How sealed should a new accumulator be?

[jonnycat]

I purchased an accumulator/drier for my 1998 Cherokee. I was expecting something sealed up pretty good (to keep the dessicant dry), but the part I got was in an open bag, with the out-going port covered only by a thin strip of rubber that wasn't sealed on the port (it looks like it was just put there to keep the paint our of the port).

Should I expect an accumulator/drier to be shipped in a more sealed fashion than this? Will the vacuum I put on the system before it is charged pull any moisture out of the drying agent?

[JohnHere]

As you suggest, anything with dessicant in it should be well sealed so that it doesn't absorb moisture in storage. Every OEM receiver/drier I've ever installed has been tightly capped, and some are even vacuum sealed.

I once purchased an aftermarket R/D that came with the sealing caps loose in the box and the ports completely open. I decided to reject that one in favor of a new, vacuum-sealed OEM unit.

Once the dessicant becomes saturated, I doubt whether pulling a vacuum on it would ever dry it out. I would just get another well-sealed new unit.

[jonnycat]

Thanks John, I ordered a 4Seasons unit yesterday from otterzone; hopefully it will be properly sealed.

The one I have now (and will be sending back) is a Spectra "Premium" I ordered from Amazon (well, suppossed to be anyway, it has a SP label over the UAC branding on the box).

[JohnHere]

The first one you received sounds iffy. If the second one seems questionable as well, this site's sponsor can provide a quality part that you won't have to worry about.