Value of unopened 30# tank of R-12 Refrigerant?

[edporch]

MANY years ago, on the last day that common mortals could buy R-12 refrigerant without a license, I bought a 30# tank while I still could.

I had two 1960's cars that I thought I'd use it for recharging their AC units.
I never got around to using it, so it's just been sitting for all these years.

It's still in the box and un-opened.
HOW MUCH would this be worth today?

 

[JCSR]

Refrigerant 12 Cylinder​

$2,100.00

Refrigerant 12 Cylinder | Refrigerant Depot

Refrigerant R-12 is used in vehicles manufactured prior to 1994. We have R-12 available in 12oz. cans and also 30lb. cylinders. Please note, you must provide your 608 or 609 certification to buy this product. Download our Proof of Certification form.

www.refrigerantdepot.com

 

[edporch]

Refrigerant 12 Cylinder​

$2,100.00

Refrigerant 12 Cylinder | Refrigerant Depot

Refrigerant R-12 is used in vehicles manufactured prior to 1994. We have R-12 available in 12oz. cans and also 30lb. cylinders. Please note, you must provide your 608 or 609 certification to buy this product. Download our Proof of Certification form.

www.refrigerantdepot.com

Wow!, I had no idea!
They may sell it for that, but I suspect they'd not pay me anywhere near that for my tank.

 

[JCSR]

Call a few HVAC places and offer it up.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Leave it to your grandkids in their will. They'll be able to buy a house from that sale. LOL

 

[Ingomike]

Leave it to your grandkids in their will. They'll be able to buy a house from that sale. LOL

I think you were joking here but now is the time for him to sell it. There are a lot of folks that still have equipment that needs the refrigerant now, as time goes on the market will get thinner and thinner as equipment gets replaced.

I kept my incandescent lightbulbs too long, LED has been found acceptable by most so the market is thin…

 

[Cameramonkey]

I think you were joking here but now is the time for him to sell it.

Troof. You are correct.

The way this country is spiraling, if he did that, they'd go to sell it and get thrown in jail for having an ecological disaster in a tank! (not in purple)

 

[edporch]

I think you were joking here but now is the time for him to sell it. There are a lot of folks that still have equipment that needs the refrigerant now, as time goes on the market will get thinner and thinner as equipment gets replaced.

I kept my incandescent lightbulbs too long, LED has been found acceptable by most so the market is thin…

Ideally, I'd like to sell it to somebody here on INGO, and I've had good luck with the people I've met here.
I need to dig it out and put it in the classifieds.

 

[tmschuller]

Lots of replacements for r-12. It like r-22 prices go up and down. But if someone is in the need of it .. best of luck on the sale!

 

[Slow Hand]

Refrigerant 12 Cylinder​

$2,100.00

Refrigerant 12 Cylinder | Refrigerant Depot

Refrigerant R-12 is used in vehicles manufactured prior to 1994. We have R-12 available in 12oz. cans and also 30lb. cylinders. Please note, you must provide your 608 or 609 certification to buy this product. Download our Proof of Certification form.

www.refrigerantdepot.com

Wow, that really surprised me! I figured thee would be some market for it, but not nearly that much. I worked at a couple of automotive stores in college, about. Time that R12 was going away. i remember several of the smaller mechanics talked/joked about buying a few 30# pigs to sock away and sell them for big profits in 10-20 years. I told them they had better keep an eye on the market because at that time, everyone was swapping old systems over to 134 and the manufacturers were only using 134. I figured after about 5 years, there would be zero market for R12 anymore. I guess that why I’m a plumber and not a financial adviser!!


Although, I am curious as to what a 30# pig cost in, say 1995, and what that money is worth today. Or, if you would have bought gold, silver, $59 SKS’s, or invested it in some good stocks, where you’d you be at value wise today…

Regardless, as has been said, I’d recommend selling that 30# pig asap at those prices!

 

[CombatShooter]

There are a few replacements for R12. 134A is the best choice but requires some o-ring changes. There is also 401A, 401B and 409A which are considered a drop in replacement but need added (different type) oil to the system.
There are also a few companies selling "drop In" refrigerant in 12oz cans.
There really isn't a true drop in but most people will opt for converting to an alternative refigerant versus paying big money for R12 anymore. Even 10-16oz still pop up at swap meets but no longer command big prices.
Just my .02

 

[Brandon]

Good luck

That links pricing is... weird.
R134a you can buy at RK for like 130 last I checked....

R410 looks to be accurate at their sale price.

 

[Pepi]

I bet it leaked out into the atmosphere. I'm calling AOC right now

 

[tmschuller]

I bet it leaked out into the atmosphere. I'm calling AOC right now

We leaked a few of those.. on sale at Kmart years back. Shoot them with our .22’s.
Used r11 as a solvent to clean with.. yeah I’m sure the ozone over blackford county has a hole in it..

 

[Slow Hand]

There are a few replacements for R12. 134A is the best choice but requires some o-ring changes. There is also 401A, 401B and 409A which are considered a drop in replacement but need added (different type) oil to the system.
There are also a few companies selling "drop In" refrigerant in 12oz cans.
There really isn't a true drop in but most people will opt for converting to an alternative refigerant versus paying big money for R12 anymore. Even 10-16oz still pop up at swap meets but no longer command big prices.
Just my .02

When I worked at the auto parts stores most of the small time mechanics would just pump some 134 I to an older system and not do any other work. It was a poorer town and most folk weren’t going to drop several hundred bucks on a cheap beater. They’d pay $20-50 to make their AC work for the summer. Most of the time they had a small leak and didn’t have enough pressure to kick the compressor on. Spray a little 134 with stop leaking it and it would run off. A few months. If the car was still around the next summer, they’d do it again!

 

[Ingomike]

Interesting that with the number of HVAC guys here no one is offering, that we can see…

 

[Pepi]

We leaked a few of those.. on sale at Kmart years back. Shoot them with our .22’s.
Used r11 as a solvent to clean with.. yeah I’m sure the ozone over blackford county has a hole in it..

An they are blaming all this on 3M company LOL

 

[rhamersley]

Interesting that with the number of HVAC guys here no one is offering, that we can see…

Truthfully, with the cash for clunkers and general getting rid of cars, the market for it is lowering by the year (classic cars being the exception). R134 was standard in them from late 80's/early 90's, and now that's being replaced by (I think) R1234. We were replacing R22, the R12 replacement, with 410 at Carrier my whole time there from 90-98. So, most if not all the home units use at worst R22, and those are getting fewer and further between. Probably an amount of commercial/industrial a/c equipment left using 12, but that's being scrapped/replaced all the time.

 

[Brandon]

Truthfully, with the cash for clunkers and general getting rid of cars, the market for it is lowering by the year (classic cars being the exception). R134 was standard in them from late 80's/early 90's, and now that's being replaced by (I think) R1234. We were replacing R22, the R12 replacement, with 410 at Carrier my whole time there from 90-98. So, most if not all the home units use at worst R22, and those are getting fewer and further between. Probably an amount of commercial/industrial a/c equipment left using 12, but that's being scrapped/replaced all the time.

R410a is going out aswell. Carrier is going with r454b.

Like said before market for older stuff is less and less. Add the available drop ins and well its even less of a market.

 

[rhamersley]

R410a is going out aswell. Carrier is going with r454b.

Like said before market for older stuff is less and less. Add the available drop ins and well its even less of a market.

Haven't heard of 454, but I've not been in that end of the business for a long time. Everything we spec nowadays for commercial/industrial air conditioning is using 410.