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Easy fix for this sinking AC pad?

wcweaver3
wcweaver3 Member Posts: 46
My 17-year old, R22, compressor is on a concrete pad. The front end of the pad has sunk into the ground but the back end seems to be fine with with compressor sitting on it nicely. The picture is of the side of the unit showing the back end on the pad, but the front end propped up by brick "shims." The shims are about 2" to 2.5" thick. The brick shims work as they level out the compressor nicely and there are these brick shims all away around the front and other side of the unit. This fix, however, is more amature and probably less stable than I would like. Ideally, I would disconnect the unit, remove the old pad, install a new one and reconnect the machine. That is beyond my skill set and as it's an R22 machine, I don't think disconnecting it is a very good idea as I don't know if I can still get R22.
Is there an easy, stable fix? Perhaps there are self-leveling legs I can screw into the bottom side and front? Maybe a big plastic shim designed for this type of thing? Something else? Any thoughts and ideas are appreciated and most welcome! Thank you!
Side view Picture:

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,575
    It could be pumped down, disconnected, then reconnected and evacuated. But there is some flex in the lines, you could slide some 2x4s or similar under it and jack those up on some blocks then dig under and put something like crushed stone under the pad or replace it with a poured in place pad.
    GGross
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,168
    I'd jack it up just enough on some stringers to be able to get the old pad out -- completely. Dig down at least a foot and put in 6 inches or so of crushed stone, then pour a new pad (levelling the top carefully) and lower the unit back down onto the new pad.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    EdTheHeaterManMikeAmann
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,720
    edited April 2022
    Your FIX may seem amateur. But I have done just that in the past, and got paid for it (kinda'). So that would. be a professional fix also.

    I called it "LEVEL THE CONDENSER" as a line item on a maintenance call. I didn't charge any extra if the bricks were taken from some old junk pile on the property. One time I did supply the bricks because I was doing a paver patio at my home and there were a few extras on the truck from that project. I charged a few extra dollars with the home owner's approval.

    Leave it as is, I'll gladly send you an invoice for this consultation so you can say it was a professional job.

    Mr.Ed
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
    PC7060ethicalpaulIn_New_England
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,575
    The average life my be 20 years but if you keep it clean, keep it from rusting, and keep it in good capacitors it should live to double that or more. That's what I would do until someone can answer the question of if someone is making coils that don't leak again.
    EdTheHeaterManEBEBRATT-Ed
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,453
    Whatever you replace it with may not last 17 years
    mattmia2MikeAmann
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,588
    mattmia2 said:

    The average life my be 20 years but if you keep it clean, keep it from rusting, and keep it in good capacitors it should live to double that or more. That's what I would do until someone can answer the question of if someone is making coils that don't leak again.

    You mess around with it and it's life will be very short.

    Leave it be
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    EdTheHeaterMan
  • wcweaver3
    wcweaver3 Member Posts: 46
    Thank you all for the very wise advice - I sincerely appreciate it!
    EdTheHeaterMan