Rheem Classic XII Air Conditioner Review Major Features:

• 3 Ton (36,000 BTU)
• Split system
• 12 Seer
• Single speed scroll compressor
• Single speed air handler
• R22 Freon

My experience:
To start off I am in south Florida so good air conditioning is a must. I did not buy this Rheem HVAC unit, it came with the house. It is dated 1993. It is now Oct 2010 and I have been using it for the last 7 years. I have had a few minor issues. One time the compressor start wire melted off the compressor post which I fixed by putting an electrician's clamp on it to re-attach the wire - I had one so no cost. Another time the compressor start capacitor went - a $15.00 part. The condenser fan start capacitor also went bad - a $5.00 part. Another time the disconnect melted - probably due to a poor connection there since nothing else went wrong - this was around $40.00 but was no fault of the A/C unit. In all fairness it is obvious the previous owner had some issues since all of the protection circuits have been disconnected. The air handler blower is a bit noisy starting and stopping and during run you can hear the air flow very well. In it's defense the air intake is in the family room so not the best location in my opinion. The outdoor condenser is a bit loud from the fan air noise. Now with the Federal Tax credit nearing an end in December I feel pressured into replacing it. I'm not sure the new systems of any brand are up to the manufacturing standards of 17 years ago. So far I have quotes on a Trane XR15, Rheem and NuTone (Built by Nordyne which markets under many brand names like Maytag, Tappan, Westinghouse and around 5 others). My neighbor's Rheem Classic XII had a problem and he purchased a new Rheem system. I knew right away (It's right across from my bedroom window) - His new unit has a loud relay snap when it starts. Other than that the outdoor unit is much quieter than his old one. After reading reviews on the new systems I'm questioning whether I should just wait until this one dies.

Rheem Classic XII Air Conditioner Review Pros:

• Good efficiency for it's time
• Pretty reliable
• Outdoor condenser case shows no rust
• Has never needed freon in the last 7 years
• Decent humidity control for most of the year

• Air handler a bit noisy
• Outdoor condenser is noisy but no worse than the other systems around the neighborhood
• Rusting around the compressor mounts

Spot Rating:
This Rheem system has had only minor issues considering it's age and is still going strong.