All Circa 1982-1983, the two I inspected got cold as all get out.
We still see a lot of that down here on condominiums. Most of them are under a service contract. They just keep repairing them and repairing them until they finally disinigrate and are forced to replace them. As long as they have a contract, you cannot make them replace them as long as they work.
Some brands last longer than others but mostly depends on maintenance received.
I have a 4 ton Armstrong on my own home that is 17 years old and I spent yesterday changing out its compressor blew out the terminals. Thought I could see the hole in the ozone get a little larger:)
I had a 4-ton used compressor in storage that I had sealed with nitrogen that was salvaged from my heat pump that was destroyed in a 1991 Tornado the actual age of this compressor is 1984. It had only 7 years of actual run time so lets see how many more years I can get out of it:shock:
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Cool BK
Those units were a pain in the a$$ to work on sometimes, but they were a workhorse!
When they get replaced with the new hi-seer equipment, I used to hear a lot of “This ain’t nothing like my old one!”.
CB,
I’m afraid to say you and I are just too much alike sometimes! :-0
I lost a compressor, replaced it with a used one in that shop (no telling it’s history!), 3 yrs later it’s still out there at work. It’s a Heat Pump too (more run time).
I installed a second unit to my house, an old 3.5 ton HP (same year, make as my house) from my Boss for $125 when I added on to the house. It was being scrapped because of perpetual refrigerant leakage.
10 yrs later…
I think it’s all about “Service”.
Just goes to prove that spending all that effort in determining when the unit was made has little effect on the actual expected life of the equipment.
“Damn it Charlie Brown” I mean Charlie Blottger!
I was writing the above post and said to me “You better knock on wood, or your HAVC will fail, talking about it!”
Well, not 5 min. later I went downstairs to see my wife off and smelled burnt candles. “What have you been burning wife?” Nothing, you better go out and check the HVAC!
Almost burnt indoor blower motor.
God forbid, I pulled out the IR Camera! Wow!!!
And as you might expect, I followed up with “Further testing”! Motor was drawing .48 amps when it wasn’t on (you must understand Carrier system design to understand this).
Additional testing; start winding was slightly shorted to the run winding (not enough to throw the breaker).
4.83 RLA; motor rated for 3.3 amp RLA.
Well to continue with the post; I went to the shop and looked at 6 motors on the shelf. No match!
Went out at the back lot and found my neighbors HVAC unit (heading to the re-cycle". New (used) motor, same specs!
I’m currently sitting in “COOL” sending this message! 
Trashed motor is heading for re-cycle! See even us back folk in TN don’t throw everything over the bank of the road!
One mans junk is another mans treasures. That salvaged compressor is shineing just like a Diamond in a goats Butt:shock:
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Now that’s an analogy that I can’t say that I am familiar with. :shock: 
Send me a picture, I’ll send you mine!
This thing has more modifications than the New York Home Inspection Licencing Bill!
Bk I would assume the A-coils were located within the buildings below the condensing units.
Question did the evaporators have P-traps installed on the suction outlet of the A-coil box. Or do you check for such.
The evap coils were flush mounted into the ceiling (wierd small condo units) and the drip lines tied into a sink tail piece above the trap.
Not really too sure what all that means but the splits were good. 
We are not on the same page here I was not referring to the condensate drain line.
Was just wondering if the Freon suction line had a P-trap installed being that the condensers were on the roof above the A-coil. We as installers used to install P-traps on the outlets of the A-coil to ensure that the oil from the Evap would return to the compressor. The P-trap creates a volute that helps the oil return. Just an trick from the old days.
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Got you Charley, no I did not check for that, but I will look in the future.