> I'm going to pull an airconditioner system from a car..(probably a small
 > car) the compressor is pulley driven... I won't need the fancy electric
 > clutch that's on it, so it will be pulled and a DC motor belted to it..
 > and driven at a speed of which my energy system can substain.
 > 
 > Secondly.. I have received information from several underground sources
 > that propane is actually a much higher performing refrigerant than
 > freon.
 > 
 > Word has it, that propane actually is about twice as effecient. 
John,
 I think the A/C in a car pulls a couple of horsepower to do its job, and I'd 
suspect that it would be quite inefficient. The condensor and evaporator 
coils are very small for something using that much energy. By way of 
referance, the A/C unit for my shop has a 2 HP motor and the coils are 
several TIMES the size of those in a car.
A better bet would be to find an old "open" refrigeration compressor like I 
use for my shop. It's an antique, belt-driven by a seperate electric motor. 
There are probably thousands of these things kicking around farms, old 
dairies, old stores, etc. I've seen 'em used for air compressors, even done 
that myself.
And, I'd really question the "about twice as effecient" claim for propane. It 
WILL work as a refrigerant, and some unscrupulous shops have even been 
installing it in cars if they can't get R12 or want to cheat the customer. As 
you said, there is a fire hazard that is not insignificant. A few ounces of 
propane, properly mixed with air, will have the explosive power of several 
sticks of dynamite.
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