Welcome back, Readers!
Since our last gathering, the refrigerant (or as many say, "freon") sales at my store have remained incredibly high. Given our weather this hot summer season, that's not at all surprising. But we also *still* get a large portion of customers who don't know which refrigerant their vehicle takes, or why it even matters. If it wasn't so dangerous to confuse them all, we (store employees) wouldn't have a panic attack every time someone tried to mix them. [Cue "Home Alone" scream: Aaaaaaagggggghhhhhhh!!!!]
First things first: It's called "refrigerant", not "freon".
But, I suppose that misnomer will never really change. I liken that to all 'flying disc toys' being called 'Frisbees' (even if not made by the Frisbee toy company). Or Southerners calling all sodas/colas/pop "Coke"... then clarifying "Pepsi", "7-Up", "Diet Coke", etc. for someone's specific carbonated drink choice. When a product reaches a certain popularity level, it tends to be the 'face and name' of the category it represents. Since the refrigerant named R12 was commonly known as "freon", that moniker has also been applied to other refrigerants.
Good to note: The many refrigerants that exist.
Just off the top of my head, I can name 3 refrigerants: R12, R22 and R134a. I'm quite certain others exist, but for the purposes of this article we only need to mention these three.
R22 is NOT an automotive grade of refrigerant. It's use is primarily confined to refrigerator/freezer units. (Yes, as in cold food storage!) I am not certain, but R22 may have also been used in A/C units for buildings. I know *some* type of refrigerant is used, either R22 or its replacement. Actually, I believe R22 is being phased out (like R12 is for automobiles), though I don't recall what is replacing it, nor when that actually started. But, this is an automotive blog, so I'll let you research that one on your own. :-)
R12 (aka "Freon"): This refrigerant was used in the A/C systems for ALL U.S.A.-bound vehicles, through Model Year 1992. (Europe may have switched away from R12 even earlier, but I do not recall.) If you remember having a family car with A/C during the 1980's, you probably also remember the way it would darn near freeze your skin off. Ah, refreshing! Right? But, R12 was soon discovered for being a *huge* culprit in destroying Earth's protective Ozone layer. So, it had to go. And we replaced it with...
R134a: This refrigerant came on to the scene like a superhero, ready to replace that environmental villain called R12. Starting in Model Year 1994, R12 was completely banned from usage. R134a was the ONLY acceptable refrigerant for automobiles. Okay, maybe the R134a stuff doesn't freeze your skin off the way R12 did (IF you're old enough to really remember the difference!), but at least we aren't killing our planet like we were before.
[SIDEBAR: R134a, while better than R12, is also causing problems with our climate. Beginning in 2011, Europe is banning R134a (aka HFC-134a) from being used in all new cars. The proposed substitute is HFO-1234yf, which is reportedly compatible with R134. They get along nicely, so there is no fear about mixing them. But, we can discuss that new refrigerant when it actually hits the U.S.A.'s market. Word is, select Chevy models will have it in MY2013. See for yourself on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HFO-1234yf.]
Hey, you skipped Model Year 1993!
Thanks for speaking up! Kudos to you for paying attention and catching that!
Here's the deal: From MY1992 through MY1993, vehicle manufacturers were able to use up remaining components for R12 systems in a 'phase out' method. Once they started production on MY1994 vehicles, they *had* to be completely using R134a components and refrigerant. Every manufacturer seemed to take a different approach to the phase-based transition. Some opted to start certain factories as early as 1992, while others picked different transition points in MY1993. I think some even waited until the very first MY1994 auto to launch the R134a systems. I'm sure they all had their own reasons for the strategies they chose.
How to tell which refrigerant your vehicle takes:
1. What model year is it?
a. 1994 and newer: From the factory w/ R134a
b. 1992-93: Check the sticker (see below for details).
c. 1991 and older: From the factory w/ R12, but may have been changed. Check the sticker.
2. What does the sticker say?
a. Lift your hood and prop it up, if needed.
b. Look for the sticker/decal that says "This vehicle conforms to XXXX model year emissions standards..."
c. On that same decal, it should mention whether the factory put in R12 or R134a refrigerant.
d. If that decal said R12, look around to see if there is another, newer sticker saying "Retrofitted on [date]. If so, yours has been changed to R134a.
3. What do the caps of the fittings look like?
a. Take a quick look at one of your tires. Look at the valve stem (where you add air and check the pressure) and make a mental note of what that cap looks like. It will be plastic, black (or maybe green).
b. Now go back to your engine compartment. Glance around the top perimeter. Do you see anything that looks like your valve stem's cap? If so, that's an R12 fitting. Don't see it? Keep reading!
c. Keep looking around the top perimeter (picture frame of the under-hood area). Do you see any fittings with a red or blue cap? This will be closer to the diameter of a nickel or a quarter. If you see one of these (they are sometimes in hard-to-find areas, even at the bottom of the engine), then you have R134a.
4. If you get frustrated, by all means ask someone to help you! A fresh set of eyeballs alone may be all you need. Otherwise, pull out your owner's manual (they should at least mention where the low side is), a repair manual, or go to your friendly quality auto parts store. They won't put the refrigerant in for you, but they *will* help you to identify which kind you need.
WARNING: R12 + R134a = *HUGE* POTENTIAL FOR EXPLOSION!!!
You've heard of the major feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys, right? Well, these two refrigerant gases are exponentially worse when mixed together! Seriously! So, please, if you are ever in doubt, just turn the task over to a professional. It is *not* worth risking the lives and limbs of you and everyone around you, just to save a few dollars.
A Quick Word on Retrofitting...
Retrofitting is when an R12 system is converted over to an R134a-compatible system. The *last* step of this process is to attach 'adapter fittings' to the old R12 fittings. But, the first step is to have all remaining traces of R12 vacuumed out by a special machine. And only someone with a license can do that, so you MUST go to a licensed repair shop to have that done.
Yes, 'Retrofit Kits' are available in stores. Yes, my store sells them also (currently around $60 + tax). Yes, you can technically purchase one of these kits (which include the adapter fittings) and install it yourself. They do seem to have pretty clear step-by-step directions on the package.
BUT
No, I will not provide those kinds of directions on this blog. No, I will not recommend nor endorse that an unlicensed DIY'er uses such a kit to update an R12 system. In fact, if someone comes in to purchase such a kit, then has to ask how to use it, I generally direct them to have a shop do it. It is safer for the customer, their friends, their neighbors - truly, EVERYONE - that way.
As they say, "buyer beware".
That covers another sizable lesson for today. Hey, air conditioning is a sizable topic! But now you are better equipped to know which refrigerant you need, why you can't mix them, and when to raise the white flag that says "I need help".
Until next time, remember the Golden Rule... not only good for people, but your auto too!
-PPM
No comments:
Post a Comment