Most blokes crack the liquid line, with either a Schrader depressor or the suction line slightly loose, allow the refrigerant to purge out, till you get a splatter of liquid, that will indicate the air has been purged. Tighten the flare nut or remove the Schrader depressor, crack the suction line valve. Not the correct way, but lots of guys do it this way for speed of installation. They work just fine on short pipe runs.
I screwed up and my pump didn't press down the Schrader. Didn't realize I didn't really have a vacuum. 8 foot line charged. Realized after I ran it for 30 min and went to check the pressure. Will it still work (long term)?
@@jimmadsen3380 Uh oh! That depends if you severely damaged the valve, and if it leaks or not! I would order a new shrader valve, and recover the system! But that's me! Moisture is not your friend when it comes to ac units! R22- R21 or 410A! Now, if it was your car, I'd say don't run the ac at all, get a new valve and dryer. Mini splits do not have a dryer, and they don't recommend them. Your main concern would be a leak, and the amount of humidity in the air at the time of your install. Thoroughly test for leaks, and if you have any concern over the moisture in your line I suggest a new valve, recover the 410A in the unit. Vaccumn it down well below at a minimum of 200 microns or less. Be sure to make sure there are nooo leaks! The biggest problem I come across ate do it yourselvers ( new word ) that use a vaccumn thinking they have a valve suppressor! They vaccumn, and the only thing they are vacuuming is the hose and not the line set. Then once they release the oil into the system to equally pressurize, the damage is done. It only takes a couple seconds. Then I have to get a recovery unit and tank, charge them a fortune to dispose of the oil under environmental procedures is expensive. Flush the system, spend a good 4 hours vacuuming it back down before I can recharge the unit! I really can't tell you how much life would be in your unit, yet the more humidity that was in the air, the more chances you will have it will fail quicker. These videos on u-tube should be banned, but it is utube, and people think they need to show their shade tree abilities off! Sadly, pioneer makes a disposable can ( Kwik-E-Vac that will
@@jimmadsen3380 that will flush the air from the line. It contains Difluoroethane. You leave the small size line disconnected at the unit. You then screw it on the valve and screw the cap open on the can and you will hear air coming out the open connection. Put your finger over it a couple times to add back pressure and release causing a burst of air to come out both times. Then quickly turn the valve down on the can but not off and start putting your line set connection together. Air will leak faster when this is done and as you get it tight and sealed, then start checking for leaks. If no leaks are found you just need to vaccumn. The best advice I can give. The second, is make sure you have the proper adapter for the shrader valve. That is the second biggest mistake having the wrong adapter. After that it's vaccumn away keeping an eye on your timer depending how big your vaccumn pump is. When you micron Guage gets to the point you can live with, like 100 or below, then shut the valves. Now, another mistake! The valves can catch and hold air. So as you vaccumn, you need to shut and open the valves so air trapped in the valves gets vacuumed as well. I'm sorry I can't make it better by saying you should be fine. But don't feel too bad I've seen dumber! Like those that think they depressed the valve with just the vaccumn pump, and all they did was vaccumn the hose on the pump! Then again, I've seen some really strange things in home installs. Like condensation lines into a dehumidifier or coffee container! The worst thing I saw was a guy ran the line set through the dryer vent! But, just when think you have seen it all, there's always another surprise!
I admire the ambition, but moisture is something that takes minutes to boil off in a deep vacuum, and purging could be illegal and loose your license. I can see people wanting to do this on a budget but I wouldn’t violate EPA rules for venting refrigerant, and especially, would never contaminate a system. I understand you can get cheaper folks wanting to try your luck out. I guess you are are on your own in these cases you don’t follow the protocol. It’s not quite like many intuitive things in life. Sorry to me a bum here, just sharing objective opinions any hvac certified technician should have answered in their 609 certification.
Im from India. I was looking to install my ductless mini split unit myself. I started looking around for youtube diy videos and came across this video as well. Here are some simple steps for first timers. 1. First of all things one should know the small sized pipe and valve is discharge line and bigger sized one is suction line. Suction line has a schradder valve like we have in our tyres. 2. Once all the hoses are connected properly. Use an Allen key and slightly crack open the discharge line and you will hear the gas sound. Immediately close the valve. 1-2 seconds is the maximum time the valve must be opened. And it should be opened only a little. 3. Now the hoses are pressurised. 4. Now take some soapy water to make bubbles and apply on the joints to see if there are any leaks. you will be checking at 4 points. 2 points at the Indoor unit and 2 points at the outdoor unit valves. Let the unit sit idle for 2-3 hours. If you are not in a rush let it wait for 4-6 hours and check for leaks again. If there are any leaks you will get bubbles in the soapy water. 5. Once you are sure there are no leaks, now use a philips screwdriver or any tool to depress the schradder valve for a second. Now if the air gushes out fast then you can be sure there are no leaks in your system. 6. Now you should crack open the discharge line with the allen key ** only a litte** and simultaneously depress the schradder valve. Do this for 1-2 seconds. close both the schradder valve and the discharge line valve simultaneously. This is to purge any atmospheric air present inside the hoses. 7. Now you have successfully purged the system with refrigerant and removed any air in the system. 8. Finally you can open the discharge line valve fully upto the max. followed by the suction line valve. 9. Now again check for any leaks with soapy water. If there are no leaks then turn on the air conditioner. 10. Once the compressor starts running, again check for any leaks at the valves. If there is a leak you can find oil residue at the place. It is compressor oil. If there are no leaks then you have successfully installed your air conditioner !! Tips: 1. Outdoor units are usually charged with extra gas. So this wont adversely affect the performance in any way. 2. Mini splits with hose pipes of around 2-3 meters dont really need vaccum if you do the purging procedure correctly. 3. Dont be hasty. Take your time and do it slowly and properly. 4. Dont use teflon tapes for tightening the valves. Also dont over tighten as it will cause leak of gas. 5. Most of diy ers will be bending the hoses by hand so take your time and watch many videos and bend the pipes slowly. use both your palms. 6. Dont kink the hoses. After install properly tape them with PVC tape. This will help with insulation and increase efficiency. If you dont use pvc tape the air will interact with the copper pipes and cause sweating , some of the cooling will be lost to the surroundings before entering the Indoor unit.
I did install my 3 r22 air conditions 20 years ago without vacuum pump and O followed the manufacturers instructions. They were saying to display air by using the freon inside the unit. By the way I have 15 metes piping from the outside to the inside unit. They work fine so far. They were saying that there is enough freon on the unit and if you use to expel the air it will be ok. So my experience says that you can install it without vacuuming
I've installed two units without doing a vacuum. Both are working fine. The key is to leave the low pressure side (wide pipe) slightly loose, then open the high pressure side (thin pipe) valve. The refrigerant will flow through the condenser, high pressure pipe, indoor unit (evaporator), and finally through the low pressure pipe. When you feel the refrigerant flowing out through the loose flare nut you then tighten it. Theoretically, there will be no air left in the system, the refrigerant will have pushed it all out. However there are major drawbacks to this method. First, it is not easy to feel the refrigerant, therefore the system may end up being a bit undercharged or alternatively there may be some air left. Secondly, you can't test for leaks like in the case of vacuum. Thirdly, the mentioned method won't remove the water particles (moisture) that are present on the inside surface of the piping, it'll only remove the air. If I were to install those units again, I would definitely use a vacuum pump.
@@asmrtalkinganimalshypnotiz3239 and you'll be lucky to find one to do it I usually only pay $100 but it's hard to find people they want like $2,000 to install a mini split that's ridiculous it takes 2 hours and it's very easy AC companies are a rip-off
Can you share a video just for case if I mismatched something? Or you can explain more in details. I do not understand. Why we should leave the low slightly loose. You mean we should lose low and then height and after that with some pin to press int low service how just small portion of freon to get out. If you do not use pin to press into the low-service. Then even with lose the both valve nothing will happening. Apart of that. Othe important comment related to your concerns. You cannot remove water with vacuum. You need nitrogen for that purpose or at least to hot your tubes before start entire procedure.
Seven units installed more than 10 years ago. All were installed by just purging the air from the lineset by depressing the schrader valve without pulling a vacuum. In my area, none of the AC installers do a vacuum. They don't even carry a pump. But all units are running fine without any issues. After I found out that you are supposed to vacuum the lines, I bought my own vacuum pump and nitrogen tank. I installed two more ACs myself the proper way after vacuuming the lineset. It gives me peace of mind, knowing I did it the right way.
Hay guys FYI the whole reason for Pulling A VACUUM “ is to check for leaks… But Pioneer sells the can of quick E Vac… that purge the line and gives you the chance to detect any leaks BEFORE releasing your refrigerant. Does anyone seal your flair fitting? This is all DIY you get one shot at it…
I did it and its been 10 years and its working. The trick is to let one side open a liþle and open the valve from the other side until you can feel thegas comming out then you tighten it.
In the installation manual that came with my split unit aircon .... it gave two options ... one set of steps without using a vacuum pump and the other with a set of steps using a vacuum pump .....
I have 13 years ago installed a Maico prefilled airco without a vacuümpomp. It has perfectly worked cooling as haeting for12 years. Last year is a part of my house Burned down. And also my airco was gone. I have now bought a Mitsubishi heavy industries and also an vacuümpomp. I don't take the risque again, then my New airco is nearly 4 times the price of the old one. 😅
What I dont understand is why people who got a professional to install the ac end up needing top ups after a year or two! And mine doesnt after 12 years. Maybe techs leave a very small leak on purpose so you need to topup every year or two??
Installed an LG dual inverter without pulling vacuum, unit lasted 4 years. I’m in Mexico and the installation cost was about 200usd which is VERY expensive for labor in Mexico (hvac was 350 at the time). I just bought a Samsung mini split to replace it, it comes with free installation as a bonus.
@@TheCrazyRomanian I’m interested in what their method is in a purely educational way. All the comments are about people that did it. How? Did the crack the liquid side and let it fill until a little came out? How’s that work? I want to see it.
@@TheCrazyRomanian I like your style. I can't even find one that shows how to wire the inside unit. They go through a big song and dance about how to hang the wall mount level, and the next thing you know they are showing you how to put the hoses and wire through while hanging and all of the work to get the hoses and wires to that point are left out. I do a lot of DIY, I know how to hang something on the wall and drill a hole. I don't have a vacuum pump and I'm not going to buy one because THAT I don't know how to use. I have messed up enough DIY projects in my life to know when it's time to get humble and hire a professional - someone on the side, not through a company - at a fair price. If I go through a company I might as well let some guys hold me down and aggressively penetrate me while they beat on my liver.
40 yrs in business. License in HVAC and Altra low temp systems (refergeration/ Nox-ax) can purge though the lines. Not really legal, but you can do it. Not supposed to release Freon into the atmosphere, but if your not a HVAC company your not obligated to that. The best way to do it to be really sure of no moisture is to add a
AC systems are very simple machines with few parts, made the same way were made in the 50’s, some of you all talk as if it is rocket science, I am about to connect mine without vacuuming, most of people saying no need to vacuum and units working for years without vacuuming, that little extra air or moisture will dissipate or mixes with the gas and becomes part of the system.
Although if you want to do it the bodgy way. In oz during summer it's very dry. No water in air and I used clean new capped pipe. So no moisture or foreign object was ever going to cause a problem. Use reasoning. Bodgy may not be suitable for your situation. If you are in high humidity like Thailand, vacuum is important. My opinion and I'm an idiot, so you know.
Try vaccum it using car break booster hose that already came with one way valve in it(inside the hose),max suck avrage 21 to 26 psi dpend on car perfomnce, but it work just fine and worth to try..i always using this when i want to do a vaccum system and flushing job..it just mybe take a litle time to wait it till finish the vccum ,.just try
There is a dryer Freon filter in the system that will help deal with some of the air and moisture in the line set but will still never work as efficient as it can be, in less you draw a vacuum before opening the outdoor condensing unit Service valve to the indoor evaporator unit. It’s a good reason why you should always use a vacuum pump. If you want your system to work as efficiently as possible
well i have 3 AC at home and recent AC got installed with Vacuum Pump done on 11 Apr 21 which was by following the proper procedure. Other 2 AC (one is 3 months old and another is approx 3 years old) were installed by flushing out the air by releasing the gas and keeping other end open. All 3 are inverter AC, and the AC is still running well (touchwood) though i was just frustrated with the technicians being unprofessional and not using vacuum, could not make them understand on how important it is to vacuum. I am from India. The procedure is done with the one allen key closed so as to prevent the gas from being released back into the outdoor unit, and the other allen key (big pipe) is opened and slightly the nut of the Small pipe is kept loose so it pushes out the air / moisture from within pipes through the indoor coils and into the small pipe and reaches the outdoor from where the nut being loose, it escapes outside, and immediately after a little gas leaks the nut is tightened. This is called AC flushing in india
Thanks for info... I've followed your channel for sometime now and enjoy the information you provided. It seems we do a lot of the same kind of project and into the same type of DIY installs and so when I go looking for information your videos seem to pop up... I just ordered a split mini ac and wanted some tips and your tip was what I was looking for! Thanks Roman
Here in cuba we do not have the availability of vaccum pumps , so I have installed like 20 mini split's and it's been 3 years use without trouble , all that is because of the non vaccum pump avalability but I wich I could have one , that's my expirience
I have a Friedrich 9k Single Zone at 8 yrs age without vacuum pump. One other mentioned, but the trick (without vaccum) is to purge some of the pre-charged freon through the line to flush out air and tighten your last fitting. **This is only for single zone setups and linesets shorter than pre-charged capacity in the unit (many are 25ft pre-charge). It's a good idea to use vacuum when possible as well as checking pressure in your system once running (over or under charge). In your case specifically @Vegas.....Check your Mfg's "minimum lineset length" you mentioned having real short lines and most units need 10' minimum line to work properly. You may fry compressor from short lines sooner than a small bit of potential moisture.
Does that AC have a quiet mode fan setting for sleeping at night? I had one where the lowest fan setting was real quiet but then another one where the Louis fan setting was too loud and I also have one now that says sleep mode and it's a super low setting but I can't buy another one because it's not available for the public and the other one I had with the low fan setting they don't make anymore
@@magiccheeseball it does not have a specific "sleep" mode. If you set the fan speed to "low" then it will stay on that level and is quiet. If you leave it on "Auto" then it will adjust fan from low to high depending on temp difference from set point.
@@JohnSmith-jv9od ok thanks! I ment silent mode some have an extra botton for that it's a super low fan setting some the low fan speed gose low enough to not need it but the last 2 mini splits i bought the lowest fan speep was not very low so i can't use them in a bedroom so I'm trying to find one with the quiet mode button because without it its a gamble if the fan speed will go very low some were very loud on low
@@magiccheeseball ah silent mode, gotcha! No button on this unit like that. Of the few brands i have experience with; LG has been the most quiet. Most places have the spec sheets available online. Take a look at how many fan speeds the wall unit has and also note DB (decibels). That should help you sort and decide what may work best before you buy.
I always draw a vacuum before commissioning the unit in that way i can see if theres any leaks on the flare nuts ect that i can fix before really starting up the unit
Daikin instalation manual: Piping Works And Flaring Technique Do not use contaminated or damaged copper tubing. If any piping, evaporator or condenser had been exposed or had been opened for 15 seconds or more, the system must be vacuumed. Generally do not remove plastic, rubber plugs and brass nuts from the valves, fittings, tubing and coils until it is ready to connect suction or liquid line into valves or fittings. So, be quick, then no vacuumation needed:)
Ac units were installed for years without a vacuum pump, if lineset was kept clean from the factory, they are filled with nitrogen. The fact is it is impossible to keep air out of lines. Water vapor burns off in compressor of unit line dryer cleans out the rest. No worries, is it better? Yes is it necessary no.
In Australia, new a/c gas is R32, compatible with propane, about same boiling point. 22 years ago I installed a Mitsubishi split system. Today I took the unit to the rubbish dump even though it still worked, but the remote board didn't work and it had to be started by pushing the button. It originally had R22 as a gas, but having shifted the unit a few times, as well as having installed many a/c units using R22, my 5 kg bottled was dry, thus for the last few years I have run it on cooking gas which in Aus is pure propane. The new Fujitsu unit I am installing tomorrow will be purged with propane. I do have a vacuum pump but see it needles to use it. The outdoor unit is pre charged with R32. I put second hand car sales persons, real estate agents, and a/c installer in the same box.
Ouch! Two of my friends are HVAC guys. I'd always considered the both of them to be pretty decent people. They may not be perfect, but they're certainly better than a used car salesman or a real estate agent, by a wide margin. Someone has hurt you, haven't they?
I ve seen people done it without a vacuum and I work in hvac I have seen units last up to 3years and I’ve seen some only last about 1.5 years and I would suggest that if you have the access to a pump you should use it.
Do you mean that ac unit last for three years, I just swear a Samsung inverter unit that last six years and leak as my other two ac both Samsung still running , the non inverter is 9 years old and the inverter is 8 years old, I just installed a Panasonic split inverter to replace the one that leak, here in Malaysia I didn't yet come across an installer that vacuum the system before installation,most technician will recommend the capacity of the unit suitable for the room usually one to three HP, yes here we calculate in Horse power just like cars engine 😂
Yes its no issue at all to install without a vacuum pump but only possible if it is a short line set like a back to back installation. You seal up the entire system and open the liquid line for a second to flood in some liquid. Leak test with soap. If all sealed leak free loosen the suction line and let out the trapped gas to atmosphere. Purge another 3 seconds from liquid line and tighten the suction line. Seen technicians do this but it is bad for the environment as you release refrigerant each and every unit that is installed. Also you cant properly check for leaks. Yes will work but poor practice. This was how it was done 20 years ago especially in asia
It was always my understanding that you do not have to vac out if the new unit come pre-charged from the factory. A buddy of mine installed on w/o a vacuum pump about 2 years ago and never had an issue. Taking into consideration both the indoor and outdoor units had a charge from the factory.
The compressor outdoor does, but they inside unit doesn't.. So yeah the sticker clearly indicated you have to pull a vacuum. But this the info I wanted to have, working after 2 years...
Some Mr Cool brand units have pre-charged line sets (with special ends) and apparently pre-charged indoor units (and outdoor also) so you don't have to pull a vacuum.
Vacuum pump also checks for leaks. Are people also skipping thread sealant? Vacuum Pump discovered leak in small line kink for me. Plus if you're flaring your own ends, that's another leak potential.
But you don't need to pull a vacuum to get the air out you can perge the line it pushes the air out when you see the freon come out you shut the valve it's not the properr way to do it but it works i have done it both ways and no problems so far
Pulling a vacuum is more than purging air out, it also removes moisture which can cause acid inside the system and cause corrosion inside the system and cause it to erode pipes, cause compressor failures (Bearings going out, windings burn out etc). A good vacuum is a must and any reputable HVAC will always pull a deep vacuum. If they don't then find another company.
The problem is that the majority of the customers never sit there with the installing tech or even ask this question so should be told if the installation is done without pulling a vacuum the warranties for maybe for the installation one or two years and then it will last a long even if the vacuum was not pulled plus it says a lot of time so the majority of the companies don't pull a vacuum
Imo HVAC Techs only cause more issues. Mini splits come fully and "perfectly charged and pressurized" to "optimum factory specs". Think of your window air conditioner.... no need to pull vacuum and they last 10 years. The one difference is the "the line sets" for mini splits. So just pressurize those by opening the pressure valve on one side and cracking the nut on the other Once you hear the air pressure, tighten the nut. This imo, gives you the most optimum initial set up. Imo Hvac techs with their wonky gauges only cause more issues but letting in air and messing with the micron pressures in a "perfectly factory sealed and pressurized system". And then they charge you for messing up the microns and inducing air into your beautiful factory sealed system. Most of their pumps are outdated, not working properly, gauges off, don't run it long enough, bad seals, and will only cause you more issues Good Luck, no way! Just think about it before you decide. **** This is just my opinion after really thinking about the Evac process to a perfectly factory sealed system, Do what you want
Your right these new ac installers and techs love using there micron gauges and looking cool with there digital gauges pulling a vacuum, meanwhile there drain is running up hill three different places and the house floods two days later but thank god they pulled a vacuum for two hours 😂
I installed my mini split 5 years ago without a vacuum. It is running at a 15-17° delta t. This is not really efficient as it should be 20°-25° delta t. I have an A/C technician coming next week to vacuum and recharge the unit. I will update.
$700 bill? How much did they charge you? How much did you pay for the orig. mini split? Sometimes it's better to just buy a brand mini split on ebay for $1000 IMO
I have never seen any split AC installed after vaccuming the line (brand new or reinstallation) despite bashing the technicians to ensure vaccuming to eliminate any air, moisture or debris accumulating in the system. Only thing they do while uninstalling is to run the compressor and recharge the outdoor unit by closing one valve and vaccum inside unit and both hoses to avoid loosing any Refrigerant
I've done a mini split AC just recently, labeled as easy/self install, including section in manual showing how to do it by hand and it doesn't work. Both units are running but there's no cold or hot air blowing, just a room temperature wind. I'm a builder with 15 years of experience and that DIY/self install without the vacuum is a bullshit
If you get a DIY unit you do not have to vacuum it down there's a bunch of videos of DIY units and you do not have to vacuum you disconnect the lines open up and get it but I think that's because it's got a different refrigerant in it
I have a 3 car garage man cave of 660sq ft with 8 ceiling ft high. Its fully insulated even the garage doors too. I live in Clovis California in zone 9b I think. I been looking at the DuctlessAire 12000-BTU 230-Volt 22 SEER 600-sq Smart Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner and Heater with 25-ft Installation Kit for $1052 My garage is fully insulated even the garage doors. WIll this work even though it says only for 600sq ft? Or should I get the 18000-BTU 230-Volt 21 SEER 900-sq Smart Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner and Heater with 25-ft Installation Kit? This one is for 900sq ft but I was reading that if I get an overzsize minisplit it won't work that good?? This one is $1500. Thank u
Shalom!Technician should do this type of installation you are missing facts on instalacion like Power to the unit even the location is wrong on your unit! ECT please to the views ovoid future problems!
first guy worked for was a plumber that installed AC and that was his preferred vacuum method, that was about 18 years ago. these days I am a very reputable and successful HVAC technician and I would never do it ever ever ever! Back in the day we called it Flow&Go ! this shit will last a little while if you do it right but it's about the most unprofessional thing you can do!
On my 3 mini's (2 diff brands). The electricity goes to the outdoor unit. From the outdoor unit there is a single cable (multiple wires inside it) that goes to the indoor unit (along with the copper lines and codensation line). This single cable powers the indoor unit and transmits signals between the indoor unit and outdoor unit.
To me What I relize n understand Is that poor countrys dont have the equiptment or the techs dont have the money to buy a vacume pump...they seem to make their own equiptment and make a halfass instalation...I install n maintenance small units such as 1 ton or 2 ton minisplits I always make sure I use a propper vacume pump"not a home made one"" to pull a vacume...I always learn more n more from North American HVAC certified techs...so invest on propper tools to do a propper procedure when installing or maintancing yr units.
In America they want you to have nothing but the best, but when the end of the world comes , madmax times the poor countries got it right ...you don't need much to get the same results
haha.... open the valve on one side, crack the nut on the other side until you here a hiss, quickly tighten nut. Done. 1 minute. Your lines are now charged. Easy as pie. In fact, I think those wonky , leaking pumps and gauges hvac use only create more issues with adding condensation liquid and air to your lines from the air in their hoses. IMO
Been installing split A/c without vacuum since don't know how many years all I we do is before running the A/c open the gas from suction line and exhaust the air in the copper tubes through discharge line with the help of manifold gauses.
I open the thin line to fill the lines with gas, shut the thin line. then purge the gas from the lines and re-opened the thin line. Next I turned the system on, everything is working fine. Day one.
Vacuum pomp the air conditioner need only if the tubes are very long... l have 4 units 12000btu from 2003 ( onoff) and working today with 41 grade Celsius perfect 😅😅😅... if you have 1 to 3 meters pipes you need to discharge 20-50gr gas... 3to5 do nothing ..up to 5 you need to put in 20-30 gr gas and you need vacuum...
I did it once on a mini split.. it lasted 8 years... it was a cheep china one.. worked for 8 plus years until the AC guy started to do maintenace on it.. go figure...
Mini splits are now DIY! So I installed mine and got to the part in the installation guide that starts talking about the vacuum pump, I said oh no this is supposed to be diy meaning no professional trade tools required. Then I remembered I also ordered the kiwi e vac. “Line set flushing kit for split air conditioning systems. This can blows out the atmosphere air and begins to prepare line set and total unit for the release of refrigerant. Follow the instructions. Leaving the small tube open connect the can to the large tube and open and close the can several times then quickly attach the small pipe and pressurize the system with the can. Turn can off and close valve and check for leaks using soapy bubbles or leak detector. Easy people, just order the “CAN” and follow the directions. Pioneer also sent the flare fitting sealer, applied to all four flare fittings
Just what I wanted to hear, I'm going to install a Pioneer 9000 BTU with a 10-foot line set using the KWIK E VAC system. Never installed one before, so Thank You for this comment!
You would get away with it without a vacuum pump and just releasing the gas into the system. If you turned on the pump, it would suck all the air and the water into the refrigerant anyways so that wouldn't matter. it is true that the air and the water will corrode and shorten the life of the system.
I have installed an ac without vacumn pump 11 years ago.never needed top up for gas. Its a heat pump type ac. Split unit. You have an indoor unit and an outdoor unit that homes the compressor. Cooling system works like a dream after 11 years. 1 year ago the board inside the indoor unit failed so i have removed the board and rewired the system to work only on cooling because i only use it in summer. Never had any issues with cooling or compressor. So this is my experience. To prime it,the first time i installed it 11 years ago i followed an o nline guide i had found. I will try to find it and share it here.I remember it was vrery easy. But the procedure has to be done before you start the system. You have to open and close the gas lines and press to purge the air for about 7 seconds but i dont remember exactly the procedure so as soon as ill find it ill post it here.
Pioneer KWIK-E-VAC Line Set Flushing Kit Installation Simplifier for Mini Split Air Conditioning Systems Pioneer KWIK-E-VAC Line Set Flushing Kit Installation Simplifier for Mini Split Air Conditioning Systems
I'm the owner of an HVAC contracting business. We have been able to pull a vacuum down to at least 500 microns and we have never had a compressor failure to this day. Quite often we charge $5000 or more for installations but we are willing to pull a vacuum for $250 if the customer just needs us to pull a vacuum.
Let's clear some things up here! I'm a licensed HVAC technician. You shouldn't be DIY installing air-conditioners unless it's precharged linesets (which I personally don't think is a good idea either). And I can almost guarantee that in the installation manual it states to be installed by a licensed tradesperson. 1. You need to pull a vacuum that's the bottom line. No purging the lines with refrigerant bullshit. 2. "My SySTeM HaS BEen WorKiNG For YeARs AnD I DIDnT PuLl A VaCUum", you're quite lucky if that's the case in fact you'll find that without a vacuum your system may run for years but you introduce non condensables into the system which reduces your systems overall capacity to heat and cool and you'll find your compressor will start to run at a higher head pressure causing inefficiencies. 3. In the case you didn't pull a vacuum and the humidity was high in your area, you have introduced moisture to your system, moisture will react with your compressor oil causing a chemical reaction that makes it acidic and the acidic oil will begin to break down the compressor windings reducing the insulation integraty and eventually cause a compressor burnout. 4. If you're going to the effort to install an AC, do it right. There's a reason people study this trade for years and understand the correct procedures. To do it right you need to have a micron gauge and a vacuum pump. You need to pull a vacuum below 500microns anything lower is better then you can charge your refrigerant.
Why hvac techs always watch my videos? You guys are not sick and tired of doing this every day? I did home theater for best buy, I never watch TV videos, I hate TVs I never wanna see a TV again
@@TheCrazyRomanian I watch loads of HVAC videos. I'm very passionate about my trade. I just don't want the wrong information thrown around. Wouldn't it be better to ask a professional about the specifics of the installation?
@@joshdavis2064 It all comes down to money. I think that, like any other industry, the HVAC world is built around standards and codes that are meant to bring insane amounts of money to some producers and contractors. For instance, flare connections suck out loud (This is not news material!), and leak detections, flaring equipment or flaring jobs cost money. Wonder why they didn't invent a failproof connection standard for ACs in the 21st century - one that doesn't leak or need leakage detection, one that comes as such from factory? Because some money have to be made, it's simple! But some people don't have the money or don't trust HVAC technicians to do a good job. I live in Romania and I saw dozens of hurried careless installations carried out by licensed technicians, so of course people will look for alternatives! In America, you will get much cheaper by installing a mini-split by yourself, and buying proper equipment. In Romania, it's the other way around - proper equipment will cost more than a commissioned installation made by (ill-trained) licensed guys (who can or will screw up). Now, I will state clearly that I find this method of installation (by using refrigerant for purging air out of the system/without a vacuum pump) careless or risky at best, but, my case is that, instead of spending money on a high-quality vacuum pump and a vacuum meter or a manifold gauge/positive pressure meter, I have to spend a lot on flaring and proper torque values. Do you know how much a torque wrench costs in Romania? It's about double the price of a good quality vacuum pump, which is the same price a licensed installation will cost. (And that's the cheapest (analogue, not digital) torque wrench of them all!) Not to mention I can't find any pipe that's flared well and ready-to-go from the factory. (When you do find one, HVAC technicians will always state how bad the factory flare is, and that they have to redo those. Maybe they're intentionally made bad from the factory, or maybe the technician is trying to just pull some money out of your pocket, I don't know.) Why doesn't the HVAC industry create affordable and fault-proof piping or connection products, such as a connection that uses some sort of durable rubber-like seal, or a gasket made of a soft(er) metal that has better sealing properties than copper - a connection that doesn't need industry counter-products such as Flaretite or FlareSeal for its faulty nature? Why doesn't the HVAC industry create a nut that doesn't need a torque wrench? Is it because it's impossible (with all this technology and 21st century sophistication) or it's because some money have to be made? The latter one, of course! I'm not an engineer or a physicist by any means, but I have a physics 'processor' and knowledge that are decent enough to realize these things cannot be impossible. Or I may have just a proper amount of common sense. I'm not a fan of conspiracies, but I think it's pretty obvious and in-your-eyes the fact that industries like Big Pharma and HVAC are all on making money. I'm not saying everybody should get a vacuum pump that will be used only one time. That would be a huge waste of resources! But, at least... I think everybody should have the right to do an installation by themselves up until the point of vacuuming (without selling a kidney), and still keep the warranty. From there, it can be carried by a professional. Besides these thoughts, I agree with everything you said.
@@alexdanton4842 yeah i see where you're coming from. 1. The reason we use copper pipes is because it's soft and easy to work with when it's annealed. Flare connection are very good when done right and that comes with the correct tools and as you said it'll differ from country to country. Flare connection make a good seal because the copper is somewhat soft crushing it in the flare but when tight. 2. As for torque specs it's there because the refrigerants operate at high pressures sometimes up to 2800 kPa so they need that tight and good flare connection, the better alternative to flare is soldering the joint with an oxygen acetylene but there are other alternatives like crimp connectors or push fittings, but need to be compatible with the type of refrigerant. 3. The diy side of things, we need to have people understand that improper practice that causes leaks is very bad as refrigerant is an ozone depleting substance there a reasons especially in Australia where you need to have been trained to handle refrigerant and dispose it in a appropriate way for this reason. If people want to give it a crack that's fine they just need to know what they're dealing with and nothing is stopping them from just dumping refrigerant into the atmosphere. Companies pay for licensing and public liability and materials to ensure that it's done right! Don't get me wrong I know they are dodgy companies and its a shame you've seen it first hand but it's like saying I'll do major repairs in my car on jack stands and watch a TH-cam video tutorial whereas a mechanic has a car lift and is trained to do it over manufacturers specs. They're special equipment for the job and some can be very expensive but it depends on the budget. The saying goes.... If you pay peanuts you get monkeys. and most people that try this without a clue with what's going on end up paying twice. I don't think it's the HVAC industry trying to squeeze out a dollar I think it depends on the demand and the availability big the equipment and the type of systems
This video it's titled that way to rise awareness.. Also if you red the comments you will get an ideea of how successful people were in doing it without a vaccum
It's kind of being rude, waste one's time naming a clickbait title to a video where you finally use the vacuum. That's a wrong thing to do, you did it just for views and clicks, you're not gonna fool anybody it is otherwise. I'd write more, but only uncensorable words come to mind, so I'll just stop here.
Don’t do this without pulling a 500 micron vacuum on r410a. The issue is acid and burnout. This is not really a diy topic, or empirically determined topic. Please be very safe to get an experienced guy to help you out. There is a lot to go wrong. Of course I don’t have any accountability in what you decide to do. Good luck
So if you look in my comments, there are people that installeld these ac's without pulling a vaccum and they work 7 years later.. Just saying the book tells one think but the reality, doesn't really mater... It seems
In today's world people try to confirm their beliefs, I could have easely cut the video that way that you see it can be done without a vaccum pump, but you can't that was the hole point and now that you watched the video you know
I'm not a professional HVAC guy so ignore everything I am about to say. Having noted that , I am educated in engineering, with a degree, and WAS a professional HVAC guy for a few years a couple of decades ago, and have done quite a bit of HVAC work over the years, and understand the physics better than most. So, I have to say this: Obviously, vacuuming the line is certainly the proper way to do it, If you have a vacuum pump, do it! Save yourself the risks. HOWEVER, on the other hand, if you really have to do it without pulling a vacuum, you can have very good odds of getting away with it under certain conditions IF you follow the right procedures. The risk is having moisture and or air in the line. A little air in the line (VERY little) isn't a severe risk, if your line has a percent or two of nitrogen and oxygen it won't be a problem. However, ANY water in the line can be a major problem. The last thing you want is ice forming and blocking a tube of breaking the compressor. If you are installing that unit in a humid place, then there is a lot of water in the air. More on that below, but it makes if harder to remove. So you want to do this project in low humidity. If the temperature is 10 degrees (F) then it's dry air so you should be ok. But if it's 90 degrees in Florida, you have a problem. There is a LOT of water vapor in the air. These systems come with lines to run between the evaporator and the condenser. The unit had enough coolant to fill the system including those lines. IF you use those lines without cutting them, then you seriously need to vacuum the lines. But if it came with 20 feet of lines and you cut them to 5 feet then you have extra coolant and can use that to blow out the system and have a good chance of getting the air out without pulling a vacuum. So IF you have VERY DRY air, AND IF you have a very short run, then you can use the excess coolant to blow out the lines and then seal it and have no problems. The problem with high humidity is that the coolant is likely to freeze the water vapor against the walls of the lines and form ice crystals while you are blowing out the air. That could be a serious problem later.
Most blokes crack the liquid line, with either a Schrader depressor or the suction line slightly loose, allow the refrigerant to purge out, till you get a splatter of liquid, that will indicate the air has been purged. Tighten the flare nut or remove the Schrader depressor, crack the suction line valve.
Not the correct way, but lots of guys do it this way for speed of installation. They work just fine on short pipe runs.
Good to know
I screwed up and my pump didn't press down the Schrader. Didn't realize I didn't really have a vacuum. 8 foot line charged. Realized after I ran it for 30 min and went to check the pressure. Will it still work (long term)?
@@jimmadsen3380 Uh oh! That depends if you severely damaged the valve, and if it leaks or not! I would order a new shrader valve, and recover the system! But that's me! Moisture is not your friend when it comes to ac units! R22- R21 or 410A! Now, if it was your car, I'd say don't run the ac at all, get a new valve and dryer. Mini splits do not have a dryer, and they don't recommend them. Your main concern would be a leak, and the amount of humidity in the air at the time of your install. Thoroughly test for leaks, and if you have any concern over the moisture in your line I suggest a new valve, recover the 410A in the unit. Vaccumn it down well below at a minimum of 200 microns or less. Be sure to make sure there are nooo leaks! The biggest problem I come across ate do it yourselvers ( new word ) that use a vaccumn thinking they have a valve suppressor! They vaccumn, and the only thing they are vacuuming is the hose and not the line set. Then once they release the oil into the system to equally pressurize, the damage is done. It only takes a couple seconds. Then I have to get a recovery unit and tank, charge them a fortune to dispose of the oil under environmental procedures is expensive. Flush the system, spend a good 4 hours vacuuming it back down before I can recharge the unit! I really can't tell you how much life would be in your unit, yet the more humidity that was in the air, the more chances you will have it will fail quicker. These videos on u-tube should be banned, but it is utube, and people think they need to show their shade tree abilities off! Sadly, pioneer makes a disposable can ( Kwik-E-Vac that will
@@jimmadsen3380 that will flush the air from the line. It contains Difluoroethane. You leave the small size line disconnected at the unit. You then screw it on the valve and screw the cap open on the can and you will hear air coming out the open connection. Put your finger over it a couple times to add back pressure and release causing a burst of air to come out both times. Then quickly turn the valve down on the can but not off and start putting your line set connection together. Air will leak faster when this is done and as you get it tight and sealed, then start checking for leaks. If no leaks are found you just need to vaccumn. The best advice I can give. The second, is make sure you have the proper adapter for the shrader valve. That is the second biggest mistake having the wrong adapter. After that it's vaccumn away keeping an eye on your timer depending how big your vaccumn pump is. When you micron Guage gets to the point you can live with, like 100 or below, then shut the valves. Now, another mistake! The valves can catch and hold air. So as you vaccumn, you need to shut and open the valves so air trapped in the valves gets vacuumed as well. I'm sorry I can't make it better by saying you should be fine. But don't feel too bad I've seen dumber! Like those that think they depressed the valve with just the vaccumn pump, and all they did was vaccumn the hose on the pump! Then again, I've seen some really strange things in home installs. Like condensation lines into a dehumidifier or coffee container! The worst thing I saw was a guy ran the line set through the dryer vent! But, just when think you have seen it all, there's always another surprise!
I admire the ambition, but moisture is something that takes minutes to boil off in a deep vacuum, and purging could be illegal and loose your license.
I can see people wanting to do this on a budget but I wouldn’t violate EPA rules for venting refrigerant, and especially, would never contaminate a system.
I understand you can get cheaper folks wanting to try your luck out. I guess you are are on your own in these cases you don’t follow the protocol.
It’s not quite like many intuitive things in life.
Sorry to me a bum here, just sharing objective opinions any hvac certified technician should have answered in their 609 certification.
Im from India. I was looking to install my ductless mini split unit myself. I started looking around for youtube diy videos and came across this video as well.
Here are some simple steps for first timers.
1. First of all things one should know the small sized pipe and valve is discharge line and bigger sized one is suction line. Suction line has a schradder valve
like we have in our tyres.
2. Once all the hoses are connected properly. Use an Allen key and slightly crack open the discharge line and you will hear the gas sound. Immediately close the valve. 1-2 seconds is the maximum time the valve must be opened. And it should be opened only a little.
3. Now the hoses are pressurised.
4. Now take some soapy water to make bubbles and apply on the joints to see if there are any leaks. you will be checking at 4 points. 2 points at the Indoor unit and 2 points at the outdoor unit valves. Let the unit sit idle for 2-3 hours. If you are not in a rush let it wait for 4-6 hours and check for leaks again. If there are any leaks you will get bubbles in the soapy water.
5. Once you are sure there are no leaks, now use a philips screwdriver or any tool to depress the schradder valve for a second. Now if the air gushes out fast then you can be sure there are no leaks in your system.
6. Now you should crack open the discharge line with the allen key ** only a litte** and simultaneously depress the schradder valve. Do this for 1-2 seconds.
close both the schradder valve and the discharge line valve simultaneously. This is to purge any atmospheric air present inside the hoses.
7. Now you have successfully purged the system with refrigerant and removed any air in the system.
8. Finally you can open the discharge line valve fully upto the max. followed by the suction line valve.
9. Now again check for any leaks with soapy water. If there are no leaks then turn on the air conditioner.
10. Once the compressor starts running, again check for any leaks at the valves.
If there is a leak you can find oil residue at the place. It is compressor oil.
If there are no leaks then you have successfully installed your air conditioner !!
Tips:
1. Outdoor units are usually charged with extra gas. So this wont adversely affect the performance in any way.
2. Mini splits with hose pipes of around 2-3 meters dont really need vaccum if you do the purging procedure correctly.
3. Dont be hasty. Take your time and do it slowly and properly.
4. Dont use teflon tapes for tightening the valves. Also dont over tighten as it will cause leak of gas.
5. Most of diy ers will be bending the hoses by hand so take your time and watch many videos and bend the pipes slowly. use both your palms.
6. Dont kink the hoses. After install properly tape them with PVC tape. This will help with insulation and increase efficiency.
If you dont use pvc tape the air will interact with the copper pipes and cause sweating , some of the cooling will be lost to the surroundings before entering the Indoor unit.
Good advice
I did install my 3 r22 air conditions 20 years ago without vacuum pump and O followed the manufacturers instructions. They were saying to display air by using the freon inside the unit. By the way I have 15 metes piping from the outside to the inside unit. They work fine so far. They were saying that there is enough freon on the unit and if you use to expel the air it will be ok. So my experience says that you can install it without vacuuming
Awesome info
I've done several without a vacuum. All are working great. They survive Texas summers no problem.
That's a amazing
Just connected lines? And you let refrigerant go thru?
Did you just connect the lines and turn on the A/C? How long have you been running the mini split since you did this?
I've installed two units without doing a vacuum. Both are working fine.
The key is to leave the low pressure side (wide pipe) slightly loose, then open the high pressure side (thin pipe) valve. The refrigerant will flow through the condenser, high pressure pipe, indoor unit (evaporator), and finally through the low pressure pipe. When you feel the refrigerant flowing out through the loose flare nut you then tighten it. Theoretically, there will be no air left in the system, the refrigerant will have pushed it all out.
However there are major drawbacks to this method. First, it is not easy to feel the refrigerant, therefore the system may end up being a bit undercharged or alternatively there may be some air left. Secondly, you can't test for leaks like in the case of vacuum. Thirdly, the mentioned method won't remove the water particles (moisture) that are present on the inside surface of the piping, it'll only remove the air.
If I were to install those units again, I would definitely use a vacuum pump.
Should I do this with the ac turned on or off?
will this work with R410a ?
This is what I plan to do on a cheap $500 mini split. Not paying $250 for HVAC to pull a vacuum...that's 50% of the price of the unit LOL
@@asmrtalkinganimalshypnotiz3239 and you'll be lucky to find one to do it I usually only pay $100 but it's hard to find people they want like $2,000 to install a mini split that's ridiculous it takes 2 hours and it's very easy AC companies are a rip-off
Can you share a video just for case if I mismatched something? Or you can explain more in details. I do not understand. Why we should leave the low slightly loose. You mean we should lose low and then height and after that with some pin to press int low service how just small portion of freon to get out. If you do not use pin to press into the low-service. Then even with lose the both valve nothing will happening.
Apart of that. Othe important comment related to your concerns. You cannot remove water with vacuum. You need nitrogen for that purpose or at least to hot your tubes before start entire procedure.
Seven units installed more than 10 years ago. All were installed by just purging the air from the lineset by depressing the schrader valve without pulling a vacuum. In my area, none of the AC installers do a vacuum. They don't even carry a pump. But all units are running fine without any issues. After I found out that you are supposed to vacuum the lines, I bought my own vacuum pump and nitrogen tank. I installed two more ACs myself the proper way after vacuuming the lineset. It gives me peace of mind, knowing I did it the right way.
Awesome good to know
Hay guys FYI the whole reason for Pulling A VACUUM “ is to check for leaks…
But Pioneer sells the can of quick E Vac… that purge the line and gives you the chance to detect any leaks BEFORE releasing your refrigerant. Does anyone seal your flair fitting? This is all DIY you get one shot at it…
I have done it with out a vacum pump too by purging Just check lines with soap water and ac working proper for 3 years
I installed 2 pansonic cube ac 7 years back with out vacume. Both are working great till now.
Good to know...
I did it and its been 10 years and its working. The trick is to let one side open a liþle and open the valve from the other side until you can feel thegas comming out then you tighten it.
In the installation manual that came with my split unit aircon .... it gave two options ... one set of steps without using a vacuum pump and the other with a set of steps using a vacuum pump .....
Cum se numeste modelul de AC ?
I have 13 years ago installed a Maico prefilled airco without a vacuümpomp. It has perfectly worked cooling as haeting for12 years. Last year is a part of my house Burned down. And also my airco was gone. I have now bought a Mitsubishi heavy industries and also an vacuümpomp. I don't take the risque again, then my New airco is nearly 4 times the price of the old one. 😅
That's good to know , thanks for letting me know . I have 3 units 2 installed with pump one without , so far all work
What I dont understand is why people who got a professional to install the ac end up needing top ups after a year or two! And mine doesnt after 12 years. Maybe techs leave a very small leak on purpose so you need to topup every year or two??
I have done it, still working fine now 4 years later.
Installed an LG dual inverter without pulling vacuum, unit lasted 4 years. I’m in Mexico and the installation cost was about 200usd which is VERY expensive for labor in Mexico (hvac was 350 at the time). I just bought a Samsung mini split to replace it, it comes with free installation as a bonus.
Awesome ...
4 años? Seguro que la mala instalación destruyó el compresor
@@gerardo9052 Lamentablemente si, vino el tecnico a checarlo y todo.
So... on a video entitled, “how to install without a vacuum...” the video is actually, “just use a vacuum”
That's was the point, people keep trying to search for a video where you do it without, there is not such video that is honest.. That's the point
@@TheCrazyRomanian I’m interested in what their method is in a purely educational way. All the comments are about people that did it. How? Did the crack the liquid side and let it fill until a little came out? How’s that work? I want to see it.
@@TheCrazyRomanian I like your style. I can't even find one that shows how to wire the inside unit. They go through a big song and dance about how to hang the wall mount level, and the next thing you know they are showing you how to put the hoses and wire through while hanging and all of the work to get the hoses and wires to that point are left out. I do a lot of DIY, I know how to hang something on the wall and drill a hole. I don't have a vacuum pump and I'm not going to buy one because THAT I don't know how to use. I have messed up enough DIY projects in my life to know when it's time to get humble and hire a professional - someone on the side, not through a company - at a fair price. If I go through a company I might as well let some guys hold me down and aggressively penetrate me while they beat on my liver.
40 yrs in business. License in HVAC and Altra low temp systems (refergeration/ Nox-ax) can purge though the lines. Not really legal, but you can do it. Not supposed to release Freon into the atmosphere, but if your not a HVAC company your not obligated to that. The best way to do it to be really sure of no moisture is to add a
🤣🤣
AC systems are very simple machines with few parts, made the same way were made in the 50’s, some of you all talk as if it is rocket science, I am about to connect mine without vacuuming, most of people saying no need to vacuum and units working for years without vacuuming, that little extra air or moisture will dissipate or mixes with the gas and becomes part of the system.
Good point
Thank you because I never vacuumed mine ether
Installed one without vacuum. Only purged air out of pipes by releasing a trickle of gas then all OK for 7+ years.
That's insane, glad to know that...
Although if you want to do it the bodgy way. In oz during summer it's very dry. No water in air and I used clean new capped pipe. So no moisture or foreign object was ever going to cause a problem. Use reasoning. Bodgy may not be suitable for your situation. If you are in high humidity like Thailand, vacuum is important. My opinion and I'm an idiot, so you know.
@@Swenser true i live in india in extreme hot climate so there is no question of moisture inside the pipes
hello, i moved un ac unit from another location to my location, yamamoto unit, and it still work very well after 2 years, hope to run many years more!
Try vaccum it using car break booster hose that already came with one way valve in it(inside the hose),max suck avrage 21 to 26 psi dpend on car perfomnce, but it work just fine and worth to try..i always using this when i want to do a vaccum system and flushing job..it just mybe take a litle time to wait it till finish the vccum ,.just try
There is a dryer Freon filter in the system that will help deal with some of the air and moisture in the line set but will still never work as efficient as it can be, in less you draw a vacuum before opening the outdoor condensing unit Service valve to the indoor evaporator unit. It’s a good reason why you should always use a vacuum pump. If you want your system to work as efficiently as possible
well i have 3 AC at home and recent AC got installed with Vacuum Pump done on 11 Apr 21 which was by following the proper procedure. Other 2 AC (one is 3 months old and another is approx 3 years old) were installed by flushing out the air by releasing the gas and keeping other end open. All 3 are inverter AC, and the AC is still running well (touchwood) though i was just frustrated with the technicians being unprofessional and not using vacuum, could not make them understand on how important it is to vacuum. I am from India. The procedure is done with the one allen key closed so as to prevent the gas from being released back into the outdoor unit, and the other allen key (big pipe) is opened and slightly the nut of the Small pipe is kept loose so it pushes out the air / moisture from within pipes through the indoor coils and into the small pipe and reaches the outdoor from where the nut being loose, it escapes outside, and immediately after a little gas leaks the nut is tightened. This is called AC flushing in india
Sir, which brand ACs are you using?
@@groupgvk LG and Carrier
so how exactly did u pull a vacc if u dont have even 1 single shutoff valve anywhere ?
Great info, as i just got my mini splits installed and obviously not blowing cold ir
Thanks for info... I've followed your channel for sometime now and enjoy the information you provided. It seems we do a lot of the same kind of project and into the same type of DIY installs and so when I go looking for information your videos seem to pop up... I just ordered a split mini ac and wanted some tips and your tip was what I was looking for! Thanks Roman
Thanks man, thanks for watching, few people are like us,
Here in cuba we do not have the availability of vaccum pumps , so I have installed like 20 mini split's and it's been 3 years use without trouble , all that is because of the non vaccum pump avalability but I wich I could have one , that's my expirience
Bien hecho hermano
Wow, it's easy to get 20 high tech Airconditioning machine's but you can't find a vac pump?
how many seconds do you purge before closing the lins ?
I have a Friedrich 9k Single Zone at 8 yrs age without vacuum pump. One other mentioned, but the trick (without vaccum) is to purge some of the pre-charged freon through the line to flush out air and tighten your last fitting. **This is only for single zone setups and linesets shorter than pre-charged capacity in the unit (many are 25ft pre-charge). It's a good idea to use vacuum when possible as well as checking pressure in your system once running (over or under charge). In your case specifically @Vegas.....Check your Mfg's "minimum lineset length" you mentioned having real short lines and most units need 10' minimum line to work properly. You may fry compressor from short lines sooner than a small bit of potential moisture.
3ft line :-? what is t for some migent house .. :-)))) 6 is minumum usually
Does that AC have a quiet mode fan setting for sleeping at night? I had one where the lowest fan setting was real quiet but then another one where the Louis fan setting was too loud and I also have one now that says sleep mode and it's a super low setting but I can't buy another one because it's not available for the public and the other one I had with the low fan setting they don't make anymore
@@magiccheeseball it does not have a specific "sleep" mode. If you set the fan speed to "low" then it will stay on that level and is quiet. If you leave it on "Auto" then it will adjust fan from low to high depending on temp difference from set point.
@@JohnSmith-jv9od ok thanks! I ment silent mode some have an extra botton for that it's a super low fan setting some the low fan speed gose low enough to not need it but the last 2 mini splits i bought the lowest fan speep was not very low so i can't use them in a bedroom so I'm trying to find one with the quiet mode button because without it its a gamble if the fan speed will go very low some were very loud on low
@@magiccheeseball ah silent mode, gotcha! No button on this unit like that. Of the few brands i have experience with; LG has been the most quiet.
Most places have the spec sheets available online. Take a look at how many fan speeds the wall unit has and also note DB (decibels). That should help you sort and decide what may work best before you buy.
I removed my ac and relocated to other place I didn't use a vacuum pump 3 year and still cooling great
I always draw a vacuum before commissioning the unit in that way i can see if theres any leaks on the flare nuts ect that i can fix before really starting up the unit
Daikin instalation manual:
Piping Works And Flaring Technique
Do not use contaminated or damaged copper tubing. If
any piping, evaporator or condenser had been exposed or
had been opened for 15 seconds or more, the system must
be vacuumed. Generally do not remove plastic, rubber
plugs and brass nuts from the valves, fittings, tubing and
coils until it is ready to connect suction or liquid line into
valves or fittings.
So, be quick, then no vacuumation needed:)
Good to know
Ac units were installed for years without a vacuum pump, if lineset was kept clean from the factory, they are filled with nitrogen. The fact is it is impossible to keep air out of lines. Water vapor burns off in compressor of unit line dryer cleans out the rest. No worries, is it better? Yes is it necessary no.
In Australia, new a/c gas is R32, compatible with propane, about same boiling point. 22 years ago I installed a Mitsubishi split system. Today I took the unit to the rubbish dump even though it still worked, but the remote board didn't work and it had to be started by pushing the button. It originally had R22 as a gas, but having shifted the unit a few times, as well as having installed many a/c units using R22, my 5 kg bottled was dry, thus for the last few years I have run it on cooking gas which in Aus is pure propane. The new Fujitsu unit I am installing tomorrow will be purged with propane. I do have a vacuum pump but see it needles to use it. The outdoor unit is pre charged with R32. I put second hand car sales persons, real estate agents, and a/c installer in the same box.
Ouch! Two of my friends are HVAC guys. I'd always considered the both of them to be pretty decent people. They may not be perfect, but they're certainly better than a used car salesman or a real estate agent, by a wide margin.
Someone has hurt you, haven't they?
Bet that thing blew up in your face
I ve seen people done it without a vacuum and I work in hvac I have seen units last up to 3years and I’ve seen some only last about 1.5 years and I would suggest that if you have the access to a pump you should use it.
Do you mean that ac unit last for three years, I just swear a Samsung inverter unit that last six years and leak as my other two ac both Samsung still running , the non inverter is 9 years old and the inverter is 8 years old, I just installed a Panasonic split inverter to replace the one that leak, here in Malaysia I didn't yet come across an installer that vacuum the system before installation,most technician will recommend the capacity of the unit suitable for the room usually one to three HP, yes here we calculate in Horse power just like cars engine 😂
Yes its no issue at all to install without a vacuum pump but only possible if it is a short line set like a back to back installation. You seal up the entire system and open the liquid line for a second to flood in some liquid. Leak test with soap. If all sealed leak free loosen the suction line and let out the trapped gas to atmosphere. Purge another 3 seconds from liquid line and tighten the suction line. Seen technicians do this but it is bad for the environment as you release refrigerant each and every unit that is installed. Also you cant properly check for leaks. Yes will work but poor practice. This was how it was done 20 years ago especially in asia
It was always my understanding that you do not have to vac out if the new unit come pre-charged from the factory. A buddy of mine installed on w/o a vacuum pump about 2 years ago and never had an issue. Taking into consideration both the indoor and outdoor units had a charge from the factory.
The compressor outdoor does, but they inside unit doesn't.. So yeah the sticker clearly indicated you have to pull a vacuum. But this the info I wanted to have, working after 2 years...
Some Mr Cool brand units have pre-charged line sets (with special ends) and apparently pre-charged indoor units (and outdoor also) so you don't have to pull a vacuum.
@@user-bj4lp3fr1o ...and others, has anyone tried these? I'd be curious as to how well they work. If so, what model did you install?
@@davidvanzanten4385 Sorry I haven't tried the Mr Cool with charged lines.
Vacuum pump also checks for leaks. Are people also skipping thread sealant?
Vacuum Pump discovered leak in small line kink for me. Plus if you're flaring your own ends, that's another leak potential.
True
But you don't need to pull a vacuum to get the air out you can perge the line it pushes the air out when you see the freon come out you shut the valve it's not the properr way to do it but it works i have done it both ways and no problems so far
Yes I installed my mini split with out a vacuum pump and it has been blowing hot and cold for 5 months now but I think it could blow colder and hoter
Awesome
For 5 years later I installed a r22 air conditioner and up to now it's working
12 years working fine till today. Never even needed a top up. I am not a professional installer and still worked. Found procedure in manual of the ac.
Pulling a vacuum is more than purging air out, it also removes moisture which can cause acid inside the system and cause corrosion inside the system and cause it to erode pipes, cause compressor failures (Bearings going out, windings burn out etc). A good vacuum is a must and any reputable HVAC will always pull a deep vacuum. If they don't then find another company.
The problem is that the majority of the customers never sit there with the installing tech or even ask this question so should be told if the installation is done without pulling a vacuum the warranties for maybe for the installation one or two years and then it will last a long even if the vacuum was not pulled plus it says a lot of time so the majority of the companies don't pull a vacuum
I installed 3 units without vacuum and they all work fine!
That's great to know, how long ago ?
@@TheCrazyRomanian 3 years
That's because you have filter dryer. It's the only thing that makes this method "works".
Imo HVAC Techs only cause more issues. Mini splits come fully and "perfectly charged and pressurized" to "optimum factory specs". Think of your window air conditioner.... no need to pull vacuum and they last 10 years. The one difference is the "the line sets" for mini splits. So just pressurize those by opening the pressure valve on one side and cracking the nut on the other Once you hear the air pressure, tighten the nut. This imo, gives you the most optimum initial set up.
Imo Hvac techs with their wonky gauges only cause more issues but letting in air and messing with the micron pressures in a "perfectly factory sealed and pressurized system". And then they charge you for messing up the microns and inducing air into your beautiful factory sealed system. Most of their pumps are outdated, not working properly, gauges off, don't run it long enough, bad seals, and will only cause you more issues
Good Luck, no way! Just think about it before you decide.
**** This is just my opinion after really thinking about the Evac process to a perfectly factory sealed system, Do what you want
Your right these new ac installers and techs love using there micron gauges and looking cool with there digital gauges pulling a vacuum, meanwhile there drain is running up hill three different places and the house floods two days later but thank god they pulled a vacuum for two hours 😂
Nicely said brother. I have read several comments and yours is the best. I'm about to purge my system and get on with it.
How many CFMs does the pump have to be? will 3.5 work or you need 5 CFMs?
Appreciate an answer
You will never do a complete vaccum, so any pump will work , no reason to look for perfection and get stuck in technicalities
Found a 5 CFM pump for 99 bucks it worked great thank you so much for your help and helpful info
This is valuable information to me at the moment actually. Thanks for sharing.
If you wait I might help you install the split when I grt there. Haha
@@TheCrazyRomanian I might just have to take you up on that.
I installed my mini split 5 years ago without a vacuum. It is running at a 15-17° delta t. This is not really efficient as it should be 20°-25° delta t. I have an A/C technician coming next week to vacuum and recharge the unit. I will update.
$700 bill? How much did they charge you? How much did you pay for the orig. mini split? Sometimes it's better to just buy a brand mini split on ebay for $1000 IMO
I’m about to do it again the first one had no issues wish me luck lol
I have never seen any split AC installed after vaccuming the line (brand new or reinstallation) despite bashing the technicians to ensure vaccuming to eliminate any air, moisture or debris accumulating in the system. Only thing they do while uninstalling is to run the compressor and recharge the outdoor unit by closing one valve and vaccum inside unit and both hoses to avoid loosing any Refrigerant
Good advice
I would say depends on humidity in your area but it could work if it is a short line set 🤫🤫👍👍
Good to know
I've done a mini split AC just recently, labeled as easy/self install, including section in manual showing how to do it by hand and it doesn't work. Both units are running but there's no cold or hot air blowing, just a room temperature wind.
I'm a builder with 15 years of experience and that DIY/self install without the vacuum is a bullshit
I've installed several without vacuum. All it does is extends the life on the compressor but it starts and works without vacuum
If you get a DIY unit you do not have to vacuum it down there's a bunch of videos of DIY units and you do not have to vacuum you disconnect the lines open up and get it but I think that's because it's got a different refrigerant in it
I have a 3 car garage man cave of 660sq ft with 8 ceiling ft high. Its fully insulated even the garage doors too. I live in Clovis California in zone 9b I think.
I been looking at the DuctlessAire 12000-BTU 230-Volt 22 SEER 600-sq Smart Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner and Heater with 25-ft Installation Kit for $1052
My garage is fully insulated even the garage doors. WIll this work even though it says only for 600sq ft? Or should I get the 18000-BTU 230-Volt 21 SEER 900-sq Smart Ductless Mini Split Air Conditioner and Heater with 25-ft Installation Kit?
This one is for 900sq ft but I was reading that if I get an overzsize minisplit it won't work that good?? This one is $1500.
Thank u
Shalom!Technician should do this type of installation you are missing facts on instalacion like Power to the unit even the location is wrong on your unit! ECT please to the views ovoid future problems!
3 units without vacuum. 17 years and still working...
No vacuum at all? Just line connected to condenser and refrigerant open?
@@tomobomo9806 no you have to purge the line
Are you in a very dry climate?
Thanks for your comment!!!
first guy worked for was a plumber that installed AC and that was his preferred vacuum method, that was about 18 years ago. these days I am a very reputable and successful HVAC technician and I would never do it ever ever ever! Back in the day we called it Flow&Go ! this shit will last a little while if you do it right but it's about the most unprofessional thing you can do!
Does the inside unit plug into the wall? What voltage is your unit I didn’t see a disconnect by the outside unit
Yes, the power comes from inside it's a 220, the 2 units are linked together and powered from the inside
@@TheCrazyRomanian my cord that was connect has black white and green and it 220v
On my 3 mini's (2 diff brands). The electricity goes to the outdoor unit. From the outdoor unit there is a single cable (multiple wires inside it) that goes to the indoor unit (along with the copper lines and codensation line). This single cable powers the indoor unit and transmits signals between the indoor unit and outdoor unit.
Yes I see it
It's called purging the line without a vacuum. Push the air out using the gas in the line.
To me What I relize n understand Is that poor countrys dont have the equiptment or the techs dont have the money to buy a vacume pump...they seem to make their own equiptment and make a halfass instalation...I install n maintenance small units such as 1 ton or 2 ton minisplits I always make sure I use a propper vacume pump"not a home made one"" to pull a vacume...I always learn more n more from North American HVAC certified techs...so invest on propper tools to do a propper procedure when installing or maintancing yr units.
In America they want you to have nothing but the best, but when the end of the world comes , madmax times the poor countries got it right ...you don't need much to get the same results
haha.... open the valve on one side, crack the nut on the other side until you here a hiss, quickly tighten nut. Done. 1 minute. Your lines are now charged. Easy as pie.
In fact, I think those wonky , leaking pumps and gauges hvac use only create more issues with adding condensation liquid and air to your lines from the air in their hoses. IMO
how long do you purge before closing the line ?
Been installing split A/c without vacuum since don't know how many years all I we do is before running the A/c open the gas from suction line and exhaust the air in the copper tubes through discharge line with the help of manifold gauses.
I open the thin line to fill the lines with gas, shut the thin line. then purge the gas from the lines and re-opened the thin line. Next I turned the system on, everything is working fine. Day one.
Great to know , let us know how it goes in time
Is it still working fine when ppl say purge the line are y'all talking about that valve u use to vacuum ? What does purge mean ??
Can i do that to my car too?
... sorry...phone bad. Can add drier, but most mini splits have one internally, so just a pruge will do it
Vacuum pomp the air conditioner need only if the tubes are very long... l have 4 units 12000btu from 2003 ( onoff) and working today with 41 grade Celsius perfect 😅😅😅... if you have 1 to 3 meters pipes you need to discharge 20-50gr gas... 3to5 do nothing ..up to 5 you need to put in 20-30 gr gas and you need vacuum...
I did it once on a mini split.. it lasted 8 years... it was a cheep china one.. worked for 8 plus years until the AC guy started to do maintenace on it.. go figure...
Your right man I've installed 2 units. 1unit still works but the other one wont cool my room😕
Your connection with your flare connections were not sealed and probably gas went out 😔
Mini splits are now DIY! So I installed mine and got to the part in the installation guide that starts talking about the vacuum pump, I said oh no this is supposed to be diy meaning no professional trade tools required.
Then I remembered I also ordered the kiwi e vac. “Line set flushing kit for split air conditioning systems.
This can blows out the atmosphere air and begins to prepare line set and total unit for the release of refrigerant.
Follow the instructions.
Leaving the small tube open connect the can to the large tube and open and close the can several times then quickly attach the small pipe and pressurize the system with the can. Turn can off and close valve and check for leaks using soapy bubbles or leak detector. Easy people, just order the “CAN” and follow the directions.
Pioneer also sent the flare fitting sealer, applied to all four flare fittings
th-cam.com/video/ZDXIIJwDkM8/w-d-xo.html&t
Just what I wanted to hear, I'm going to install a Pioneer 9000 BTU with a 10-foot line set using the KWIK E VAC system.
Never installed one before, so Thank You for this comment!
Thank you for the info!
Always best to use a vacuum pump.. but with a new line set and new equipment... a purge should be o.k.
get a can of Pioneer KWIK E VAC LINE SET FLUSHING KIT
You would get away with it without a vacuum pump and just releasing the gas into the system. If you turned on the pump, it would suck all the air and the water into the refrigerant anyways so that wouldn't matter. it is true that the air and the water will corrode and shorten the life of the system.
Yeah
Flow&Go baby !!!! It's such a hack move but it will last you five years no problem But then the shits toast!
I’m confused with your heading ? I thought this was how to install with no vacuum pump 🤔
Keep telling people to do this. It only makes me more money.
Sincerely , a licensed HVAC Tech.
How mr cool split units don't require vacuum
I don't know
I have installed an ac without vacumn pump 11 years ago.never needed top up for gas. Its a heat pump type ac. Split unit. You have an indoor unit and an outdoor unit that homes the compressor. Cooling system works like a dream after 11 years. 1 year ago the board inside the indoor unit failed so i have removed the board and rewired the system to work only on cooling because i only use it in summer. Never had any issues with cooling or compressor. So this is my experience. To prime it,the first time i installed it 11 years ago i followed an o nline guide i had found. I will try to find it and share it here.I remember it was vrery easy. But the procedure has to be done before you start the system. You have to open and close the gas lines and press to purge the air for about 7 seconds but i dont remember exactly the procedure so as soon as ill find it ill post it here.
That's great to know
See: How to drive a car without tires. It will move.
Pioneer KWIK-E-VAC Line Set Flushing Kit Installation Simplifier for Mini Split Air Conditioning Systems
Pioneer KWIK-E-VAC Line Set Flushing Kit Installation Simplifier for Mini Split Air Conditioning Systems
I'm the owner of an HVAC contracting business. We have been able to pull a vacuum down to at least 500 microns and we have never had a compressor failure to this day. Quite often we charge $5000 or more for installations but we are willing to pull a vacuum for $250 if the customer just needs us to pull a vacuum.
250 for 30 minute wowwww what a deal
Let's clear some things up here! I'm a licensed HVAC technician. You shouldn't be DIY installing air-conditioners unless it's precharged linesets (which I personally don't think is a good idea either). And I can almost guarantee that in the installation manual it states to be installed by a licensed tradesperson.
1. You need to pull a vacuum that's the bottom line. No purging the lines with refrigerant bullshit.
2. "My SySTeM HaS BEen WorKiNG For YeARs AnD I DIDnT PuLl A VaCUum", you're quite lucky if that's the case in fact you'll find that without a vacuum your system may run for years but you introduce non condensables into the system which reduces your systems overall capacity to heat and cool and you'll find your compressor will start to run at a higher head pressure causing inefficiencies.
3. In the case you didn't pull a vacuum and the humidity was high in your area, you have introduced moisture to your system, moisture will react with your compressor oil causing a chemical reaction that makes it acidic and the acidic oil will begin to break down the compressor windings reducing the insulation integraty and eventually cause a compressor burnout.
4. If you're going to the effort to install an AC, do it right. There's a reason people study this trade for years and understand the correct procedures. To do it right you need to have a micron gauge and a vacuum pump. You need to pull a vacuum below 500microns anything lower is better then you can charge your refrigerant.
Why hvac techs always watch my videos? You guys are not sick and tired of doing this every day? I did home theater for best buy, I never watch TV videos, I hate TVs I never wanna see a TV again
@@TheCrazyRomanian I watch loads of HVAC videos. I'm very passionate about my trade. I just don't want the wrong information thrown around. Wouldn't it be better to ask a professional about the specifics of the installation?
@@joshdavis2064 It all comes down to money. I think that, like any other industry, the HVAC world is built around standards and codes that are meant to bring insane amounts of money to some producers and contractors. For instance, flare connections suck out loud (This is not news material!), and leak detections, flaring equipment or flaring jobs cost money. Wonder why they didn't invent a failproof connection standard for ACs in the 21st century - one that doesn't leak or need leakage detection, one that comes as such from factory? Because some money have to be made, it's simple! But some people don't have the money or don't trust HVAC technicians to do a good job. I live in Romania and I saw dozens of hurried careless installations carried out by licensed technicians, so of course people will look for alternatives! In America, you will get much cheaper by installing a mini-split by yourself, and buying proper equipment. In Romania, it's the other way around - proper equipment will cost more than a commissioned installation made by (ill-trained) licensed guys (who can or will screw up).
Now, I will state clearly that I find this method of installation (by using refrigerant for purging air out of the system/without a vacuum pump) careless or risky at best, but, my case is that, instead of spending money on a high-quality vacuum pump and a vacuum meter or a manifold gauge/positive pressure meter, I have to spend a lot on flaring and proper torque values. Do you know how much a torque wrench costs in Romania? It's about double the price of a good quality vacuum pump, which is the same price a licensed installation will cost. (And that's the cheapest (analogue, not digital) torque wrench of them all!) Not to mention I can't find any pipe that's flared well and ready-to-go from the factory. (When you do find one, HVAC technicians will always state how bad the factory flare is, and that they have to redo those. Maybe they're intentionally made bad from the factory, or maybe the technician is trying to just pull some money out of your pocket, I don't know.)
Why doesn't the HVAC industry create affordable and fault-proof piping or connection products, such as a connection that uses some sort of durable rubber-like seal, or a gasket made of a soft(er) metal that has better sealing properties than copper - a connection that doesn't need industry counter-products such as Flaretite or FlareSeal for its faulty nature? Why doesn't the HVAC industry create a nut that doesn't need a torque wrench? Is it because it's impossible (with all this technology and 21st century sophistication) or it's because some money have to be made? The latter one, of course! I'm not an engineer or a physicist by any means, but I have a physics 'processor' and knowledge that are decent enough to realize these things cannot be impossible. Or I may have just a proper amount of common sense.
I'm not a fan of conspiracies, but I think it's pretty obvious and in-your-eyes the fact that industries like Big Pharma and HVAC are all on making money. I'm not saying everybody should get a vacuum pump that will be used only one time. That would be a huge waste of resources! But, at least... I think everybody should have the right to do an installation by themselves up until the point of vacuuming (without selling a kidney), and still keep the warranty. From there, it can be carried by a professional. Besides these thoughts, I agree with everything you said.
@@alexdanton4842 yeah i see where you're coming from.
1. The reason we use copper pipes is because it's soft and easy to work with when it's annealed. Flare connection are very good when done right and that comes with the correct tools and as you said it'll differ from country to country. Flare connection make a good seal because the copper is somewhat soft crushing it in the flare but when tight.
2. As for torque specs it's there because the refrigerants operate at high pressures sometimes up to 2800 kPa so they need that tight and good flare connection, the better alternative to flare is soldering the joint with an oxygen acetylene but there are other alternatives like crimp connectors or push fittings, but need to be compatible with the type of refrigerant.
3. The diy side of things, we need to have people understand that improper practice that causes leaks is very bad as refrigerant is an ozone depleting substance there a reasons especially in Australia where you need to have been trained to handle refrigerant and dispose it in a appropriate way for this reason. If people want to give it a crack that's fine they just need to know what they're dealing with and nothing is stopping them from just dumping refrigerant into the atmosphere. Companies pay for licensing and public liability and materials to ensure that it's done right! Don't get me wrong I know they are dodgy companies and its a shame you've seen it first hand but it's like saying I'll do major repairs in my car on jack stands and watch a TH-cam video tutorial whereas a mechanic has a car lift and is trained to do it over manufacturers specs. They're special equipment for the job and some can be very expensive but it depends on the budget. The saying goes.... If you pay peanuts you get monkeys. and most people that try this without a clue with what's going on end up paying twice.
I don't think it's the HVAC industry trying to squeeze out a dollar I think it depends on the demand and the availability big the equipment and the type of systems
How to not install a mini split while having no idea. Basically a misleading title.
“how to install without a vacuum...” is really ----> “just use a vacuum” :)))))))))
This video it's titled that way to rise awareness.. Also if you red the comments you will get an ideea of how successful people were in doing it without a vaccum
I am going to install 1.5ton ac without vaccum pump.
Let us know how Itworks
I installed a 3 ton compressor today and didn’t pull a vacuum. Sucker ran great
@@suspect_fb for now
Still running great
I was looking for how to video! Disappointed
So you didn't actually do it. Cheers
Should also be pressure tested with nitrogen.
It doesn't have to but it can ...
Manufacturers instructions only recommend vacuum testing.
It's kind of being rude, waste one's time naming a clickbait title to a video where you finally use the vacuum. That's a wrong thing to do, you did it just for views and clicks, you're not gonna fool anybody it is otherwise. I'd write more, but only uncensorable words come to mind, so I'll just stop here.
bla bla bla.. and NO major information finally.. :(
Intall mine and stop get cold after 24 hrs
Refrigerant leaked out system not sealed properly
Get a mr cool , no vacuum needed
Should be called how to install mini split and invalidate the warranty
Warranty is 1 or 2 years .. they will last at least 5 without a pump
@@TheCrazyRomanian If you dont pull a vacuum you won't have a warranty
Perge
Misleading title.
Don’t do this without pulling a 500 micron vacuum on r410a.
The issue is acid and burnout.
This is not really a diy topic, or empirically determined topic. Please be very safe to get an experienced guy to help you out. There is a lot to go wrong. Of course I don’t have any accountability in what you decide to do. Good luck
So if you look in my comments, there are people that installeld these ac's without pulling a vaccum and they work 7 years later.. Just saying the book tells one think but the reality, doesn't really mater... It seems
you said nothing related to the title!!!!!
You meant everything
Get to the point buddy
CLICKBAIT!!💩
What a useless video……… title says A but does B 🙄
In today's world people try to confirm their beliefs, I could have easely cut the video that way that you see it can be done without a vaccum pump, but you can't that was the hole point and now that you watched the video you know
@@TheCrazyRomanian What a load of crap, it is called click bait.
I'm not a professional HVAC guy so ignore everything I am about to say. Having noted that , I am educated in engineering, with a degree, and WAS a professional HVAC guy for a few years a couple of decades ago, and have done quite a bit of HVAC work over the years, and understand the physics better than most. So, I have to say this: Obviously, vacuuming the line is certainly the proper way to do it, If you have a vacuum pump, do it! Save yourself the risks. HOWEVER, on the other hand, if you really have to do it without pulling a vacuum, you can have very good odds of getting away with it under certain conditions IF you follow the right procedures.
The risk is having moisture and or air in the line. A little air in the line (VERY little) isn't a severe risk, if your line has a percent or two of nitrogen and oxygen it won't be a problem. However, ANY water in the line can be a major problem. The last thing you want is ice forming and blocking a tube of breaking the compressor. If you are installing that unit in a humid place, then there is a lot of water in the air. More on that below, but it makes if harder to remove. So you want to do this project in low humidity. If the temperature is 10 degrees (F) then it's dry air so you should be ok. But if it's 90 degrees in Florida, you have a problem. There is a LOT of water vapor in the air.
These systems come with lines to run between the evaporator and the condenser. The unit had enough coolant to fill the system including those lines. IF you use those lines without cutting them, then you seriously need to vacuum the lines. But if it came with 20 feet of lines and you cut them to 5 feet then you have extra coolant and can use that to blow out the system and have a good chance of getting the air out without pulling a vacuum.
So IF you have VERY DRY air, AND IF you have a very short run, then you can use the excess coolant to blow out the lines and then seal it and have no problems. The problem with high humidity is that the coolant is likely to freeze the water vapor against the walls of the lines and form ice crystals while you are blowing out the air. That could be a serious problem later.
You are not suppose to purge freon to the atmosphere per 1991 protocol ! It is bad for the environment .
Yeah