Got an A/C Recovery Machine! Got Questions!
 

Between me and my Son(Ps2cho), we have 9 Vehicles that are or were R12 charged!
After we did the whole A/C system on Ps2cho's 260, and recharged it with virgin R12, I decided that I needed a way to recover it, if we needed to replace a compressor or something.

Last week, I found a Snap-On ACT 3120 locally, and bought it!
It seems well looked after, and the PO assured me that he always serviced it, and tested the Refridgerant before he evacuated.
He also says he always had the "Recycleguard" external filter in place to protect it from Sealants.
He gave me 2 Manchester recovery tanks(50lb?) with it, one he says has maybe 5lb of recovered R12, and one that is empty.

Here she is!
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/DSC01572.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/DSC01573.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/DSC01574.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/DSC01579.jpg


I am going to change the compressor oil, and service it anyway. I have just ordered a 2 replacement RecycleGuard filter elements, and 2 filter/dryer filters for the unit.

Questions:
1/ I want to use the empty tank for "pure R12"..
How do I "clean it" inside... I know I must pull 25" of Vacuum on it, but what if there is oil or gunk inside?

2/ I am told this unit will do r12 or R134a.... I was wondering if its just to much work to swap between them, even if I have seperate tanks etc?

Any advice of comment is welcome!

That’s a nice looking machine but have to tell you that prices for replacement parts for Snap On service equipment can range from high to ridiculous. I’ve got their wheel balancer and just one tiny cone was over $100. It’s not like you can buy parts for it at any old place and they know it. Just wondering why you would buy a recycling machine for home use even if you have a lot of cars. I’m all for saving the ozone layer but the few times you might have to discharge the system wouldn’t justify the cost.

Actually, I disagree.
Aside from venting R12 to the atmostsphere, which will get you a hefty fine, or jail sentance...
Last time I looked, R12 was about $10/lb.
When I had my Trucks system recovered, it cost me $50...
Later, when I went back to have it put back in he charged me $130... and charged me for the R12!
I pointed out that he had taken my R12 out and now he was charging me per pound to put my own R12 back in.....
Its a scam, and I dont like being scammed.
I paid $300 for my own R12 recovery and recharge system...
I think thats a bargain.

Don't buy the stuff from Snap-On.....
I paid $49 for each moisture filter... Snap-on, adds their label, and charges $112....
Where there is a will, there is a way!

Plenty of drop-in cheaper replacements like Freeze-12 or Autofrost. Most cars take 2 pounds, 3 max, if a shop charged you $130 or more than 10 pounds worth, you need to find another shop.

I agree with the OP. I purchased my own recovery/recharge machine also. It's a dual R12/R134 model. I was quoted near $500 just to change the pressure switch on the drier, the drier and for the appropriate amount of R12 to fully charge the system. That was ridiculous to me as I knew I would eventually need more a/c work and I sure wasn't going to keep paying them outrageous prices to do it.

They were charging me $50 per pound for the R12, and they were the least expensive place I could find. Well, I purchased a 20lb cyinder of Dupont R12 for 10 bucks per pound. I also purchased a new 30lb cylinder of R134 on sale for just $150. I figured it wouldn't hurt to have just in case someone else needed to use the machine.

I had absolutely no experience doing a/c work, but I've been learning as I go along. And like the OP, I also hate the scams involving R12 and the "rarity" of it which they say warrants the price. What a joke.

By the way, I've only used the machine twice so far, but the work I did myself has already saved me more than what I paid for the machine and all of the refrigerant. And that doesn't even take into consideration the convenience of doing it at my own place when I want.

I purchased an r12/134 recovery machine years ago and I think it is one of the best tools I have in the shop. It has paid for itself many times over. A/C work is easy if done right:).

Merkey, good for you. Cost is always in the wallet of the buyer awyway, plus if you ever feel the need to recover your cost, you can always find R12 people looking for your services now that you have that machine, which appears to be in great shape. And you can be honest and still make some money at the same time.

By the way, freeze-12 and all those other so-called R-12 replacements are junk. Use the real R-12 or convert to 134.

You might want to give some thought to getting a cert. Discharging R12 can get you in trouble but there are generally no witnesses.:D Doing work for others involves witnesses.:eek:

http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/609/technicians/609certs.html

I have my Certificate already!
Please to hear that others agree with my stance...
For the record, I have tried Propane, and ES12, and they worked fine, but now we have 3 cars that were done with new fresh R12.
Makes sense to keep it real.
Now, those of you with dual machines... they have 2 seperate circuits?

I have a machine that I can't really figure out how to use. I can recover r12, but I cannot figure out how to "process" it so I can use it again. I have a 30lb tank of r12 in my basement. Must be about 10lbs in the tank on the machine. No instructions can be found online. I may just get rid of it.

What is the make and model of the machine?

white industries 1050

Snap-On purchased White Industries. Have you searched online for a manual? I found one for mine online and printed it. Perhaps you can call Snap-On and ask them about it.

The best they could do was send me a pdf of a similar(much newer) machine. It still doesn't help. It's a basic upright recovery/recycling machine.

Yep, two completely separate circuits. It even has a tank for r12 and r134. The only thing shared between the two circuits is the vacuum pump. The brand name on mine is "The Service Depot". It has been bulletproof since I purchased it. When I first got it I had some questions in regards to it's use and was able to get in touch with the manufacture (out of Canada). When I called them I actually got to talk to the individual that designed the machine. He was very helpful clearing up some questions I had.

Ok, cool.
I guess I am tryig to find out if its practical to have a R12 set of filters and tanks, and the same for R134a, and purge the lines between uses... or just take it to the shop to have the r134 removed...
I have a good Vacuum pump, and I guess I could just refill using cans..

Please tell me where you got the filters.

Thank you.

I will have to look for where I got the filters...

Does anyone have an Owners Manual for the ACT 3120... mine didnt come with one..

Congrats on the purchase!

Here should be some info on the unit:
ACT-3120/3340 PRODUCT INFO

http://equiserv.com/Common/Instructions/Product/ACT3120B.pdf
http://equiserv.com/Common/Instructions/Product/ACT3120A.pdf

Thanks.
In fact I already had that one...
I decided to Email Snap-On Customer Service... and 24 hours later I have a PDF of the Operators Manual!
Kudos to you guys at Snap-on!

Now, the fun starts...
I was given 2 tanks with the unit.

I took one of the tanks, that I was told was empty, and checked it, and felt empty, but to be sure I evacuated it into the other tank... pulled a 25hg vacuum on it for 30 mins.
I then put that tank on the scale in the unit... and it read empty... so good so far.

I connected the gauges to my 190e which had a leaking sight glass on the Receiver/Dryer, so I needed to evac the R12 before replacing it.

Static pressure was 65psi with the ambient yesterday of about 60degF.
I ran the yellow hose from the gauges to the 3120. and told the machine to evac..
It pulled 14oz out.... but I discovered the empty tank has a problem... there was a slight leak at the tank hand wheel seal. I could not hear it above the noise of the pump until it stopped. I immediately sealed the tank.
I then swapped tanks, and pulled that 14oz into the other tank, which is good.
The part full tank has about 5lb of R12 in it according to the scale.

I removed and drained the old drier, I measured about 25gramms of oil, so put the same omount of oil in the new one, swapped the sensors, replaced the O rings and we were all sealed again in 15 mins.

Using the 3120, I set up the Auto Sequence to pull 25hgof Vacuum for an hour, hold it for an hour to measure any leaks and then charge the system.

Here is where it got odd...
The sticker under the hood says 2.2lb or 1kg of R12.
I tried to enter that, and I got an error... I ended up telling it to put in 16oz.

The machine did its thing, and started to charge.. I had the engine running at idle and after the first few seconds the Compressor kicked in.

After a while the machine beeped and signalled it had charged the 16oz.
At idle the gauges were reading about 225psi High side and 30psi low.

I left it overnight and today I see the static pressure is 110psi.... with half the charge that it should have in there...

Did I miss something?

snap-on ACT3340 charging station
 

This charging station has a code 8 displaying and will not respond on clearing code. I called the tech hotline and they keep saying if its under warranty we will send a tech out, but the machine is over 15 years old and snap-on says they have no info on it even though it is a snap-on machine.

Snap-On would not have made the machine. Maybe made by Robinair?
Perhaps you will have more luck trying to find info on a similar Robinair unit. Maybe open it up and see if the manufacturer is marked anywhere, maybe on the circuit board(s).

I got the r4 compressor for less than 130 new and installed and charged for another 100.

You may want to check around, but go in there knowledgeable.