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Refrigerant Recovery Machines
- Thread starter Zewnten
- Start date
bsaint
Well-known member
Do you want an AC machine for automotive repair or for industrial equipment or what?
malibu101
Well-known member
Manifold set, vacuum pump, and a scale (plus a few other "little" things) and you can do most anything necessary. EXCEPT for recovery.
A machine rolls all this, including recovery, into one unit.
A machine rolls all this, including recovery, into one unit.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
The "red neck" recovery is, get a couple of empty tanks. Pump them down. Hook the first one up to the system. Disconnect and hook the second one to the system. A micro gauge would be helpful. Most cars will only require two or three completely evacuated tanks.
Probably really not practical for residential HVAC, but most "red neck" DIYer would probably vent to the atmosphere if it has not already all leaked out.
Probably really not practical for residential HVAC, but most "red neck" DIYer would probably vent to the atmosphere if it has not already all leaked out.
danski0224
Well-known member
A reclaimer pulls the refrigerant out of the system and puts it into a cylinder.
A recovery machine does that, plus processes the refrigerant for re-use (filter, moisture and oil removal). Make sure that you know what it takes to run different refrigerants through the machine properly.
A recovery machine does that, plus processes the refrigerant for re-use (filter, moisture and oil removal). Make sure that you know what it takes to run different refrigerants through the machine properly.
Wrench97
Well-known member
Biggest difference between the auto shop set up and HVAC tech set up is portability the auto shop machine is not very portable in the field and is at least twice as much money.
toplessHO
Well-known member
Biggest difference between the auto shop set up and HVAC tech set up is portability the auto shop machine is not very portable in the field and is at least twice as much money.
add to that the filtering too.
I use an inline filter for mine
the plus side of a portable unit is it can be used for multiple types of refrigerant.
I use different filters for each.
I have 3 recovery tanks,R12,R22,R134a
mikebaker1129
Well-known member
The portable unit will suit your needs.
You can add a inline liquid line filter drier to the portable unit for $15.
You can add a inline liquid line filter drier to the portable unit for $15.
I can't seem to find very good information on the portable units such as needed accessories to make it work. Some portable machines say they do recovery; so to one of those would I add manifold guages and scale, do the portable units oil the system? I've only used the shop style but there are times when an in field repair would be greatly simplified if I could drain the AC system.
toolenthusiast
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2017
- Messages
- 723
OP, how did you pass your state and federal exams without knowing how the equipment works?
Jubilee, thank you for the suggestion, I've seen a few come up for sale locally used. Now I can use your kit to compare, much appreciated.
Toolenthusiast- where I live doesn't require state cert just EPA, and the EPA certification has nothing to do with equipment (other than describing standards it must meet) or my question, I work with MVAC systems and most of the portable systems say they are for HVAC and I wanted to know if there was a difference. Next time if you think some information is helpful put a link to it and be less condescending.
Toolenthusiast- where I live doesn't require state cert just EPA, and the EPA certification has nothing to do with equipment (other than describing standards it must meet) or my question, I work with MVAC systems and most of the portable systems say they are for HVAC and I wanted to know if there was a difference. Next time if you think some information is helpful put a link to it and be less condescending.
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mikebaker1129
Well-known member
The portable units do not separate the oil.
Portable units have gauges built in, but normally they are used in conjunction with your manifold.
Hope this helps !
Portable units have gauges built in, but normally they are used in conjunction with your manifold.
Hope this helps !
Mikebaker1129, that's very helpful thanks. I was curious how the portable systems handled oil removal and injection. I can find hardly anything on what the portables do or don't do. (The shop systems are much more thoroughly described) what kind of set up do you have experience with? Specific parts and pieces if you could to give me an picture of it.
Jubilee: I tried looking up your machine but I can't find any information on it. The website won't show the instructions manual. So what does your machine do? Remove oil, recovery, vacuum test, oil injection, and recharge? Just have to do the recharge manually with a scale?
I googled mastercool 69100 and the 2 page pdf instruction link was 4th from top, but I can’t figure out how to copy link to here. Never had a problem on other forums.
Anyway, it recovers, filters, and removes any oil into separate container. When it’s done a vacuum is pulled on system, of course, but I’m recovering to open system anyhow.
Manually recharge with vac pump, gauges, and scale. I don’t use it professionally, but have recovered Freon from 25-30 vehicles of my own and am very pleased with performance for price. I see they’re about $900 now with 1 tank.
Anyway, it recovers, filters, and removes any oil into separate container. When it’s done a vacuum is pulled on system, of course, but I’m recovering to open system anyhow.
Manually recharge with vac pump, gauges, and scale. I don’t use it professionally, but have recovered Freon from 25-30 vehicles of my own and am very pleased with performance for price. I see they’re about $900 now with 1 tank.
ow temp compressors are the best as they have a habbit of being able to **** down nicely and tend to work at a higher pressur differance.
Second is small power usage is nice, easier on power bill and environment, so I look for mini-deep freeser compressors as usualy they range from 2~4 Amp.
I prefer to have the oil seps there to keep oil from going in or out of the compresser as wzrl said it is not needed despit how irrelivant it was to the design being showen, but for some one making one from scratch, He is indeed correct the intake oil sep is optional if you wont be using it to recycle, IE it will only be a recovery machine with out a large intake oil sep (There is a way around that taking vapour from the first tank holding the old recovered refrigerant and transfering it to a new tank, it achives the same job but you need another whole new tank! the unit I built I just drain the old oil ).
Condencer, any small condencer will do the job, fan of your choice, I pulled a nice litle unit that is forced air off a mide range R-134a fridge (It is going in V2.0 of my recovery unit only I will replace the fan to a 12V type), so keep an eye out for fridges they some times are handly, easpecialy the oil coolers off some of them.
on the discharge side try to keep the tubing as tiny as possibly so it doesn't hold a high volume of refrigerant (I origionaly planned on using all 1/8 for the discharge side, next one it will be this) This should help avoid mixing internaly when you need to recover a dif,, refrigerant.
For your waste oil you can use a ball valve or packless valve, just make sure they can with stand the max expected pressure on the low side, I used schraders on the high side though ball valves would have been much better.
Plumbing: What ever works best yet reduces any stress points and isolates any vibration. The coils you see on my system serve no other purpose other then to reduce vibration from the compressor.
Oil: POE is the best choise for us as it is compatible with all most every refrigerant a SS-Chiller builder/Moder will come accross barring a select fiew, for the ones it is not simply build a second to handle the ones with an oil that will be compatible.
Special Notes:
1- For a unit made to recover small systems an oil cooler isn't required but wont hurt the thing far as long working life is concerned, you just don't want the oil too cool! Passive and small will be more then enough.
2- For systems where it will never draw from a receiver or doesn't need to be a self contained recycling unit as well, an intake oil sep is compleatly optional, If it will be a recycling unit as well you need a tank which can draw liquid & Vapour (& at this point you need a oil cooling method)
3- Lower power is good all round for every thing concerned! A small 2Amp low temp, will do the job, no need to use a 20Hp compressor to recover 12oz of refrigerant!!
(Sod it they don't pay me enough to be perfectly ontime)
4- Pluming the oil drain, Nifty thing called gravity will do the work for you! all ways find the lowest point in the low side to place the drain, and then try and keep a slant going all the way out to the exit point (don't rely souly on the pressure within the system!
5- Over engineering never hurts, they did it with voyager and look how long it lasted, kept transmiting till it got out of range! So go ahead and use oil seps strainers and such, but try to keep it on the low side! We want the high side to have as little volume as we can!
6- Check valves are a nice thing to prevent odd things from happening, if you got one I'd throw it on the oil out line, as last thing we want is to back flush it!
7- Think of it like a SS only open ended, out goes into a tank, in goes through a F/D and to a system, we want it to be low powered as we can reliably get away with. Learn More about refrigerant recovery machine
Second is small power usage is nice, easier on power bill and environment, so I look for mini-deep freeser compressors as usualy they range from 2~4 Amp.
I prefer to have the oil seps there to keep oil from going in or out of the compresser as wzrl said it is not needed despit how irrelivant it was to the design being showen, but for some one making one from scratch, He is indeed correct the intake oil sep is optional if you wont be using it to recycle, IE it will only be a recovery machine with out a large intake oil sep (There is a way around that taking vapour from the first tank holding the old recovered refrigerant and transfering it to a new tank, it achives the same job but you need another whole new tank! the unit I built I just drain the old oil ).
Condencer, any small condencer will do the job, fan of your choice, I pulled a nice litle unit that is forced air off a mide range R-134a fridge (It is going in V2.0 of my recovery unit only I will replace the fan to a 12V type), so keep an eye out for fridges they some times are handly, easpecialy the oil coolers off some of them.
on the discharge side try to keep the tubing as tiny as possibly so it doesn't hold a high volume of refrigerant (I origionaly planned on using all 1/8 for the discharge side, next one it will be this) This should help avoid mixing internaly when you need to recover a dif,, refrigerant.
For your waste oil you can use a ball valve or packless valve, just make sure they can with stand the max expected pressure on the low side, I used schraders on the high side though ball valves would have been much better.
Plumbing: What ever works best yet reduces any stress points and isolates any vibration. The coils you see on my system serve no other purpose other then to reduce vibration from the compressor.
Oil: POE is the best choise for us as it is compatible with all most every refrigerant a SS-Chiller builder/Moder will come accross barring a select fiew, for the ones it is not simply build a second to handle the ones with an oil that will be compatible.
Special Notes:
1- For a unit made to recover small systems an oil cooler isn't required but wont hurt the thing far as long working life is concerned, you just don't want the oil too cool! Passive and small will be more then enough.
2- For systems where it will never draw from a receiver or doesn't need to be a self contained recycling unit as well, an intake oil sep is compleatly optional, If it will be a recycling unit as well you need a tank which can draw liquid & Vapour (& at this point you need a oil cooling method)
3- Lower power is good all round for every thing concerned! A small 2Amp low temp, will do the job, no need to use a 20Hp compressor to recover 12oz of refrigerant!!
(Sod it they don't pay me enough to be perfectly ontime)
4- Pluming the oil drain, Nifty thing called gravity will do the work for you! all ways find the lowest point in the low side to place the drain, and then try and keep a slant going all the way out to the exit point (don't rely souly on the pressure within the system!
5- Over engineering never hurts, they did it with voyager and look how long it lasted, kept transmiting till it got out of range! So go ahead and use oil seps strainers and such, but try to keep it on the low side! We want the high side to have as little volume as we can!
6- Check valves are a nice thing to prevent odd things from happening, if you got one I'd throw it on the oil out line, as last thing we want is to back flush it!
7- Think of it like a SS only open ended, out goes into a tank, in goes through a F/D and to a system, we want it to be low powered as we can reliably get away with. Learn More about refrigerant recovery machine
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