Australian experiences with filtering BBQ propane?

r290r600 · 12-26-13, 06:42 AM

Hi all,
juat wondeing if any aussies out there have experience of filtering BBQ propane?
I am attempting to re charge a R410a 2.4kw mini split with propane as the original charge was lost due to a fractured pipe, and I cant buy R410a.
I have managed to I think, partially charge the system by inverting a 2kg propane cylinder, paasing the liquid through a liquid line filter dryer and slowly letting the charge in to the suction via a ball valve type of port adapter to let the liquid slowly evaporate.
I have had the system running and the reading on the suction guage is reading around 20psi. Since this is a small inexpensive mini split, there is no high side service port.
I have received advice on how to determine the (suoerheat) correct charge by comparing the evaporator oulet temp and the reading on the suction pressure gauge....thanks guys!....one bit of advice i have received is that it may only take 10ppm of water to block the capillary tube. As i can not check the high side, cant take a measurement to see if the cap tube may be blocked.
After doing some reading on this site regarding filtering of propane , I wonder if the water may have been sitting in the bottom of the cylinder when I opened the valve, and was it sufficiently filtered out by the filter dryer? There is also a reversible filter dryer which I added to the liquid line.
Is it far better to charge in the gas state through the low side port?
There is a contributor, BradC from Western Australia who has experience with filtering propane, if he reads this post I would greatly value his opinions, but as I have not made enough posts as yet I can not send him a PM.
Thanks!

12-26-13, 06:42 AM	#1
r290r600 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 19 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Australian experiences with filtering BBQ propane? Hi all, juat wondeing if any aussies out there have experience of filtering BBQ propane? I am attempting to re charge a R410a 2.4kw mini split with propane as the original charge was lost due to a fractured pipe, and I cant buy R410a. I have managed to I think, partially charge the system by inverting a 2kg propane cylinder, paasing the liquid through a liquid line filter dryer and slowly letting the charge in to the suction via a ball valve type of port adapter to let the liquid slowly evaporate. I have had the system running and the reading on the suction guage is reading around 20psi. Since this is a small inexpensive mini split, there is no high side service port. I have received advice on how to determine the (suoerheat) correct charge by comparing the evaporator oulet temp and the reading on the suction pressure gauge....thanks guys!....one bit of advice i have received is that it may only take 10ppm of water to block the capillary tube. As i can not check the high side, cant take a measurement to see if the cap tube may be blocked. After doing some reading on this site regarding filtering of propane , I wonder if the water may have been sitting in the bottom of the cylinder when I opened the valve, and was it sufficiently filtered out by the filter dryer? There is also a reversible filter dryer which I added to the liquid line. Is it far better to charge in the gas state through the low side port? There is a contributor, BradC from Western Australia who has experience with filtering propane, if he reads this post I would greatly value his opinions, but as I have not made enough posts as yet I can not send him a PM. Thanks!