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Selling Refrigerant? Can I ? Looking for a recommendation

RayWohlfarth
RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
My commercial customer called and asked if there was somewhere they could sell the used refrigerant from an old grocery store that closed? Is it worthwhile? Can you recommend a company?
Thanks
Ray Wohlfarth
Boiler Lessons

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453
    Depends on the quantity.

    Around here the supply houses take it back. There is also a bunch of places on line like ASPEN that will buy back refrigerants
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,775
    There are companies that will come out and recover for them.
    Can’t think of any names off hand.
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,775
    Search
    Refrigerant Recovery Companies.
  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
    Thanks @EBEBRATT-Ed and @pecmsg I appreciate it
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • ScottSecor
    ScottSecor Member Posts: 851
    Ray, please keep in mind that we do not touch refrigerant of any kind, never did. That being said we installed a large wet heating system for a customer about seven years ago. The air conditioning contractor was on site at the same time. We got talking and he mentioned that he was asked to reclaim the refrigerant (I have no idea what type) from two decent size units the previous summer. I'm only guessing, but I would think they were about fifty ton and one hundred ton units. The A/C guy told me he another employee spent the better part of the weekend emptying (recovering) the refrigerant. He also mentioned that they pretty much filled multiple vehicles with refrigerant bottles.
    These cooling units were on the roof of a four story building, unfortunately the elevator stopped at the third floor so the guy had to climb about twenty stairs to get on the raised roof.

    What I'm trying to say is that it may take many, many bottles and lots of time to recover the refrigerant. I have no idea what the recovered refrigerant is worth.
  • John Mills_5
    John Mills_5 Member Posts: 950
    Rapid Recovery will come to the site and suck it.
  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
    Thanks @ScottSecor We do rooftop units and no refrigeration.
    @John Mills_5 Thank you sir!
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • Leonard
    Leonard Member Posts: 903
    edited June 2019
    In past ~20 years ago for car freon recovery R-12 I read after you fill up a "20# propane tank " sized recovery tank, a recycling company only pays you ~ 5 cents a pound, basically nothing. Don't know if they pay more now.

    They paid so little I thought about making my own machine to recover, dry and purify the gas to make it suitable to re-use. But law said that machine had to be EPA approved/certified ($$$) so it was not economical for my small quantities to purify my own.

    5 cents a pound was Just so it could be classified as a usable product , not a hazardous waste that has lot of paperwork and extra expense to transport.
  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
    Thanks @Leonard I appreciate it
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    Try Craig's list, I sold and old 50# r12 in about 3 hours a year or two ago.
  • RayWohlfarth
    RayWohlfarth Member Posts: 1,459
    Thanks @unclejohn Customer hired a company that works on refrigerant
    Ray Wohlfarth
    Boiler Lessons
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    The guy who bought my r12 said they restore old cars and keep every thing OEM.
  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
    Wow, I converted MANY old cars from R12 to 134a I wouldn't even take a stab at the number!

    All that rubber hose in an automotive system (even the then new barrier hose) car A/C systems naturally loose refrigerant over time. We still have a can of R12 at the shop, just waiting for some place to go into.
    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
  • Patchogue Phil_2
    Patchogue Phil_2 Member Posts: 304
    R12 gets a premium price.
    Solid_Fuel_Man
  • Leonard
    Leonard Member Posts: 903
    edited June 2019
    Still have ~100 # of it, luckily my car's not leaking.

    I Remember when it was 99 cents a can at Kmart, bought bunch of cases of it. Made good beer money recharging cars after work when it was 90 degs and 90% at night.