Need vacuum pump for AC work!

[rustyaccord]

I'm having a hard time finding a vacuum pump to do my AC system. If anyone could refer me to any place they know that loans them out it would be great. If you own one perhaps I could borrow it, or come to you and get it vacuumed, perhaps with your favorite beer in hand :)

I noticed there is a $13.99 air powered vacuum pump on harbor freight, but it doesn't include the necessary hoses, and I don't have a compressor to power it either.

I'm a student and pretty low on cash.. If I can't get it cheap I'll just have to sweat :(

I'm located in Tewksbury, MA, near the ma/nh border.


TIA

[shepherd79]

did you try autozone?

[rustyaccord]

hmm, yes I read on another board someone got one from autozone, but I called the one in salem, nh and they said they don't loan one, but they have one for $300+ if I become a commercial customer. Perhaps I should try some other autozone stores? (or the employee was confused?).

Also everyone points me to taylor rental but they don't seem to offer it either.

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

Plenty of them on ebay :) Type "vacuum pump" in the search box. From what I've read, Robinair makes some of the best pumps

[infecto]

Go steal one from a junkyard car?

[infecto]

Oh that kind of pump...hits himself...to what get the feron out or what?

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

You need the vacuum pump to deep evacuate the system. After all the freon is out, you have to put the pump on for about 1/2 hour or so, until it pulls at least 27in Hg of vacuum or more. That gets all the air and moisture out of the system, which is very important for both cooling effeciency of the system, and reliability of the components. After it is vacuumed, you can then recharge it with freon.

[rustyaccord]

To get the air and moisture out... You're supposed to always draw a vacuum before a fresh charge otherwise the moisture and air will destroy the compressor and dryer.

[infecto]

Ahhh yeah thats right my bad. I don't see why you couldn't ask a local car shop to help you out on this one? I doubt they would charge you that much.

[ACCORD EX]

i would do it at an AC shop , vacuum and charge ! it doesn't worth to buy the parts ! i fixed everything in AC myself but when it came to vacuum and charge i went to an AC shop !

MIKE

[DBMaster]

I have rented vacuum pumps several times. Look in your local phone book for a rental center - the kind that rents tools and such. As I recall it costs something like $10 for four hours. The pumps you rent are very good heavy duty pumps and can pull vacuum quickly.

[rustyaccord]

Originally posted by DBMaster
I have rented vacuum pumps several times. Look in your local phone book for a rental center - the kind that rents tools and such. As I recall it costs something like $10 for four hours. The pumps you rent are very good heavy duty pumps and can pull vacuum quickly.

That's the answer I was looking for. I'm still having no luck finding a rental center that carries them though... keep calling places I guess...

[DBMaster]

I noticed that Home Depot rents tools now. The rental center near me that rents the vacuum pumps also rents party supplies!

Yeah, you just need to keep calling around. You should make sure you have a set of manifold gauges as well. I borrow those from a friend when I need them. What you want to do is pull maximum vacuum (about 29-30") and then let the thing run for at least 30 minutes after that. You can actually let it run as long as you want, but 30 minutes is minimum. This pulls all the moisture from the system. Then, shut off the pump and watch the gauges for about 10-15 minutes. the needles should stay rock steady. If they drop at all you have a leak and you don't want to add any freon.

[rustyaccord]

Yeah I've called like 40 places so far. I'm begining to think it's because I'm up north.... Not that everybody doesn't still use AC here. hmm.