R134a is an HFC or tetrafluoroethane, and its chemical formula is CH2FCF3. When R12s effects on the ozone layer became known and it was superseded by R134a, EPA came down hard with large fines on both professionals and DIY-ers. However, some old air conditioning units still use them. Only licensed air conditioning companies and technicians may purchase this refrigerant. So to keep things simple and to avoid controversy and politics we have R134a. A vacuum pump, a refrigerant recover system, quality service gauge set with both low and high side gagues, and much more besides the lessons to learn what to do and what not to do. In addition to this, federal laws prohibit the topping up of an R12 system with R134a and vice versa. 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. Providing they dont leak, theyre no risk to the environment. 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. A/C professionals derisively called these death kits because they had a reputation for causing the compressor to seize a few months later. There should also be a blue sticker somewhere on the system telling you the date the system was converted. Any new installation of refrigeration or air conditioning wont use R134a as a refrigerant as the production and importation of this gas to the US has been banned. Its called Polyol Ester Oil or POE oil. Its cylinders are colored white. After the optimum refrigerant charge is determined the car should be test driven to check for performance of the system. 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. This is not to say that one of these small retro-fit kits cant be used, however to be used wisely. What is usually sniffed are all the connections in the system: hoses and compressor, condenser, drier, expansion valve and evaporator fittings. EPA is authorized to assess fines of up to $37,500 per day for any violation of these regulations.. Very few DIY-ers have recovery equipment (I dont), so you need to take the car to a shop that does, and fewer and fewer shops keep and maintain R12-recovery equipment. Chemistry. R134a has an ozone depletion potential of zero and a global warming potential of 1430. The problem is that some inexpensive available refrigerantsammonia and propane, for exampleare poisonous and/or flammable. Yes, there will be less refrigerant by weight. R134a was developed to replace R12, so it works over the same range of applications. Next, add a can of R12a from the low side fitting while running your A/C. R12, on the other hand, has an ozone depletion potential of 1, implying that it can damage the ozone layer. R12 uses mineral oil, but R134a wont dissolve in mineral oil. If youre still uncertain, go to a trained technician wholl tell you what refrigeration you have. Wise Auto Tools - Convert R12 Gauge Set to R134A - YouTube The 10 Best Air Conditioning Gauges To Buy - May 2023 Edition - We Kompare This product is safe to use in that its not toxic, flammable, or explosive. The air conditioning system in your car uses a combination of evaporation and condensation to cool the interior. R134a is a newer type of refrigerant that has some significant advantages. Replace the drier with a drier that has a desiccant that is R134a compatible, use new R134a o-rings. If you use anything other than R134a, youll likely create a situation where you must be the one servicing the system. R134a is a greenhouse gas, while R1234yf has a lower global warming . These guidelines are strictly enforced, and contravention of them can lead to severe penalties being imposed. Nevertheless, if your application is configured only for R12, then you can use it or consider replacing the applications engine. 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. R-134a entirely dominated the automotive market by 1994. Swapping the components isnt a herculean task, but recharging the AC is a challenge. No, its not possible to mix these two refrigerants. 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. R12 is highly destructive to the earths ozone layer. 1. R134a Expansion valve different from R12? The system will be checked for gross leaks while under vacuum. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. So, instead of using R12, other better options include R401b, R134a, R401a, etc. So when someone says, You cant get R12 anymore, or Its illegal to use R12, those things simply arent true. Thats simply not true. Refrigerant Can Leak Easier For starters, R12 systems and R134a systems are designed differently to accommodate the gaseous state of each. R12 will completely dissolve in mineral oil, but R134a wont. 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. There are kits that convert R12 to R134a. 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. R134a is a pure refrigerant that is sometimes used in blends, while R410a is itself a blend. Besides, its technology has been tested and trusted. They frame it as a replacement for R134a in cars and other vehicles. Miscibility with oil: R12 can be mixed with the compressor oil no matter the operating condition. Since 2010, all home AC systems manufactured use a refrigerant like R134a that has zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). By noting the ambient temperature you can look up what the preferred high side pressure should be. The new player in the market is HFO-1234yf (R-1234yf), which is considered ozone-friendly and has a GWP of less than 1. Each has its own cult following and requires its own EPA-approved charging fittings. R134a can easily go between liquid and vapor states as with other refrigerants. R12 is a powerful ozone depleted, while R134a and R1234yf are not. In most cases, the systems used have varied components, designs, and service ports. Using R134a requires that Polyolester (POE) lubricant must be used in the compressor. R134a belongs to the family of HFCs or hydrofluorocarbons. 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. By using a qualified a/c shop with the proper equipment you odds are in your favor of having the job done correctly the first time. As the manufacture of this product is now banned, the costs associated with it will inevitably rise. These applications will - due to browser restrictions - send data between your browser and our server. This product does contain dangerous chemicals such as methyl chloride and vinyl chloride, both of which are carcinogenic and may cause congenital disabilities. If the target environment is only moderately hot, and your use of the car is light, R134a will probably be fine. Below are the major differences between R134a and R12: The chemical composition of R12 and R134a differ. This can significantly affect energy consumption as the plant will operate for longer, or a larger plant will have to be installed. 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. The flammables have hydrocarbons. We consider the the various types alternative refrigerants that are illegal or not approved to be in two sectors: non-flammables and flammables. R12 has not be manufactured for a long time it was outlawed in the US. The original expansion valves work very well with R134a. Doesnt contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer. Im not a lawyer, but charging a known-leaky system with something flammable sounds like culpable negligence to me. 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. Once you take these precautions, it would be possible to use R134A gauges R410A systems seamlessly. R12 is known as a CFC or chlorofluorocarbon, with a chemical symbol of CCl2F2. An R134a-specific expansion valve was preferred but not strictly necessary. As these refrigerants are slowly phased out, there are still many questions that people have about them. R134a was touted as the replacement for R12 until it too was deemed environmentally undesirable. R12s ODP is 1 (the highest rating). A gentleman in Canada was very interested until he learned about the R12. R134a vs R12 - What is the Differences? - Rx Mechanic As this chemical has carbon, hydrogen, and fluorine but no chlorine, its not dangerous to the ozone layer. 134A HVACR versus 134A Automotive..Difference?? - HVAC-Talk: Heating Let's talk about refridgerants: R-12a or R-134a? | TDIClub Forums Inasmuch as R134a has a global warming potential thats over 1000 times more threatening than carbon dioxide, its better than R12. Welcome to rxmechanic.com. With the knowledge of the differences, youll be able to draw a comparison between R12 vs R134a efficiency. Boiling Point: R134a refrigerants boiling point is -26.3C (-15.34F). Refrigerant 12 or Freon 12 is colloquially known as R12. Subtract or 0.25 pounds from this number. R134a has an ozone depletion potential of 0, implying that it has a slight effect on the ozone layer. Certainly no one selling cans of R12 on Craigslist is asking for your EPA 609 card. As a result, each refrigerant's system requirements are quite . Alternator Overcharging - Causes and Fixes. No one here will work on it, he said. 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. If you have a perfectly operating system using R12 you do not have to drop what you are doing and convert to R134a. Another way to check is to look at the air conditioning connectors. Find more info about me and HVAC Training 101. This means that the mineral oil in the system wont dissolve. Whenever its exposed to the environment, it changes to a gas. Your email address will not be published. However, R12 refrigerants are still used as fire retardants in aircraft and submarines. Its chemical name is dichlorodifluoromethane, and its chemical formula is CCl2F2. Because R134a is an HFC, not a CFC (stay with me for a minute), it does not have the ozone-destroying properties of R12. R12 was used mainly in domestic and commercial refrigeration, while R134a was used mainly by the automotive industry. 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. The name of the oil is Polyol Ester (POE). R12 was the first refrigerant created. This can be very very expensive. All signatories to the Montreal Treaty stopped the production of CFC products. Which brings us to. Moreso, it had been banned. R134a and R12 are both refrigerants used in vehicle air conditioning systems. Its often said that R12 is no longer available. 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. If youre resurrecting the A/C in a vintage car, the vast majority of the time the refrigerant has long since leaked out, but if your car has refrigerant in it, and you need to open up the A/C system to work on it, spend a little money and take the car to an A/C shop. 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. At room temperature R410a has a pressure of nearly 200 psi, while R134a is around 70 psi. Can you use r12 gauges for r134a? - Sage-Advices The hose length is 60 inches and comes with a 1-year warranty. Inhalation of vapor: Inhaling a large amount of R134a vapor can lead to drowsiness, temporary nervous system depression, and lethargy. The compressor should then be filled with R134a-specific oil (usually PAG oil) and the system evacuated and recharged. The biggest difference between the two is that R1234yf is mildly flammable and does require special handling. 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. After the system has been tested out it should be checked for leaks. Thats not the case with R12, ensuring that the efficiency of the plant isnt compromised. This means that the oil used in the system must be compatible with the refrigerant in use. 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. With that said, Ill agree that the flammability issue may not be as black-and-white as it appears. This means that this compound is made up of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. Any old black o-rings should be replaced with R134a-compliant green o-rings. Compete replacement may be the only answer. r134a vs r12 manifold gauges.. - Slant Six Forum Most of all the differences gravitate to longevity, functionality, and safety. This means that this compound is made up of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. It is also used in automotive car conditioning and the plastic industry. 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: ? Because the two oils were different, R134a certainly wasnt a drop-in replacement for R12. I am currently retired and no longer do much with HVAC, however, I feel like I have a lot of knowledge in the subject and I wanted to create a website where I could talk about what I've learned and help upcoming HVAC techs. This is a remarkable read about the history of R12 to R134a, and the reasons and (few) exceptions to not convert to R134a. 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. Important Features: Color-coded Easy to use Made of high-quality brass Specific for R-134a Pros: Easy to operate. Anyone selling R12 is required to verify that the buyer has an EPA Section 609 certification to work with mobile vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) systems. R12s GWP is 10,910. When theyre in a liquid state, theyll remove heat from air passing over the pipes theyre in and slowly evaporate to form a gas. Its not illegal to own this product, but with it being withdrawn from use in so many countries, its no longer manufactured. The major environmental impact of this refrigerant escaping into the atmosphere is its contribution to global warming. This drop can affect energy consumption since the plant will operate for a longer period or a larger plant will have to be installed. The two systems use different fittings. This means that it has a high potential of causing depletion to the ozone layer. There are other EPA-approved refrigerants such as Hot Shot and Freeze 12, which you can find here. To bless the system the technician should attach a R134a sticker somewhere in the engine compartment to note the car is using R134a. Diagnosis of the air-conditioning system can be done in the same way as with R134a.