Originally Posted by
ultralo1
You are correct. Anybody can put a unit together and have it run. I have seen many hack jobs out there (In my field). They did run, and worked to a point. The one thing that none of them did was last. That is where the correct oil, correct vaccum, correct brazing, correct purging comes into play. It really is not that big a deal to chnage out a compressor on a unit. The big deal is to do it right so that it will last.
In Air conditioning there is alot of room for error. The comps tolerances arnt as tight, they dont run for extended periods of time, the temps are above freezing. The life expectancy of theunit is under 10 years.
In refrigeration the room for error is smaller but still manageable. Life expectancy is under 10 years.
In cascades life expectancy is over 10 years, the comp tollerances are critical (the 3/4hp I buy are over $1000), the comps are expected to run 90% of the time. Long cap tubes so any moisture blocks them.
The rebuilding process is a step by step process. Its not just replacing a comp it is following a procedure to ensure a very long life of the equipment.
Just my $0.002 worth (not a flame thing type of post either)
Boogerlad,
There is a reason that there is no alternative to brazing. Nothing has been found to be better. Even HVAC solder cannot take the vibrations or punishment produced by refrigeration systems.