You could buy the boy his own digital torque wrench, two stage vac pump, micron gauge and hoses.
Are the 410a systems going to last long enough to sell all that refrigerant? I ask because I got the impression from an earlier thread that the r410a systems were problematic and had to be replaced under warranty. So are they even fixable or will people just junk them and replace them once the warranties expire and they start failing?
If things didn't work out for the boy for the military, I already told him he could have an apprentice job with someof the pretty smartest commercial HVAC guys I know and he'd be making more than what he's making now (put a couple of years doing grunt work learning the trade IMO is better than some of the local colleges we have here that do trades). I'd have no qualms with hiring myself due to his work ethic he has shown me since he started working at age 15.
I think my dad an I rubbed off on him where he would like to kind of explore the world.
The only reason why R410A equipment is going away is due to the Montreal Protocol. I'll be replacing my attic system in 2025 (R22 equipment installed almost 20 years ago, a REAL PITA job). I only went with R22 in the attic because I didn't trust the R410A system, as it was new and just coming out (I had my choice between the two). When I replace that old R22 equipment, it will be with a R410A system, just because me being me, I won't trust a "new" R454B system, but I know that fear is probably unfounded. That said, just like the old R22 system (having a can of R22 laying around), I'll make certain I have a jug of R410A in the basement LOL That however is a benefit of my job that I take advantage of. Put in a R410A system in 2025, and around in 2035, you may have sticker shock. That said, if the pressures run slightly lower with R454B, it may offer opportunities down the road for refrigerant that R410A didn't offer with R22. I don't know what I'm talking about with that statement, just thinking out loud.
The biggest reason for overall HVAC system longevity dwindling IMO is the equipment is being over engineered due to government regulations. You don't have to be very smart to understand the more parts (particularly electronic) you have, the greater the odds that you will have a part go bad over time.
Old HVAC systems were bomb proof IMO because they were simple with minimal parts. Thing is, they don't hit the efficiency ratings the government wants.
Just do yourself a favor, NEVER go with a proprietary communicating thermostat only supplied by the manufacturer of the HVAC equipment being installed. Sooner or later, you run a greater risk of kicking yourself when you get the bill if it ever needs to be replaced and it's out of warranty.
Point being any thread after 5 or 6 pages can get sidetracked. Part of any forum life...
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