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oil leaking

Ezee_70
Ezee_70 Member Posts: 3
in A-C, Heat Pumps & Refrigeration
Hi, I am a retired hvac in Ohio. I'm in my 70's now and so much has changed. My sons friend was certified thru the US Air Force and installed a heat pump at my sons home about a year ago. he started having trouble with it this summer, not cooling good and sometimes freezing up inside and finally shutting down on low pressure. I checked it out and found a leak at the connection joint on the suction line outside. Also there was oil on the ground where the leak was. I'm wondering if that means that the e-coil and txv may now be damaged and may have to be replaced before i even start. So i know he can not afford to have anyone else to fix it, so. Thanks in advance for any advice or help.

Comments

  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
    I would go ahead and repair leak and replace dryer, evacuate, charge and start. Should be fine.
    SuperTechmattmia2ratioEzee_70
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,401
    I definitely wouldn't worry about any damage to the evaporator coil or TXV. This type of thing happens all the time unfortunately.
    mattmia2Ezee_70
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,364
    I agree wit @SuperTech & @unclejohn
    Ezee_70
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,266
    All of the above but be sure to flow N2 dry gas while brazing.
    Is there a filter drier in the liquid line inside the cond unit?
    Best to remove it and install new outside in the liquid line or just at the coil.
    Ezee_70
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,820
    Do they still make them with the filter/drier in the condenser? I thought they moved to shipping them loose to be installed outside the condenser so you can replace them by pumping down the system without having to recover the whole charge a long time ago.
    Ezee_70
  • Ezee_70
    Ezee_70 Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2020
    Yes unfortunately the dryer is located down inside the unit. So i went by there today late and put my gauges on it and it was empty so wont have to worry about evacuate or pump down. I basically will have to do a install. Thanks Guys for all the comments and advice. Good to be able to discuss stuff with people that has the knowledge and experience in a field i worked in for more then 25 years. I will post and let you all know how it all turned out. Thanks Again.
    SuperTech
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,282
    edited July 2020
    Ditto on all that. If you're really out of the loop, Google "triple vac". And any chance you have a low pressure nitrogen regulator?
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 5,271
    All you need is a trickle of N2 while brazing. You do not want to build up pressure. Make sure it has a way to get out.

    Remove the internal drier and install a new one near the evaporator.

    Triple evacuation but in your case break with refrigerant
    SuperTech
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,266
    Being a heat pump you probably know that you need a bi-flow filter drier.
    Yes, the nitrogen gas flow and flush.
    The new equip now runs much higher pressure, oil is very sensitive to moisture. Complicated by the reversing valve of the heat pump having very small pilot tubing passages.
  • Ezee_70
    Ezee_70 Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2020
    Repaired Unit and working fine. I completely disconnected the unit put it on my truck took it to my shop(garage) it made replacing that filter dryer much more easier. Installed a new Dryer but not where the old was, also replaced the TXV just because, hooked it all back up and did a N2 pressure and found one more leak inside at the suction joint and repaired it. Vacuum hold for about a hour, charged it. When i checked the subcooling it was off by 1degree. It seems to be working great. Thanks again for all your advice and comments

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