ODP = 0, Has a global warming potential (GWP) of 10900, No longer manufactured or imported into the USA, Has an ozone depletion factor (ODP) of 1 which is the highest possible, Has a global warming potential (GWP) of 1430. The manufacture and sale of the small cans of R12 used by hobbyists to top off a system also ended, although New Old Stock (NOS) cans of R12 are still privately traded on eBay and Craigslist (Ill come back to that). This means that it has a high potential of causing depletion to the ozone layer. As part of doing that, you often wind up replacing major portions of the systemnot because thats strictly required in order to convert it to R134a, but because thats what you need to do in order to get it functional again. The ODP of a chemical is a factor that indicates the amount of degradation itll cause to the ozone layer that surrounds the earth and protects it from harmful radiation. A comparison between R12 vs. R134a temperature will show that R12 has a higher temperature than R134a. This means when lowering temperatures to -7C or below, theres a noticeable drop in the plants ability to chill the air. These are the major reasons that this product is now banned in many countries and replaced by other refrigerants that dont have such a serious environmental impact. The simple answer is you cant. You do not want to exceed the systems high side recommendations. While contained within a refrigeration system, this product is safe to use and poses no risk to the planet. Note that R134a is also sometimes called Freon, even labeled as such on the can, so its best to be clear and use the names R12 and R134a. But some types of PAG do not mix well with the old residual R12 mineral oil left in the system components whereas ester does mix very well. Its among the greenhouse gases and will keep adding the current problem of heat not leaving the earths atmosphere. Being a CFC, this product depletes the earths ozone layer, contributing to global warming. Once you take these precautions, it would be possible to use R134A gauges R410A systems seamlessly. Some recovery machines are equipped for both R134a and R1234yf. If you use anything other than R134a, youll likely create a situation where you must be the one servicing the system. Motor manufacturers in the USA used R134a in air conditioning systems for new cars from 1994. These efforts to balance the system can not be realized if there are problems within the a/c system, such as: poor performing compressor, dirty condenser or poor air flow through the condenser, malfunctioning expansion valve, water or air in the system, improperly operating fresh air or heat input in the climate-air mixing system. Safety: R134a is safe to use as its non-flammable and cant explode. R134a reacts with water to form hydrofluoric acid which damages the internal A/C components. 29. The problem is that some inexpensive available refrigerantsammonia and propane, for exampleare poisonous and/or flammable. That doesnt mean to say that theyre no longer used. I wouldnt say Im a BMW enthusiast. When the ambient air temps get above 80F the gauge readings can run a bit higher on the high side and lower on the low side when using R134a. First things first. Reusing Refrigerant: Refrigerant must be properly recycled or reclaimed before it can be reused, even if it is being returned to the vehicle from which it was removed. What's the difference between these and how do. Besides R134a there are some other refrigerants that are approved to replace R12 and there is a long list of refrigerants that are not approved. Most importantly, the oil used in the plant must always be compatible with the refrigerant used. This drop can affect energy consumption since the plant will operate for a longer period or a larger plant will have to be installed. Plus, not releasing the chemical into the air is morally justifiable. These applications will - due to browser restrictions - send data between your browser and our server. Their differences come mainly in their chemical make-up and environmental impact. Inasmuch as R134a has a global warming potential thats over 1000 times more threatening than carbon dioxide, its better than R12. Depending on what kind of car you have, it likely either uses R-134a or R-1234yf refrigerant to keep you cool. Existing technology: R134a has been in use in the refrigeration industry for very many years, and theres so much information about the safe use of the product. Carefully study the chart and compare the following: To a large extent, the choice is up to you. For this reason, when a car is being sold these days, R12 is often seen as a liability, a looming conversion expense, even if the system is functional and cold. R134a is a pure refrigerant that is sometimes used in blends, while R410a is itself a blend. Refrigerant Can Leak Easier For starters, R12 systems and R134a systems are designed differently to accommodate the gaseous state of each. The major difference between these two refrigerants is their chemical composition. R12 is well known as a refrigerant used in many applications as its non-toxic, non-explosive, and non-flammable. R134a is a newer type of refrigerant that has some significant advantages. Relevant Characteristics Between R12 and R134a, R12 vs R134a Refrigerant: What is the Difference? The original rubber a/c hose lines in your car will leak out R12 through the hoses lining. It has a lower global warming potential than R134a. The problem was that there was not agreement on exactly what was required for the conversion. eBay requires that anyone posting an auction for R12 check that the buyer has that certification, but eBay has no way to enforce it. Besides, its technology has been tested and trusted. As these refrigerants are slowly phased out, there are still many questions that people have about them. R12 and R134a are not the only game in town. Hence, the effect of R12 on global warming is up to 10,000 times higher than carbon dioxide. This is not to say that one of these small retro-fit kits cant be used, however to be used wisely. R12 systems use screw-on connectors, while R134a systems use push-on connectors similar to those used in air tools. Since these days a can of R134a is about $15, the cost differential isnt what it was in the panicked days of the mid-1990s. _________________. The most significant disadvantage of this product is the damage that it can do to the environment if its vented irresponsibly. Thats simply not true. What is usually sniffed are all the connections in the system: hoses and compressor, condenser, drier, expansion valve and evaporator fittings. Rob Siegel has been writing the column The Hack Mechanic for BMW CCA Roundel magazine for 30 years. The reason is that the vehicles, for instance, manufactured currently configure the engine for R1234yf refrigerant, making no provision for replacement. To prevent refrigerant loss you should consider replacing your old hose lines with barrier type hose. Its improbable that any new installation will be built that uses this refrigerant as its use is deemed highly undesirable in many countries and international environmental treaties discourage its use. Well worth the money if your A/C system is still in good shape. The alternator, sometimes called a generator, generates electricity to charge the battery and power all the electric auxiliaries while driving. Generally this works well for the whole system. The global warming potential of R134a is 1430. Then there are three new EPA-approved climate-friendly alternatives. There is R1234yf, which is already being used on new cars but is classified as mildly flammable. At $70 per pound, no one is using it in retrofit applications. We consider the the various types alternative refrigerants that are illegal or not approved to be in two sectors: non-flammables and flammables. Ensure you contact a professional mechanic to do the work for you so you dont end up incurring more costs for yourself. The following bullets are verbatim from EPAs website: There is an additional requirement that the cars A/C have charging fittings that are unique to the refrigerant being used, but its the venting part thats of the most interest, as its the area where you can get fined. And then there is the very interesting refrigerant R152a, which is the ingredient in keyboard duster, minus the bittering agent added to prevent inhalant abuse. But in order for refrigeration to work, you need something that has a low boiling point, something that exists as a gas at room temperature and can be easily pressurized into a liquid so that, when it is allowed to expand, it immediately boils at room temperature and cools. Oil doesnt stay in the compressor, however, it dissolves in the liquid refrigerant and gets carried through the system as a fine particulate mist when the refrigerant goes through its liquid/gaseous transition. R134a has an ozone depletion potential of 0, implying that it has a slight effect on the ozone layer. These attributes make it very attractive for domestic refrigeration. R12 and R134a are older types of refrigerants that are considered to be dangerous to the environment today. However, its been shown that R134a is as destructive to the environment, and newer refrigerants have been created to overcome this problem. Generally the system will be initially charged with approximately 80% to 85% of the original amount of R12, using R134a. It is usually sold under the brand name, Freon 12. Its legal to own either of these gasses, but its illegal to vent them into the air. And, unfortunately a small high side pressure gauge on a short hose. R-134a entirely dominated the automotive market by 1994. This means that the tiny droplets of oil from the compressor that end up in the refrigerant will be returned via the compressors refrigerant; they wont block pipes. Theres no doubt that R12 refrigerant is one of the first compounds manufactured for the air conditioning and refrigeration world, but it had to be banned. Therefore, the higher the factor of the chemical (compound), the greater its effect on global warming. With a tight modernized system thatll accept either refrigerant, you should then consider where and how the system will be operated. You can find many videos and web forum posts where people retrofit R152a into cars that originally had R12 and profess excellent results, but it is not approved by the EPA for retrofit applications, only new car applications. These cheap kits usually have a few cans of R134a (either 12 ounce or 16 ounce), maybe an extra can of refrigerant oil, a few generic R134a charge port adapters and maybe some o-rings. While R513A is a viable option for new and existing equipment, it is not a "drop- in" replacement for R12 or R134a. Since you will be using less R134a than R12 you do not want to rely on the driers site glass to determine if the system is full. Do a pre-inspection and then Evacuate (vacuum down) the system, the longer the evacuation the better but there is a point of diminishing return, 2-3 hours is generally very good. Piston Slap: Booting a Torino in a snap without snaps? R12 is extremely stable and wont deteriorate operating under the most extreme conditions. rate between the temperature range of -40 C and -10 C is R134a liquid's, while the lowest is the R1270's. Having a low mass flow rate with in the system is a parameter that reduces the cost of operating. In todays world, the combination of its ozone-depleting ability and its contribution to global warming makes this product a major issue for many countries. The sticker typically has a place to note the amount of refrigerant used, the type of oil and amount of oil, the technicians sign off or name and the date of the conversion. The problem with these so called drop in replacements is that to properly handle them you may need dedicated equipment to identify the gas and evacuate it for proper disposal. https://www.wiseautotools.com/mountain-quick-connect-r12-ac-gauge-conversion-to-134a/ A/C gauge conversion kits from R12 to R134A. . Both of these compounds have similar cooling properties. This product is safe to use in that its not toxic, flammable, or explosive. In fact, R12 was used for many years as a propellant in a variety of aerosol products and sprayed directly into the air, and it is closely related to the halon used in fire extinguishers. Dont do it. From this number, subtract 1/4, or 0.25 pounds. For those of you who are considering what the cost is for R12 you can think of it this way: Dont go out to dinner this weekend. R134a is a greenhouse gas, while R1234yf has a lower global warming . Reattach the hose lines using new R134a compatible o-rings, lightly lubricate with compressor oil. This product is non-toxic, non-flammable, and not explosive, so its extremely safe to use for domestic refrigeration. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. If you find any of these conditions you will want to liquid flush (with dedicated AC flush solution) all the lines, condensers, evaporator (remove the expansion valve) before you proceed further. It only works with 134a refrigerant. As long as the compressor was working well, it could be drained, filled with R134a-compatible oil, and reused. No, its not possible to mix these two refrigerants. This boiling point means that itll condense with moderate pressure, so applications can use a lower pressure condenser to achieve the same results. We recently created this blog site to enable us to share our knowledge with other automotive mechanics and car owners. You can order a personally inscribed copy here. Replace the drier with a drier that has a desiccant that is R134a compatible, use new R134a o-rings. You can recharge your A/C system with chicken soup (lousy refrigerant, by the way) and no black helicopters will come to your house, but in a world where people usually dont hold onto their cars forever, R134a is still the best choice for retrofit applications. However, the operating pressures are reportedly four times those of other refrigerants, so retrofit appears out of the question. Both of these products are refrigerants. 1. Its chemical symbol is CH2FCF3. And with R134a costing only two bucks a can, converting to the new inexpensive refrigerant seemed the thing to do. Both claims are demonstrably untrue. Its often said that buying or selling R12 is illegal. This implies that the discharge pressure of the compressor should be moderate so it can produce the refrigerants condensation in the condenser at the atmospheric temperature. If your car was produced after 1994, it likely has R134a used as the refrigerant. Difference Between R-134a and R-410A Refrigerants? R12s boiling point is -21.6F or -29.8C. So if you car has a large amount of rubber hose, such as a 40 feet with the 911, then you will be re-charging the system often and that is expensive no matter which refrigerant you use. Further production of R12 was banned in some developed countries by the Montreal Protocol because of its harsh effect on the ozone layer. You do not have to split up the 5-6 oz of oil and add it to each component, just simply put it all in the compressor as it will move throughout the whole system once the system is operational. So when someone says, You cant get R12 anymore, or Its illegal to use R12, those things simply arent true. Thats not true either. On the other hand, R12 has a global warming potential of 10,910. Concentration level: The R134a vapor dilutes the oxygen concentration in the air to a low level, thereby causing harm. Because R-12 is no longer manufactured and has not been used in cars for over 20 years, this article will focus on systems designed for R-134a. R134a was touted as the replacement for R12 until it too was deemed environmentally undesirable. Thus you see how R134a conversion was often applied to systems that were not working correctly, if they were working at all.
Anti Ccp Levels 500 Means,
Billy The Exterminator Wasp Spray,
Police Activity In Santa Monica Right Now,
The Real Conjuring House Photos,
Articles D