line set replacement help

I am replacing a 10 seer 3ton a/c system with a 15 seer 3ton. The existing lineset is ~80ft, of which 30ft is inaccessible.

for full ratings, Goodman requires the use of 1 1/8" suction line, while the existing line set is only 3/4" x 3/8"

is it worth while to go ahead and replace the 50' run with 1 1/8" even though the middle 30' will still be 3/4" ?

customer states that condenser has already been replaced once after only five years. The existing condenser is dead after ~8yrs. I advised replacing complete line set, but cost will be prohibitive to customer (still probably less than replacing the condenser after 8yrs).

I can relocate the condenser to the south side of the house which will reduce the run by an additional 25 to 30 feet, however it will get a lot more heat on that side of the house.

any recommendations?

Reply to
Bruce Kelly
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Do it right

Reply to
Noon-Air

No. You said Goodman required 1 1/8".

Why prohibited? Why did the condenser die?

Solar load? Relocate it.

This has been a problem from day one. Do a load calc. Check the existing system specs. Find out why.

Dude you get to charge what it takes to do the job right the first time. After that you get to eat any screw ups or problems. Customer is paying for a properly installed system. Anything else is unacceptable. Proper installation first. Cosmetic concerns etc are secondary. Some jobs it's cheaper to walk away from at the beginning. There are always other jobs. Back off if you have to. Problem jobs are great money makers. But the truly hosed ones I prefer my competitors to have.

You should join RSES. Take a seminar or four.

Reply to
Bill

Replace the *complete* line set!

Reply to
<kjpro

Thanks for everyone&#39;s comments- I think I knew the correct answer but I just wanted some guidance, as I&#39;m relatively new and still learning the trade.

I just priced out 80&#39; of 1-1/8 x 3/8" and it was almost $500! I believe I&#39;ll revisit re-locating the condenser to the south side of the house, as an 80&#39; run is over the maximum recommended length limits for Goodman. Relocating would reduce the line length by 25&#39;-30&#39; and probably 8&#39; vertically. I need to go back and get exact measurements.....

Reply to
Bruce Kelly

I just put in a Rheem system with 1-1/8" x 3/8". Fifty feet of both ran me just over $225. Why so much where you are?

(and you other guys... why the hell does Rheem call out 1-1/8" as &#39;standard&#39; for that unit, then put 1" couplings on the evap and condenser?? [ Please, don&#39;t tell me because Rheem is cheep crapp... even if it is -- that&#39;s what the boss buys, and that&#39;s what I have to install. There must be some purpose beyond saving 50-cents on the last 3" of pipe in each package.])

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

7/8 x 3/8 is $4.00 a foot here.... 50&#39; would be $200, 80&#39; would be $320

You must have got your 1 1/8 x 3/8 on the black market!

Reply to
<kjpro

Simple. Stop hacking in equipment you know nothing about. Call an actual company that knows what they are doing. The questions you ask show you know absolutely nothing about the trade. Stop wasting your money and/or your "customers" money. Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

Not unless Baker Bros. is getting their distro through it.... It didn&#39;t _look_ like recycled beer cans, was capped and clean... didn&#39;t leak....

One reasonable answer is that there was (as in past-tense) a big building boom here for a long while, and it just crashed -- hard. So it might be that the distributers are overstocked on the expensive items, and willing to compete on price to get the levels down. Baker had literally a whole semi-load of new condensor units in boxes stacked up in the parking lot, with no obvious plan to get them indoors. All with "sale" tags on them, about like you&#39;d expect at an appliance store.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

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