Reusing R22 Lineset
My current central AC uses R22 and is 15-20 years old. I am getting quotes to replace with heat pumps and new air handlers intended to handle my cooling needs and some supplemental heating. A couple companies have said the linesets need to be replaced. A couple companies have said it would be absolutely no problem to reuse the existing linesets because they are brazed.
Who is right?
Comments
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In my opinion if the lines are the correct size for the new equipment and are brazed you should be ok. I would blow them out with nitrogen, cap them and pressure test them before connecting to the new equipment
Some companies want to replace the lines with new equipment and they are not wrong in doing that. If they are going to warranty the equipment you can't blame them for that. Pressure testing and blowing out the old lines will not take long but it's not free.
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If the lines are accessible I usually replace them. Often the insulation is degraded, especially when the original installer used zip ties on it. When 410a first started they made it sound like a trace of the old oil will compromise the new system but more recently they say a little won't hurt (unless its very contaminated). Maybe you should wait to replace system until the next refridgerants come out next year, rather than starting with 410a that is already going out the door.
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if correctly sized no issue. Pressurize to 600 #’s os pressure for 24 hours to insure all joints are sound.
NO Flushing agents needed!0 -
Thank you! The linesets are not easily accessible. They run through walls in finished spaces with no easy way to access or re-run without ripping open a bunch of walls. If we do go with one of the companies that proposes re-using the lines, I'll make sure to ask them to do a pressure test.
I would like to wait until next year or the year after anyway, so then we would have the option to go with the new refrigerants.
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I wouldn’t wait.
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I agree. Prices for equipment are a lot more expensive than they were a year ago, and quite a bit more expensive than they were 5 years ago. The prices aren't going to be any less expensive in the future. Quite the opposite in fact...
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just read an article
McDonald’s prices are up 150% over 5 years!
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If you are going to wait, I would wait 2 years. It'll take them at least a year to work out the issue with new refrigerants.
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
Albert Einstein
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oh my, the new refrigerants will kick the pricing up even more. Inflation is real. When costs go up, contractors are not covering their margins by a few dollars, it's a bit more.
Here is my email from a local vendor, last week: "I just wanted to let you know I was just informed that copper is going through the roof. We’re expecting a 20% increase which will probably hit our system sometime next week. I highly recommend that if you have any need for copper or line sets, to call the branch asap to place
an order before the price goes up. "Bluffing? Probably not!
Line sets- we re-use when the sizing is what I need and the lines are not 'easily' replaceable. But with that said—we have replaced lines when it was a complete pain (wrong size, etc)
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I just scrapped some copper at the scrap yard. $3.55/lb for #2 copper.
Maybe my retirement job I should be a scrapper LOL😊
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I have used the old 22 is the pass but not comfortable reusing them , if you can change them , change them .. To me its buying a new car on old tires … Flush them out good and cut out old fitting is you do ….
There was an error rendering this rich post.
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The copper futures show it. July '24 copper is up more than a third from a year ago.
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/HG=F/history/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIjYKuSyyb0SdU3v_Bkdb-tjVASMkU3pisdmTNEEDeZZtDQb0duPdZHCi034MvnILpX9B18BkiZG7PSGvZUjpInfgyyMTz8GwDSHPm871s51Bf1XaM47tFlYbCxZ3DrrfcC-VqfAZXrtnX7mW2LpzCMtmxh3eV5Pg5T75j7b3ilH&frequency=1mo
(Sorry for the long text but it seems we are no longer allowed to edit quoted text or the links.)
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Thanks @CLamb, time to unload come cash and buy some copper.
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