Alas, most of our problems have been caused by 'professionals' and
'experts'. I'd guess we've put at least $5000 into this system over
the last couple of years, most of it in $50/hour or more payments for
guys who claimed to be experts standing around waiting for the plates
to cool. And what we got for it in the end was a system that ran for 4
weeks before breaking. One guy put in a new high-tech gas that was, of
course, incompatible with the R134a oil already in the system. (That
cost us a bundle to put straight.) Another simply removed the
accumulator, saying that nowadays that's no longer needed (another
bundle, including paying for 2 new compressors in as many days.) That's
when we decided to take over, even if we don't know that much. How can
it possibly cost us more than the experts do?

And of course, now we've got you-all to keep us on the straight and
narrow. :-)

Rob