Ever get "stripped" AC Units?

So I'm up in the air on this...Recently got re-acquanted with an old friend. In the last few years her father turned to scrapping due to health issues restricting him form working (common story)...Well one day stop by her house and theirs a stack of AC units by the garage. The copper and rads were gone, but fan motors and compressors still attached to the steel frames. He tells me he doesn't mess around with steel, or waste time with motors (the guys kinda a sleezeball...)....and says I can have them. Of course I took them. Now, I KNOW he's not having them evacd properly...I SHOULD report him, but for her sake i'm not...so how would you feel about taking the units?

I know somebody said "If you question if somethings wrong, it probably is." But would it be any differnt if I just picked them up off a curb?

I've found them in alleys with motor still attached. But as far as getting them from someone in that condition I have not. I love people who don't mess with steel steel makes up 50% of the cash I get! I used to pass up the steel for the good stuff but not anymore!

I personally would not have an ethical problem with taking scrap steel, regardless of how it had been used and abused previously, as long as I knew I was not receiving stolen property.

The economics of refrigerant disposal are such that I don't know how the EPA expects these things to be disposed of properly without venting the refrigerant to the atmosphere. I had a line on some refrigerators and wanted to do the right thing. I called around; the best price I could find -- even dealing in quantity -- was $65 a unit. I had to turn down the prospective business; I'd have lost money like crazy on that.

Anecdotal evidence from other local scrappers? They vent to the atmosphere. It ain't right, but it ain't hard to understand, either.

kinda seems if anyplace should have regulations about "if you sell it, you gotta take it back" (or whatever they call such regs). Like used motor oil etc, I can take a 5 gallon bucket anytime I like to any auto parts store in town, and they'll take it no charge, no questions asked, for proper recycling, and I know I payed for it because there's a tax for that tagged onto every qt of oil i buy

Take all you can get. Cut the compressors, they have a good amount of copper in them also.

Op. You have a good source there. The AC motor/compressors have about 2Lbs of copper wire in them, research here about it, I have a few posts about them.

Basicly the compressors are a problem for some people to get rid of, the EPA regulations etc. If they can get rid of them, they get the scrap steel price of about $1 each.

But you, can get a 9 inch grinder or plasma cutter & cut the casing in 1/2, remove 4 bolts, pull the copper/iron core, cut one end off the windings with the grinder (this uses 50cents of grinder disc per compressor), or use a carpenters chisel.
Then you pull the rest of the windings out (oily, sometimes they almost slide out) clean off the insulation plastic (mucho bits plastic strips, easyer to remove if you used the chisel), dump the copper wire in your bin.

Sell it for $$.

Sell the casing for 90 cents.....

There are several threads discussing the correct way to remove the refrigerant. There is a market for the used refrigerant which has also been discussed.

I took a training class at the local community college and got licensed to handle it. The cost of the class and materials was $65. I understand there are study materials online. You could purchase a used recovery machine and start your own side business. Mike.

I agree with Mike.There is a market for the "used" refrigerant so if there was a decent volume in frigs or ac unit then it may be
worth while.As for getting just the stripped carcass unit I don't see a problem I would strip them down further
to maximize them to there full potential.

Let me clarify: I'm familiar with breaking down AC units, and the compressors, etc. I have a person who EVACS complete units for me. I'm just wondering how people felt about taking units that have had the refridgerant illegally removed from the system. Cut the line, let it fly. I know this guy does it.

Let me clarify: I DO NOT RELEASE REFRIDGERANT TO THE OZONE ILLEGALLY!! I just know this person does...I'm not there when it happens, I just pick up the carcassas.

And for me, with the compressors, I either sell them whole to the person who evacs my stuff, or I give them to him in return for helping me with stuff.

I just don't want to be resposible for having the carcass without having proof they were evacd. I don't need the fine, and I have federal certification and state of WI certification for automotive refridgerant....don't wanna loose those

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Originally Posted by Gnraxlrose88

Let me clarify: I'm familiar with breaking down AC units, and the compressors, etc. I have a person who EVACS complete units for me. I'm just wondering how people felt about taking units that have had the refridgerant illegally removed from the system. Cut the line, let it fly. I know this guy does it.

Let me clarify: I DO NOT RELEASE REFRIDGERANT TO THE OZONE ILLEGALLY!! I just know this person does...I'm not there when it happens, I just pick up the carcassas.

And for me, with the compressors, I either sell them whole to the person who evacs my stuff, or I give them to him in return for helping me with stuff.

I just don't want to be resposible for having the carcass without having proof they were evacd. I don't need the fine, and I have federal certification and state of WI certification for automotive refridgerant....don't wanna loose those

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Well, if you're concerned about the environmental impact this turkey has, you could always turn him in yourself. IIRC, half of his fine gets turned over to you.

--Geoff

actually, you're openly posting knowledge of the fact. It isn't uncommon, and takes place on backroads and backyards in enormous numbers. As I stated in post #4, if ever there should be a return to sender regulation, it should certainly be in this matter.

I actually left money on my curb last night because of this very problem. We found a dorm-sized refrigerator and picked it up in the hopes that it was discarded after a leak. Sure enough, we got it home, plugged it in and it worked fine. Cosmetically, though, it was beat up pretty badly, missing an internal shelf or shelves, and generally not salable. I went back and forth in my mind over what to do with it until finally last night I stripped every available piece of metal from it without opening up the refrigerant lines. Cut the cord, carefully bent all of the loose lines into the fridge compartment, took the door off and put it on the curb. No other scrappers took it; the garbage men picked it up and hauled it away this morning.

I hated to leave all that copper on the curb, but it didn't violate any laws or harm the environment via refrigerant venting and it at least saved some sheet metal from going to the dump. Next one I see is just going to be a cord cut and move on, as so many TV sets around here appear to be by other scrappers.

I think you need to let this guy know. Tell him of your source to get rid of the freon. You are correct that if anything happened and you lose your license for auto refrigerant that would suck for a few lbs of steel and some motors!

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Originally Posted by hobo finds

I think you need to let this guy know. Tell him of your source to get rid of the freon. You are correct that if anything happened and you lose your license for auto refrigerant that would suck for a few lbs of steel and some motors!

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For the effort needed and the mess you make to get the copper wire out of those compressors, I think I'll stick to TVs!

seems to me, if you have a problem with the way he cuts the lines then you shouldn't take the units either. If it bothers you how he did it, shouldn't it bother you that you even took them then after the fact?

And why did you take the carcasses if you might get in trouble for turning them in like that? Obviously you didn't or else you wouldn't have taken them. Or did you give the compressors to your friend and he accepted them like that?

Not to beat this dead horse but this could be an opportunity for you. Get qualified and drain all the units he gets and pocket the money you make from selling the refrigerant. Mike.

I would not report guy, but thats just me, aint narcing on anybody. I'd just take the metal and be happy.Its going to be done whether you end up with the left overs or not.

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Originally Posted by ggariepy

the garbage men picked it up and hauled it away this morning.

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Was it regular garbage?

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Originally Posted by miked

There are several threads discussing the correct way to remove the refrigerant. There is a market for the used refrigerant which has also been discussed.

I took a training class at the local community college and got licensed to handle it. The cost of the class and materials was $65. I understand there are study materials online. You could purchase a used recovery machine and start your own side business. Mike.

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Mike, do you know or remember what the course name was? I want to see if the local college here offers something. When I get stuff now, it has already been taken apart, but never know when I pick up a new client that gives me complete systems.

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Originally Posted by Gnraxlrose88

So I'm up in the air on this...Recently got re-acquanted with an old friend. In the last few years her father turned to scrapping due to health issues restricting him form working (common story)...Well one day stop by her house and theirs a stack of AC units by the garage. The copper and rads were gone, but fan motors and compressors still attached to the steel frames. He tells me he doesn't mess around with steel, or waste time with motors (the guys kinda a sleezeball...)....and says I can have them. Of course I took them. Now, I KNOW he's not having them evacd properly...I SHOULD report him, but for her sake i'm not...so how would you feel about taking the units?

I know somebody said "If you question if somethings wrong, it probably is." But would it be any differnt if I just picked them up off a curb?

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How do you know for sure he didnt do it properly enough?

Also, it would be him to get in trouble and not you. What you are picking up has no refrigerant.

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Originally Posted by Arkansaw

I would not report guy, but thats just me, aint narcing on anybody. I'd just take the metal and be happy.Its going to be done whether you end up with the left overs or not.

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if some came along and started throwing oil and salt all over your lawn, youd be like'w/e none of my buisness'? cause thats what hes doing to your ozone

and lawns dont even prevent skin cancer

1. The Op has a potential source of fridge motors that are empty of freon, because the guy who scraped the fridges didn't sell the compressors.
Thats 'historic'.

2. The Op can get fridge compressors from a guy who is scrapping fridges, and dosn't sell the compressors, and dosn't work within current laws regarding the CFC's.
Thats 'currently'.

I'd scrap the 'historic' compressors & sell them off as copper & iron.

But I wouldn't touch the compressors he is 'currently' working on.

I might try & find someone who is recycling the CFC's, get his business card & give it to the fridge scrapper. Its a "You can lead a horse to water...." sorta situation.

Sorry it took so long to get back on this, ive been crazy busy.

I've thought about turning him in, but theres a part inside me that won't let me. Like I said, old friends dad...so i'm torn on that part. Me and him havn't always seen eye to eye (almost fist to fist a couple times, but thats irrelevant.)

I know he's cutting them, because i've been there when he's done it. I was standing with my friend by my truck in the road, and I heard the noise coming from the garage.

I could give him the number of my refridgerant evac guy, but it would be useless. Ironically, the guy that does it for me for free did it for my friends dad...for $5 each. He doesn't want to pay to have it done anymore. Me and evac guy got a deal worked out. He knows I'm in school full time, and i help him out with stuff from time to time. I've also given him compressors to cut open, and a few other things i've aquired over time that he had interest it.

Honestly, it doesn't "bother" me that he's doing it...as said it's done all the time. I just wanted to be sure that I won't get nailed in the process. I take them because it's 2012. Whats that mean? I, like many others, am broke.