Any hope to refurb this compressed air dryer?

[strantor]

I got a free Quincy QRHT-25 compressed air dryer, not working. I opened it up and found that the pressure switch going to the refrigerant compressor on one of the refrigerant lines had come apart and dumped all the refrigerant out. A new pressure switch costs $300 and I don't want to invest that much into something that I can't reasonably expect will work afterwards. So, can I reasonably expect that installing a new pressure switch, pulling a vacuum and recharging it with R134-A, will result in a working dryer? Or is it more likely that the loss of refrigerant ruined the refrigerant compressor? The compressor does come on when I plug it in; I just don't know if it would compress refrigerant if there were any refrigerant to compress.

 

[Topzide]

My first guess on it would be to plug where the switch was and pull vacuum. Can't substitute another pressure switch?

 

[grsthegreat]

Holy cow....$300 for a switch. I only pain $300 for my harbor freight air dryer 10 years ago and it痴 still works great. I never see any water in my post dryer secondary paper filter trap.

 

[3Ts]

I've got less than that in copper pipe that just runs back and forth for about 20' of pipe which acts as a radiator. I don't have water at the output of the radiator and it is all passive.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Did you price the switch from Quincy, a refrigeration supply, or internet like Amazon? Quincy will mark up again anything you get from them. Is is a high or low pressure switch? What was the original refrigerant? If R-12 or 22 changing to 134 may not be that simple as most refrigerant metering devices are refrigerant specific. Add the cost of a dryer also.

Decision time is what would the value of the dryer be if you fixed it versus to cost to do so. It takes more than a vacuum pump to do the repair. Probably takes more refrigerant than a DIYer can buy over the counter. The cans at the auto store are very costly when you need many of them.

LOL, Ron

 

[strantor]

My first guess on it would be to plug where the switch was and pull vacuum. Can't substitute another pressure switch?

I'm sure I could find an alternative but my pattern recognition/intuition is telling me that this is probably one of those rabbit holes where it sounds simple but ends up taking 24 man hours find a replacement which isn't even that much cheaper.

 

[strantor]

Holy cow....$300 for a switch. I only pain $300 for my harbor freight air dryer 10 years ago and itç—´ still works great. I never see any water in my post dryer secondary paper filter trap.

That's a great find! I didn't even know HF sold a dryer.

 

[strantor]

Did you price the switch from Quincy, a refrigeration supply, or internet like Amazon? Quincy will mark up again anything you get from them. Is is a high or low pressure switch? What was the original refrigerant? If R-12 or 22 changing to 134 may not be that simple as most refrigerant metering devices are refrigerant specific. Add the cost of a dryer also.

Decision time is what would the value of the dryer be if you fixed it versus to cost to do so. It takes more than a vacuum pump to do the repair. Probably takes more refrigerant than a DIYer can buy over the counter. The cans at the auto store are very costly when you need many of them.

LOL, Ron

The part number is PS3-A3S. According to the datasheet I believe it is a low pressure switch but the data on the actual label makes me question that. Also since the compressor immediately turns on when I plug it in (with the switch completely removed from the circuit) it seems to me it would be a high pressure switch.

 

[strantor]

Did you price the switch from Quincy, a refrigeration supply, or internet like Amazon? Quincy will mark up again anything you get from them. Is is a high or low pressure switch? What was the original refrigerant? If R-12 or 22 changing to 134 may not be that simple as most refrigerant metering devices are refrigerant specific. Add the cost of a dryer also.

Decision time is what would the value of the dryer be if you fixed it versus to cost to do so. It takes more than a vacuum pump to do the repair. Probably takes more refrigerant than a DIYer can buy over the counter. The cans at the auto store are very costly when you need many of them.

LOL, Ron

Just realized I didn't answer all your questions. It is R134A from the factory. I wouldn't be changing anything. I don't know about oil though. Should oil be added you think? When a refrigerator system suddenly loses pressure is all the oil blown out?

I doubt this thing takes much refrigerant at all. It's a tiny system, much smaller than an automotive A/C and even smaller than a window unit. I believe it is 400W total for the whole thing.

 

[5030]

That's a great find! I didn't even know HF sold a dryer.

Sure do, I have one as well. Had to install a new start cap a year ago but it's a gem. Not as pretty as say a Quincy or IR but does the same thing. Mine was $318.00 with sales tax. Keep forgetting to list it on HF tools that don't suck because it just sits next to the compressor and does it's thing. Compressor is a Quincy, 7.5 horse QP btw.

Not sure if HF has them in the store, I got mine online.