Oldest system you've worked on that's currently running?

[paul_h]

This is probably a thread for MS.
But I'm wondering how common old systems are these days, with refrigerant changes mainly.
Probably the oldest I've worked on are no longer around, being R11, r500 or R502 back in my commercial days.
I did inherit a fridigaire domestic refrigerator on R12 with a pancake compressor from the 1960s (wasn;t too accurate in it's temp control though, kept it for home brew use but had to let it go when i moved house).

Repaired a POPE ducted a/c from the 1970s (just needed a r/v coil). POPE just makes brass garden hose fittings these days!
Seen 2 fujitsus from early 1980s still running
1 Daikin from 1987 that needed an outdoor PCB that Daikin still had in stock!
And today 7 national floor console multi split systems all in the same house, installed 1980, and all still running perfectly fine.

Of course many I know still has and old window rattler (box type wall/window mount RAC) I've condemned many 30 year plus old ones over the last 3 years, they've had a pretty good run though.
The weatherwalls I've seen are about that age though too. Amazing how long hermetically sealed units can last

[james10]

last week on a chiller put in in 1988, was on 502 and got retro fitted to 408a when 502 was banned, i know the fella who commisioned it in fact he still works with us, when he commisioned it he told them it was on a slope and the oil doesent balence through the balance line they did nothing about it so it's still the same

[Grizzly]

Worked on a centrif last week (Circa 1985) that was originally on R11 and is now on R123.
It is debatable as to how much longer it can be kept going.
I think I am right in saying that R123 is no longer available?
There is still lots of old Ammonia kit about. Some of the industrial R22 kit we maintain is getting on a bit as well.
Grizzly.

[install monkey]

got a site in preston with 13 hitiachi vrv fs2 r22 inverters-about 80% is still running.

[Quality]

I have maintained 2 units on R1211 until 2004 when we decommissioned them for the MOD and they have been in since 1950 some .

[monkey spanners]

I think the oldest milk tank i've worked on was made in 1959, some of the earliest ones were imported from the States and made be the Dairy Equipment Company in Wisconsin, they had a spirit level on them to stop the farmer adjusting the legs to get a higher milk level on the dip stick!
I did have a quick look on google images for some old milk tank images but it seems 'milk tank' is a type of very odd milk themed Japanese anime....

Checked over an old chest freezer for a well known family in windsor, it had two lift up lids that were a light greeny blue colour and hinged in the centre, it had a long tube shaped hermetic comp with about four or possibly even six pipes connected to it, no mention of type of refrigerant but it had the chemical formula for R12 on it!
The used to make their own ice cream and freeze it in it, then load it into a van and transport the freezer and ice cream to their London residence!

Jon

[Brian_UK]

Worked on a centrif last week (Circa 1985) that was originally on R11 and is now on R123.
It is debatable as to how much longer it can be kept going.
I think I am right in saying that R123 is no longer available?
There is still lots of old Ammonia kit about. Some of the industrial R22 kit we maintain is getting on a bit as well.
Grizzly.

Grizzly,

You need to keep that chiller going, Trane R123 is the business...
http://www.cpi-industry.com/C3/images/WhyUseTrane.pdf

Mind you the phase out dates kick that advert into touch.

R123 is an HCFC and is therefore subject to phase-out under EC Regulation 2037/2000 and it will be illegal to use virgin product from 01/01/10. Only recycled R123 will be allowed for topping up systems from 1st January 2010.

[monkey spanners]

Heres an old Presctold unit i'm sure many will reconize,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwYDj55iwoU

Not sure if i've already posted a link to this.

I have a vid of it running briefly too on my channel and a longer one of it being stripped down to see what had failed.

Jon

[Magoo]

Worked on a small dairy unit, they made cheese I think. The place was a working museum, falling film milk chiller. An old Frigidaire open drive, they still used milk cans. Plant would at a guess been 1950 's The owner would be circa 1930's . System ran on R12, no leaks, clear sight glass. The old Frigidaire pressure switch [ built like a brick outhouse ] finally gave up the ghost. It must have cycled a squillion times in its life, the contacts finally ran out. The compressor was single phase and all current went through pressure switch. Says alot for the original switch reliability. They don't make them like that these days.