recovery tank question

[thewoodman]

I bought a recovery tank and started recovery from several old condensers last season. Well I got the recovery unit out again but relized I don't know how much my tank has in it. We don't have scales at work and I didn't weigh the empty tank and don't know what the empty tank weighs. How can I know when it is 80% full???

[troyorr]

If you have to ask a question like that, you are better off returning your EPA certification card and finding another line of work.

[beenthere]

First you need to get a scale.

Second, look on the tank, the weight is stamped on it, and you should already know this before you ever hooked up the recovery tank.

[tlcartman]

for now use bathroom scales. until you can do better

[thewoodman]

well, troyorr, don't judge to quickly, unless of course you are perfect in every way, intelligent and all knowing beyond doubt.
Without details I said what I said, fact is I started last year and the supervisor running the show never wieghed anything, never used the recovery machine, and de-tested me using one and recovering refrigerant: I had to do what I could quickly, and the recovery machine I found in the back of the shop under tons of debris left me doubting if it works properly. It supposedly has a manual shut off when the tank reaches the 80% capacity. But it never shuts off and the tank is getting heavy. I am wanting to get things in check now that the bozo is gone. The gray yellow cylinder has a stamp that says W.C. 47.5# I am just wanting to know if this is the "wieght capicity" So I can check my equipment. After getting my certification I have yet to get a job where any of these things are enforced, or any records are kept, and equipment available to use on a daily basis. NO one around here seems to take it seriously, but I am determined to. Sorry but you don't know everything.

[Yuma]

First off your profile says your in Texas. So the E.P.A. laws should apply to your company. (Please send us your address and we will gladly report your boss )

Second, the "Tare Weight" is what you need to know of the recovery tank. Say you have a 30# recovery tank and the tare weight is 16.3 lbs (common) and the over all weight of the tank is 40 lbs, You have about 24 lbs of gas in the tank. STOP!!!! that's the limit..... (In the hot sun you may want to keep it a little lower, say 20 lbs).

As for your boss that dose not use a scale. How in the H$## are you folks charging for the gas when you charge a system? By guessing? Would you want frijolies sold to you by guessing? Very un-professional!
If you can change companies do so. You sound like you have a head on your shoulders.
Good luck.

Yuma,

[thewoodman]

Yuma, thank you for your input. Fortunately I have a new boss. He is very interested in getting things in line. We are a maintenance team for apartments and duplexes. And we don't charge tennants for work done. System charge is made by superchart,subcooling etc. Thing is the new boss is supposed to have tons of hvac knowlege and certificates a mile long but I didn't get a straight answer from him either about the recovery tank. My books say everything about the tanks, including 80% capicity, but nothing about the tare wieght, stamp on the tank, even to send them to recycling place. I have called every number we have even the number on the tanks, all out of business. No one not even the supplies houses in town no where to get freon recycled. Eveyone in east texas thinks I am too concerned about keeping up with epa regulations. I was out of the business for almost 13 years, a couple of years ago I started studing and got back in the business. Got my certification last year. Type universal. Scored 100 closed book, by memmory, but I had to find this class 40 miles from home. last one availible within 100 miles. Now it doesn't exist. The guys I work with got there certification by going to a 1 hour meeting paying a fee and cert. given. They can't believe I had to study. Believe it or not I bought the only recovery tank I could find, only one supply house had them, and he only had one! ON the back shelf.

[mo-flo]

you're doing the right thing dude,.....go buy you another recovery tank and scales while you are at it,...then weigh empty tank and you'll have your answer..you will have to get another tank if you don't have no place that takes the stuff you have recovered,...oh wait-my bad..you working for maintenance you can use stuff that you recover on other units....good-luck and hang in there.

[bb]

W.C. btw stands for water capacity.

I could see disposal of recovery tanks being a problem in remote areas.

We had a hard time getting rid of the freon here in the Metroplex some time ago.

Scales are cheap. They could be handy in preventing an overfilled tank. Or just get the switch fixed.

[thewoodman]

Thanks guys, And yeah I can reuse the freon from my tank on my own equipment. However, the boss prefers not to. He wants virgin refrigerant. For good reason. The boys here before installed units left and right, and didn't pull vacuums. We are replacing units constantly. But keeping records and pulling vacuum, and installing liquid line dryers.