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Around here R-12 has dropped to $15 a can or even less in some places installed.
Keep it in mind if you are planning to do the job right, you are staring at around $400-$550 US to do the convert. (All new hoses, seals, expansion chamber/dryer, preassure switch, emergency pop-off valve, condenser & compressor + cleaning of old system, adding 134a and oil.)
Unless you compressor is shot, you should be able to have your current system vacumed, tested for leaks, fixed, new dryer and filled for less than $200 and it will be fine for years afterwards.
I had mine done two years ago. I took it to my friendly mechanic/AC guy and had it checked out. It had several leaks. Since the system was already vacumed out, there was not any freon to leak out and I replaced all the seals, the high side hose and dryer myself. Took it back to the AC shop where they checked it for leaks again. It all checked fine so they vacumed out the system, added oil and filled it up with R12. Total cost for everything? $92.37 If they had done all the work, around $170.
The way I look at things is, do it right the first time and you will be far less likely to regret it later. I was all gung-ho to convert my system a few years ago when I was having AC problems when my friendly local mechanic actualy sat down with me and carefully explained all the things which can go wrong with a converted system if it is not done right. This is not to say they WILL go wrong, as all the success stories here will show, just that they CAN. And if they DO go wrong, you, (and your wallet), will wish you had done the convert right the FIRST time or just fixed the R12 system in the first place.
At this particular time, R12 is easy to come by. Unless your current R12 system is totaled, it will cost 1/2 to 1/3 the price to fix it than to convert it.
Just my two cents. Remember what you paid for it. ;->
Gambit...
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