Creating a Filter Drier Loop Question

[havactech]

My R22 system is about 15 years old. It has no filter drier on the liquid line. Nor anywhere else on the system

What I would like to do is just run the system R22 refrigerant through a drier that is looped onto my manifold gauge.

Where should I put the drier? On the High side or Low side of the manifold gauge? I would think the Hi side because that is where the drier normally goes on the system. This is however a bit different since it will loop through the manifold so not sure where it will be best to locate it. I will have a fitting on the low side of the manifold that will change the liquid to vapor. I am sure you have seen them. Imperial sells one called Qwik Charge.

I know there will be questions like "WHY NOT" just put one inline on the unit now. I don't want to open the system to put one on for one thing. And for those who are going to say "WHY DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS" please don't. If that is the only input you can deliver on this question please don't bother to reply to it.

I appreciate your cooperation and thanks you.

[Rlattime3]

Whats for dinner? MEATBALLS!

[beenthere]

LOL...

But why would you think doing this is a good idea.

Your not going to clean anything out of your system by doing it.

Filter driers don't clean or dry systems in just a few minutes, or hours.

[m-cooling]

Why do you want to do this?

[ECIndHVAC]

Is this a heat pump? Reason I ask is that most straight AC units usually only have one access valve on the liquid and suction lines. So there wouldn't really be any way to "loop" the dryer, right? But if it were a heat pump, then you could loop a bi-flow drier between the two high side access valves...I think...

Problem is, I guess only half of the refrigerant would go through the dryer on each pass (the other half would go through the regular piping). But, oddly enough, this does seem like a really good idea. That way, a tech could just go out and slap on a dryer for maybe a month or two, and then just take it off, without having to recover, braze, recharge, etc. Let me know how it works out.

[aircooled53]

He can't even spell right look at his name.

Havactech?


Need to pump down system; cut liquid line and install L.L. Drier , purge with nitrogen while soldering then vacuum system , and recharge according to plate on unit.

[a-one]

He can't even spell right look at his name.

Havactech?


Need to pump down system; cut liquid line and install L.L. Drier , purge with nitrogen while soldering then vacuum system , and recharge according to plate on unit.

maybe he meant "havoc tech". causing havoc on systems all over town.

[referrob]

wow!! this is the dumbest thing ive seen yet. if you were a service tech working for me i would fire you just for thinking this is ok. (1) you are lazy. pumping the system down installing a drier flared or brazed then pulling a deep vac. only takes an hour or so- verses the couple hrs a day you are proposing to spend for the next few weeks metering small amounts of refrigerant through a make-shift "filtering" loop. (2) its a fifteen year old system that has run fine for fifteen years with out you screwing with it, what is it you are trying to accomplish? other than finding out if your gadget really meters refrigerant effectively. a couple hrs here or there will do nothing but clean a fraction of the nothing that is in the system that has not had issues (at least none that you have mentioned). (3)find a contractor that you trust and pay them to put in a new system or install a filter drier since you are not motivated to do it the right way.

[bmathews]

You called people who replied to your post "stupid and uneducated", I'm sorry dude. But that about hits the nail on your head. Anybody who would try this is both stupid for trying this and uneducated for trying something that is first completely unnecessary and second half arse as heck. Obviously you know nothing, otherwise you wouldn't come onto this forum to ask this question. People who actually do this for a living and have various amounts of education are telling you not to do it, so I guess that makes everybody on in a forum who discusses this everyday know nothing and somebody asking a question such as yourself, a genius.

[havactech]

beenthere, I did not think of that at all thanks for the advice. Is there a way to do this with a recovery unit? Might take way too long with a recovery unit and recovery tank.

I am eventually going to put in a LLFD. The system has had a very very slow leak about 6oz out of 18 pounds a year, for the last 4 years.

I just started getting into HVAC and want to treat the refrigerant now then eventually evacuate it and fix the leak.

Once I do that I will pressure test the system and try to find the leak if at all possible.

I was curious to see if this could be done a different way, without opening the system right now. It looks like I won't be able to do that.

[m-cooling]

Get to know this board a little better havac.
There are some genius people here ,but you won't get anywhere with a bad attitude.

[OAKVILLESHOOTER]

Dude, how big is this system? How long is the line set? 18 pounds seems to be A LOT of refrigerant for a residential unit. If the leak is that small, you shouldn't have to worry about contaminants getting in the system. If you have access to a Total Line tester with the glass tubes, they will check for moisture if I am not mistaken. It's been a long time since I used one. Unless the system isn't running right, aside from the leak, just wait until you fix the leak and put a drier in it then.

[cretan]

maybe he meant "havoc tech". causing havoc on systems all over town.

Funny!