Dehumidifier Compressor for Vacuum Bagging

Ken Kennedy wrote:

 > Is there a simple, environmentally responsible way to determine if the
 > compressor is shot, or if the freon has escaped?

Simple and environmentally responsible are mutually exclusive for the
do-it-yourselfer who lacks refrigeration tools and training.

If the unit uses a small hermetic compressor odds are the compressor is
worn out but the refrigerant remains.


Rick<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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 >those hermetically sealed
 > compressors rely on oil circulated with the refrigerant for lubrication.
 > I have not had much luck with them. It may work for a few hours as a
 > vacuum pump for a few hours but in my experience it will freze up fairly
 > quickly.

I have made some experiences with recicling sealed compressors in the past.
Used as vacuum pump the compressore get hot in short time, you must cool it,
use a fan...
Before the use let it to "drink" a glass of oil and put a small tank in at
the exaust to recover the oil (else it will flood your shop...)
If you cool it and mantain the oil level it will last for reasonably long
time...
only my two cents...

Paolo<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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Paolo Zini wrote:

  > >those hermetically sealed
  > > compressors rely on oil circulated with the refrigerant for lubrication.
  > > I have not had much luck with them. It may work for a few hours as a
  > > vacuum pump for a few hours but in my experience it will freze up fairly
  > > quickly.
 >
 > I have made some experiences with recicling sealed compressors in the past.
 > Used as vacuum pump the compressore get hot in short time, you must cool it,
 > use a fan...
 > Before the use let it to "drink" a glass of oil and put a small tank in at
 > the exaust to recover the oil (else it will flood your shop...)
 > If you cool it and mantain the oil level it will last for reasonably long
 > time...
 > only my two cents...

I've heard of people using ATF to lubricate these pumps successfully.

--
Regards

Brian<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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Doesn't it sound like a crime that those cute little compressors couldn't be
recycled back into use as a vacuum pump? After all, vapors are what they
are built for, pushing from one place to another, right?
Two hurdles here, that stand in the way of a serious effort;

Oil for the compressor. In an A/C application of these compressors, the oil
is part of the "Freon" charge. At any given time, this oil is traveling
through the system on its way to the compressor. This oil is wierd stiff
too, it has no lubricative properties UNLESS it is in the presense of
"Freon". Different oils for different refrigerents, by the way.

Another problem looms just as large...

Cooling for the motor. Refrigerent fresh from the evaporator coil is
returned to the compressor on the suction side of the system. Before it is
picked up by the compressor, it is completely changed-state into vapor by
cooling the hot electric motor that powers the compressor. Serves double
duty... motor gets cooled & there is less of a chance that the compressor
will "Slug" by ingesting refrigerent in a liquid state, called "flooding".
That is why we choose not to test our A/C units in the dead of winter unless
the compressors are using a WORKING Crankcase heater.

It is really a crime that those cute little compressors can't be used for
something with-out reworking.

Harbor freight sells a cheap vacuum pump for less than 10 bucks. A lot less
trouble than going with the idea you are entertaining.
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://order.harborfreight.com:9100/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp" target="_blank">http://order.harborfreight.com:9100/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp</a>
Hope this helps.

Dennis(I get paid for this stuff)


"Ken Kennedy" <ken.kennedy.RemoveThis@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:3F70D7D7.B3C007A2@sympatico.ca...
 > I have an old dehumidifier that makes all the right noises, but does not
 > cause either of the outgoing or ingoing tubes to get hot or cold.
 > Perhaps the compressor is shot, or perhaps the (presumably) freon has
 > escaped.
 >
 > If the latter case, I am contemplating cutting the tubes between the
 > compressor and the radiator coils, then having the compressor available
 > for the day I finally try a vacuum bagging.
 >
 > Is there a simple, environmentally responsible way to determine if the
 > compressor is shot, or if the freon has escaped?
 > kk<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Dehumidifier Compressor for Vacuum Bagging 

To test the motor, you will need a Multimeter. There are 3 terminals on the
outside of the motor.
1. check to see that none ohm out 0 to ground.
2. measure the resistance brom each terminal to the next. You will end
up with 3 different readings of which the two smaller should add-up
close to the value of the 3rd, if the motor is good.

If the motor runs, touch your hand to the tubing both leaving & entering the
compressor, one should get pretty gosh-dern warm (200 degrees +), the other
should be cool. Little difference means that the coolant may have leaked
away.

Dennis(Gauges are handy to have around)

"Ken Kennedy" <ken.kennedy.RemoveThis@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:3F70D7D7.B3C007A2@sympatico.ca...
 > I have an old dehumidifier that makes all the right noises, but does not
 > cause either of the outgoing or ingoing tubes to get hot or cold.
 > Perhaps the compressor is shot, or perhaps the (presumably) freon has
 > escaped.
 >
 > If the latter case, I am contemplating cutting the tubes between the
 > compressor and the radiator coils, then having the compressor available
 > for the day I finally try a vacuum bagging.
 >
 > Is there a simple, environmentally responsible way to determine if the
 > compressor is shot, or if the freon has escaped?
 > kk<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Dehumidifier Compressor for Vacuum Bagging 

Many thanx to all who offered advice. Given that, "dehumidifier makes
all the right noises", and that the Recycle guy agreed with the posting
that, "loss of freon is much less likely than compressor failure", I
gave up on this idea, and paid to have unit decommissioned.
kk

Dennis Couch wrote:
 >
 > To test the motor, you will need a Multimeter. There are 3 terminals on the
 > outside of the motor.
 > 1. check to see that none ohm out 0 to ground.
 > 2. measure the resistance brom each terminal to the next. You will end
 > up with 3 different readings of which the two smaller should add-up
 > close to the value of the 3rd, if the motor is good.
 >
 > If the motor runs, touch your hand to the tubing both leaving & entering the
 > compressor, one should get pretty gosh-dern warm (200 degrees +), the other
 > should be cool. Little difference means that the coolant may have leaked
 > away.
 >
 > Dennis(Gauges are handy to have around)
 >
 > "Ken Kennedy" <ken.kennedy RemoveThis @sympatico.ca> wrote in message
 > news:3F70D7D7.B3C007A2@sympatico.ca...
  > > I have an old dehumidifier that makes all the right noises, but does not
  > > cause either of the outgoing or ingoing tubes to get hot or cold.
  > > Perhaps the compressor is shot, or perhaps the (presumably) freon has
  > > escaped.
  > >
  > > If the latter case, I am contemplating cutting the tubes between the
  > > compressor and the radiator coils, then having the compressor available
  > > for the day I finally try a vacuum bagging.
  > >
  > > Is there a simple, environmentally responsible way to determine if the
  > > compressor is shot, or if the freon has escaped?
  > > kk<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Dehumidifier Compressor for Vacuum Bagging 

Try,

The Cheap Little Sucker ( VACUME PUMP )

http://www.berkut13.com/sucker.htm

Mike
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On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 19:59:40 -0400, Glenn Ashmore
<gashmore RemoveThis @mindspring.com> wrote:

 >/// those hermetically sealed
 >compressors rely on oil circulated with the refrigerant for lubrication.
 > I have not had much luck with them. It may work for a few hours as a
 >vacuum pump for a few hours but in my experience it will freze up fairly
 >quickly. Definitely not long enough for more than one or two bags of
 >slower set laminating resin.
 >
 >I did get my third one to last a bit longer by spraying some WD40 into
 >the intake every couple of hours but it eventually froze up

What he said, with knobs on....

Brian W<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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Any one ever use one of these vacuum pumps to vacuum bag?



 > Harbor freight sells a cheap vacuum pump for less than 10
bucks. A lot less
 > trouble than going with the idea you are entertaining.
 >
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://order.harborfreight.com:9100/EasyAsk/harborfreight/re" target="_blank">http://order.harborfreight.com:9100/EasyAsk/harborfreight/re</a>
sults.jsp
 > Hope this helps.
 >
 > Dennis(I get paid for this stuff)
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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"jcassara" <jcassara.TakeThisOut@optonline.net> wrote:

 > Any one ever use one of these vacuum pumps to vacuum bag?
 >
  > > Harbor freight sells a cheap vacuum pump for less than 10
 > bucks. A lot less
  > > trouble than going with the idea you are entertaining.
  > >
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://order.harborfreight.com:9100/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp</font" target="_blank">http://order.harborfreight.com:9100/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp</font</a>>

This is a venturi pump that hooks to an air compressor. My experience
with the one WEST sells was that it lacked the volume capacity for
anything useful. Possibly I didn't have the right technique to seal
my edges properly but my compressor was running continuously and I
could not keep up with anything the size I was interested in.

Al Gunther, Kingston, WA <---- 47° 48.1'N, 122° 30.0'W
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://agunther.home.donobi.net" target="_blank">http://agunther.home.donobi.net</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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