The higher the ambient temperature the higher the high side pressure. 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. As you probably know, matter can exist in three statessolid, liquid, and gas. If youre still uncertain, go to a trained technician wholl tell you what refrigeration you have. The molecule size of R134a is smaller than that of R12, so there was concern that R134a could leak out through the hoses and flare fittings that R12 systems used. Many existing fridges and air conditioning units still use this refrigerant and work very efficiently. 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. Legally. Shut off your car and once again let out all the pressure. As this gas has such an effect on the environment, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has strict guidelines for its use. Whenever its exposed to the environment, it changes to a gas. R134A does not deplete the ozone layer of the earth as it is a CFC refrigerant. The problem is that some inexpensive available refrigerantsammonia and propane, for exampleare poisonous and/or flammable. R134a is still used in the automotive industry as a refrigerant and in other industries, such as pharmaceuticals, as a propellant. Besides, R134a refrigerant was manufactured after R12 was banned to help reduce the harshness of the old chemical (R12) on the ozone layer. R134a and R12 are both refrigerants used in vehicle air conditioning systems. 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. 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. link to Alternator Overcharging - Causes and Fixes, link to LS Head Bolt Torque Specs and Sequence. In addition, there was the lubricant issue. So the oil must be compatible with the refrigerant. Most of all the differences gravitate to longevity, functionality, and safety. 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. That doesnt mean to say that theyre no longer used. 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. Generally the system will be initially charged with approximately 80% to 85% of the original amount of R12, using R134a. Also, since R134a uses synthetic oil, it has a low global warming potential, unlike R12 which uses mineral oil which poses a negative environmental impact. Unfortunately, taking the longer view of things, even if you do leak-test a car thoroughly and properly all A/C systems leak eventually, so any can of R12 you put into a car will likely wind up in the atmosphere, an eventuality that I am less and less comfortable with. Problem solved, right? Yes R12 systems did cool better than R134a, but there are differences and it is not wise to go back wards. Dont do it. The service ports in both systems are quick-connect, but they are taller in the yf systems to avoid cross-contamination. The global warming potential of R134a is 1430. Buy online for free next day delivery or same day pickup at a store near you. R134a won't provide the same level of cooling as R12, though. Theres no problem with using R134a in a home air conditioning system because it is a hydrofluorocarbon that doesnt cause environmental harm. Theyve moved away from using R12 in favor of more modern, environmentally safer products. R134a systems operate at higher discharge-side pressures than R12, which can cause compressor seals to leak. Lastly, there are the flammable organic refrigerants (propane and its blends). eBay requires that anyone posting an auction for R12 check that the buyer has that certification, but eBay has no way to enforce it. The alternator, sometimes called a generator, generates electricity to charge the battery and power all the electric auxiliaries while driving. I have never see the other way around. 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. Which brings us to. Its better that this is done by professional technicians as venting any of this gas into the atmosphere is environmentally damaging and illegal. Sold by e7tools and ships from Amazon Fulfillment. By noting the ambient temperature you can look up what the preferred high side pressure should be. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and fluorine. However, there wereand aresome challenges to using it in an automotive A/C system designed for R12. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. 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. 2001-2023 Griffiths Technical Inc. All Rights Reserved. But the problem with R12 is twofold. Lichamp HVAC R410A Manifold Gauge Set AC R134A, Freon R22 R32 410A 134A Diagnostic Manifold Gauge with Hose Kit Air Conditioner Refrigerant Recharge Kit Visit the Lichamp Store 403 ratings | 10 answered questions -27% $7999 List Price: $109.99 FREE Returns Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping. Required fields are marked *. Environmental Impact: When R134a escapes into the atmosphere, it contributes to global warming. Before we mentioned that you can add approximately 5-6 ounces of ester oil to the compressor. Sign up for the latest automotive news and videosin short, everything for people who love cars. The major reason for the replacement of R12 with R134a was to curb future greenhouse effects. 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. Piston Slap: Booting a Torino in a snap without snaps? Just leave it alone for now. _________________. pdrayton on Sat July 14, 2007 2:12 PM Year: 1983 Make: Mercedes Model: 240D Engine Size: 2.4 Refrigerant Type: R12 Ambient Temp: 90 Pressure Low: 35 Pressure High: ? Ensure you contact a professional mechanic to do the work for you so you dont end up incurring more costs for yourself. R134a isnt as efficient in cooling as R12. Its often said that R12 is no longer available. Before R12 was replaced with R134a in 1995, it was mostly used in trucks and cars. A comparison between R12 vs. R134a temperature will show that R12 has a higher temperature than R134a. The advantage of ester oil is that it works with both R12 as well as R134a, so you can fill the system with it and then use either refrigerant.Sha. Second, as youll see below, if you have to perform work on an A/C system that has refrigerant in it, it is illegal to vent the refrigerant (to let it escape into the atmosphere); it must be captured and recovered. This product does contain dangerous chemicals such as methyl chloride and vinyl chloride, both of which are carcinogenic and may cause congenital disabilities. To discover the capacity for refrigerant, you want to use the specs for the current system and multiply the R12 charge by 0.9 or 90%. You do not however need to replace all the o-rings or seals for a simple conversion, it is simply a logical thing to do when and if the time comes to work or replace certain components because of age issues. In more serious, it could result in cardiac irregularities or death. We, the Rxmechanic team, have presented a well-detailed comparison of R134a vs. R12. R134a systems operate at higher discharge-side pressures than R12, which can cause compressor seals to leak. 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. However, R12 refrigerants are still used as fire retardants in aircraft and submarines. You may have heard of a friend that did the job himself with borrowed equipment and 12 or 16 ounce cans of refrigerant. This allows the refrigerant in the condenser to be void of oil particles. R134a reacts with water to form hydrofluoric acid which damages the internal A/C components. 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 following is verbatim from EPAs website: EPA performs random inspections, responds to tips, and pursues potential cases against violators of the Section 608 regulations. Its legal to own either of these gasses, but its illegal to vent them into the air. Another way to check is to look at the air conditioning connectors. The biggest problem that youll have is the oil in the system. Its not that difficult but the procedures of evacuation, charging and testing should be done by a licensed a/c technician that is experienced with R134a and your particular car. Many vehicles that contain this type of refrigerant will continue using it. The global warming potential measures the amount of heat trapped by any gas compared to the amount of heat trapped by the same amount of carbon dioxide. The non-flammables can have R22 type gas which is not compatible with most rubber hoses or they have gases that contribute to global warming. . Since you cant vent any refrigerant without breaking the law, and since youll be hard-pressed to find a shop that will recover anything other than R134a, youll have painted yourself into a corner. R12 and R134a are older types of refrigerants that are considered to be dangerous to the environment today. Sponsored. These attributes make it very attractive for domestic refrigeration. Stay home and grill your own steaks and stir your own martini. Further production of R12 was banned in some developed countries by the Montreal Protocol because of its harsh effect on the ozone layer. 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. It's important to get good. For example, if your system originally had 36 ounces of R12 then you multiply that by .80 and you have 29 ounce of R134a. Weve been talking about air conditioning for a couple of weeks now, so if youre still feeling the heat then its time to wrap up the series so you can get out to your garage and put what youve learned to good use. Price is reasonable Consistent and accurate If the oil didnt dissolve into the refrigerant, it would reduce the refrigerants ability to transfer heat. Bottom line, R134a simply doesn't cool as well as R12. R12s ODP is 1 (the highest rating). Interestingly, theres one oil type that works perfectly with both types of refrigerants. So when someone says, You cant get R12 anymore, or Its illegal to use R12, those things simply arent true. The compressors used by refrigeration plants to compress gas require oil to help lubricate its moving parts. Its called Polyol Ester Oil or POE oil. The concern that the original R12 hoses would leak R134a like a screen door on a submarine appeared to be largely unfounded, as the insides of original hoses seemed to naturally become impregnated with a combination of refrigerant and oil that acted as a barrier. R12 contains a chemical called chlorine that destroys the ozone layer, thereby causing potential environmental risk. R134a is the most commonly used refrigerant to convert automotive air conditioning away from the destructive R12. The system will be checked for gross leaks while under vacuum. R12 has a GWP of 10,910, so its effect on global warming is over 10,000 times greater than carbon dioxide. Recharge the compressor with a/c ester oil and a tracer dye. 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. Refrigerant Can Leak Easier For starters, R12 systems and R134a systems are designed differently to accommodate the gaseous state of each. This makes it expensive to purchase and adds to the attraction of replacing it with other greener products. R-134a entirely dominated the automotive market by 1994. To be absolutely clear, these refrigerants are not EPA-approved and shouldnt be used. However, some old air conditioning units still use them. 135, three new EPA-approved climate-friendly alternatives., Installing a lift pump in a Duramax diesel. These factors make it a safe product for a technician to work with. The cylinder head gasket is one of the most over-engineered and stressed components in an internal combustion engine. First things first. R12 is used in several applications like low temperature, medium temperature, and high-temperature applications. The conversion to more modern refrigerants will require a replacement of the system, which will cause issues in terms of originality when showing this type of vehicle. This is why it is crucially important that R134a systems be properly evacuated (pumped down to boil off any moisture) and kept sealed. Energy usage: R134a is less efficient in cooling compared to R12. Its chemical symbol is CCl2F2. With new R12 no longer being manufactured, the market price soared to $100/pound. Country of Origin: United States Hi, this is my first post, so please take it easy on the noob. Compete replacement may be the only answer. Hot spot auto parts .ca sells R12a for about $10/can and a $10 ALL IN ONE can with oil. This means that this compound is made up of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. Thats not true either. When used in refrigerator and A/C systems, R12 cooled incredibly well. Hell, its possible that not all of the original A/C components are even there anymore. For all of these reasons, the issues of conversion and performance need to be cleanly separated. There are kits that convert R12 to R134a. After the initial charge the system is then tweeked : you determine the optimum amount of refrigerant to match your system by monitoring the a/c outlet vent temperature and the high side pressure as you add or remove refrigerant. The exact amount will vary with each car. R12 is extremely stable and wont deteriorate operating under the most extreme conditions. Your decision could be made based on economics, environmental concerns, or both. R134a has a GWP of 1430. But, if your car lacks enough condenser and you have many 100+ degree days then you may want to stick either increase air flow, add another condenser as we mentioned in The Mr. Ice Project or stick with R12. These properties make it very attractive for domestic, commercial, and automotive refrigeration and air conditioning. But, if your old compressor has lock-up or if your current expansion valve is not functional it would wise to replace the expansion valve with a valve designed for R134a. Its often said that buying or selling R12 is illegal. If you still find it difficult to use R134a in a home AC system, you can check out a comparison of R12 vs R134a fittings to know the refrigerant that best fits the AC system. 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. As for R134a and R1234yf, theres no room for conversion. R134a was the replacement refrigerant for R12. With R134a you do not rely on the site glass. You can look up the law yourself at www.epa.gov/mvac, but basically it boils down to three things. With a tight modernized system thatll accept either refrigerant, you should then consider where and how the system will be operated. The global warming potential of R134a is 1430. These properties make it popular for domestic and commercial refrigeration. The major difference between these two refrigerants is their chemical composition. Moreso, it had been banned. Santech R12 to R134a Coupler Conversion Kit. If you are replacing other system components, such as condensers, driers or hoses, you may need to add more a/c refrigerant oil to the system. R134a replaced R12 from 1994 onwards. Note that there is another kind of oil called Polyol Ester Oil (POE). To take one of these and convert it to R134a was usually a recipe for disappointment. International manufacturing of new R12 ceased in 1996, but existing R12 can still be reclaimed and purified. Alternator Overcharging - Causes and Fixes. 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). Whether R134a performs as well as R12 in any given a/c system depends upon system components and the amount of R134a used. Refrigerant: Must be EPA-approved and cannot be intentionally released (vented) into the environment. Like R12, this product is non-toxic, non-flammable, and not explosive. R12 costs about 4 times as much as R134a. After the optimum refrigerant charge is determined the car should be test driven to check for performance of the system. 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. It provided much needed context as I embark on re-building the AC in my sons new (to him) 1988 Toyota pickup. 2021 Complete Guide. The boiling point of R134a is -15.34F (-26.3C.) This is because the pressure temperature relationship of R-12 and R-134a is different. R134a isnt toxic, corrosive, explosive, or flammable, making it a good choice for air conditioning, but its cooling properties arent as good as R12. R1234yf is more environmentally friendly and has a global warming potential of 4. However, leaks do occur. Hence, the effect of R12 on global warming is up to 10,000 times higher than carbon dioxide. When the sensor detects the refrigerant leak the sniffers lights glow and the sniffer makes a noise. 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. 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. 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. However, the operating pressures are reportedly four times those of other refrigerants, so retrofit appears out of the question. 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. It has a lower global warming potential than R134a. The major environmental impact of this refrigerant escaping into the atmosphere is its contribution to global warming. R12 is miscible with mineral oil under any operating condition. https://www.wiseautotools.com/mountain-quick-connect-r12-ac-gauge-conversion-to-134a/ A/C gauge conversion kits from R12 to R134A. 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. At this time you can still find R12, but, because it is no longer produced, availability is limited to current inventories and the price per pound is greater than R134a. They behave in the same way when used in any form of refrigeration or air conditioning plant. Converting them is extremely expensive, and in many cases, replacement is the only option available. However, you will need different recovery machines and other equipment to handle R1234yf. Refrigerant 134a, or R134a, was developed as an alternative to the CFC refrigerants known to cause environmental damage. We suggest dumping the old refrigerant oil in a clean container and inspect the oil for sludge or waxing (old oil that has gelled) and contamination (metal particles). Bottom line, R134a simply doesnt cool as well as R12. In addition to this, federal laws prohibit the topping up of an R12 system with R134a and vice versa. Both of these products are refrigerants. With R12 you use to check to see if the site glass was full, if it had bubbles it meant you had a low charge. Another difference is that yf Evaporators must meet SAE Spec J2842, which was not an issue in R-134a systems. R134a is safe to use as its not toxic, flammable, or explosive. This product is safe to use in that its not toxic, flammable, or explosive. Its a safe product for use in a variety of domestic and commercial environments. The air conditioning system in your car uses a combination of evaporation and condensation to cool the interior. Its still one of the most efficient at cooling, but the destructive effects on the ozone layer and its very high global warming potential have made this environmentally an unwise choice. If it splashes inside the eye, it could lead to a serious eye problem. R12 will completely dissolve in mineral oil, but R134a wont. 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. This is a highly desirable property as it means that the boiling point is always below the targeted temperature. We chose to use 5-6 ounces of oil to be on the safe side: 3-4 ounces for the compressor, 1 oz of oil for the drier and another ounce of oil for system losses. We have the best A/C Manifold Gauge Set and Components for the right price. Because of this products greenhouse gas attributes, its manufacture has been banned in the European Union since 2011, and motor manufacturers stopped using it in motor vehicle air conditioning at that time. Instead, top off R12 with R134a refrigerant. We recently created this blog site to enable us to share our knowledge with other automotive mechanics and car owners. He started writing automotive articles to share his garage experience with car enthusiasts and armature mechanics. 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. 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. R12 is known as a CFC or chlorofluorocarbon, with a chemical symbol of CCl2F2. This means that the oil used in the system must be compatible with the refrigerant in use. Servicing: When payment of any kind is involved (including non-monetary), any person working on an MVAC system must be certified under section 609 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and they must use approved refrigerant handling equipment. In sum, R12 has done more bad than good. In contrast, the most likely reason youd consider recharging with an alternative refrigerant is because the refrigerant leaked out of your car and youre trying to avoid doing a full-on A/C rejuvenation which includes finding the leak and properly changing refrigerants. This means that it has a high potential of causing depletion to the ozone layer. You either get a system that will function well with R1234yf or get any other type. 5 foreign cars that were copied from American style. In contrast, older CFC refrigerants had an ODP of 1. Providing they dont leak, theyre no risk to the environment. However, R134a is better than R12. The two systems use different fittings. 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. Only licensed air conditioning companies and technicians may purchase this refrigerant. Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 20. Theyll continue to work for many years, as replacement is costly. These two refrigerants are very similar. They frame it as a replacement for R134a in cars and other vehicles. 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. Since 2010, all home AC systems manufactured use a refrigerant like R134a that has zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). R134a has a boiling point of -14.9 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas R410 boils at -61.9 degrees. R134a is a greenhouse gas, while R1234yf has a lower global warming . Well worth the money if your A/C system is still in good shape. Both of these refrigerants wont be used in new air conditioning or refrigeration plants, but theyll continue to be used in existing plants and the automotive industry. Generally you follow the refrigerant flow moving from connection to connection, component to component, and you sniff the a/c vents to check for evaporator leaks as well. R134a is NOT less efficient than R12 Actually R134a is more efficient. Many commercial enterprises that run large chillers or transport companies running reefer trailers or containers have used R12 as its a highly efficient refrigerant that provides excellent cooling. Besides, its technology has been tested and trusted. On the other hand, R12 has a global warming potential of 10,910. It has already been clearly stated that R12 is a chemical that damages the earths ozone layer and shouldnt be released into the environment no matter the circumstance. Rob Siegel has been writing the column The Hack Mechanic for BMW CCA Roundel magazine for 30 years. Make sure to wear safety gloves, goggles, and shoes when theres a possibility of exposure to the chemical (R134a). Hopefully Ive properly conveyed that, if the A/C in your precious vintage car is long-dead, the question isnt whether you choose between buying a few NOS cans of R12 and shooting them in (seriously dont do that) or converting to R134a. 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.
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