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Recycle Guard

wptski on Thu June 26, 2014 2:48 PM User is offline

Anyone using the Recycle Guard from Airsept or Robinair version? Recovering any oil, etc?

The refrigerant first goes through the so-called "lollipop" filter which wouldn't seem to have much area inside to catch contaminants and plug up. Is this happening even when used on known clean systems?

webbch on Sun June 29, 2014 12:26 AM User is offlineView users profile

The recycle guard appears to have the design of an oil separator, with the addition of the "lollipop" filter you speak of. However, this filter is on the connection leading to your recovery equipment, not the vehicle side:
see here

I have not plugged one up yet, but I've only use mine a couple times so far too. I didn't measure the amount of oil recovered, but it was more than a few drops that I was expecting.

Edited: Sun June 29, 2014 at 12:53 AM by webbch

wptski on Sun June 29, 2014 8:56 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: webbch
The recycle guard appears to have the design of an oil separator, with the addition of the "lollipop" filter you speak of. However, this filter is on the connection leading to your recovery equipment, not the vehicle side:

see here

I have not plugged one up yet, but I've only use mine a couple times so far too. I didn't measure the amount of oil recovered, but it was more than a few drops that I was expecting.
I've been in contact with Airsept. I also have seen those cutaway pictures which makes it look similar to a type of standard vacuum where dirt, etc. falls into the container. I mentioned this to them in one of my emails. The following is what they replied which isn't what the picture looks like.

The center is the fitting from the vehicle and it runs straight through the primary “lollipop” filter into the canister then back up through the secondary paper filter/wire mesh support screen out to your recovery machine. The fitting close to the edge of the valve body has a check valve in it to prevent anything from going back into the canister during recharge while the unit is in bypass.

I use a micron gauge and ran into some very strange results while testing the container's vacuum ability. I thought that my gauge was defective at first. I could pressurize it to 200psi of nitrogen, submerge it in a bucket of water with no bubbles showing but it wouldn't hold a deep vacuum. I believe it was the check valve in the outlet port causing the problem.

Did you get some sort-of wrench with yours? I got one with mine but I think that it don't belong with the unit.


Edited: Sun June 29, 2014 at 5:14 PM by wptski

webbch on Mon June 30, 2014 1:42 AM User is offlineView users profile

It's been awhile since I last used my setup - I was incorrect to use a quick glance at the diagram regarding the lollipop filter. Re-reading the instructions, they do call out the hose from the vehicle gets connected to the port through the lollipop filter.

As for using a micron gauge, I prefer to valve off any unnecessary hoses when trying to HOLD a vacuum. I put the micron gauge close to the low side port and isolate the low and high side ports from the manifold gauge set's hoses. This removes most of the service equipment as a potential source of low-level leakage.

After verifying the vacuum holds for 30-60 minutes, I start up my pump again and let it run to ensure all service hoses all fully evacuated before re-opening them to the a/c system and charging with refrigerant. It's a little hard to see in the picture, but the portion of the tee containing the micron gauge also contains a shutoff valve to allow me to isolate the micron gauge from system pressure. Supposedly it's not necessary with the CPS gauge, but I prefer to avoid hitting the micron gauge with positive pressure.

If the valve on the recycle guard is preventing you from pumping down to the desired level (as opposed to HOLDING the vacuum level), that's a much bigger problem because it forces you to provide a means of re-routing the flow (via additional valves or undesirable connects/disconnects).



Edited: Mon June 30, 2014 at 1:54 AM by webbch

wptski on Mon June 30, 2014 7:55 AM User is offline

I put the micron gauge on the outlet fitting of the container and a ball valve on the inlet where I connect the vacuum pump. It gets down below 500 microns but when isolated rises right to its upper limit. Because of the check valve the area it would be reading is so small that it causes the fast rise. I have a Yellow Jacket analog vacuum gauge and when I swap it with the micron gauge, you don't see it move even after several hours.

I used the micron gauge on the low side and the analog on the high side with a ball valve. I vacuum it down, using the analog gauge to monitor, I "just" break the vacuum with nitrogen and repeat as needed. Each repeat cycle generates a faster and lower micron reading. I use nitrogen for pressure/leak testing. Vacuum isn't greatest way to leak test but it the way that most MVAC work is performed. Using the current R134A compound gauge the low side vacuum scale is so small, only a bad leak can be seen. I'm a cross between MVAC and HVAC DIY'er.

webbch on Mon June 30, 2014 10:03 AM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: wptski
I put the micron gauge on the outlet fitting of the container and a ball valve on the inlet where I connect the vacuum pump. It gets down below 500 microns but when isolated rises right to its upper limit. Because of the check valve the area it would be reading is so small that it causes the fast rise. I have a Yellow Jacket analog vacuum gauge and when I swap it with the micron gauge, you don't see it move even after several hours.

Are you pulling a vacuum only on the recycle guard then? If so, do you think the volume is sufficient to yield a valid test of the check valve? When I do such checks, I try to use a spare recovery tank to create excess volume so slight temperature changes don't impact the result. IMO, a micron gauge is a double edge sword. It can show you a leak for sure, but you can also waste a bunch of time chasing your tail, especially if pulling a vacuum on a small volume (i.e hose checking and such)

wptski on Mon June 30, 2014 10:17 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: webbch
Quote

Are you pulling a vacuum only on the recycle guard then? If so, do you think the volume is sufficient to yield a valid test of the check valve? When I do such checks, I try to use a spare recovery tank to create excess volume so slight temperature changes don't impact the result. IMO, a micron gauge is a double edge sword. It can show you a leak for sure, but you can also waste a bunch of time chasing your tail, especially if pulling a vacuum on a small volume (i.e hose checking and such)
It would be if the check valve wasn't there but it creates a tiny area.

Yes, micron gauge can be a PITA. I use two Appion VCRTs and I've seen twice where even a partially opened valve core in the VCRT's side port has affected the micron reading. All it took was a half-turn on the adjustable valve core depressor to fix the problem.

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