Beating the system... With power tools !

[Mrwurm]

I may have to consider changing my screen name to MrNonconformist...........

Recently, our refrigerator died. Twice. The technician found that it had no refrigerant in it. It had all leaked out. He said that was not a good sign, as he could find no leaks. "It must be in the coils in the case" he said. He said there was no point in refilling it, but I told him to do it anyway.

Well, he was right. Within a month the fridge was running warm again. We ordered a new one and had it delivered. Later, we learned that we must have the freon removed and the fridge 'tagged' so that it could be carted away. (cost of $60 to $80) But wait, ours does'nt have any freon, it all leaked out!

No good. You have to prove it with 'the tag'. So, not to be deterred, I hatched an evil plot. I have been using my sawzall to cut it into indistinquishable trash size pieces. I've been at it for a year now and I'm nearly finished. Two chunks to go and I'm home free.

So, was it worth it? No, not in a practical, time managment cost/value sense, but it sure feels good.

 

[gspig]

I feel your pain. I have an airconditioner to get rid of. I broke open a copper line, so it is obviously empty. Got the same "it has to have a tag saying its empty". I think I'm going to take the coils off (might be good for something) and bury the rest.

 

[Bird]

Jerry, if you didn't know it, what you did is quite common; you may be more of a conformist than you think. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

And speaking of freon, our house air-conditioner has worked just fine all summer, then yesterday morning when I got up, it was running, but putting out very little air. I shut it down and found the evaporator iced up worse than any I've ever seen.

Now I know how to put the freon in, but sold my gauges last year since I don't have the license anymore to buy the freon. There's an air-conditioner sales and service place less than a quarter mile from us, and they said $75 for the service call (first half hour), then $75 an hour if it took any longer, plus $30 for the first pound of R-22 and $20 for each additional pound. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Wish I was in a business where I could sell stuff for 10 times what I paid for it. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Fortunately, my daughter had a friend in that business who just left here and charged a total of $50, and the air-conditioner is now blowing 52 degree air again. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[bgott]

I have a scrap man who will take A/Cs and refrigerators all day long. I guess the scrap yard will take them here if the compressor is out of them so he cuts the lines, drops the compressor and throws them both in the truck. If he isn't around I move them to the curb and someone else will pick them up.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Here's another way to beat the system on that problem. Since it no longer cools you still have a very well insulated box there that, if you take out the switch that shuts off the light and leave the light on all the time, will be the perfect place to store welding rods. They're protected from the elements and kept free of humidity by the heat generated by the lightbulb. You might have to experiment with the wattage to get the heat you need.

 

[Mrwurm]

Interesting comment, Gary. Why do I want to keep my welding rods away from humidity? I don't do much of anything to protect them right now. What benefits would I experience from low-humidity storage? Hey, wait a minute, now you got me thinking about cigars. A giant humidor!

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If he isn't around I move them to the curb and someone else will pick them up.
)</font>

Brad, I have a similar experience in Grand Prairie, TX. The city trash company will pick up all appliances for free, but they rarely stay on the curb more than a few minutes before someone totes them away. A few years ago, I had a microwave quit and put it on the curb. Within 15 minutes, I saw a guy on a bicycle hauling it away. A few days later a little girl came by while I was out in the yard and said, "My Daddy got your microwave...but it doesn't work."

Well, it was all I could do to keep a straight face as I said, "Oh! I'm so sorry it won't work." I guess some people put "good" stuff out on the curb, but I haven't seen any I'd feel like picking up, especially on a bicycle. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Docsknotinn]

Jim, thats hilarious ! I bet there was quite a look on her face /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif LOL. Here the trash co will still pick them up. This whole thing with freon has got to be the biggest scam of the last century between the government and private industry. Bird if you think the freon is pricey try checking out the cost of the new stuff. Add to that its less efficient and the AC units are nearly twice the size because the units run so hot. I guess big brother forgot to take in to consideration all of the chloriene that evaporates from pools every day eating that hole in the O zone. But them they'll probably come out with a synthetic chloriene that costs ten times as much now that I said that. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Dave

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue">"My Daddy got your microwave...but it doesn't work." </font>

In our old neighborhood, if someone got your microwave and it didn't work, you'd get it back... usually through your car window /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Mrwurm]

Jim, I put out a radio for the trash a few years ago. There was nothing wrong with it, I just had way too many radios lying around.

Some kidded picked it up and carted it off. Later, that same kid came and knocked on my door. He was about ten years old and so excited he could barely contain himself.

"I got your radio to work" !!!

I did'nt quite know what to say. I think I congratulated him and told him to enjoy it.

 

[kensfarm]

That's one reason I like having a dumpster.. and an FEL.. old appliances look just like scrap metal after the FEL is done w/ them.. kinda fun busting them up too!

 

[Taylortractornut]

Jerry the scrap man here takes em all, I usually keep a few old freezers and fridges for the skins Ill air shear the them and use them to repair planter hoppers and such. A few years ago a customer came by and had 4 refrigerators she wanted the racks out of. I had to grind the last racc out of one and while i was inside talking to her we smelled plastic. It made a nice smoke my younger brother saw it 12 miles away and called to make sure my inner pyro hadnt escaped. The local fire department tried to write me up but i told them it had shorted out. When burnt out they make good scrap bins and I usually put one under the burn table to hold slag.
I think its a scam about the freon, a few months ago the county pasted out a sheet telling that it was illegal for me an othe folks to take tree service debris that it had to be land filled. I usually compost it or use the tbig chunks as fuel. I told the county man to tell me why. He said oh it has to be land filled because it gives off methane a green house gas. A month later i was at the landfill looking and they were trying out a compost turner. I talked to my friend at the equipment dealership and they said that the county was going to start selling boiler fuel and compost. It wasnt for the county either it was the supervisors and their landfill buddies. We brought that up and the rule eased down and hasnt been heard of since.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> Why do I want to keep my welding rods away from humidity? </font>

Humidity will tend to soften the rod coatings. With some they won't burn properly. With enough that coating will just crumble away altogether.

Maybe you could keep your welding rods on one shelf and your cigars on another. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[TheKid]

Between a sawzall and an air chisel I've trashed a dishwasher, a built in oven, and a large window A/C. Cut it up, throw it in a box, and they'll haul anything away.

 

[GaryM]

My nephew had a gas stove that they removed during a remodel. The trash folks wouldn't take it. So we cut it into manageable chunks with the Sawzall. They did take the chunks a few at a time.

I love my Sawzall!

 

[Hambone]

Landfills make methane gas, weather you put compost in or not. You are required to collect, contain, burn or distribute the gas. You cannot let it migrate off site.

We are required to have the tag on freon filled appliances. We don't make the rules, we follow the rules. Sorry guys.
The big appliances that we collect here we store and sell usually. They take up space, which is precious. Why bury when you can sell, or someone pick up for free?