Attn. HVAC pros..........Is someone "blowing sunshine up my skirt"?

[dirtydeed]

Type K is also required (here at least) for all underground water service (municipal water supply). Additionally, all fittings must be mechanical (no soldering) for underground portion.

Those rolls of 3/4" K-type are pretty heavy.

The OD is the same. It's the wall thickness that is different.

see here:

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Thanks for all the help fellas.

I'm hoping to get her all done in the next few days

I definitely have learned quite a bit.

After breaking out my "good calipers" and reading about the different types of fittings, (while I was not drinking hahahaha) it appears that I have Type L line set and Type L fittings.

I thought they should be "a lot" thicker, but apparently there is only about a .013 difference between M and L.

K fittings would be/are the thickest, but my line set they sent with it is "L" according to the "engineers toolbox", so unless the "pro" that is helping me says I need K, I will run with this.

 

[ctfjr]

Fwiw
ACR tubing is the most used type around here for residential work. Mostly sold in coils. It is cleaned and capped.

Copper fittings -
generally plumbing fittings and tubing are'nominal' size. A 3/4 piece of copper tube would measure 7/8.
ACR tubing is usually measured at its OD.
ACR 'cleaned and capped' fittings are just that. Used mostly for oxygen apps and for some spec'ed jobs.
Most contractors I know use all long turn elbows in their ac jobs. Plumbing fittings but long turn. A 3/8 plumbing long turn elbow fits 1/2" OD tubing.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Gentlemen, I am not just going it alone on this.

I have a retired HVAC guy coming in to help with the "technical stuff".

I am just doing the "grunt work", like setting the units in place, connecting the electrical, sheetmetal work, and stuff like that. All well within my wheelhouse.

Sounds like an excellent plan.

I'm hoping to find a local HVAC guy who is willing to do the same for me with a mini-split. I plan to have him come out and discuss the layout and how he wants things set up, then I can do the grunt work.

I can run conduit, pull wire & piping, pour a pad, and all of the non-technical stuff before he gets there. He'll just have the pump-down and connections to do.

 

[DustyRusty]

Back in 1965 when I worked summers we used on new construction 15% silver on hi side & 95/5 solder on lo side. 15% on repairs.
i started my own company in 86 & my rule was 15% silver period
Did you reclaim the refrigerant in your old system or just dump it ? Got a vacume pump & micron guage ?

Yep got them all Vacuum Pump and a micron gauge. I am still using R12 in my air conditioning system.

 

[fried1765]

Sounds like an excellent plan.

I'm hoping to find a local HVAC guy who is willing to do the same for me with a mini-split. I plan to have him come out and discuss the layout and how he wants things set up, then I can do the grunt work.

I can run conduit, pull wire & piping, pour a pad, and all of the non-technical stuff before he gets there. He'll just have the pump-down and connections to do.

If you can't get help, you can buy an inexpensive vacuum pump from HF. and follow U-tube install instructions.
Really, a very basic installation.

 

[Poohbear]

Yep got them all Vacuum Pump and a micron gauge. I am still using R12 in my air conditioning system.

are you paying the FED R12 inventory tax every Jan. on your reserve supply ?

 

[Mark_BX25D]

If you can't get help, you can buy an inexpensive vacuum pump from HF. and follow U-tube install instructions.
Really, a very basic installation.

Yes, I'm sure I can do it with no problem, but then I won't have the warranty unless I go with Mr. Cool, and from my research, it seems like it's very hard to get ahold of them for warranty.

I'd rather go with one of the better brands, and that requires installation by an authorized installer.

So, my approach saves me a buck or two and gets me the warranty.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Well it appears that my retired guy, is "very retired".

He came in, looked at it, and said "good job.....now call a service man to finish up"

He did not want anything to do with the actual connecting of the line set.

Since I already own a vacuum pump I decided to buy the rest of the tools and just do it myself.

So it was off to Amazon to get the tooling, brazing rods, etc. , but not everything was "prime" so there was a slight delay.

In the mean time, I had put a call into a local "pro" to see how much he would charge to "just run the line set". He called me just as I had hit "send" on my Amazon order, and he turned out to be amazingly "reasonably priced".

So much so, that I just had him just finish everything up for me.

So 450 dollars and 3 hours later it's done.

The funny part is, the returns for all my tooling from the Big A added up to 340 dollars.......

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Sounds like an excellent plan.

I'm hoping to find a local HVAC guy who is willing to do the same for me with a mini-split. I plan to have him come out and discuss the layout and how he wants things set up, then I can do the grunt work.

I can run conduit, pull wire & piping, pour a pad, and all of the non-technical stuff before he gets there. He'll just have the pump-down and connections to do.

BTW, when I was talking to this kid, he said he finishes mini-splits for people all the time.

So apparently it's pretty common.

 

[fried1765]

Yes, I'm sure I can do it with no problem, but then I won't have the warranty unless I go with Mr. Cool, and from my research, it seems like it's very hard to get ahold of them for warranty.

I'd rather go with one of the better brands, and that requires installation by an authorized installer.

So, my approach saves me a buck or two and gets me the warranty.

My neighbor has installed three mini splits.
The sequence: Buy unit, with capped pre-charged lines to desired length, use HF vacuum pump, wire separate circuit, run plastic drain line.
Plug it in.
It ain't brain surgery!
Units cost him $500 each,.......who cares about collecting on questionable "warranty"?
I would not buy an extended warranty on a $1,000 water heater, or a $2,000 refrigerator either.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Units cost him $500 each,.......who cares about collecting on questionable "warranty"?

I've read the reviews. I'll stick to the name brands.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

BTW, when I was talking to this kid, he said he finishes mini-splits for people all the time.

So apparently it's pretty common.

Good to know!