So I bought this refrigerant reclaim system at an auction that I was going to see if I could get some parts off of and the more that I look at the machine the more that I think it could possibly be a complete extraction system minus the columns. I could be wrong but I would like to see if anybody else can look at this and tell me their take on it. There is a link here to the patent that was originally filed for the machine that gives you a good explanation of what this machine does. And to me it sounds like I could possibly just use it with a couple of columns in a tank of butane.?
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Looking at the separator I doubt it to be oilless wich makes it a no go
But I could be wrong haven t read the patent yet
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The oil separator is for cleaning refrigerant I believe and could possibly be used for a collection pot of sorts maybe? I am also considering using it as a glycol chiller if it’s not possible to use as a closed loop. If you have any insight on what I could use it for I would appreciate any input.
sounds like a good deal of scrap to fund buying the right tools.
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Yeah I know and I have a decent system already. I have had this unit sitting around for a bit and was going to take some fittings from it and whatnot. However I started looking it over and saw that it has a chiller inside one of the tanks and it is used almost exactly the way a well modified cls works so I thought I would see if someone else could look at it and give me reasons why not to scrap it. Do you have any other ideas other than to scrap the unit?
Hvac journeyman tech and I’m all in it has to be cleaned good . The refrigerant has oil in it and there are different kinds a lot of times you are trying to recover refrigerant that has a bad compressor and it makes the refrigerant acidic and if that stuff is in there….I’d likely pass it would be like having Reg LP with mercaptan (ms) in your system it just doesn’t go away .
Honestly though a lot of places that are more rural buy them and just have them around “in case” it’s needed. I have never used one and seen one in a box for years.
Could be it was used correctly and it filters all that out I believe becss add use it would likely be used on multiple refrigerants.
Honestly I have not ever used one in 4 years. I carry a recovery tank and don’t need the system unless compressor won’t start then it’s probably got burnt Freon and It seems they usually have leaks and are empty , conveniently! Lol
I bet it would work!
I also run a CLS system with chiller heat exchanger plates and liquid and vapor pump
I don’t need the vapor pump unless I’m pulling vac on columns or something it’s way faster passive! Especially if it’s -40 c in recovery tank and -40 tube condenser
It is hard to have enough chiller if I use the jacketed collection vessel and warm h2o it do not take much especially with 70/30 butane/lp or 50 25 25 lp iso tame
Cold and fast
@DropWise is the one I know I’d ask He knows a little about it all I think!
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I bought a reclaim system from a closing dealership and salvaged the gear pump that recirculates the recovered refrigerant through the filter canister. A handy pump for liquid LPG.
As noted, the recovery pump was not oil less, so not useable for concentrates. It had an oil separator to remove the pump oil from the refrigerant and recirculate it back to the pump.
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Use it to circulate refrigerant through your jackets for the most advanced extractor on the market.
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Good point, and I bought a 1 1/2 ton -15C refrigeration plant for a walk in freezer for that purpose. Why involve an intermediate transfer fluid, with attendant pump cost??
PS: As business priorities changed, that project was put on hold, and I still have the refrigeration plant untouched in its original crate, if any of ya’ll have a current need.
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I actually thought about using it for something of the sorts because it does have a large chiller system inside of it according to what I’ve read. That is an extremely good idea though I may look into using it to re-circulate and use it as a chiller. I may have to play around with it more as I’ve only turned it on to verify it works.
Do you know, since you have used one of these before, if it would chill a fluid or something as a recirculator? Also would I have to use refrigerant or do you think it would recirculate glycol or similar?
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The one I used did not have a chiller in it . And I’m not sure about thermal transfer liquid i would think not, but I do not know. Only time I ever used them was if the compressor was out and I had a lot of refrigerant to recover. Otherwise I have old double ended drum that I use for recovery!
Word…thanks bud, info is well received.
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