Simple (?) question about leak

[1jimmy]

Under what scenarios would all the necessary oil in a residential split ac system leave the system with a leak in the lines that carry the refrigerant? In other words, would all the oil leave a system if all the refrigerant leaked out on the high pressure line going into an evaporator coil? What about a leak in the low pressure line coming out of the evaporator coil? If all the refrigerant leaks out, does it take all the oil? Does it matter if the system has been sitting and leaking vs running and leaking? Thanks!

[DOGBOY]

Under what scenarios would all the necessary oil in a residential split ac system leave the system with a leak in the lines that carry the refrigerant? none In other words, would all the oil leave a system if all the refrigerant leaked out on the high pressure line going into an evaporator coil? noWhat about a leak in the low pressure line coming out of the evaporator coil? noIf all the refrigerant leaks out, does it take all the oil? no Does it matter if the system has been sitting and leaking vs running and leaking? not reallyThanks!

Is it r-410a and POE oil or r-22 and mineral oil?

[1jimmy]

Is it r-410a and POE oil or r-22 and mineral oil?

It was an r22 system that was evacuated and filled with 407c. I don’t have the details on the procedure followed tho.

[DOGBOY]

r-22 does not carry very much oil if any when it leaks. Now with that said if the leak is large enough and close enough to the compressor sure it could blow it out. But that is like a line breaking off with in 18" of the compressor. So what does your contractor want to do? I personally have never had to add oil to a r-22 system due to a refrigerant leak. Now r-410a with POE oil that is different.

[beenthere]

The line would almost have to snap off and the compressor run for several hours to pump all of the oil out.

[1jimmy]

The line would almost have to snap off and the compressor run for several hours to pump all of the oil out.

Thank you for the response. I would think there would be a more common/definitive answer to this, but u guys r the experts after all.
So if there was a “small” leak on the lines at the inside coil or the inside coil itself, the oil would not “all” leak out? Why is that?
If the system was running the oil would leak out but if it is just sitting here and Freon is slowly leaking out over days/weeks/months, the oil would not leak out?

[pecmsg]

Thank you for the response. I would think there would be a more common/definitive answer to this, but u guys r the experts after all.
So if there was a “small” leak on the lines at the inside coil or the inside coil itself, the oil would not “all” leak out? Why is that?
If the system was running the oil would leak out but if it is just sitting here and Freon is slowly leaking out over days/weeks/months, the oil would not leak out?

Some oil is picked up as part of the compressor operation, actually droplets! It travels with the refrigerant and returns to the compressor.

Even cutting a line on a fully charged system wouldn't remove all the oil! It will make one hell of a mess! Don't ask how I know!

[DOGBOY]

It was an r22 system that was evacuated and filled with 407c. I don’t have the details on the procedure followed tho.

I do not use any refrigerant except for r-22 and r-410a so with that said I thought that when converting to a replacement refrigerant you were supposed to add some POE oil to the system for better lubrication (am I correct about this guys?). So again what does your contractor say?

[pecmsg]

I do not use any refrigerant except for r-22 and r-410a so with that said I thought that when converting to a replacement refrigerant you were supposed to add some POE oil to the system for better lubrication (am I correct about this guys?). So again what does your contractor say?

That depends on the alternative. I add some POE with all alternatives. R-407C requires all POE oil. MO-99 claims can be used with MO or AB but we still add POE.