ポンプダウンできない！【DIY】故障したエアコンを素人が取り外す方法

When an air conditioner's outdoor unit malfunctions and it stops working, refrigerant is released. Is this illegal? How much is released? How can an amateur remove it? I tackled these DIY dilemmas head-on. It's something I've avoided for years, but now that I'm directly involved, please see the unvarnished truth. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) pamphlet states that using a recovery device is a "duty to make efforts," but it's not realistic for an amateur to acquire such an expensive device. On the other hand, hiring a professional costs over 10,000 yen for on-site collection, and relying on "free collection" services online leads to illegal scrapping where 100% of the refrigerant is released into the atmosphere. Amidst this dilemma, I directly contacted METI's "Resource Recycling Economy Division" by phone to confirm the truth about the law. Furthermore, I will reveal shocking data (actual measurement: 10 liters, approximately 4%) obtained by accurately measuring the amount of refrigerant leaking when the unit was removed using a "garbage bag" and simply by closing the valve without pump-down (actual measurement: 10 liters, approximately 4%) using water displacement. In the midst of Japan's imperfect recycling system, where idealism alone won't solve the problem, I'll present the "most realistic compromise" that individuals can take. In the video, I'll honestly and openly show my own weakness of being stingy with money. I won't say it's the best solution. I'll see what you think after watching it. I'll accept all kinds of comments—negative ratings, criticisms, or even supportive ones. Please watch until the end and share your opinions in the comments section. (※Please use the timestamps such as chapters in the video below) [Video Table of Contents] 00:00 Introduction (What to do with an air conditioner that cannot be pumped down?) 01:19 METI's pamphlet and my past that I ran away from 04:02 Practice: Closing all valves on the outdoor unit 09:22 Actual recording of a direct call to the METI office (Surprising official statement) 11:10 Experiment begins: Collecting refrigerant from the service port into a garbage bag (uncut) 14:19 Measurement and verification: How many liters of gas were in the garbage bag? (Water displacement) 16:03 Scientific consideration: Why did only 10 liters (4%) come out? (Refrigerant buildup) 21:16 The tricks of free collection companies and the best options we can choose 24:30 Supplement to the strengthened regulations on fluorocarbon recovery under the Home Appliance Recycling Law in 2027 26:32 Ending (Request for low/high ratings) [Supplement and disclaimer regarding the 2027 legal revisions] This video is based on the laws (Home Appliance Recycling Law, etc.) as of June 2026. Currently, the government (Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) is considering legal revisions (expected to be enacted in 2027) to prevent improper disposal of fluorocarbons in household air conditioners, including a "prohibition of unauthorized release" with penalties. Therefore, when you actually perform the work, please be sure to check the "latest laws" at that time yourself and make decisions and perform the work at your own risk. In the unlikely event that the rules change due to legal revisions, etc., we will inform you sequentially in this pinned comment. *The 96% recovery rate is based on a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. Recovery rates will be lower at higher temperatures. Conversely, recovery should be higher at colder temperatures. This assumes the air conditioner has been stopped for a long period (more than a week, for example) and the refrigerant is dormant. [Next Video Preview] Next time, we'll show you the main event: installing the Mitsubishi Electric Kirigamine air conditioner, which I impulsively bought last year, in the same location where I removed the old one. It's going to be a fairly long and engaging video. Stay tuned! If you're thinking, "Iruka, you're doing something complicated again, but keep it up!", then please subscribe to the channel, like the video, and leave a warm comment. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for watching until the end today. This has been Iruka's DIY adventure.