Recovery condenser/subcooler?

[anthonyscardina]

Looking to make something to cool discharge gas during recovery. I've seen one for sale at supply houses but it's over $100. Has anyone made one and could provide some input?

I thought about getting a roll of soft copper and brazing on some flares.

Also thought about getting fancy and making a coil to fit in some pvc and run water through the pvc.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[buford]

Most machines should do this already. I suppose you could have a coil of copper set up in a 5 gallon bucket with water and ice, maybe make up 2 of them for 22 and 410. My machine does just fine with its internal condenser.

[anthonyscardina]

Most new machines do that better than my old POS microvac machine the company provided. Most if the older guys have the twin.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[icemeister]

Looking to make something to cool discharge gas during recovery. I've seen one for sale at supply houses but it's over $100. Has anyone made one and could provide some input?

I thought about getting a roll of soft copper and brazing on some flares.

Also thought about getting fancy and making a coil to fit in some pvc and run water through the pvc.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I always liked to use 5 gal bucket with about 8 lbs of ice. Drop the recovery tank in there and then dump in the ice. But in the early days of recovering, there were different schemes to do the job...

My first "official" recovery machine back in 1993 was a collaboration among Copeland, Alco and Ridgid (which was also owned by Emerson). It had a 1/3 HP Copeland hermetic compressor with an oil sightglass and a 1/4" flare oil drain/filler stub connection. It even had a CPR valve to prevent compressor overload. Model RS-200 Rigid I think it was.

The coolest part was it would first recover liquid direct to the recovery tank and when the pressures equalized, you switch it over to running such that the recovery tank became a flash receiver of sorts. Vapor was taken from the top of the tank while liquid was metered back into the tank though a capillary tube. It was then refrigerating the initial recovered liquid that entered the recovery cylinder. When the pressure dropped and the tank was cooled down sufficiently, you'd open up the vapor valve to admit more vapor to the "system". It would mix the vapor returning from the tank, get compressed and then condensed. This liquid would get expanded by the cap tube and the recovery tank continued to be refrigerated.

Once the pressures again dropped, the system was switched over to direct vapor recovery to the chilled recovery tank.

I think I got the sequence pretty close, but it's been a long time since I used that beast. It weighed nearly 60 lbs and was a PITA to drag up to the roof.

[buford]

The first recovery unit i used was a robinair 2 piece unit, like others said, the thing was an anchor, but i swear would suck the oil out.

[rider77]

A coil of 1/4" or 3/8" copper with 1/4" flairs on the ends in a 5 gallon bucket filled with cold water or ice. Cheap and effective.
I have the little CPS thingy. It's nice I guess, small compact package that does the job. I'd never pay that asking price though.

[Milk man]

I made a coil of copper with flare fittings out of 3/8. I also have a 5 gallon bucket I put garden hose fitting in high and low. My idea is to stream water in the bottom and out the top when I have a lot of refrigerant to recover. I can regulate the water with a ball valve. The top fitting so I can hook a hose to it and direct the water away from where I'm working.

[anthonyscardina]

Try to pull a purchase order for ice...I dare ya...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[BBeerme]

It's the most simple thing in the world where I work. I just mark it as per company procedure like anything else and put it on the invoice. The line item on the invoice might say something like recovery coolant. If the people you work for aren't into that, then ask them why they don't want to make money.

Here's what we used to do. Just get a sheet metal storm collar, same as is used for a penetration through a roof jack, but install it inverted around the recovery tank near the top. Then fill with ice. If I'm doing 410a in the heat of summer, I need ice. No need for anything more fancy than I just stated.

Just be careful not to over fill the recovery cylinder, it's very easy to do with the method I stated !!

Try to pull a purchase order for ice...I dare ya...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Scott Kline]

ugly, cheap, effective, homemade. Bucket of cold water or ice if I can get it. Also a small recovery cylinder fits inside a 5 gal bucket. But not much room for ice.


Sent from Western Union Quadroplex using Crapatalk

[anthonyscardina]

We use 50lb cylinders. Of course, so far all my recovery has been for decommissioned equipment, and is charged to construction, no questions asked about hours lol. I've also seen a round copper loop that people make to go around the collar, like a sprinkler.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[buford]

That will work Scott, now go buy a new oxy gauge will ya.

[Scott Kline]

That will work Scott, now go buy a new oxy gauge will ya.

You got me. I keep forgetting.


Sent from Western Union Quadroplex using Crapatalk

[agibbstx]

If it doesn't leak and/or explode, who needs new? Besides, don't they work better once they've been banged around a bit?

[Tech502]

I made one out of scrap soft copper similar to the one in Scotts picture. It works great.

[timtanguay]

I use a coaxial heat exchanger from a water-source heatpump that was being decomissioned. works like a hot-damn and prevents your recovery cylinder from stacking up.

[timebuilder]

I found the CPS version on ebay.

Some bright spark had cross threaded one of the connectors, which was easily fixed using the correct pipe die.

I typically put cold water in a bucket, enough to submerge the coil, and by the time I have recovered 15 or so lbs form a long lineset split on a mall roof (just for example) the water is so warm you could bathe in it.

Having tried to recover 410a previously without this device, I can tell you that this takes about 10% of the time required because it keeps the high side pressure low on the Appion, and that allows the machine to run continuously without tripping the high side switch.

[icy78]

I found the CPS version on ebay.

Some bright spark had cross threaded one of the connectors, which was easily fixed using the correct pipe die.

I typically put cold water in a bucket, enough to submerge the coil, and by the time I have recovered 15 or so lbs form a long lineset split on a mall roof (just for example) the water is so warm you could bathe in it.

Having tried to recover 410a previously without this device, I can tell you that this takes about 10% of the time required because it keeps the high side pressure low on the Appion, and that allows the machine to run continuously without tripping the high side switch.

X2 on that. 95f day. Pushing 540 psi. Hooked up my CPS up, dropped it in a bucket of ice and head dropped to 280 and I could wide-open the inlet. Sucked out 24 lbs 410a in 1/2 hour. 100$ for a well made, protected, guaged, cool looking device that got me out of the heat a lot faster. Well worth it.

[AZPTA_AOP]

X2 on that. 95f day. Pushing 540 psi. Hooked up my CPS up, dropped it in a bucket of ice and head dropped to 280 and I could wide-open the inlet. Sucked out 24 lbs 410a in 1/2 hour. 100$ for a well made, protected, guaged, cool looking device that got me out of the heat a lot faster. Well worth it.

I don't see the reason for having to make your own. The Molecular Transformator is great for $129.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[icy78]

I don't see the reason for having to make your own. The Molecular Transformator is great for $129.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yep. That's what I was using couldn't remember the name of it.
Maybe I'm wrong and its not made by CPS but I thought it was.