House AC Unit Still Sealed?

Originally Posted by KzScrapper

Sorry dude but you are wrong...Using a recovery machine you can suck all of the freon back into the A/C unit and close the valve. The line can be cut and if the unit is still good it can be transported with the charge still inside and used elsewhere. You would also do this if you are changing out a leaking coil in the furnace...once the coil is changed you can let the gas loose again.

The only way to tell if a unit is charged safely is to hook up some gauges IMHO.

Interesting. While I did misread his post and thought he was talking about a wall unit AC, I was not aware that the freon could remain in the unit once the copper line had been cut. I guess if the valve isolated the freon, it would remain with the unit.. I find it unlikely that a compressor coil was thrown to the curb with its' freon still in it, though.... Relatively few people get rid of an AC compressor because it was working too well.

Originally Posted by KzScrapper

Sorry dude but you are wrong...Using a recovery machine you can suck all of the freon back into the A/C unit and close the valve. The line set can be cut and if the unit is still good it can be transported with the charge still inside and used elsewhere. You would also do this if you are changing out a leaking coil in the furnace...once the coil is changed you can let the gas loose again.

The only way to tell if a unit is charged safely is to hook up some gauges IMHO.

Agree 100%.

I'd like to add that many split A/C systems and commercial refrigeration systems (including smaller movable refrigerators and freezer) have valves where you can isolate various areas of the system. Trust me. I learned the hard way, many years ago when I first got a recovery machine. On these units, you could evacuate certain areas and replace or repair parts without removing all the refrigerant. Anybody playing with refrigeration or A/C equipment should be aware of this. Just because a line is cut, it doesn't mean that the entire system is drained.

One other point that I'd like to make is that most people would not be able to tell if a system was evacuated if it was done properly. Most larger systems have access ports and the unit will look exactly the same when we are done evacuating it. On smaller units, we need to create our own access point. This can be done using a bullet piercing valve. This valve creates a small hole about 1/16" in diameter in the copper line. This valve could be placed almost anywhere on any portion of the line.

All I will say is please know what you are doing! Have someone with the knowledge to show you. All it takes is once and you could be scarred forever!