Right now, two refrigerants are commonplace in the marketplace: R-134a and R-1234yf. Under an Environmental Protection Agency mandate, R-134a will be phased out and R-1234yf refrigerant must be in all new cars by 2021. The latter is already appearing in vehicles and is “here to stay,” he said.
Cons: Cost: 1234yf refrigerant may be more expensive compared to 134a, potentially increasing initial investment costs for equipment and maintenance. Limited Availability: The widespread adoption of 1234yf is still in progress, leading to potential challenges in availability and supply chain logistics.
What makes 1234YF different? Environmentally Safer: It has a global warming potential (GWP) that's 99.7% lower than 134A. Tighter Systems: It operates at similar pressures as 134A but requires more precise equipment due to stricter leak prevention.
The evaporation rate of R1234yf is higher than that of R1234ze(E) and R1234ze(Z). The evaporation thermal resistance signally effects the evaporation behavior of isomers. The energy barrier for R1234yf liquid molecules to evaporate is the smallest.
While the refrigerant in your vehicle can escape even without a leak, it's often not enough to cause significant issues unless you've failed to top up the refrigerant for years. When the lack of refrigerant becomes significant though, it can cause a number of problems, including an overheating driver in the summer sun.
Every one of those machines is slow, it's not a brand specific thing to my knowledge. It's due to EPA laws. All 1234yf machines are required to run those tests, per EPA mandates.
Though it is still illegal to vent the refrigerant into the atmosphere, it is not prohibited to charge a leaking system or to sell 1 pound cans. If you Google “charging ac system with a 1 pound can”, there are 12,700,000 results. R1234yf is not without some problems.
Properties of R1234yf
The GWP of R1234yf (4) is much lower than R134a (1430), and this is one of the reasons why it has been selected by most of the car industry as the replacement for R134a in Europe for automotive A/C. R1234yf is an important ingredient in the most promising low-GWP HFC blends.
R1234yf is a hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerant. HFO refrigerants are composed of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon atoms, but contain at least one double bond between the carbon atoms. Due to its composition, R1234yf does not damage the ozone layer or has minimal global warming impact.
In 2020, the US required all automakers to manufacture cars with R1234YF AC systems to prevent environmental pollution. Even so, the R134a refrigerants are still in use, and they'll exist for several years because older vehicles will still require repair works on their R134a refrigerants.
Safety issues to be aware of when handling R1234yf
It is also worth noting that highly toxic substances are created when this gas is burnt. Asphyxiation and freeze burns are also a risk.
When was the 1234YF introduced? The new Freon that is being used in vehicles was first introduced in 2013. Only a few vehicles had 1234yf in them. There are still vehicles out there that use 134a Freon.
The refrigerant cost per pound for R1234yf is roughly three to five times higher than R134a. That cost difference flows directly to your recharge bill. And it's not just the refrigerant itself — the equipment required to service R1234yf systems costs shops considerably more, which factors into the service rate.
According to automotive experts, a well-maintained car AC system can go 10-15 years without requiring a refrigerant recharge. If your system needs frequent recharging, it's almost certainly due to a leak that should be addressed rather than temporarily patched with more refrigerant.
Answer：Yes，you can convert an empty R-1234yf system to R-134a.
One of the primary reasons for the switch from R-134a to 1234YF refrigerant is environmental impact. Traditional refrigerants like R-134a contribute significantly to global warming. While R-134a doesn't harm the ozone layer like older refrigerants (such as R-12), it still has a high Global Warming Potential (GWP).
The mixing of R-134a with R-1234yf will change refrigerant pressure and may result in evaporator freeze-up on pressure control systems, reducing system airflow.
The newest refrigerant, 1234yf is now the mandated refrigerant for any production vehicle 2022 and newer. It has actually been in use with some manufacturers for a few years now. Dodge for example, has used it in one or two models since 2014.
January 1, 2025: Manufacturers stopped producing new R-410A residential split systems and heat pumps. Equipment manufactured before this date can still be sold and installed. January 1, 2026: The original deadline for installing R-410A split systems manufactured before 2025.
CFCs are the most destructive to the ozone layer so its ODP is the highest.
F atoms degrade into HF which is then rained out and mineralized with no additional affect on ozone or climate. Its atmospheric lifetime is approximately 11 days (vs 13 years for R-134a). In addition to its superior environmental performance, it is safe to use in automotive applications.
The vapours from R-1234yf are heavier than air and may cause asphyxiation by reducing the oxygen in the air being breathed.
It started with the 2014 Jeep Cherokee (in 2013) which, after a production delay instituted to complete calibration of the new nine-speed automatic, started to slowly reach dealerships in early fall. It was followed that year by the 2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Challenger in November.