The Homemade Heat Pump Manifesto

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Drake

Photo of manufactured coaxial condenser Xgrs show smaller tube exiting larger tube perpendicular to coil. Homemade ones I've seen show small inner tube exiting inline and large tube from side. Is this difference of consequence?

Most likely.

-AC_Hacker

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by dragvorl

I think I actually found something that could give me a good idea for further thinking.

On the green one, what am I looking at in the cut-away?
Are those spirals just under the skin actually small tubes?

[AC_Hacker]

It seems that one of the big obstacles that prevent people from attempting refrigeration hacking is not having a refrigeration recovery machine.

So I was greatly pleased to come across a thread that showed how one person had built a home made recovery machine.

Here are the pictures:

And here is a link to the archived thread.

And separately, here is an archived page with instructions on building a refrigerant storage tank.

Maybe this will get the juices flowing.

-AC_Hacker

NOTE: all this because I found a manual refrigerant recovery device called the Spooter II, there's even an Operation Manual for the thing.

* * *

[Xringer]

AC, Didn't you once post a link to a video about this very topic?
The guy was storing away the refrigerant in old Propane bottles.

He was using one of those clamp-on qizmos to tap into the lines of small AC units.

His rig looked a lot like this one (above). But, I'm not sure if he had a coil & fan on it..

~~
I have a handpump that looks a lot like that Spooter II. Mine just has a hose for output.
It can pump up to 3,000 PSI. Gives me a good work out..

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Xringer

AC, Didn't you once post a link to a video about this very topic?

Yes I did, but it doesn't hurt to post fresh info.

I'm still hearing folks express a reluctance to delve into the "black art" of refrigeration because of not having a recovery machine.

That's a shame too, because it's really not so terribly difficult, nor expensive and to my way of thinking, it holds tremendous promise for those with the gumption to hack.

I mean, where else can you make 1 watt become 5 watts? It's just too amazing to ignore.

Regards,

AC_Hacker

[Xringer]

If you still have the link hanging around, I would like to see it again.
Yeah, I am thinking of making my own recovery machine..

I have two almost new small room ACs that will most likely never be used again. The compressors have very low hours on them..

Plus, I have an older 18,000 BTU wall/window AC (223vac) Sears Kenmoore
that works great and does not have a pantload of high-tech electronics in it..
It just might be a good candidate for a heating project. (For the basement).


In one of those above posts, they talked about the Spooter being sold on Ebay..
Got me wondering what they sell for. I tried to search on Ebay,
but they kept showing me little motor Scooters..

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Xringer

If you still have the link hanging around, I would like to see it again.
Yeah, I am thinking of making my own recovery machine..

I have two almost new small room ACs that will most likely never be used again. The compressors have very low hours on them..

Plus, I have an older 18,000 BTU wall/window AC (223vac) Sears Kenmoore
that works great and does not have a pantload of high-tech electronics in it..
It just might be a good candidate for a heating project. (For the basement).

I think that a recovery machine would be much easier to build than a vacuum pump, for the simple reason that the recovery machine would not have to pump down much lower than 1 atmosphere (0.0 psig, 14.7 psia).

The commercial recovery machines have a valving arrangement such that the recovery compressor can pump down all of it's own lines and then switch to recovery mode. Since you already have a vacuum pump, you can use it (your vacuum pump) to connect to the shrader valve and pump down the recovery machine's lines. Then the recovery machine does just one thing, recover refrigerant.

I bought some dandy little valves from ebay they have 1/4" flares on both ends of each valve, just perfect for this application. As I recall the three valves were something like $20. The outfit was called Northway Machinery, found them on ebay.

If you want to be really legit and re-use your refrigerant, you might want to put one of these filter-dryers on at the input of your recovery rig.

Make sure you get one with 1/4" flares at both ends, like in the picture.



I'm not so sure that all the condenser junk is really necessary, if you chill the receiver. In the old days they used ice & salt, just like making ice cream. I've even heard of people using dry ice and no vacuum pump! Personally, I put my reservoir in my deep freeze for a half hour before I start, and hook a refrigerant line (copper with flared fittings is the cheapest) to it and leave it in the freezer until the process is completed. You don't want the reservoir to get more than half full, because over-pressure can result when you take it out of the freezer. I keep a new bottle of propane at hand and shake it and then shake the bottle in the deep freeze and compare the feel... and I'm still here to tell the story.

I guess with digital scales getting as cheap as they are, going by weight would be a better way do do it.

Originally Posted by Xringer

In one of those above posts, they talked about the Spooter being sold on Ebay... Got me wondering what they sell for. I tried to search on Ebay, but they kept showing me little motor Scooters..

You might try the company that has the Spooter II links. You might try posing as a wealthy Yacht owner, tell them you need a Spooter II to repair your refrigerator on your Motor Yacht that is moored in Mexico.

You might also try Googling for it in Canada... Try this as a search term:

"Google Canada"

Then check the box for "only results from Canada". I have been able to find films that are not allowed to be sold in the USA this way (nope, not porno).

You might be surprised what turns up.

I looked on Youtube for the older link, can't find it, but here are some others.

YouTube - home made refrigerant recovery system

NOTE: The way this guy soldered a tube into the side of an empty gas bottle, makes me want to run & hide. I achieved the same result only better by using a spare propane torch, cutting off the torch head and brazing on a shrader valve in it's place. You'll either have to cut the torch pipe back behind the tiny orifice, or drill it out or unscrew it... it's just too small.

I also had to remove the little ball from the bottom of the torch assembly, so the gas could flow into the bottle.

This allowed me to use the gas bottle, without weakening it, and I could move the assembly from bottle to bottle, and NOT have to solder to the side of the bottle...UGHHHH, DISGUSTING!!

YouTube - home made refrigerant reclaimer (part 1)

YouTube - Yellow Jacket HVAC Service Training - Refrigerant Recovery Part 1

YouTube - Yellow Jacket HVAC Service Training - Refrigerant Recovery Part 2

Cheers,

-AC_Hacker

[AC_Hacker]

I found some interesting work that other people are doing with re-purposing air conditioners and mucking about with HVAC.

The first two videos are of a heat pump water heater that was put together by some guy named 'tesla500', who seems to have some experience with electrical designs. Good clean work here. The first part was previously mentioned in this thread.

PART #1

YouTube - Heat Pump Water Heater

PART #2

YouTube - Heat pump water heater - Indoor water tank

The next one is an air conditioner hacked to heat water. It worked but 'stretcharoni' didn't go the next step and hack into the refrig system and put in a refrigerant to water heat exchanger and a small pump. Too bad... he's so close, too.

YouTube - DIY hybrid water heater and air conditioner for my solar trailer project

Here's a guy who re-charged his home Air Conditioner with propane (R-290). He got it working again... no surprise. Also has information on the environmental benefits of R-290...also way cheaper.

YouTube - diy hvac recharge with propane

BTW, a manifold gauge like he's using can be gotten for pretty cheap, like here, for instance.

The natives are getting restless.


Regards,

-AC_Hacker

* * *

[S-F]

A friend of mine charged the system in his 67 Chrysler Imperial (dual piston compressor) with propane. Damn thing blew ice at us. No kidding. The vents actually blew flakes of frost on a 90 degree day.
That car has an ashtray and cigarette lighter for each of the 5 passengers. Be careful smoking in a car with propane AC.

[Xringer]

"Here's a guy who re-charged his home Air Conditioner with propane (R-290). He got it working again...
no surprise. Also has information on the environmental benefits of R-290...also way cheaper.
"

I watched his vids and read his blog with great interest..
I also noticed his youtube chat about possibly using R-290 in an R-410a system..


As you know, I have a broken R-410a outdoor system and could buy the indoor side for about $500..

Found one interesting doc..
Experimental Investigation OPTIMUM Charge R290

Please comment..

Thanks,
Rich