How old is my Philco HVAC air conditioner?

Serial number age decoder for Philco HVAC central air conditioners: 6 format eras, the decode rule in plain English, transcribed tables, and the official lookup.

• Philco HVAC air conditioner serial numbers in the era not stated format encode the year as digits 7-8 = first two numerals after the dash (97 = 1997) and the month as final letter ('see chart below' - chart NOT present on the fetched page) (source: building-center.org).
• Example: serial 21584-97B decodes to February 1997.
• Philco HVAC air conditioner serial numbers in the 1970 to 1979 format encode the year as digit 2 = last digit of year, 1970-1979 only (1 = 1971) and the month as letter 1 (chart referenced but NOT present on the fetched page) (source: building-center.org).
• Example: serial A16789 decodes to January 1971.

Format eras

• 1980 to 1984 PARTIAL
  A#####digit 2 = last digit of year, 1980-1984 only (3 = 1983)
• 1970 to 1979 PARTIAL
  A#####digit 2 = last digit of year, 1970-1979 only (1 = 1971)
• era not stated PARTIAL
  #####-##Adigits 7-8 = first two numerals after the dash (97 = 1997)
• era not stated VERIFIED
  AAA#########digits 4-5 of the serial, i.e. the first two numerals after the 3-letter prefix (03 = 2003
• era not stated VERIFIED
  AA#A### A#### ####digits 3-4 after the middle factory letter (91 = 1991)
• era not stated VERIFIED
  A#A####-#####digits 4-5 (99 = 1999)

How to read the serial

1980 to 1984 formatPARTIAL

Shape A##### · example M38778 · confidence medium

Year

digit 2 = last digit of year, 1980-1984 only (3 = 1983)

Week or month

month = letter 1 (chart referenced but NOT present on the fetched page)

Listed under Westinghouse HVAC in the source; Philco HVAC is named in that format's family.

1970 to 1979 formatPARTIAL

Shape A##### · example A16789 · confidence medium

Year

digit 2 = last digit of year, 1970-1979 only (1 = 1971)

Week or month

month = letter 1 (chart referenced but NOT present on the fetched page)

Example: serial A16789 decodes to January 1971.

Listed under Westinghouse HVAC in the source; Philco HVAC is named in that format's family.

era not stated formatPARTIAL

Shape #####-##A · example 21584-97B · confidence medium

Year

digits 7-8 = first two numerals after the dash (97 = 1997)

Week or month

month = final letter ('see chart below' - chart NOT present on the fetched page)

Example: serial 21584-97B decodes to February 1997.

Listed under Westinghouse HVAC in the source; Philco HVAC is named in that format's family.

era not stated formatVERIFIED

Shape AAA######### · example GBB030708229 · confidence high

Year

digits 4-5 of the serial, i.e. the first two numerals after the 3-letter prefix (03 = 2003)

Week or month

month = digits 6-7 (07 = July)

Plant

none; the 3-letter prefix is a model-series code ("can be any combination of letter and number sequence, typically like model number"), not a plant

Example: serial GBB030708229 decodes to July 2003.

Listed under Nordyne in the source; Philco HVAC is named in that format's family.

era not stated formatVERIFIED

Shape AA#A### A#### #### · example MN3D102 F3891 4228 · confidence medium

Year

digits 3-4 after the middle factory letter (91 = 1991)

Week or month

week = digits 1-2 after the middle factory letter (38)

Plant

middle letter = factory code (F in the example; Rheem uses F, M, G, W, N)

Example: serial MN3D102 F3891 4228 decodes to week 38 of 1991.

Listed under Nordyne in the source; Philco HVAC is named in that format's family.

era not stated formatVERIFIED

Shape A#A####-##### · example G6R9905-05028 · confidence high

Year

digits 4-5 (99 = 1999)

Week or month

month = digits 6-7 (05 = May)

Plant

letters 1 and 3 + digit 2 = unexplained prefix (no table)

Example: serial G6R9905-05028 decodes to May 1999.

Listed under Nordyne in the source; Philco HVAC is named in that format's family.

Where the data plate is on an air conditioner

On the outdoor condenser: a metal or foil plate on the side or back of the cabinet, often near the refrigerant line connections. Some brands repeat it inside the electrical access panel.

General guidance, not brand-specific: the owner's manual or the installer can point to the exact spot. See the data plate guide.

For scale only: the InterNACHI Standard Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes lists Air Conditioner (central) at 7 to 15 years of expected service (nachi.org). That chart is a guideline, not a prediction for your unit.

What we could not confirm

• The era not stated format is only partially confirmed (PARTIAL).
• The 1980 to 1984 format is only partially confirmed (PARTIAL).
• The 1980 to 1984 format is documented but not decodable here: example M38778 does not decode with the derived engine.
• The 1970 to 1979 format is only partially confirmed (PARTIAL).
• No official online lookup URL was verified for Philco HVAC.
• building-center header: 'Same as Westinghouse' - identical six styles (root style 1, F3891 4228, G#R, 21584-97B, M38778, A16789). No live Philco HVAC site -> lookup null.

Sources

• https://www.building-center.org/westinghouse-hvac-age/
• https://www.building-center.org/frigidaire-hvac-age/
• https://www.building-center.org/philco-hvac-age/
• https://www.building-center.org/nordyne-hvac-age/
• img: Nordyne-style-1-2023.jpg (transcribed)
• https://www.building-center.org/intertherm-hvac-age/
• https://www.building-center.org/gibson-hvac-age/
• https://www.building-center.org/broan-hvac-age/
• img: Nordyne-style-2-2023.jpg (transcribed)
• https://www.building-center.org/tappan-hvac-age/
• https://www.building-center.org/miller-hvac-age/
• https://www.building-center.org/kelvinator-hvac-age/
• https://www.building-center.org/maytag-hvac-age/

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