filter dryers... standard equipment?

[beltbuckle]

Hey guys,

While I am waiting for the gas company to run their gas line, I remembered something one of the contractors said when he was looking at my current heat pump system.

We were looking at the outisde unit, and he saw a filter dryer installed on the line. From this he said that the heat pump must have had some trouble in the past, because there was a filter dryer installed.

So my question is are these filter dryers standard equipment and installed on new systems, or was he right to assume that they are only installed if problems occur?

I don't know the history of our unit so I have no clue if he was right.

[PullaVac]

Goodman brand AC/Heat pump systems come from the factory with filter dryers installed. It a good common practice to install a new liquig line dryer in a new system to protect it for forgien particles, moisture, and non-condensiables that may not have been removed from the system when a vaccum was pulled one the system. Provided a vaccum was ever pulled at all. Some contractors don't even pull a vaccum on an install, that just purge the system with refrigerant and let it go. I always install a new filter dryer on the liquid side of the system for extra protection along with a real good deep vaccum. There are other brands of AC systems that come with factory installed filter dryers on them.

[BaldLoonie]

Some brands have a teeny f/d built in, a few have a full sized drier. Some have none. For our brands that have none, we install them in the liquid line at the indoor coil.

[PullaVac]

Baldloonie,
First time I have heard of anyone installing a filter dryer inside near the coil. Never seem one before, istalled that way. Curious, is there any benefit in that method or reason for doing so. Where I school it was never mentioned. We were shown and instructed to install outside near the condensing unit.

[framehvac]

Filter driers will remove moisture from the refrigerant in a system.The filter-drier should be replaced anytime a system is opened for servicing.

Thats from the EPA book.

A lot of guys say,only if you have a compressor burn-out.
On are new homes we don't put a filter drier on.



First time I have heard of anyone installing a filter dryer inside near the coil. Never seem one before, istalled that way.


We do that sometimes
I think it works right not sure?

[Wild Leg]

Originally posted by rudeman
Baldloonie,
First time I have heard of anyone installing a filter dryer inside near the coil. Never seem one before, istalled that way. Curious, is there any benefit in that method or reason for doing so. Where I school it was never mentioned. We were shown and instructed to install outside near the condensing unit.

The only advantage to installing it indoors is keeping it out of the weather.
Most get the paint burnt during brazing, and start to rust immediately.
Either place is fine, but be sure you look both places when servicing, or doing a changeout.
Never install a drier without removing the old one.
It is considered good practice to install a filter drier in a new install.
You risk plugging the metering device, if you leave it out, Especially if you don't use nitrogen while brazing.

[BaldLoonie]

We figure any impurities in the liquid line (rare) would be caught if the drier was right before the meter.

[filterchanger]

hp sorry

[Edited by filterchanger on 03-08-2005 at 06:09 PM]

[Wild Leg]

[Edited by bwal2 on 03-08-2005 at 06:18 PM]

[ct2]

he said that the heat pump must have had some trouble in the past, because there was a filter dryer installed.

Warning! this question will make some of you violenty ill

I thought a suction line dryer was used when a compressor burnt out and then that would be changed three times, please correct me if I am wrong.

[Wild Leg]

Originally posted by ct2
...changed three times...

Why three times?

Why not four?

Or two?

[hvacprodmgr]

OK,

And as I stated in a previous post about driers:

Every system installed, IMO, should have a liquid line filter drier installed, heat-pump or A/C. New construction, retrofit, replacement, whatever !

ct2. Suction line filter driers have a tendency to increase the pressure drop to unacceptable levels. If you do a compressor change, yes, I recommend changing the drier 1-3 times, depending on the failure. Obvious way to check is to do an acid test. Then, remove the suction drier and reinstall copper line. If it is a larger system, (5t +) then install a suction core drier, and install a felt core to leave inline.