Air Conditioner Repairs In Ft Myers

239-267-2117

The liquid line drier is the first line of defense against damage to your air conditioner’s compressor!

An air conditioner’s liquid line drier is the first line of defense against moisture (water) getting into your air conditioners compressor and doing irreparable damage. Today most liquid line driers are what is known as solid-core zeolite desiccant filter-driers. In the past liquid line driers used compounds such as activated alumina, silica gel, calcium chloride, and calcium oxide as a dessicant, but these older versions of the driers had to be installed in a very specific way or they were subject to crumbling on the inside, allowing the dessicant to escape the line drier and add to the chemical cocktail technicians attempt to avoid in the first place.

Rusted Liquid Line Drier

An air conditioner is a  system of integrated parts, chemicals, materials, and components that work and interact with each other to manufacture a specified result. These interactions have enormous potential, when combined with the incessant changes between warm and cold environments, to change or modify the chemical nature of the elements as they move throughout the air conditioner.The HVAC system itself, is comprised of a …

 compressor

condenser,

metering device

evaporator

copper lines,

oil

refrigerant

as well as other electrical & mechanical components

Each of the components within the system contain of a number of metals such as the iron casting of the compressor, copper lines, steel condenser, aluminum evaporator, brass valves and fittings, and perhaps still other metals in smaller quantities.  Additionally, there are chemicals within these component parts capable of interacting independently to create new chemical compounds capable of damaging, and diminishing the equipment’s ability to perform it’s duties, and seriously impacting it’s life expectancy. Some of the elements found within a typical HVAC system would include … 

Hydrogen

Nitrogen

Oxygen

Moisture (water or other liquid)

Flux

Powder from the insulation

Shavings from component parts

. The moisture and oxygen are very active components that act as catalysts themselves, and interact independently with various metals within the structure of the equipment.These chemicals when mixed have the capacity to turn acidic, which can eat the varnish coatings of the electrical winding’s deep inside the compressor. The mechanics of a compressor are such that, while the compressor is an enclosed unit, the compounds being compressed to perform the cooling action actually run over the outside of the electrical and mechanical parts inside the compressor. Should those compounds turn acidic or caustic, the compressor will eventually fail and may even create a fire on the inside. The combination of chemicals, heat, and flame in an interior compressor fire has been known to create poisonous phosgene gas, otherwise known as mustard gas, which was used extensively in World War I and accounted for a high percentage of the deaths in that war.

Air conditioner repair best practices dictate that the liquid line dryer should be replaced any time one replaces the compressor, or any time the integrity of the coolant line is breached!

Brand new liquid line drier, ensuring safe, efficient compressor performance, and minimizing the risk of fire.

The best way to be certain your liquid line drier is operating effectively is to have your air conditioning equipment inspected yearly. Simple things like a spot of rust, or a small dent, or a bend in the line itself can compromise the integrity of a liquid line drier. Other times the desiccant on the inside can become clogged, restricting flow, and creating insufficient levels of coolant in the compressor. An experienced contractor will notice this by feeling the line dryer with his hands, if one side is warm … and the other side is noticeably cooler, that is a pretty good indication of a blocked passage within the line dryer itself.  When replacing a liquid line dryer one should never use heat to “un-solder”, or “un-braze” the dryer. And any time the compressor is changed, or the integrity of the coolant line is compromised, best practices would include replacing the dryer.

The best way to be certain your liquid line dryer is up to par is to have your air conditioner inspected annually by a licensed air conditioning contractor!

 WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT!!!

Ft Myers most trusted A/C Contractor

Community Cooling is offering a 16 point cooling system check which includes:

Clean your condenser coils.
Check operating pressures
Check electrical connections
Check sub-cooling
Check fan blade
Lubricate moving parts
Clean air filters
check thermostat
Check blower operation
Check controls
Check super heat
Check temperature drop across evaporator
Clean indoor coil if visible
Check complete unit operation
Treat condensate line and pan

We give your equipment a thorough going over and make all necessary recommendations!

Call Today!

239-267-2117