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Air conditioner installation advice

Mark of Zorro

先輩
4 Oct 2012
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I bought a used A/C from a departing foreigner.

Trouble is, none of the repair/installation services will handle my used air conditioner. One suggested I call the local manufacturer outlet. Called them and they said call an installation service. (sigh)

The only two things I cannot really do (because I don't have the equipment) is to pressure test the tubing for leaks and vacuum the air and moisture out of the tubing before opening the valves and filling the tubing with freon.

So I was wondering something:

If I take my chances with leaks, and just turn on the freon, what can I expect to happen with the air and moisture in the tubing mixing with the freon and going into the condenser?

Anybody got a cheap hack for vacuuming the tubing? I would happily pay for and a convert an air compressor, but is it feasible?

I have also heard that a compressor from an old refrigerator can be used, but that would require brazing and flaring tubes and I don't have the equipment to do that either.
 
Google 中古エアコン 取付 together with your location and you should be able to track down a service willing to do it for you.
 
what's the aversion to used stuff? It extends far beyond appliances and it's kind of baffling as someone who enjoys a good treasure hunt at the thrift shop
 
what's the aversion to used stuff?

Cooties.

And excessive and foolish pride.

The aversion to dealing with my stuff is that there is the illusion of low profit margin. I am not buying a new A/C from them. They are worried about problems and me blaming them despite clearly saying I know its old and I don't know the condition so I can't blame them.

Really, all they have to do is drive here, do a check, vacuum the tubing, wait 30 minutes and turn on the freon and go. Worst case scenario is redo some tubing at the connections if there is a leak. I would most likely wind up paying for full installation even though the equipment is all in position and secured, holes are in the wall, tubing and wires secured and sealed. In reality, the profit margin is high, but, then again, its not big bucks.
 
Google 中古エアコン 取付 together with your location and you should be able to track down a service willing to do it for you.


I was resorting to the yellow pages and got nothing but BS.

Taking your advice I found a national service, cheap enough, but they could not come until the end of August.

I found a guy locally who is coming today and he seems very cool about everything. Thanks Mike Cash!
 
Happy to help.

If I had a guy who agreed to come on such short notice in the midst all this heat, I'd probably slip him a couple of ビール券 in an envelope out of joy.
 
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Well, he came and all he had to do was as I predicted. No real labor, just hook up his air pump, vacuum the tubes and check for leaks. For this he wanted 15,000, but I know full well I could have this done no cheaper. Yet, if I had beer coupons and read your suggestion in time, I would have given them. He was a cool guy and impressed me with his statements about the state of English education in Japan and his curiosity about what I could tell him about America. He is a lover of American westerns.

Also, he was genuine. Yes, he said the standard Japanese things, like, oh, your Japanese is so good. But, I don't know. It was not like he said it and just shut down. He listened as I told him thanks but my Japanese should be better. He also said I sounded more like a Brazilian in my speech than American. So not the fakey, hollow type of person I seem surrounded by lately. He had some things to say that showed he was thinking.

A/C runs great BTW. Thanks again. It seems that getting someone in general repair and servicing did the trick, rather than contacting A/C specialists. That is what your search suggestion got me, and I am a happy camper.
 
Glad to hear it. Just so the Usual Suspects don't think I was once again (apparently) blowing someone off with a "go google it!" reply, I'll mention that I did the same suggested googling myself prior to suggesting it to you, and would have tried to narrow it down to a specific guy or shop if your location were more precisely listed in your profile. But it worked out well in the end and that's all that matters.
 
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