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Warning: R22 Freon shortage coming...thanks to EPA
Insurance News Net ^ | 01/04/12 | Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc.

Posted on 01/27/2012 6:18:40 PM PST by A.Hun

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To: wombtotomb

Apparently, a court ruling gave them a basis to ignore the already set production caps.

This is nuts.


21 posted on 01/27/2012 6:52:37 PM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: A.Hun

This hasn’t been a secret, so I have trouble with the JIT outfits that don’t plan ahead. Hate to say it, but they deserve to take a beating.


22 posted on 01/27/2012 6:52:55 PM PST by BobL ("Heartless" and "Inhumane" FReepers for Cain - we've HAD ENOUGH)
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To: A.Hun
Why? Thank You.

Thank you very much A.Hun


23 posted on 01/27/2012 6:53:14 PM PST by Delta 21 (Make your choice ! There are NO civilians.)
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To: A.Hun

Hmmm, reading that letter, I think the gov has stepped up what was supposed to be an orderly phase-out.

I think that I need to retract my comment - but still, anyone in the air conditioning business should know by now (after the R-12 debacle) to NEVER trust the government regarding continued supplied of refrigerants.


24 posted on 01/27/2012 6:55:35 PM PST by BobL ("Heartless" and "Inhumane" FReepers for Cain - we've HAD ENOUGH)
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To: BobL

Not really. This is a surprise.

BTW, everything is JIT now, and its the consumer that takes a beating.


25 posted on 01/27/2012 6:55:53 PM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: BobL

Yep...way down in the original link, they were going to decide on between an additional 18-38% cut...they went long!


26 posted on 01/27/2012 6:57:23 PM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: A.Hun

some counties won’t let you put them in. Most of ours won’t. We have been steering customers to R410-A replacement systems and informing them of this for several years. They are gonna thank us this year LOL.

Of course, some customers fought us tooth and nail looking for the cheapest units. We explained they won’t be cheap when this happens, the companies are just dumping the r-22 products because they knew this was coming, but some people just don’t listen. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth for these 8 month old systems that now have r-22 for the next 8-10 years.


27 posted on 01/27/2012 7:02:46 PM PST by wombtotomb
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To: A.Hun

R12 sucks!


28 posted on 01/27/2012 7:04:01 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: wombtotomb

All new systems I’ve installed have been R410a also, but money is really tight here and a lot of folks cannot afford to upgrade.

There is absolutely no reason for the EPA to do this now, and it is going to hurt a lot of people.


29 posted on 01/27/2012 7:09:08 PM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: A.Hun

yeah it is nuts! This is a blindside believe me. No buzz going on in the field. It was supposed to be a slower phase in, especially due to the fact that almost all commercial equipment is r-22 based and they cannot afford this hit right now especially.

FWIW, residential customers have been handling their a/c issues much differently. They have been buying window units instead of repairing their central air. Businesses cannot do this and they are almost exclusively dependent on R-22 for their commercial systems. Imagine eating in a restaurant in the south in July with no ac? Not gonna happen! Shoppers won’t linger in hot stores, doctors offices will be miserable when your sick and hot and on and on and on. Imagine a movie theater with no ac?

Give it a few months and businesses will be closing faster than they are now. Unintended consequences? Maybe, but I know most riots happen in the heat of summer...


30 posted on 01/27/2012 7:10:45 PM PST by wombtotomb
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To: A.Hun
The new units are R410 snipe, so you have to upgrade the indoor coil too. Adds about a grand to the cost. They’ve got dry R22 condensers still available, but if you can’t get the freon..............

That much difference in the coil? What I mean is on R-12 conversions basically the expansion valve {or whatever applicable metering device} was changed out but not the coil best I remember. Oh well I can't complain about the unit though it gave me great service.

I did have a problem last summer that irked me though. I live in a double-wide actually and have a 2 and a half ton A/C. The condenser fan burnt up so I figured I'd fix it real quick. The company that made the units when I bought mine went under. The one place that carried the parts for it was closed for the weekend. But with the frame number and RPM's etc I figured I could match it up at a local parts supply house.

One was open and had it but would not sell to retail. I ended up calling a contractor to go get that motor and put it in. But I needed it running ASAP and had too do it.

31 posted on 01/27/2012 7:15:00 PM PST by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?)
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To: wombtotomb

I posted it because I thought folks should know.

This doesn’t give us time to cope. I’m checking on the R22 drop in replacement, but I doubt they can keep up with demand.

The stuff this administration lets happen is pathetic. As if business hasn’t got it bad enough already, just make them sweat some more!


32 posted on 01/27/2012 7:15:15 PM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: A.Hun

“Yep...way down in the original link, they were going to decide on between an additional 18-38% cut...they went long!”

Yea, I had no clue. I had read a number of articles, recently, and they made it clear that this was going to be a gradual phase out.

I just wonder how many elderly people will now die of heat stroke due to the inability to service their air conditioners.


33 posted on 01/27/2012 7:15:53 PM PST by BobL (I don't care about his past - Newt will BRING THE FIGHT to Obama)
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To: A.Hun

Tell me about tight $. Our county is like 14 % unemployed and probably close to 30% under employed/part time/seasonal, and I think that number is low.

At this point I almost feel obligated to tell customers if they can’t afford an r410-a system, get a window unit til you can, because if you can’t afford that now, you will never afford an r-22 unit, no matter how low the price.

How much longer can we even sell r-22 systems? Isn’t it another year or 2 for residential?


34 posted on 01/27/2012 7:16:34 PM PST by wombtotomb
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To: cva66snipe

The oil that is used in R22 is mineral oil while the oil in R410a is polyester based. That means the indoor coil has to be flushed with a solvent in addition to changing the metering device.

You are better off changing the coil.

Sorry about the fan motor...not selling to the public is SOP for most wholesalers, especially on electrical parts. They weren’t just shining you on.


35 posted on 01/27/2012 7:19:43 PM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: A.Hun

Also, an FYI, I can’t remember if it is Rheem or Goodman (we mostly do daves brand LOL) has units that do both r-22 and 410-a- they come that way. May be something to look into further for this mess, if the price is comparable to the r-22 units. Not sure though cause we don’t use them much.


36 posted on 01/27/2012 7:22:10 PM PST by wombtotomb
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To: wombtotomb

You can’t buy an entire system in R22 (supposedly). You can still buy a nitrogen filled, R22 outdoor a/c or heat pump, but only because they changed the designation from a “system” to a “component”.

Who knows how long that will last...

I have several customers that opted for window units this last year....especially on unoccupied second stories.


37 posted on 01/27/2012 7:22:48 PM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: A.Hun

Smooth move by the commissars


38 posted on 01/27/2012 7:27:18 PM PST by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: wombtotomb
that do both r-22 and 410-a-

That is just the indoor coils and airhandlers...just change the metering device. They are all shipped dry.

That is why you can still get an R22 system if you work hard enough at it, but its not legal to do it.

39 posted on 01/27/2012 7:27:41 PM PST by A.Hun (Common sense is no longer common.)
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To: A.Hun
You are better off changing the coil. Sorry about the fan motor...not selling to the public is SOP for most wholesalers, especially on electrical parts. They weren’t just shining you on.

As old as my unit is I wouldn't change one without the other really. Before I had too retire I knew at least one person working the counter at the stores and could have ran it through my work place and paid the boss back if I had too go that route.

The contractor did me right really considering he charged normal rate on the weekend. I'll be calling him when the unit finally goes or maybe sooner if I can get the money up to change out sooner before it breaks down.

40 posted on 01/27/2012 7:29:21 PM PST by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?)
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