Somebody identify this for me?

[ahendrickson]

I noticed this little valve on a inspection today.... didn't know what purpose it would play. It is on the lines coming in from the condenser....

Any help would be appreciated...

[Doug Edwards]

That appears to be a TXV or thermostatic expansion valve typically found on Heat pumps as the metering device. This one does not appear to be installed but rather being stored close by. The reason, I do not know unless it is a spare or was one that had been removed and the tech left it behind as in some States (like Florida) any repaired parts have to be given or shown to the homeowner.

[ahendrickson]

Doug... the small copper tube that runs into the lines is strange.

I have never ever seen anything like that on any other AC system I have inspected.

[Doug Edwards]

Here is a cut away of a TXV (thermostatic expansion valve). I can only assume you are talking about the long thin copper tubing coming out of the top (that beanie looking cap on top). That is a capillary or "transmission" tube and at the end is a bulb for sensing temperature that is attached onto the vapor line. The bulb detects the temperature at the end of the evaporator and transmists this temperature, converted to pressure, to the top of the TXV diaphram. The movement of this diaphram causes a needle to move inside the device regulating the amount of refrigerant through the device at the precise amount for the "load" conditions on the system.
I do not want to cause you eyes to glaze over with a lot of technical mumbo jumbo. Typically you find these on Heat pumps and refrigeration equipment. On regulation Air conditioners you won't find these as it uses a different type of static metering device. Normally a capillary tube assembly. In laymen's terms the refrigerant come to the metering device in a liquid state, hits the metering device (orafice or TXV) and becomes partially liquid and partially vapor or gaseous state. Now Im boring me.

[dmccauley]

that is a expansion valve not attached to anything. I looks like it is just taped up there for storage.