rid of freon containing appliances without paying, and a way for people who get them to properly get rid of the freon and still make some money. If there was a place that would empty the freon for a small fee, that would be awesome. Then I could pick them up when I find them, hoard them, and when I get enough take them all to "the guy" who legally and correctly drains the freon, then I pay him some money, plus he gets the freon, and I get to scrap whats left, with some profit left after paying "the guy". Unfortunately "the guy" doesnt exist, and if he did his fee would be more that I would get in scrap after they are drained.

I feel like the only way to make money with freon containing stuff is to do it illegally, by cutting the pipes and illegally release it to the atomosphere, or selling it whole to someone who does it illegally. OR having a massive operation where you can afford to get certified (or get an employee certified), and still come out ahead.

Originally Posted by greytruck

One yard here buys complete ac's at .10/LB

I get $0.20 un-drained for whole units. I am licensed for refrigerant recovery and have the equipment, just not the time. I know of one large scale buyer that is paying $0.23.