This product was developed to overcome the old CFC refrigerants problems as it has an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of 0.055. The new player in the market is HFO-1234yf (R-1234yf), which is considered ozone-friendly and has a GWP of less than 1. We consider the the various types alternative refrigerants that are illegal or not approved to be in two sectors: non-flammables and flammables. Refrigerant: Must be EPA-approved and cannot be intentionally released (vented) into the environment. Its found in domestic and commercial refrigeration and air conditioning. It has a lower global warming potential than R134a. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His new book, Just Needs a Recharge: The Hack Mechanic Guide to Vintage Air Conditioning, is now available on Amazon. The value of carbon dioxide is 1. Its been likened to trying to convert a petrol engine to run on diesel. Compatible with multiple applications: The major reason for the introduction of R134a was to replace R12, so it functions perfectly in the same range of applications like rotary, screw, and centrifugal compressors for air conditioning and refrigeration. This product does contain dangerous chemicals such as methyl chloride and vinyl chloride, both of which are carcinogenic and may cause congenital disabilities. 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. If your car does not have a high pressure cut-out switch in the AC system then youll need to have one installed (call us if you need help). Merely an emerging auto hacker. When this happens, the chlorine in the product contributes significantly to the ozone layers depletion, leading to a lack of protection from harmful radiation. Both of these products are refrigerants. R134a and R12 are among the most popular types of refrigerants. The weight is only 2.4 ounces. 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. R12 is highly destructive of the ozone layer, and R134a is over 1,000 times more dangerous in terms of global warming than carbon dioxide. 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. Anyway on the low side R134a runs about 2 psi lower than R12 at equivalent temperatures. Boiling Point: R134a refrigerants boiling point is -26.3C (-15.34F). Versus Ferrari F8 & Lamborghini Huracan Evo Cammisas Ultimate Drag Race Replay, Ultra RARE: Colin Chapmans Lotus Eleven + 327 Corvette Stingray with 4-speed | Barn Find Hunter Ep. The typical scenario here is when the car owner buys an inexpensive retro-fit kit from the local auto parts store. 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 vs R12 refrigerant? First things first. The money you will save by will pay for the R12. When R12s effects on the ozone layer became known and it was superseded by R134a, EPA came down hard with large fines on both professionals and DIY-ers. The problem with using an approved alternative refrigerants other than R134a is that when the system is serviced it requires certain types of fittings, labels and dedicated equipment. Instead of using R12, its preferable to use R134a because it is very easy to find in the market, its sold at an affordable price, and is environmentally friendly. Each has its own cult following and requires its own EPA-approved charging fittings. Its a safe product for use in a variety of domestic and commercial environments. R134a Expansion valve different from R12? The most significant disadvantage of this product is the damage that it can do to the environment if its vented irresponsibly. R22, or to give it its proper chemical name, chlorodifluoromethane (CHCIF), is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic, non-flammable alternative to older refrigerants. However, take note that R134a refrigerants are manufactured specifically for automotive air conditioners. Its chemical symbol is CH2FCF3. In addition to the low boiling point, there are two other de facto requirements for refrigerant: It shouldnt be poisonous, and it shouldnt be flammable. R12 has a global warming potential factor of 2400. The original expansion valves work very well with R134a. They differ in the number of ports, alias manifolds, that are used for attaching accessories. R134a can easily go between liquid and vapor states as with other refrigerants. Compete replacement may be the only answer. Stay on the right side of the law, the environment, and your conscience, and dont vent refrigerant. A qualified technician should vacuum out the gas and the refrigerant changed for something more modern and environmentally sympathetic. 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. However, some old air conditioning units still use them. R134a is still used in the automotive industry as a refrigerant and in other industries, such as pharmaceuticals, as a propellant. As this product is highly damaging to the environment, the environmental treaty signed in Montreal in 1987 stopped the use of CFC refrigerants, which included R12. To bless the system the technician should attach a R134a sticker somewhere in the engine compartment to note the car is using R134a. Id already decided to, effectively, replace every major component, only re-using the hard aluminum lines and custom fittings on the soft compressor lines. R134a systems operate at higher discharge-side pressures than R12, which can cause compressor seals to leak. Besides, its technology has been tested and trusted. Theres one type of oil that will work with both refrigerants. R1234yf is more environmentally friendly and has a global warming potential of 4. Besides, R134a refrigerant was manufactured after R12 was banned to help reduce the harshness of the old chemical (R12) on the ozone layer. It only works with 134a refrigerant. You do not need to replace every o-ring in the system, but if you happen to open a connection that has an o-ring you should replace the old o-ring with one that is compatible with R134a and lubricate the o-ring with ac oil. For R12, its mineral oil. Pound for pound R134a is a more efficient refrigerant than R12, however it runs at higher pressures in some aspects and therefore requires more effective condensing. R134a is an HFC or tetrafluoroethane, and its chemical formula is CH2FCF3. 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. In most cases, the systems used have varied components, designs, and service ports. The next piece of equipment to track down leaks is a leak sniffer. Also, if you want to know what happens if you put R134a in an R12 system, you should first confirm if the R12 system can be replaced or if the refrigerants can be mixed. It's important to get good. R134a was developed to replace R12, so it works over the same range of applications. To prevent refrigerant loss you should consider replacing your old hose lines with barrier type hose. You confirmed my decisions in one elegant post (as opposed to the 60-odd hours of blog post readings and YouTube videos). R134a replaced R12 from 1994 onwards. Another way to check is to look at the air conditioning connectors. This chemical has carbon, hydrogen, and fluorine. R134a is safe to use as its not toxic, flammable, or explosive. Gauges are used to read the pressure of various liquids and gases in a cooling system, as well as vacuum pressure in the process of testing or charging the device. It is a haloalkane and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant that has thermodynamic properties, potential global warming for one hundred years, and insignificant ozone depletion. When the temperature is reduced to-7C or below, the plants ability to cool the airdrops significantly. You should keep in mind that recharging your air conditioner improperly could result in more serious damage. R12 was used mainly in domestic and commercial refrigeration, while R134a was used mainly by the automotive industry. link to Alternator Overcharging - Causes and Fixes, link to LS Head Bolt Torque Specs and Sequence. A comparison between R12 vs. R134a temperature will show that R12 has a higher temperature than R134a. R134a has a boiling point of -14.9 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas R410 boils at -61.9 degrees. Its legal to own either of these gasses, but its illegal to vent them into the air. The two systems use different fittings. Its possible to convert from R12 to R134a without replacing the systems components, so when R134a was brought out, it seems to be a good match to many automotive air conditioning issues. We learned the theory behind refrigeration and air conditioning, which centers on this wonderfully useful bit of physics: When liquid boils and evaporates into a gas, it expands and cools. Converting them is extremely expensive, and in many cases, replacement is the only option available. 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. This can significantly affect energy consumption as the plant will operate for longer, or a larger plant will have to be installed. The global warming potential of R134a is 1430. https://www.wiseautotools.com/mountain-quick-connect-r12-ac-gauge-conversion-to-134a/ A/C gauge conversion kits from R12 to R134A. Some recovery machines are equipped for both R134a and R1234yf. There are other refrigerants: some of which may work, some of which dont work, some of which will destroy your a/c system and some of which are dangerous. This means that it has a high potential of causing depletion to the ozone layer. R134a and R12 are both refrigerants used in vehicle air conditioning systems. Now, in the case of big American cars, with their massively overbuilt A/C systems and huge condensers, R134a conversion often worked fine. This means that this compound is made up of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. The original rubber a/c hose lines in your car will leak out R12 through the hoses lining. SKU # 532244. . All in all, I'm very happy with the results and see no reason why they won't last. 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. These properties make it very attractive for domestic, commercial, and automotive refrigeration and air conditioning. Most countries frown on the use of these gasses due to their environmental impact. You can order a personally inscribed copy here. Before landing on the debate of R134 vs R12 you should know that both R134a and R12 are AC refrigerants types used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems. In air conditioning units installed in motor vehicles, the systems increased running time results in increased fuel usage. Hell, its possible that not all of the original A/C components are even there anymore. Stability: RR12 doesnt disintegrate even under extreme operating conditions. The global warming potential is a factor that measures the amount of heat trapped by any gas when compared to the amount of heat trapped by the same amount of carbon dioxide. The problems that arise are related to the oils used in the system and the fact that they have different charge weights and different boiling points. As this gas has such an effect on the environment, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has strict guidelines for its use. Refrigerant Can Leak Easier For starters, R12 systems and R134a systems are designed differently to accommodate the gaseous state of each. Because A/C compressors have moving parts, they require oil. I can tell you that R12 is some seriously great refrigerant; it gets both of these cars meat-locker cold almost from the instant the A/C is turned on. Also, it can be used with all types of compressors. Lets take you through the advantages, disadvantages, and differences of these two refrigerants a detailed comparison including R12 vs R134a performance. All these industries still have old plants that use these refrigerants. Im not a lawyer, but charging a known-leaky system with something flammable sounds like culpable negligence to me. Hence, the effect of R12 on global warming is up to 10,000 times higher than carbon dioxide. R12 is used in several applications like low temperature, medium temperature, and high-temperature applications. Both of these compounds have similar cooling properties. The ozone depletion potential of a chemical is a factor that shows the level of degradation itll cause to the ozone layer that surrounds and secures the earth from harmful radiation. Whenever its exposed to the environment, it changes to a gas. Difference Between R-134a and R-410A Refrigerants? Your decision could be made based on economics, environmental concerns, or both. Since 2010, all home AC systems manufactured use a refrigerant like R134a that has zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). Its unlikely that air conditioners or refrigeration plants will be converted from R12 or R134a to R22, but it can be done if reclaimed R22 refrigerant can be located. With new R12 no longer being manufactured, the market price soared to $100/pound. Lets have a closer look at these similarities and differences. The approval is very legal one, governed by the U.S. EPA. Also, look for a blue sticker that gives the date of conversion. R134a isnt toxic, corrosive, explosive, or flammable, making it a good choice for air conditioning, but its cooling properties arent as good as R12.
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