Any HFC refrigerant such as R134A must have
There are three refrigerants that can be used to replace R-134a: R-1234yf, R-152a, and R-744. More on these replacements later.
A High-Performing Alternative to R-134a
Opteon™ XL10 (R-1234yf) refrigerant is a non-ozone depleting (ODP) hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) option that meets the industry's growing demands for sustainable, safe, and effective solutions.
No, you would not replace R134a with R-1234yf for any real reason.
The blue Neoprene and green HNBR O-Rings are interchangeable in their applications with R-134a, blended refrigerants, and R-12 as well.
It can be used effectively in R12 or R134a refrigeration systems without major “retrofitting.”
Black o rings are most commonly used for auto air conditioning applications.
Still, the answer is an emphatic, “No.” Not only would a retrofit of this type negate the environmental benefits of R-1234yf, but it would also be a violation of Federal Law under Section 203 of the Clean Air Act: “tampering” with a vehicle's emissions control device.
Possible alternatives to R-134a
Attention is increasingly focused on low-GWP refrigerants that are hydrofluoroolefins (HFO). R-1234yf in particular is often seen as a possible alternative to R-134a. The GWP value of R-1234yf is 4, which means it has a very low global warming potential.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has since added R-134A to its list of greenhouse gases, declaring definitively that this refrigerant is a poor choice for the future of the planet and its inhabitants.
With the scientific approach to reduce the global warming potential (GWP) of the refrigerant R-134A (i.e. 1430), the refrigerant R-513A with GWP of 631 is the drop-in replacement.
The US EPA is to ban a host of high GWP refrigerants including R404A, R134a, R407C and R410A in certain new products from as early as January 1, 2021.
Also, substitutions are often not without problems. For example, when replacing R22 with R134a, there are many problems that cannot be replaced directly; the cooling power of R134a is 60% lower than that of R22, which means that the condenser of the system must work overtime to achieve the same cooling capacity.
R-1234yf systems that control freeze protection by pressure may encounter loss of cooling performance if charged with 100% R-134a. This is due to the requirement of R-134a to have a lower setting of 3.3 psig to achieve freeze protection at 32 F. This may result in a 4-degree F.
The R407c refrigerant is the best suitable for R22 and R134a refrigerant in the future construction of the heat pumps. As the complete replacement of refrigerant needs system redesign, In the current work R407c has been blended with R134a and the performance and energy consumption patterns are studied.
HFO-1234yf (R-1234yf ) has a global warming impact value of 1 versus 1300 for R-134a. It breaks down chemically in the atmosphere in only 11 days versus 13 years for R-134a! While R-1234yf oils are backwards compatible with R-134a systems, R-134a PAG oils are not compatible with R-1234yf systems.
Some notable substitutes for R134a [10] in AAC based on the preceding studies are R1234yf [[11], [12], [13], [14]], R1234z (E) [[15], [16], [17]], R152a [[18], [19], [20]], R290 [21,22], R744 [[23], [24], [25]], R430A [26,27], and R444A [28], etc.
The chemical stabilities of copper, steel, and aluminum have been tested and confirmed as acceptable for use with Freon™ 134a and lubricants. Acceptable plastics and elastomers have been found for use with existing CFC refrigerants.
If you're looking for a low global warming potential (GWP) alternative alternative, consider Opteon™ XP10 (R-513A)—a new generation hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerant replacement for R-134a in stationary equipment.
While R-1234yf could be the perfect replacement for R-134a, there is one major challenge with this new technology. The R-1234yf is much more reactive than R-134a.
However, the mixture R32/R134a in the NRC will result in a better performance. The maximal COP can be improved in a range of 8–9% over that of the CRC, and the volumetric refrigerating capacity can be approximately increased by 9.5%.
If you are purchasing less than 2 pounds of either R-134a or R-1234yf, you are not required to have a license to purchase either refrigerant. However, if you are working with 10- and 25-pound single-use recyclable cylinders you will need Section 608 Technician Certification.
Solders are typically considered a plumbing product. But, did you know low-temperature tin/silver solders have higher strength and ductility than typical plumbing solders? This makes them suitable for most residential HVAC connections. During brazing, copper is heated to over 1300°F.
Using Bleach in Your AC Drain
After the gunk has been removed from your drain line, get in the habit of performing a little DIY maintenance. Simply open up the drain line clean out or T on your inside unit and pour a 50/50 warm water and bleach mixture OR warm water and vinegar solution through the line.
Any black wiring is considered hot, or live, meaning there is power running through it. The power wire should be used to feed power to a switch or outlet and is often used as a switch leg, the connection from an electrical load to a switch.