Help with what to do with a broken Honeywell air con uinit

Hi, I have some basic questions that I wonder if anyone would mind helping me with please?

I've bought a small Honeywell Quick12e split air con system second hand only to find it doesn't work :-( It has a quick connector between the indoor and outdoor units which has been disconnected for a while so I'm guessing the R410a has escaped from this point.

Both units power up and the compressor starts, but no cooling or heating in either cool or heat modes. I only ran it for a couple of mins as I didn’t want to damage the compressor.

I’m assuming that a lot of the gas has escaped so just topping it up isn’t an option, is that likely? If so, can what is left be recovered and then the system be charged with R410a again, or would the POE lube now be missing or be contaminated with water? I thought the old R22 oils could be dried by boiling off the water under vacuum, but that doesn’t work with the POE in R410a, is that correct? If the oil does need changing, will it come out under vacuum, or will it need to be drained?

I understand that water is bad for a system, but what exactly does it do to a system?

Water contaminates oil and causes oxidisation inside systems and leaves carbon deposits which in turn can block valves and damage the compressor causing a burn out
it is unlikely the your system has been contaminated with moisture as the pressure inside the system will still be at atmospheric pressure (equal to that outside the system) so no more refrigerant can leak out also nothing can enter the system, it would be in your best long term intersets to contact a local A/C Teech to repair your unit

OK thanks, do you know what kind of price range I should expect for someone to a) come out and check it for leaks and then b) also fill it with 1.3kg of R410a if it seems ok please?

it would depend on your location prices also vary a great deal small firm maybe 20-30gbp per hour major manufacturers 60gbp+ per hour best off looking in your local trade counter and asking for a recomendation bearing in mind that the trade counter is not responsible for any work carried out or ask on the forum