Learn Me A/C Refrigerants

Toyman01 wrote: I've also used R290 (propane) to charge a system. My shop heat pump has been running it for 3 months now, replacing the R22, and it will freeze you out. It also draws less amperage. So not only does it cool well, it's more efficient. It's used a fair amount in other countries.

It was used a ton in this country in the early days. Ever wonder why old farm houses seem to have the fridge outdoors on the porch...Let see propane under pressure and early units burned propane get a leak and flash boom..

I've used it in place of r12 worked great.

44Dwarf wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: I've also used R290 (propane) to charge a system. My shop heat pump has been running it for 3 months now, replacing the R22, and it will freeze you out. It also draws less amperage. So not only does it cool well, it's more efficient. It's used a fair amount in other countries.

It was used a ton in this country in the early days. Ever wonder why old farm houses seem to have the fridge outdoors on the porch...Let see propane under pressure and early units burned propane get a leak and flash boom.. I've used it in place of r12 worked great.

A lot of those old fridges were also ammonia absorption systems and burned kerosene. The fumes were kind of strong if that system leaked.

Hyjacking the thread here a bit.

I have 1 can of the real NOS R12 refrigerant. No use for it but I do know that it has value to someone. Any takers?

I haz cold AC in my Esprit Turbo. Well, my right knee is very cold when I drive, but that's what you get with a non-Honduh supercar. This may not seem like much to some of you guyz, but, let me tell you, it was a major ordeal. See, they hung the AC hoses and gas tanks in the air, then built the car around them. Anyway, I had a leak. Couldn't find it for nothing. Dyes, leak detector, etc., put a can in and 24 hours later the system is empty and I can't find it. Basically ripped the whole thing out and finally found a leaking metal elbow underneath a pound of asphalt tape. If I was pumping $50/can R12 instead of $8/can R134a, I would be out a whole lot more money than I am now trying to track that sucker down.

I put a new compressor in with oil set up for R134a (like a whopping $180), new hoses (probably not needed), new expansion valve (also probably not needed, but it did lead me to the culprit, so no complaints,) and some custom adapter fittings, sucked it down and charged it with R134a. Works good. Or as designed anyway. Good is rather subjective.

So, my point is to find and fix your leak first. I'm gonna take a SWAG here and say that your compressor is shot and it is leaking the freon out the shaft. It's past time.

bravenrace wrote: In reply to Sky_Render: Why don't you just determine what you have in the system now? If R-12, then top it off with R-12. If R-134A, then do a conversion. Don't screw around with these half baked substitutes. They ALL have shortcomings.

The Corolla has R-12 in it. I'd be happy to dump more R-12 in if you have a source for finding it, since the EPA made it illegal and all.

Sky_Render wrote:

bravenrace wrote: In reply to Sky_Render: Why don't you just determine what you have in the system now? If R-12, then top it off with R-12. If R-134A, then do a conversion. Don't screw around with these half baked substitutes. They ALL have shortcomings.

The Corolla has R-12 in it. I'd be happy to dump more R-12 in if you have a source for finding it, since the EPA made it illegal and all.

It isn't illegal.

You just need to spend $25 and get an EPC 609 (or is it 608) certificate.

Otherwise it pops up from private sellers on craigslist all the time. At least it does down here.