Quote:
Originally Posted by lada03
lol, Guy gave me a quote of $185 for 2 pounds of R12.
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Ouch. I did some research and it is more than 32 ozs. Three pounds are not needed - maybe a little more than 2 1/2 including freon lost in the feed lines (2oz from what I remember)
I would suck up the cost this time for the R12 and then consider obtaining the Mobile Air Conditioning Society EPA 609 certification which will allow you to buy R12 so you can zap your system annually with a few ounces that leak out normally. Plenty of R12 cans for sale on ebay around the $30 mark per 12-14 oz can.
It is an on-line open book test and under $100. I think I paid $25 in the mid 1990's. It is not simple but it is do-able with the open book and you learn plenty.
You can buy R12 with the MACS 609 but you cannot discharge into the atmosphere (ever) or evacuate without more extensive EPA certification.
If you go with the R134 option you can re-charge more cheaply but R134 is not relatively"free" like it used to be. You will then need gauges to get close to the correct amount in as you can't use the R/D bubbles-in-the-sight-glass method like you can with R12.
If your home location is in the north, the R134 argument is fair given you can survive without the few extra therms the R12 will strip out. If I lived in Florida, I would pony up for a system upgrade.