Should I keep factory Ac

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

I've heard you should also not screw with badgers.

Especially honey badgers, because they just don't give a sh*t.

[BusT]

Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON

Especially honey badgers, because they just don't give a sh*t.

Lol well I guess I’ll wait for some more suggestions to come on in hahaha

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON

A/C is one thing I tell people never to screw with.

Originally Posted by musigenesis

I've heard you should also not screw with badgers.

Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON

Especially honey badgers, because they just don't give a sh*t.

Originally Posted by BusT

Lol well I guess I’ll wait for some more suggestions to come on in hahaha

Apologies for the derailment, OP. I would have the existing systems serviced / repaired, though.

[TJones]

Originally Posted by BusT

Lol well I guess I’ll wait for some more suggestions to come on in hahaha

+1 on not f'ing with factory AC or honey badgers (Ask the cobra how that turned out. )That is if the AC is working or mostly there and resonably repairable.

Ted

[cadillackid]

I dont mess with badgers.. OK I did install a new In-Sink-Erator "badger" in my kitchen sink a few years ago..



the A/C, I al;ways mess with the A/C..



to the OP.. shortenbing the lines.. I like cutting hose in a method that doesnt create particles.. I have a Hose-cutter pliers but you can cut A/C hose with a good sharp utility knife.. a little refrigeration oil on the hose and knife blade makes it cut pretty easy..


as to the fittings.. there are 2 common types of A/C hose used in the industry.. standard barrier hose and reduced barrier hose. the difference is in the outer diameter of the hose. ther old style crimp lines like on the cars from the mid 00s on back ito the mid 90s is standard barrier.. the newer hose style used on a lot of add-on and bus A/C is reduced barrier..



how to tell?

old style crimp hose the fittings generally have a large metal collar that extends down onto the hose an inch or s and is crimped..



reduced barrier hose usually has a little cage and 2 rings that have a small crimp in them..



I havent seen clip style like burgaflex or cool-clip for standard diameter barrier hose (they may exist).. everything I install new i use clip-style. I dont have issues with leaks.. I put a little refrigeration oil in the hose and on the fitting before installing it. once the clip is crimped you can still swivel the fitting in the hose



**usually** hose has a model number written on it somewhere along it.. the inside hoses it usually hasnt rubbed off.. and we can look it up to see the size and type it is.. each A/C company had their own methods of install it seems.



if you use the crimp type youll need to obtain the crimp tool set.. ( I know I have one somewhere in the dust (havent used it in years)).



for the clip style there is a crimp plier tool to use.. I have a couple pairs of those..


too bad you werent doing this a few months ago when i was down in houston id have brought my tools and big ole box of fittings and clips I seem to have acquired.



I think my garage and basement are like a hardware store sometimes! esp for HVAC specialty parts..

[BusT]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I dont mess with badgers.. OK I did install a new In-Sink-Erator "badger" in my kitchen sink a few years ago..



the A/C, I al;ways mess with the A/C..



to the OP.. shortenbing the lines.. I like cutting hose in a method that doesnt create particles.. I have a Hose-cutter pliers but you can cut A/C hose with a good sharp utility knife.. a little refrigeration oil on the hose and knife blade makes it cut pretty easy..


as to the fittings.. there are 2 common types of A/C hose used in the industry.. standard barrier hose and reduced barrier hose. the difference is in the outer diameter of the hose. ther old style crimp lines like on the cars from the mid 00s on back ito the mid 90s is standard barrier.. the newer hose style used on a lot of add-on and bus A/C is reduced barrier..



how to tell?

old style crimp hose the fittings generally have a large metal collar that extends down onto the hose an inch or s and is crimped..



reduced barrier hose usually has a little cage and 2 rings that have a small crimp in them..



I havent seen clip style like burgaflex or cool-clip for standard diameter barrier hose (they may exist).. everything I install new i use clip-style. I dont have issues with leaks.. I put a little refrigeration oil in the hose and on the fitting before installing it. once the clip is crimped you can still swivel the fitting in the hose



**usually** hose has a model number written on it somewhere along it.. the inside hoses it usually hasnt rubbed off.. and we can look it up to see the size and type it is.. each A/C company had their own methods of install it seems.



if you use the crimp type youll need to obtain the crimp tool set.. ( I know I have one somewhere in the dust (havent used it in years)).



for the clip style there is a crimp plier tool to use.. I have a couple pairs of those..


too bad you werent doing this a few months ago when i was down in houston id have brought my tools and big ole box of fittings and clips I seem to have acquired.



I think my garage and basement are like a hardware store sometimes! esp for HVAC specialty parts..

Ya i wouldn’t try to really mess with it in a perfect world but raising the roof caused me to to have to move the lines how I need to anyway.
I’ve disconnected the evaps and am now pulling the lines through under the bus will how saw into my newly sealed floor and probalay just patch over the old Ac holes with caulking and thin galvanized ... there too close to the wall i think but I might frame subfloor around them and have access later if I wanted to route power up through there or something for storage boxes ...

I might take pictures of fittings now and hopefully (the way it looks now is I might just have to cut one evaps Hoses the other I can move 2ft or so and reconnect I think.... haha
Man I wish I would’ve known you were down here ! Your the Ac guru..

Also when disconnected I didn’t lose much Freon at all. I probably had a leak since it was blowing but not cold ...
I’m thinking If possible I can vacuum and recharge my system if it’s cheaper then hiring out .. maybe rent some tools from autozone or something and buy some 134a

[akrebirdbe1991]

You would have broken the whole system. I could not fix this problem for a long time, but I did not have the thought to just cut the lines. I tried to pour more refrigerant and thought it was leaking or evaporating too much, however I gave up and my friend recommended me thetoolscout.com after that, I understood the source of the fckng problem and was able to solve it a month later. I was very nervous and angry for a very long time, it even came to the idea of buying a new system, which is very, very expensive. Thank God I didn't do it and my friend helped me in time. I can't even imagine how much money I would have paid

[BusT]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I dont mess with badgers.. OK I did install a new In-Sink-Erator "badger" in my kitchen sink a few years ago..



the A/C, I al;ways mess with the A/C..



to the OP.. shortenbing the lines.. I like cutting hose in a method that doesnt create particles.. I have a Hose-cutter pliers but you can cut A/C hose with a good sharp utility knife.. a little refrigeration oil on the hose and knife blade makes it cut pretty easy..


as to the fittings.. there are 2 common types of A/C hose used in the industry.. standard barrier hose and reduced barrier hose. the difference is in the outer diameter of the hose. ther old style crimp lines like on the cars from the mid 00s on back ito the mid 90s is standard barrier.. the newer hose style used on a lot of add-on and bus A/C is reduced barrier..



how to tell?

old style crimp hose the fittings generally have a large metal collar that extends down onto the hose an inch or s and is crimped..



reduced barrier hose usually has a little cage and 2 rings that have a small crimp in them..



I havent seen clip style like burgaflex or cool-clip for standard diameter barrier hose (they may exist).. everything I install new i use clip-style. I dont have issues with leaks.. I put a little refrigeration oil in the hose and on the fitting before installing it. once the clip is crimped you can still swivel the fitting in the hose



**usually** hose has a model number written on it somewhere along it.. the inside hoses it usually hasnt rubbed off.. and we can look it up to see the size and type it is.. each A/C company had their own methods of install it seems.



if you use the crimp type youll need to obtain the crimp tool set.. ( I know I have one somewhere in the dust (havent used it in years)).



for the clip style there is a crimp plier tool to use.. I have a couple pairs of those..


too bad you werent doing this a few months ago when i was down in houston id have brought my tools and big ole box of fittings and clips I seem to have acquired.



I think my garage and basement are like a hardware store sometimes! esp for HVAC specialty parts..

Barley getting around to this when you coming to Houston ?
I need to order some sections of hose and fitting and splices

[BusT]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

an A/C filter / Dryer. it goes into the Liquid line. (looks like a small canister usually mounted near the outside condensor).. it has a dessicant in it which removes moisture from the lines.. and also a filter so if any dirt or contaminents or even graphite material from an ailing compressor get into the lines it filters it out..



when you tear a system apart to replaces lines, compressor, etc.. esp if its torn apart for any length of time its generally a good idea to change the filter / dryer..



im replacing / upgrading the condensor on my DEV bus. and am using a new filter / dryer. as both evaporators have been open.. the POE or PAG oil in the system is prone to wicking moisture.. I'll put my vacuum pump on for a couple hours which will help suck out the moisture. but the dryer will ensure its clear..


read some of my posts in the "think before you remove your AC" thread.. I mentione how bad non condensables are in an A/C..



your bus built in 2003 usses R-134A refrigerant..



if you are raising the roof you will need to most likely lengthen the hoses.. these hoses are made on-the-fly when a system is installed.. there are various methods for making your own hoses.. I do it all the time. with either EZ-clip or Burgaflex / Burgaclip fittings..



https://www.eaton.com/Eaton/Products...clip/index.htm


my A/C guy in indiana (proAir LLC) sells me all the burgaflex stuff i need.. its a little harder to find online since it is european,.. I havent had one leak yet


as much of this you can do yourself the better.. shops like to charge big bucks to work on Bus Air-Conditioners..



if you werent far away id help fix it for you..



-Christopher

Hey Chris I’m checking on the ez clips on eBay .
I bought some 11ft of hose for 60$
Each ez clip fitting is about 20$
I need 4 #8 and 3 #12 splices ... that’s about 140$
Also do you happen to know the specs of the drier and fluster or where to find the replacements for those ...
Is there a way I can just use barb fitting or something a little cheaper then the ez clips although they look fantastic .

[cadillackid]

dont skimp on the fittings.. 134a refrigerant molecules are small and under high pressure.. the EZ-clip fittings include O-rings. . barbs, and indentations in the fittings where the hose can clamp further. . (the cage makes sure that the spring crimp clips fit in the right place).. A/C fittings are O-ring style and not flare style.



if you use regular hose barbs and clamps i would expect to have leaks..

[BusT]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

dont skimp on the fittings.. 134a refrigerant molecules are small and under high pressure.. the EZ-clip fittings include O-rings. . barbs, and indentations in the fittings where the hose can clamp further. . (the cage makes sure that the spring crimp clips fit in the right place).. A/C fittings are O-ring style and not flare style.



if you use regular hose barbs and clamps i would expect to have leaks..

I bought 4 seasons ez clamp fitting today from summit racing ...
17$ for 4 #8
And 20 for 3 # 12
The problem is I think they aren’t going to provided all the cages and rings I need based on another customers review . I spent hours today on the phone trying to deal with that . Also looking up fleetguard filters and what not for a little bus maintenance .
Back on track though another issue is I’m not sure weather I have standard or reduced barrier hoses . There a black rubber on outside
not fabric or nylon and there was not a statement made weather these style ez clips fit one or the other . All that’s stamped on the hose is barrier ..
I guess I might be able to just by a bigger cage or ring if I had to ....

[Mountain Gnome]

This website made it all make sense to me when I rebuilt my hoses.


https://coldhose.com/


I found eBay to have the cheapest prices on hose. Also Summit Racing had good prices. NAPA the worst, if I remember.


I got most of my fittings from that site, also. I crimped mine. Got a hand-powered hydraulic hose crimper from eBay. That made it possible to crimp the fittings on the hose after the hose had been routed, so the fitting was dialed in correctly. It does all the sizes of hose.



I used the crimper with the smallest "die" (for the smallest diameter hose) to crimp a electrical cable lug (1/2") onto a 3/0 cable, so now my new tool is paying for itself even more.....

[Mountain Gnome]

I forgot to say that the website I linked seemed to show "standard" sizes for A/C hoses in a car, (or maybe a house?) My bus had hoses one size bigger.

[BusT]

Damn I just realized or actually looked up .... good year 4826 hose is standerd barrier . It’s the size 12 hose that came with the bus . I already spent the money and bought ez clips for it ... wondering if it can be used still since the inside diameter of the hose is the same and the splice will connect . Then I just use the special pliers and stainless crimp rings a size bigger to fit the standerd barrier hose instead of the reduced ... the #8 is a dayco futura Ac hose 88h j2064 ... also standerd barrier ....
I bought some extra clips though because I thought the company wasn’t going to ship all that I needed ... wondering if I can now use larger hose clamp ?? But the stainless crimp on ones to make it work ...
also I need to go ahead and and order the drier and filter . Which should I replace before flushing or after since system has been open for quite awhile . Also where’s that at on the condenser outside the bus .
Id not I’ll be making some returns and buying splices that can be used with the other crimp tool like @moutiangnome was saying

[Mountain Gnome]

Don't forget to cap off the ends while you route/install your hoses so you don't get dirt in them.


I talked to the guys at the shop who vacuumed my system and then refilled it, and they let me install the dryer/filter in their parking lot minutes before they pulled the vacuum, so it would remove most of the moisture in the system before the desiccant could absorb it. On my system, that took maybe 5-10 minutes for both (2 systems).


The filter on my system was a blue thing mounted inline on the hose just before/after (I forget which) feeding the condenser.


This is what my system had (if you can't read the part number on yours):


A/C System Desiccant Filter:
OEM part number: 33241
NAPA part number: TEM-208122



I think this would be a "universal" filter if yours is different and you can't find it. (My system holds 5.5 lbs of refrigerant, for commparison). Just need to fab a bracket for it (or maybe buy one pre-fabbed)