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Old 01-18-2015, 09:26 PM   #1
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1965 24' Tradewind
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Does the AC unit need freon ?

Does the AC unit need freon ?
New to game here and just got a 66 Trade wind. The AC works but doesn't get to cold.

Thanks
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Old 01-18-2015, 09:29 PM   #2
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If it is not cooling, the simplest fix will be a recharge. You'll be lucky if that's all it needs. Seals could be leaking, which would make just a recharge useless.
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Old 01-18-2015, 09:48 PM   #3
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Rooftop AC units have no recharge ports, they are a sealed unit from the factory and are not designed for any refrigerant service. There are no seals which leak. Yes, you can have a charge port installed, but it is hard to find anyone to do that work in most cases. Removal from the roof, and re installation is expensive.
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Old 01-18-2015, 09:54 PM   #4
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Sorry, that's exactly what I did..... removed the unit, had an A/C guy install some recharge ports. Worked good. There's a possibility that the fan is running but the compressor won't come on due to a bad start capacitor.
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Old 01-18-2015, 09:54 PM   #5
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Thanks guys..is the original AC worth saving or messing with ??? I live in the desert and need to cool )
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Old 01-19-2015, 08:17 AM   #6
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Does the AC unit need freon ?

Having done a couple of them recently with another on the horizon I cannot imagine wanting to drag one on and off and back on again just counting down to failure after a repair.

That said, if it is the original Armstrong unit there is more than one thread on rebuilding. Modern units are essentially disposable.

I expect that full time use of current units may be more than 1000-days, but I use it as reference for planning nonetheless. Full time TT use in hot and/or humid environments exacts a toll.

The vacationer has things better as limited use preferably in more comfortable climates extends service life out to many, many years.

The discussions around use of a dehumidifier and in painting the roof top plus use of awnings are all germane.
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Old 01-19-2015, 08:37 AM   #7
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As stated, if the unit is an Armstrong, I would seriously consider repair or rebuilding. That unit has been in place for near fifty years, my reading of this forum leads me to believe that five years is a pretty good run for "modern improved" units.

It is also my understanding that the hole in the roof is too small for a replacement unit.


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Old 01-19-2015, 10:52 AM   #8
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Great.. In a nut shell if it's an Armstrong IT'S WORTHY of fixing THANKS TO ALL
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Old 01-19-2015, 10:55 AM   #9
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My 1978 Armstrong had a suction access port from the factory. Only needed about 8 ounces of R-22.
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Old 01-19-2015, 11:10 AM   #10
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We own a 1978 31' Excella. Our A/C does not operate, most likely due to Long Term storage. How do I determine if it is an Armstrong Unit and worthy rebuilding?
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Old 01-19-2015, 11:37 AM   #11
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Does the AC unit need freon ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocker66 View Post
Great.. In a nut shell if it's an Armstrong IT'S WORTHY of fixing THANKS TO ALL

IF it is DIY and use is limited to vacations in less than extreme temps, yes.

MAYBE if done by highly conscientious A/C tech and otherwise same as above.

NO if other. Labor becomes prohibitive quickly. A Mach 8 looks far better, then.
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Old 01-19-2015, 12:44 PM   #12
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Does the AC unit need freon ?

Well,,, frankly I would rather spend five hundred to a thousand bucks fixing a unit that was designed to last forty years than to spend the same money on a unit that has a designed lifespan of five years.

That is just me.

Now, there is the problem of finding a person competent and willing to work on the Armstrong, but this is also an issue where a similarly competent person is going to be required to cut the hole bigger in the 66, and to get the new unit to drain condensation properly.


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Old 01-19-2015, 12:49 PM   #13
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You might be in a place where the compressor and major components are fine, your unit might just need a capacitor or a relay, etc.

As far as I can tell my forty two year old a/c is still stock, and it cools great.

The only issue I had with it at all is that a screw dropped out of the main relay rendering it inoperable for the fifteen minutes it took me to find the problem and replace the screw.

I keep waiting for it to break but it has not. When it does break, I will fix it.


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Old 01-19-2015, 02:24 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Morgan View Post
Well,,, frankly I would rather spend five hundred to a thousand bucks fixing a unit that was designed to last forty years than to spend the same money on a unit that has a designed lifespan of five years.

That is just me.

Now, there is the problem of finding a person competent and willing to work on the Armstrong, but this is also an issue where a similarly competent person is going to be required to cut the hole bigger in the 66, and to get the new unit to drain condensation properly.

I agree. But even that Armstrong will wear out eventually. Same as with a home unit. Thus the caution about labor and skill if hired out.

Cutting a hole is a matter of care more than experienced skill. And the drain can be run from the condensate pump to the black water pipe vent.
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Old 01-19-2015, 02:47 PM   #15
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Best posts I have seen so far on Armstrong upgrade

Here is a link to THE most impressive overhaul and upgrade that I have seen regarding the Armstrong.

Jim Pratt's '69 Ambassador got upgraded to more power output, and Jim even added a reversing valve that turned his Armstrong into a heat pump as well!

He didn't seem to have any problem finding the parts to do it, either.
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Old 01-19-2015, 07:27 PM   #16
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Thanks, Aage.

It is.
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Old 01-19-2015, 09:02 PM   #17
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That link is very impressive. It is the first link I bookmarked after I joined the forum.

Before I started reading about the Armstrong units and others on this forum I had decided to scrap the old dinosaur in favor of a new unit for the sake of reliability.

I owe a debt of gratitude to the posters who have praised these old units, they kept me from making a big mistake, so I try to pay it forward every time I get the chance.

So far that cooler has run A LOT for two long hard summers without any issue. (Other than the screw I mentioned above)


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Old 01-19-2015, 09:16 PM   #18
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I had to pass on one of the factory custom shrouds for one from a Streamline. Still irritated at that.
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Old 01-21-2015, 05:35 AM   #19
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What about changing a compressor? Is that a D.I.Y. project?
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Old 01-21-2015, 06:05 AM   #20
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Replacing a compressor is a do it yourself job if you have all the tools needed to change an a/c compressor and know how to change one. A/c gauges, vacuum pump, freon reclamation unit, acetylene torch and silver solder, compressed nitrogen, and a can of freon... You have to purge the system with the nitrogen while soldering in the new compressor, you have to vacuum all of the air out of the system before recharge, you need to know how much of a recharge is needed...

It's not just a yank it out and slap in a new one kind of operation. You need to know what you're doing...

-Red, it's what I do...
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