What Oil?

[GunnerMan]

Well my project is comming along well, got the high side all finished up and as long as all goes well should start to vacuum/pressure test tomorrow so now before I do that I have a few questions. I got the r-22 taken out and when I cut the evap off there was some oil comming out of it. I have no idea how much oil I lost because I dont know how much could be held in the evap but only a little bit came out on the ground. So I went on a 1.5 hour quest last night to find out what kind of oil/how much I need for my r-22 compressor. Although I learned a ton I could not find a place that gave me a clear answer. I found it even harder to find out what oil Propane likes. What is the difficulty of evacuationg old oil and replacing it with new (in the case I need a different type) Thnks.

[NoL]

Propane, as a hydrocarbon, works with any and all oils.
Removing old oil isnt that hard except with rotaries, flip it and let it driblle for 12 hours, then put back in what you took out. (but new)
For rotaries, you have to drill an oil drain port, hard, and perilous but doable. Just don't drill to far

[GunnerMan]

Well I dont really want to drill holes because then I gotta plug them. I found a website from XS that says recomended refigerant for R-22 is alkylbenzene or mineral oil. So since I can use Propane with any oil how do I figure out what is in my compressor so I don't need to drill things? I am sure since I am reducing evap area by a large amount it is probably OK with what it has but since I got it open I might as well give it a squirt or two just be be safe.
Thanks NoL for all your help!

[NoL]

You are indeed correct, don't worry about losing a little. As for what oil, if its a rotary, and it probably is, it is most likely R22 unless specified otherwise in the compressors / manufactures PDF.
Glad to help, can't wait to see what your up to ;)
In any given unit, you can often break vacuum to 1 bar with propane before charging and tuning with another gas and not worrry about oil movement ;) And without risking flammability

[GunnerMan]

It is a rotary, and it says r-22 but still don't know what oil? lol All samsung says about it is it uses 210cc of it, can not find type. What are signs of having to little oil, and I assume I can buy oil in the futre and add it through a valve without needing to open up the system?

I was planning to use Propane as my main refigerant nut just a purging gas, the amount of gas used in these systems dosen't seem to be enough to cause any real explosions, especially in an oxygen free environment it is impossible to combust. I may switch to a different refri some time but since I am not certified for anything I assume just use propane as it is cheap and gets pretty cold and is very workable.

I think I should be fine, only a little oil was lost on ground and then any remaining in the evap.

You really don't want to see my unit :P The a/c was just so nice I hardly messed with it. I removed the fan that blew the evap, and changed over the tubes, added a filter dryer(did not have one) and some schraders. Very original and well planed design if I do say so myself lmao. It is fun though and I am learning a ton from my little A/c unit and thats the main reason for this thing.

[speed bump]

A little trick I learned about R-22 and keeping the oil in the compressor is let it run for about 15 minutes if you can before you recover the refrigerent. The reason being R-22 tends to get stuck underneath the oil and takes forever to evac and becuase it is under pressure when you cut the line it sprays out like a spray can.

On the oil I would reccomend changing it anyway mineral oils are cheap and if the compressor insides have had very much exposure to air chances are the oil has already absorbed as much water as it can take.

[GunnerMan]

Hmm your probably right, I never thought about the oil absorbing air, it has been exposed to air for about 1 day now :/ I did put a folded paper towel over the ends of the tubes so dirt and things would not go in. So assuming it uses mineral oil stock is it really needed to drill holes or can I just tip it upsidedown and dump as much as I can? I really hate fuggering with oil...:/ Also brings another question, when I pull a vacuum wont it suck all the oil out anyway?

[NoL]

No, oil will not be removed with vacuuming.
If its AB or Mineral, it wont absorb much moisture, POE will though.
Honestly I wouldnt worry about the oil.

[GunnerMan]

Ok thanks NoL, im just gonna leave it be then. I didn't think it would come out with vacuum but a dumb question is a question not asked hehe.

[NoL]

Things want to get into a vacuum not out, and only gases are pumped out is the simple explanation :)

[GunnerMan]

Ahh yes now that I think about it I feel like an idiot. I guess I thought the pump would pull it out hehe.