# Horrible mistake vacuuming mini split lines



## David4 (Dec 24, 2016)

Hi everyone. I'm hoping someone can help me and put my mind at ease cause I feel like hitting my head with a hammer.

I just installed a pioneer mini split 12000 btu. Everything was ready to vacuum the lines. There's only 1 service port on the low pressure side. So I made the most stupid rookie mistake possible. I had to put a 1/4 to 5/16 adapter to my gauge hose and then to the outdoor unit, however I didn't realize that the end of the adapter that attaches to the hose is a Schrader valve. The problem was that the attaching hose end does not have a depressor for it. So I start the vacuum pump and I'm happy to see the "vacuum" going all the way to -1 on the gauge. Obviously all I was vacuuming was the hose itself but not the line sets. After this I still don't realize my mistake and open both the high and low valves and then I realize the pressure gauge is still at -1 instead of above atmosphere pressure. And then my mistake became painfully clear.

Fortunately I didn't turn on the unit but I know I didn't vacuum those lines and most likely have filled them with refrigerant gas at this point. I have closed the low and high valves of the outdoor unit but I'm afraid the damage is done.

So I guess my question is, what can I do to remedy this situation?. I already ordered the correct adapter that doesn't come at the male end with a Schrader valve. 

I'm wondering if I only contaminated the line sets and indoor unit or if I also contaminated at this point the outdoor unit itself.

If I haven't contaminated the outdoor unit then maybe I can vacuum the lines and check the pressure to see how much refrigerant gas did I loose so I can refill it?
Needless to say I'm very worried about this :vs_worry:. Any help would be deeply appreciated

Thanks in advance to the kind souls that offer help and Merry Christmas to all!


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## supers05 (May 23, 2015)

Well your in a bad situation for sure. 

How long did it take before you realized your mistake? Was the pressures still equalizing when you closed down the valves? If so, I'd say that the condenser is safe. 

If it took a while for you to realize your mistake, then the whole charge is contaminated. 

Technically you're supposed to recover that and dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way...... It requires a recovery machine and bottle. It'll also be expensive to exchange the bottle. (hundreds of $$ kind of expensive) .... So you can guess how often that happens.....

Cheers!


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Afraid you ordered the wrong adapter. The one you used with the schrader core is the one to use. 

Just get a hose with a schrader depresser.

Now, you should recover the charge in the whole system, vacuum, and then recharge with virgin refrigerant.


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## David4 (Dec 24, 2016)

When I closed the valves I was no longer hearing that hissing sound, I'm afraid a couple of minutes had passed. I'm guessing the pressure had equalized by the time I closed the valves. However I have not turned on the unit. Wouldn't the pressure on both lines kind of stopped the humidity-air from coming into the outdoor unit? Is it all lost?


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## David4 (Dec 24, 2016)

beenthere said:


> Afraid you ordered the wrong adapter. The one you used with the schrader core is the one to use.
> 
> Just get a hose with a schrader depresser.
> 
> Now, you should recover the charge in the whole system, vacuum, and then recharge with virgin refrigerant.


I guess I could have bought the hose with a schrader depresser instead of an adaptor without a schrader valve. In any case I already bought the latter since my current hose doesn't have the schrader depresser.

So there's no hope the indoor unit refrigerant didn't get contaminated? I have never turned on the unit and I have close both valves though in took me a couple of minutes to realize my mistake and close them.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

The laws of mixed gas say they are completely mixed.


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## David4 (Dec 24, 2016)

supers05 said:


> Well your in a bad situation for sure.
> 
> If it took a while for you to realize your mistake, then the whole charge is contaminated.
> 
> Cheers!


How long would that have to be? I think I closed it after about 2-3 minutes. That's too long isn't? :vs_sob:


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## supers05 (May 23, 2015)

David4 said:


> How long would that have to be? I think I closed it after about 2-3 minutes. That's too long isn't? :vs_sob:


Seconds would be all I'd be willing to accept. 

Essentially only during the initial equalization, the pressure difference keeps the purity sound. Once the initial flow slows, you're screwed. 

Cheers!


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## roughneck (Nov 28, 2014)

You'll have to reclaim the charge into an approved bottle, and take it in for recycling. You may be charged a disposal fee for this. Then you need to pull a vacuum on the whole system, using a micron gauge, down below 500 microns. Then replace the factory charge plus whatever extra is needed for your lineset length, with virgin refrigerant


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## supers05 (May 23, 2015)

roughneck said:


> You'll have to reclaim the charge into an approved bottle, and take it in for recycling. You may be charged a disposal fee for this. Then you need to pull a vacuum on the whole system, using a micron gauge, down below 500 microns. Then replace the factory charge plus whatever extra is needed for your lineset length, with virgin refrigerant


Yes, this is the proper procedure... Do this. 

Cheers!


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