ReplyThese are the pads that we use and are approved for use in Florida up to 150 MPH winds. If this is what was installed under your unit you should have no issues.
Regular Guest
Here in Palm Beach County Florida, A/C contracters use the prefab concrete slabs in lieu of poured concrete. Most customers are not even aware of these slabs not being the "real deal" and being quite cheap and flimsy. I believe it's a combination of concrete and fiberglass and is fairly light (compared to solid concrete). I'm concerned that if the wind picked up enough in a very strong storm/hurricane, away goes the condenser and slab together. I have a 3 ton Trane XR15. Of course at that point, my roof might go the same route! Although hurricane straps are required in numerous Florida Counties, the slab itself is not very substantial. I know poured concrete is the way to go, but it will be a pain at this point to have it done. What do you guys think about the prefab? Does it do what it is intended to do to hold the condenser in place and structurally, should it last 10 years+?
Professional Member*
These are the pads that we use and are approved for use in Florida up to 150 MPH winds. If this is what was installed under your unit you should have no issues.
If people only focused on the important things in life there would be a shortage of fishing poles.
Regular Guest
The label on the pad reads as follows: FRCC Products, Inc. Solid Lightweight Concrete Pad. Conforms to the Florida Building Code Chapter 16, and Mechanical Section 304.7 American Concrete Institute Product Designation ACIOriginally Posted by forcryinoutloud
115R-902
Professional Member*
According to the labeling it has been engineered to meet Florida standards.
If people only focused on the important things in life there would be a shortage of fishing poles.
Regular Guest
Your pad looks significantly superior and has some weight to it.
Professional Member*
I tried a Google search for FRCC to take a look at the pad that you have but came up with nothing. The only one I'm familiar with is the DiversiTech pad. According to the labeling the FRCC would pass inspection, but who knows how long it would last. DiversiTech offers a warranty that is equivalent to the life expectancy of the equipment that is set on top of it.
If people only focused on the important things in life there would be a shortage of fishing poles.
Banned
Had a customer's unit get blown over when a tornado came through. It was by no means a direct hit but the winds got up pretty high, wish I had a picture of it to show homeowners when I try to convince them to let me pour a propper slab with new construction.
I don't need to tell you what it did to the compressor, the lines, and all the cold juice in the system.
Professional Member*
New construction gets poured slabs or well built stands depending on where flood level is, but I have not yet found a customer that will let us disconnect their a/c, pour a slab, the install the new one the next day.
Nobody wants to be without air around here. We have some that think the replacement will only take 3 - 4 hours for a full system change out and complain when they're told 8 - 10 hours to do it right.
If people only focused on the important things in life there would be a shortage of fishing poles.
Regular Guest
My installer is willing to come by and move the condenser if I am having a contractor come by to pour the cement. I was thinking of pouring the cement over the existing 3X3 pad to make it 4X4 and add an additional 4" in height to help with drainage issues. I'm waiting to get a price and also decide if I want the headache of coordinating the installer and contractor as well as being without A/C for a day. Also, do you guys use quickset to minimize the time allowed to set up the condenser? Shouldn't the slab take time to cure before screwing in the anchors?
Professional Member
I've poured the slab, placed plywood on top (spray the face with oil), then set the unit immediately. Come back in a couple of days and remove the plywood and the rest of the concrete form.
Banned
Yea I usually try to schedule those for the fall or spring so I don't have to hear from the woman of the household how it is 74 inside and she can not live unless it is 76.
Regular Guest
So it is ok to resecure the condensor (screwing in the anchors) after only 24hrs of curing? I have no problem waiting a few days if it would be a stronger pad.
Banned
I have done it a little over 24hours after but I obviously prefer to let it cure fully. A lot depends on the concrete used, conditions, and the customer or homeowner.
I usually build the frame for it out of 2x10s and if it is a must get the system up and running that day I run a few boards across the top of the box, just above the concrete and install it hovering an inch above, come out a few days later and move and secure everything. Not ideal but when given the choice of a pad thats agonna be bad or having some ugly lumber in the homeowners yard for a couple of days I like to walk away from the job knowing I don't have to worry about it failing.
If you can possibly wait for the pad to fully or mostly cure before you go slapping the condenser on there that is what I would do.
Regular Guest
How many days are we talking about? 2? 7? I think my installer was talking about that setup of having it hovering over the pad. I just didn't confirm with him that he would come out 3 times just to allow me to install the pad.
Professional Member*
What is this Fall and Spring that you speak of?
If people only focused on the important things in life there would be a shortage of fishing poles.
Professional Member*
If it is at all possible we like to set the condenser a couple feet away from the existing location so that the slab can be poured and allowed to cure for at least 48 hours. When that is not possible we have set the unit after 24 hours or so and anchored it down on a follow up visit before the inspection.
We will get our Hurricane Clips attached to the unit so that all that needs to be done later is drill 4 holes and drive in some Tapcons.
As I mentioned earlier, most customers don't want to wait and like us to use the pre-fabbed pads.
If people only focused on the important things in life there would be a shortage of fishing poles.
Regular Guest
This is all very interesting to read. I recently had three different vendors quote a system R&R, and two of them told me that I need a plastic base for the condensor instead of the current concrete pad because "the condensor is beating itself up, attached to that hard concrete pad".
Regular Guest
I've never heard that one before. Poured concrete is really the way to go, but if it is not practical, I'm sure the lightweight pads will do what they are intended to do. I'm just not sure how long they can last. I will at this point most probably be going the lightweight pad route as getting a subcontractor in addition to my a/c installer to coordinate in a reliable fashion does not look like it is in the cards.
Professional Member*
Were not allowed to use pre fab concrete pads here. Plastic only.
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Professional Member
The lightweight pads are code approved a pourde pad would be better, but not necessaary.
the pads are tested in accordance with FBC, the plastic pads are not code approved.
If you are going to pour a pad, just use fast setting high strength (5000 PSI) concrete, you will be able to set the condenser in 4 hours, just use a 2x4 on edge as your form and stake it securely, use the 3 4 5 method to make sure it is square.
It isn't feasible to bring a truck out for such a small pour, and if you do, then you have the poroblem of where o put the wash out from the truck.
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