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Clearance Issue with A/C Compressor

1K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  27Tall T 
#1 ·
:( I'm running into more of my share of problems hooking up A/C in my COE. First of all on, do the fittings change when converting from R-12 to 134A on the Sanden 508. What I mean is the location or the height of the fittings.:confused: In my picture I show a fitting that I made for the #10 port. It is 2" in total height and fits okay, but when I mock up a hose and ferrule to it, then the hose is against the bulkhead, which is immoveable (will rub). I cannot rotate the compressor as it makes matters worse with the hose.:pain: My question is can I use the plumbing pipe in place of the short stubby, that is there now, and replace it with this pipe which I hope to bend down about 3/8" and then up 3\8". This should move the hose down about 3/8" giving me the clearance I need, providing they don't make converting the R-12 to 134A a bigger problem. If this will work then the next problem is to bend the pipe up and down, without kinking.
 

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#4 ·
:) "Denny", I had a look today at that fitting that you displayed (Quest Auto Parts) and it is still over 2" in height, which means that it is impossible to use. Still looking and thinking. "Evolvo", Ray's has a lot of stuff, but from what I gather they are all "O" ring versions and I need the flare type.
 
#5 ·
When I retrofitted my A/C I had a shop make the hoses. In one case we had old style threads for the evaporator on one side, but needed a newer type hose connector on the other side. He just cut the old fitting in half and brazed the new connector on the other side. You might be able to do something similar to get the combination you need.

If you go with your original plan - You show galvanized plumbing pipe in the 1st post, but later say you are using black iron pipe. You definitely do not want galvanized pipe, since it is designed for plumbing and there may be flakes coming off inside. Black iron is for gas, and it should stay clean inside.

However, I've never seen pipe that "robust" used in an A/C system. Aluminum tubing and fittings are available in a lot of variations, and the tubing is relatively easy to bend if it is not exactly right. If you think you can bend iron pipe into the shape you want, it should be easy for you to make the same bends in aluminum tubing, or even lightweight steel tubing.

Bruce
 
#6 ·
:) I have done just that. I took a 5" piece of galvanized pipe, drilled the inside to one size smaller than 3\8", machined some grooves at one end, packed the pipe with sand, welded the ends, heated the pipe and bent the shallow "S" configuration.:sweat: It worked out just swell and any galvanizing has since burned off (making sure not to breathe the fumes).:pain: I now have a 1/4" clearance that I need.:thumbup: Now to get this thing hooked up.
 
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