Air Conditioning gets EXPENSIVE!

[dtcerrato]

Damed 3.5 ton split system on the home front is finally dying on us. Can't complain as far as time goes - yeah it's a Trane and we all know "it's hard to stop a Trane" 28 years after install the R22 unit wants to go by by. Just paid $500 to get it up & running but not for long with the leaks that are forming in the evaporator coil. To replace it with Trane would be close to ten grand. A bottom of the line Carrier would go at 5 grand or I could get a new Rheem on line for $2600 and hire the service man to hook up the plumbing & evacuate and fill it for ? I can remove old units & place new units. What would you(s) do?
It's bus related cause it's getting deep into the pocket that's trying to buy an inverter... 

[DoubleEagle]

I would price the inverter splits that people are putting in buses, something that you could install yourself. They are more efficient than the older home models by a big margin. Anytime you use a HVAC dealer to install AC, you are going to get soaked with their profit margin. The Mr. Cool's have precharged models that you would not need a dealer for. It's either that or buy window A/C's cheap in the off season (if that applies in Florida). The local utility here in Ohio had a test house set up years ago with both window A/C's and Central Air to see which system used the most current. The result was they were neck and neck in power use, but that was before the inverter technology.

[chessie4905]

28 years? Guess you can't  complain. Maybe you could check a few sources for prices. An independent dealer may be able to provide a much better price.

[sledhead]

Dan I am like you    frugal   and would do the rip out and install of the new unit yourself and if it was me I would buy or rent the vac. , gauge's units as they are not that much $$$ to buy . I am lucky as my buddy always helps me start them up after I have run all the lines . he is a hvac guy by trade .  I like the split units much better then the  outside system that we have in Florida ( 1st one was the old horse shoe type 32 years old) but it was working when we sold the house in the spring . I can't find a pic of the older one but this is a pic of the one on the newer house we just bought .

do you have a inside furnace type or the outside unit ?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/c49bjm5sczkxDrzg7

good luck

dave   

[luvrbus]

Prices are crazy I just had a packaged unit that went bad,they charged me almost 8 grand for a packaged unit if I knew it was going to cost that much I wouldn't have replaced it after just having 2 new Tranes installed for the house ,I need a gofund now 

[dtcerrato]

We gave mini split ductless a lot of thought but in our case with 3 zone duct work & 3 three intakes across 3 levels of living - ductless isn't an option.
Our old unit is a outside condenser with heat strip in the interior air handler. Efficient heat is not important because we run a wood stove in the winters. Ironically the best pricing is coming from a smaller family run local business for a Trane! & a heat pump to boot! Looking at just under $4700 with maybe option to barter my labor for further reduction - ie: remove old equipment set new units, use existing copper runs - but really looks like I'm getting stuck with some remodel to fit the newer style air handler where the old one comes out. Thanks for the comments - working our way through & hoping if we drum up enough savings the inverter will stay on schedule! 

[luvrbus]

We gave mini split ductless a lot of thought but in our case with 3 zone duct work & 3 three intakes across 3 levels of living - ductless isn't an option.
Our old unit is a outside condenser with heat strip in the interior air handler. Efficient heat is not important because we run a wood stove in the winters. Ironically the best pricing is coming from a smaller family run local business for a Trane! & a heat pump to boot! Looking at just under $4700 with maybe option to barter my labor for further reduction - ie: remove old equipment set new units, use existing copper runs - but really looks like I'm getting stuck with some remodel to fit the newer style air handler where the old one comes out. Thanks for the comments - working our way through & hoping if we drum up enough savings the inverter will stay on schedule! 

The air handler deal sucks my AC guy said it was because of the coils and new Freon and I asked the the question why not change my coils and use the same air handler and save me money and of course he came up with another reason you are lucky you can do your own remolding lol then they will try and sell you a new thermostat for 300 bucks it takes a computer guru to program   

[Jim Blackwood]

Last time I did any big AC work was about 5 years back, maybe a bit more, and I found a Goodman dealer online. Bought the outside unit and the air handler as a set. Was either a 4 or 4-1/2 ton heat pump and cost around $1000 with freon charge, shipped from Texas. I bought the lines locally, did the brazing work myself which is easy with an acetylene plumber's torch and some specialized fluxless filler rod you can buy about anywhere. I purged the lines with argon (MIG mix would work fine) before brazing to keep oxides down on the inside. Then pressure checked overnight with the argon, pumped the lines down, vacuum checked overnight, and then opened the valves. Ran it and the pressures looked good. Been working great ever since.

Automotive AC is not a lot different. You might have to measure in the freon somehow, but if it starts to work and doesn't freeze up the charge is about right. The OTR air has a huge accumulator so the charge can vary by about a gallon. Handy if you have a very small leak.

Jim

[someguy]

If the compressor, condenser and plumbing are working fine, why can't you just replace/repair the leaking evaporator ?

Do you need to change the type of freon or can you still get/use R22 ?

[dtcerrato]

If the compressor, condenser and plumbing are working fine, why can't you just replace/repair the leaking evaporator ?

Do you need to change the type of freon or can you still get/use R22 ?

The 28 year old evaporator coil is no longer available. There are options. I found on-line for a $500 bill one can buy what they call an evaporator cube that can be put in place of the removed coils in the air handler & they are compatible with r22 or 410a. r22 is still available & currently the same price as 410a ($52/lb).
There are lots of options but the more I digest the situation - the 28 year old Trane doesn't owe us a damn thing and having a life style where we vacate the home front for 5-6 months in the summer - it would really be smart (& expensive) to bite the bullet & do a full replacement. We're probably not going to be in our big home much longer so the HVAC replacement with a transferable warranty will be an asset. May still change my mind - do have estimates coming our way. So far the best is a 3.5 ton 15 seer Trane heat pump @ $4700. The old air handler will make a great furnace for our Alaska place! it's got a 14.40kw heat strip that would be a great backup  if run out of firewood &/or fuel oil... & it won't be a total waste... Anybody need a running Trane condenser 3.5 ton, 13 seer r22? there will be some scrap $$$ in that. 

[dtcerrato]

Third day today since refilled & leak found - down again, 380 clams of Freon gone! I found a new replacement evap. coil that will fit the air handler - got an appointment tomorrow here at the house with another A/C company - got my fingers crossed.

[dtcerrato]

Just pulled the trigger on a Trane 3.5 Ton 16 seer complete split system for under $5000. A smaller mom & son business that answers their phones in person & spends lots of time with their customer. Bartered my labor to do the work up to & including set the units for a $2600 deduct. Staying Trane makes us happy. The unit we're replacing is a 9 seer!

[dtcerrato]

Glad we're going all new, check out the condensate line! Got the old air handler out today. The 15KW heat strip & squirrel cage are going to Alaska.
It's kinda bus related because it ate the $$$ that was suppose to buy the inverter!