Vacuuming ?
Well , here is what I have read & pieced together .
The older refrigerants , such as R12 & R22 ( residential application / use ) , used mineral oil ( petroleum based ) as a refrigeration oil . It would absorb moisture , to a certain extent . Moisture is a very big enemy of refrigeration & A/C . I think it reacts with the refrigerant & forms an acid . Or something like that .
Air almost always contains some moisture . The first purpose of vacuuming the refrigeration system down , is 2 fold .
Remove the air . It is refereed to as a non-compressible . Although it compresses , air does not change to a liquid in " normal " refrigeration systems . This is counter productive . Remove the air & you solve that problem .
Also , the 2nd issue is the moisture in the air . The vacuum , hopefully removes most / all of that .
Now , R134a & R410a . Both use synthetic refrigeration oil . Which , I read , absorb moisture much , much more / worse . Meaning , the vacuum is much , much less effective at removing moisture from the oil / system .
If the system is not open , allowing air / moisture inside , I do not necessarily see the need to replace the accumulator / receiver / dryer . As long as there is some positive pressure inside the system , I can not see the need / have to , replace it .
God bless
Wyr
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