Thread: date of furnace

Can anyone put a date on this old American furnace?

S/N G 124511
Model SR160-MA

I know it's old and beyond expected lifespan but I'd like to give them a better idea than "It's Old"

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Gregg Austensen

Can anyone put a date on this old American furnace?

S/N G 124511
Model SR160-MA

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Gregg,

American used the same numbering scheme as Trane.

G = 1992 and the next 2 numbers are for the week of the year.

Would you mind going to the top left of this page and click on User CP and put in your location?

Thanks

Thanks Billy. I would have expected it to be much older given its' design. I included a pic. Would you still put it at 1992?

Gregg,

I'm going by the age chart I snagged off of this site and info that American uses the same numbering system as Trane.

16 years ( In a Damp Dark Hole.)

Thanks again Billy. I'll put it at 16 years. There are large rust deposits below the exchanger and the unit was shut down so I'm calling for a HVAC tech anyway.

Originally Posted by Gregg Austensen

Thanks again Billy. I'll put it at 16 years.

Greg,

It looks older than that, so instead of committing yourself to saying *IT IS ONLY* that old, either state you don't know how old it is, but will find out (call Trane), or simply state that you don't know how old it is, when the HVAC tech comes to repair it BEFORE CLOSING, have them tell you how old it is, you may just need to replace it.

When something looks old and you say it is not, you set yourself up for the first step in the 'possibly paying for it' track. Not something you really want to do. "If my home inspector had told me it was 40 years old, I would have gotten credit for it or had it replaced, but my home inspector told me that it was only 16 years old. I want my home inspector to replace it."

Yes looks older and Possible Asbestos tape on ducts?

Gregg,

Attached is the response I got from TRANE.

They seem to feel this unit is not an American Standard furnace.

Don't know how old the property was ( I have written several as appeared to be original equipment to the property. )

JP had some excellent advise. ( If you don't know you don't know. )
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Originally Posted by Billy Stephens

( I have written several as appeared to be original equipment to the property. )

Billy,

That was my first starting point on older resale homes: How old is the house? Does the whatever look like it has been replaced, or does it look original to the house?

Thus, if it 'looks original to the house' it must therefore be the same age as the house. At least until shown differently.

Here's a pic of the ID plate. The house is 50 plus and the Rheem condensing unit was made in 1986. And without a doubt this unit is older than that. Thanks for all the comments. Since the unit was shut down (foreclosure) I called for the HVAC tech to come in and check it out.

That "7-57" suggests it's original to the house and 51 years old.

Gregg,

Thanks for the picture.

I'll send it back to Trane and See what they have to say.

They Might want it for their Corporate Lobby or at least the Smithsonian.

Billy,

Before you get too excited about that, there may be a difference between "American Furnace CO." and "American Standard".

Yes, I would go with the 7-57 on that label too. Not that the label is saying the furnace was built in 7-1957, but that that label was made for units made in and after 7-1957 and applied to all similar units made after that date, until the next label date when changes were made to the furnaces.

A good indication that the unit is "original to the house".

"7-57" date on the plate is as Jerry says, within a few years of that date. This furnace is probably the age of the house.
The other tip is that when a data plate has a black background, the unit generally pre-dates the early 1960's. On that alone you could safely say the unit is at least 45 years old.
On newer equipment, the ANSI # date represents the spec that it was manufactured to. The unit will not be that year but starting within a year or so after that for aperiod of about 5 to 6 years (until the next revision).

Attachment is Trane's view .
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