The main two will be R-22 and R-410A which are also known as Freon and Puron respectively. The two types of refrigerants are not interchangeable within a system, so you want to ensure you choose the right one before purchasing your system.
To retrofit an R-22 system with R-410A system your line set must not be more than 25-50 feet in total distance. If the line set is longer than this, you will have to replace the line set with larger lines.
Using an r22 Txv you cannot run it with r410a the high suction pressure will close the txv Then it will balance out as a restricted Txv . I know that because i seen it several times in the field on units where the cheapest bid got the job.
The operational pressure of the refrigerant R410A becomes higher compared to R22. In the worst case, a lack of compressive strength may lead to piping explosion.
How much will an R-22 to R-410A conversion cost? The actual cost will depend on many things, including where you live, but most of the time R-22 conversions start at around $2,000 and go up from there. The higher end of that range is somewhere around $4,500 to $4,600.
You cannot just switch refrigerants because R410-A and R-22 have different chemical properties. R410-A operates at a higher pressure. If you put R410-A into an R-22 system, the parts will rupture due to the increased force.
As you might imagine, this isn't going to go well for your air conditioner or heat pump. Long story short? Never mix R-22 and R-410a. Unless of course you are looking to destroy your HVAC system, then, by all means, go live that dream.
Since R410A refrigerant is charged under higher pressure, charging an R22 system with it will increase the force within the coolant lines. The pressure can become high enough for parts of the system to rupture. At the very least, leaks will occur. Mixing refrigerants is not an option either.
Systems that use R-410A also use synthetic oil for lubrication, rather than mineral oil like in R-22 systems. The synthetic oil is more soluble, making the whole system more efficient. Therefore, R-410A works better than R-22 and has more efficient systems.
The refrigerants have very different heat-transfer properties and use chemically incompatible lubricating oils, so they aren't interchangeable and can't be mixed. Transitioning one unit to the next could require replacing the compressor, evaporator and condenser, along with potentially replacing their copper lines.
As of January 1, 2020, production and import of R22 refrigerant will be illegal in the United States. Of course, continued use of your air conditioner (AC) or heat pump system using R22 refrigerant is allowed.
Tube-side materials in R-410A coils need to be thicker due to the higher operating pressures associated with R-410A relative to R-22. We're not arguing that there's not a difference in operating pressure between the two. There is – roughly 130 PSI for R-410A evaporators compared to about 70 for R-22.
When you replace an air conditioner or heat pump and upgrade from R-22 to R-410A, the ideal solution is to replace your refrigerant lines. This is because the mineral oil used in R-22 systems is not compatible with the new R-410A refrigerant and oil.
Mixing R22 with R407C or any other refrigerant. According to the 609 EPA rule, mixing refrigerants is illegal and anybody caught doing so will be heavily fined.
I think it is important to remember that R22 and r410a are made of the same chemicals just in different ratios. Though the oils are different, Mineral and Polyester are not going to contaminate each other. They will not mix but that does not cause a problem.
R-22 uses simple mineral oil, non-toxic, safe, stable, etc. while R-410a uses a somewhat exotic Poly o Ester (POE) oil typically found in jet turbine engines. The refrigerant used MUST match the oil present in the system, which is one reason why you can't replace the R-22 with R410a in a system.
So what the manufacturer recommends, the best option, is if you're going to go from an R22 unit to an R410 unit, that you should have your line set replaced at the same time. So everything is new. There's no contamination, there's no possibility of contamination.
Freon R22 also has poor energy efficiency compared to more recent hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. The refrigerant is less efficient at transferring heat than newer chlorine-free refrigerants, which means the system uses more energy to achieve the same level of cooling.
In fact, R410A can cool a room slightly faster with less energy. Efficient performance is a significant benefit of R410A. However, it works the same way as R22 in absorbing heat to provide cooling. But R410A doesn't make a room any colder than its predecessor.
In 2010, the U.S. stopped the sale of newly manufactured residential air conditioning units and heat pumps that use R-22 because of its particularly harmful impact on the ozone layer when released into the air. On January 1, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the production and import of R-22.
What are my options for replacing R-410A? Because there are no retrofits for R410A, a replacement is needed. The replacements for R-410A are the two A2Ls, Forane® R-32 and R-454B. Forane® R-32 can be used in new equipment designed specifically for mildly flammable refrigerants as a replacement for R-410A equipment.
If the unit is set up for R22 or if it is made for R410A then yes. The refrigerants are different in how they work. The oil used to lubricant the compressor is different and they don't mix.
Freon MO99 is the closest capacity match to R-22 compared with most other no-oil change refrigerants.
Understanding the Current HVAC Refrigerant Guidelines
Most HVAC brands have started to swap out their older AC and heat pump units over the year, preparing for the 2025 deadline, when they will have to completely stop the production of systems with R-410A.