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Old 06-01-2019, 11:56 AM   #1
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Can I still buy refrigerant?

I realized today that I don’t think my new bus has the AC working.

I have 1997 e350 short bus. I was told they stopped selling the refrigerant I would need to just recharge my system.

Is this true and/or what are my options. Thank you in advance!

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Old 06-01-2019, 12:54 PM   #2
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What refrigerant did it use?
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Old 06-01-2019, 01:04 PM   #3
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for a 97 e350 it should still run what is available at any auto parts store.
134A
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Old 06-01-2019, 02:32 PM   #4
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The old R22 refrigerant is still available, but will be phased out by next year. R134 was introduced in 1992 and took over the automotive market entirely in 1994 and is readily available in most auto parts stores and a recharge kit will run around $30 for a DIY kit. R134 will also be phased out next year. The new replacement will be 1234YF, and it will be crazy expensive. They're talking a $100 jug of R134 will be $700-$800 in 1234YF.
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Old 06-01-2019, 03:34 PM   #5
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The old R22 refrigerant is still available, but will be phased out by next year. R134 was introduced in 1992 and took over the automotive market entirely in 1994 and is readily available in most auto parts stores and a recharge kit will run around $30 for a DIY kit. R134 will also be phased out next year. The new replacement will be 1234YF, and it will be crazy expensive. They're talking a $100 jug of R134 will be $700-$800 in 1234YF.


I think portions of SNAP were eliminated or pushed back. Production of R-134a systems may be phased out, but the refrigerant should still be available.

When R-134a replaced R-12/22 it was quite expensive but prices fell as it became the new standard. The same is likely to happen with R-1234yf.

Regardless of OPs system, there should be some way to get it working, either with the original refrigerant or a drop in conversion.
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Old 06-01-2019, 04:08 PM   #6
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I realized today that I don’t think my new bus has the AC working.

I have 1997 e350 short bus. I was told they stopped selling the refrigerant I would need to just recharge my system.

Is this true and/or what are my options. Thank you in advance!

as far as I know, the old refrigerant can be replaced with the new approved product - most auto repair places could give you a definitive answer about that
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Old 06-01-2019, 04:29 PM   #7
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R134a can be replaced with 1234YF. R22 cannot be replaced with R134a or 1234YF.
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Old 06-01-2019, 06:28 PM   #8
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Thank you, how do I find out?
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Old 06-01-2019, 06:38 PM   #9
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Thank you, how do I find out?


Usually there are labels under the hood or close to the service ports.
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Old 06-01-2019, 07:29 PM   #10
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Thank you, how do I find out?

check with your local garage or dealer - they will have that information
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Old 06-02-2019, 07:19 AM   #11
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Thank you for the help! This makes me feel better.
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Old 06-06-2019, 03:33 AM   #12
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The old R22 refrigerant is still available, but will be phased out by next year. R134 was introduced in 1992 and took over the automotive market entirely in 1994 and is readily available in most auto parts stores and a recharge kit will run around $30 for a DIY kit.
Actually, I don't remember vehicle A/C systems ever using R22, I've only ever seen them use R12. Perhaps that was a typo, but R22 was primarily for residential systems. Unless we are talking about a Coleman Mach-style rooftop mount unit, which may use R22 (can't remember off the top of my head), but I've never seen those on this type of bus.

And yes, GreasyQTip, R134a conversion kits are available for R12 systems, and are fairly easy to do, though a 97 should already be set up for R134a. I presume we are talking about the engine-driven unit that cools through the front dashboard, and not a frame-mounted auxiliary Carrier-type unit... Or rooftop unit like I previously mentioned.

You should be able to buy R134a readily in any auto parts store. Most recharge/refrigerant-only comes in 11-12 oz charge cans, or larger 18-22 oz. Read the labels carefully, some have compressor oil and/or leak detector in them, compressor oil is only necessary if replacing the compressor. Too much oil can cause erratic operation and destroy the compressor. Excess leak detector has been known to stop up systems and destroy them.

CHECK THE SYSTEM REFRIGERANT CHARGE FIRST! If the charge is low, I would get a shop to test for and find / fix any major leaks, then put a vacuum on the system, recharge it and it should be fine. The reason I say MAJOR leaks is this. With some systems, a leak may be so minute and slow it may not be worth the hassle to find the leak, as it will take years to get low again. In that case, recharge the system and it should be fine, I've seen many that simply had a slow leak, but ran forever.

Leaks are never good, but a small enough leak, you may spend thousands chasing it and never find it -- hence, not worth the hassle if it only needs a can of refrigerant every other year, or maybe even every three to five years. Basically, if the leak is slow enough that it still runs through one or two summers without issue, just charge it and forget it... Check the charge every year or so and add as needed.

Also, there are low-pressure and high-pressure cut-out switches that can malfunction and shut the system down even if the compressor and refrigerant charge are good. You can test these switches by simply unplugging them and jumping the terminals at the wiring connector with a paper clip or piece of wire. Low-pressure switch is usually in the receiver/dryer near the firewall. The high-pressure switch will likely be either at the compressor, or in the lines nearby.

If jumping either switch connector allows the system to run and it cools properly with no icing over of the lines, likely that switch is bad, or possibly the wiring to the switch has an issue. If the system ices over, it is likely low on refrigerant or overcharged. If this happens, correct as needed, but don't run the system bypassed like this any more than necessary for testing and diagnosis until the problem is corrected. If one of the cut-out switches is bad, they are simple to replace, they generally unscrew off of a valve in the line, replacement screws back on like a valve stem cap. Easy-peasy.

One other thing I saw with a Grand Marquis I owned (long story, but worth mentioning and looking into). The engine had a clutch-type fan on the water pump, but the car also had an auxiliary electric fan to help give the condenser coil extra airflow. The motor was flaking out and it ran just enough to make me think it was okay, but would randomly quit and and cause the system to overheat, pressurize and shut down. Eventually the over-pressurization developed a major leak and the compressor failed from low refrigerant.

I had the system rebuilt with all new parts ($2200) and replaced the fan motor. Ford wanted $500 for an OEM replacement, so I bought an aftermarket replacement for $50 and had the shop put it in. The doofuses wired it reverse polarity, so the aux electric fan was fighting the engine's clutch fan when moving, trapping air between the condenser and radiator, which caused the system to continued to overheat and overpressurize, shutting down the compressor.

One day I was tinkering with it and noticed the car was throwing a ton of heat through the front grille to the outside. I took a sheet of paper and held it against the grille. Sure enough, the electric fan was forcing air forward through the grille, fighting the engine fan's rotation of pulling it through the grille. This could cause enough of a problem at speed, but at low speeds or stop, the radiator heat was being drawn through the condenser, causing temps and pressure to spike, which is why the switches are there to shut the system down and prevent damage. The air is supposed to be drawn through the grille, through the condenser, then through the radiator to be blown under the car by the clutch fan.

As many rear-drive Fords began shedding engine-driven fans and going electric in the mid-to-late-90s, I thought this might be relevant, as they may likely be set up the same to that end. You may simply have low refrigerant caused by a slow leak, but this is worth checking if all else checks out.
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Old 06-07-2019, 11:24 PM   #13
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Thank you.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CHEESE_WAGON View Post
Actually, I don't remember vehicle A/C systems ever using R22, I've only ever seen them use R12. Perhaps that was a typo, but R22 was primarily for residential systems. Unless we are talking about a Coleman Mach-style rooftop mount unit, which may use R22 (can't remember off the top of my head), but I've never seen those on this type of bus.

And yes, GreasyQTip, R134a conversion kits are available for R12 systems, and are fairly easy to do, though a 97 should already be set up for R134a. I presume we are talking about the engine-driven unit that cools through the front dashboard, and not a frame-mounted auxiliary Carrier-type unit... Or rooftop unit like I previously mentioned.

You should be able to buy R134a readily in any auto parts store. Most recharge/refrigerant-only comes in 11-12 oz charge cans, or larger 18-22 oz. Read the labels carefully, some have compressor oil and/or leak detector in them, compressor oil is only necessary if replacing the compressor. Too much oil can cause erratic operation and destroy the compressor. Excess leak detector has been known to stop up systems and destroy them.

CHECK THE SYSTEM REFRIGERANT CHARGE FIRST! If the charge is low, I would get a shop to test for and find / fix any major leaks, then put a vacuum on the system, recharge it and it should be fine. The reason I say MAJOR leaks is this. With some systems, a leak may be so minute and slow it may not be worth the hassle to find the leak, as it will take years to get low again. In that case, recharge the system and it should be fine, I've seen many that simply had a slow leak, but ran forever.

Leaks are never good, but a small enough leak, you may spend thousands chasing it and never find it -- hence, not worth the hassle if it only needs a can of refrigerant every other year, or maybe even every three to five years. Basically, if the leak is slow enough that it still runs through one or two summers without issue, just charge it and forget it... Check the charge every year or so and add as needed.

Also, there are low-pressure and high-pressure cut-out switches that can malfunction and shut the system down even if the compressor and refrigerant charge are good. You can test these switches by simply unplugging them and jumping the terminals at the wiring connector with a paper clip or piece of wire. Low-pressure switch is usually in the receiver/dryer near the firewall. The high-pressure switch will likely be either at the compressor, or in the lines nearby.

If jumping either switch connector allows the system to run and it cools properly with no icing over of the lines, likely that switch is bad, or possibly the wiring to the switch has an issue. If the system ices over, it is likely low on refrigerant or overcharged. If this happens, correct as needed, but don't run the system bypassed like this any more than necessary for testing and diagnosis until the problem is corrected. If one of the cut-out switches is bad, they are simple to replace, they generally unscrew off of a valve in the line, replacement screws back on like a valve stem cap. Easy-peasy.

One other thing I saw with a Grand Marquis I owned (long story, but worth mentioning and looking into). The engine had a clutch-type fan on the water pump, but the car also had an auxiliary electric fan to help give the condenser coil extra airflow. The motor was flaking out and it ran just enough to make me think it was okay, but would randomly quit and and cause the system to overheat, pressurize and shut down. Eventually the over-pressurization developed a major leak and the compressor failed from low refrigerant.

I had the system rebuilt with all new parts ($2200) and replaced the fan motor. Ford wanted $500 for an OEM replacement, so I bought an aftermarket replacement for $50 and had the shop put it in. The doofuses wired it reverse polarity, so the aux electric fan was fighting the engine's clutch fan when moving, trapping air between the condenser and radiator, which caused the system to continued to overheat and overpressurize, shutting down the compressor.

One day I was tinkering with it and noticed the car was throwing a ton of heat through the front grille to the outside. I took a sheet of paper and held it against the grille. Sure enough, the electric fan was forcing air forward through the grille, fighting the engine fan's rotation of pulling it through the grille. This could cause enough of a problem at speed, but at low speeds or stop, the radiator heat was being drawn through the condenser, causing temps and pressure to spike, which is why the switches are there to shut the system down and prevent damage. The air is supposed to be drawn through the grille, through the condenser, then through the radiator to be blown under the car by the clutch fan.

As many rear-drive Fords began shedding engine-driven fans and going electric in the mid-to-late-90s, I thought this might be relevant, as they may likely be set up the same to that end. You may simply have low refrigerant caused by a slow leak, but this is worth checking if all else checks out.
Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this, i decided to take it to the mechanic who said he will remove the refrigerant and recharge it, I will keep this other info in mind. Thank you again.
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Old 06-07-2019, 11:27 PM   #14
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Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this, i decided to take it to the mechanic who said he will remove the refrigerant and recharge it, I will keep this other info in mind. Thank you again.
X2 Thanks.

Great explanation!
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Old 06-13-2019, 04:49 AM   #15
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To simplify a bit more, here are the basics of refrigerant system operation...

Think of the system as not cooling so much, as removing the heat from the intake air charge. The air returned is in actuality having heat removed from it, rather than actually 'cooling' it per se. The refrigerant is in a constant loop of circulation, changing between liquid and gas forms to transfer this heat elsewhere from where it is not desired. You have four basic components in the system...

1) The compressor (the 'heart' of the system, as it were)
2) The condenser core/coil
3) The receiver / drier / orifice tube assembly
4) The evaporator core/coil (where the magic happens)

As the compressor runs, it sucks in low-pressure, gaseous refrigerant, compressing it and creating the high-pressure / liquid side of the system. The old scientific principle of heat expanding and cold contracting is in play here. When the refrigerant leaves the compressor, it takes a liquid form, entering the condenser.

Air blown across the condenser coil cools the liquid as it travels through it. It remains liquid and high-pressure as it enters the receiver/dryer/orifice tube assembly.

The orifice tube filters and meters the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator core, where it expands to return to a lower-pressure, gaseous form, getting super-cold in the process. This is where the system 'sweats', or condensates, forming condensation on the outside of the receiver/dryer and the nearby lines. This is due to the extreme drop in temperature, especially against the higher underhood temperatures around these components.

The air inside the vehicle is drawn across the evaporator, where the refrigerant, now expanded and super-cold, absorbs any heat from the air drawn across the evaporator.

The refrigerant, still in low-pressure, gaseous form, enters the compressor to complete the cycle, where it is compressed, returning to a high-pressure / liquid form before carrying the absorbed heat away to be exhausted through the condenser coil.

And that, boys and girls, is how refrigerant systems work. Some systems have an expansion valve rather than an orifice tube, but the principle of operation is the same, whether it is a car, van, SUV, window-shaker, freezer, or refrigerator. Heat pumps operate pretty much the same way, except they have additional components to essentially reverse refrigerant flow.

Here is a diagram to help to understand the process... You can clearly see how cooling the condenser coil properly is vital to proper and continuous system operation.

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Old 06-13-2019, 09:50 AM   #16
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For what it's worth, I'll throw this info in here. I say this because I've mentioned this product on other forums and got nothing but haters and flaming. But this does not seem to be that sort of forum and so.... here goes.

I've been using Maxi-Frig for going on ten years now. This is because almost all of my vehicles had the old R22 stuff. I got really sick and tired of all these guys who came forward representing themselves as know-it-all experts and giving me a million reasons why a certain this or that could not be done. I finally decided that I was just going to learn as much about auto AC systems as I could on my own and then take my own chances. I have a 1988 Volvo 244 sedan. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Swedish cars were not made with original AC units on them. Think about it. Who in Sweden needs AC?

The Volvos that were shipped to the U.S. had the AC units installed after they got here. As a result, the AC performance of these units was less then stellar and it was rare to find a Volvo that was more than a few years old that even had a working AC unit. So I just went through and replaced my compressor, oiled it up, got a new expansion valve and drier. I super cleaned all the lines and then pulled a good vacuum when I had everything buttoned back up. Instead of using R22, I put in the Maxi-frig and it's been the best working Volvo AC we've ever had in this family.

Later, I did the same thing with my mom's 1992 GMC mobility van. It had a dual system with an accumulator/orifice tube in the front system and an exansion valve in the rear system. Charged it with Maxi-Frig again and again... excellent results.

My cousin also has been using it with a number of newer R134 systems and it drops right in just like it did in my R22 systems. It is definitely worth considering for anyone that is looking for solutions. Here is a link:

https://www.maxifrig.com/
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Old 06-13-2019, 10:26 AM   #17
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For what it's worth, I'll throw this info in here. I say this because I've mentioned this product on other forums and got nothing but haters and flaming. But this does not seem to be that sort of forum and so.... here goes.

I've been using Maxi-Frig for going on ten years now. This is because almost all of my vehicles had the old R22 stuff. I got really sick and tired of all these guys who came forward representing themselves as know-it-all experts and giving me a million reasons why a certain this or that could not be done... *SNIP* ... Instead of using R22, I put in the Maxi-frig and it's been the best working Volvo AC we've ever had in this family.

Later, I did the same thing with my mom's 1992 GMC mobility van. It had a dual system with an accumulator/orifice tube in the front system and an exansion valve in the rear system. Charged it with Maxi-Frig again and again... excellent results.
At the risk of sounding like one of your know-it-all experts (not flaming or hating, just speaking my experience), as I said earlier, I have never seen an automotive system (prior to R134a) that used R-22, only R-12. While your dealer-installed Volvo systems may well have been R-22 for all I know (I've never seen a Volvo system, and dealer-installed options are almost never the same / as good as a factory option, usually non-standard), I can't think of any reason they would have been.

There is a reason that different types of refrigerants exist. This is because different types of systems, have different operating parameters, different capacities, and different operation pressures and conditions, thereby requiring different refrigerants suited to each system's characteristics.

Using the wrong refrigerant in any system can and will destroy it, if it even allows it to run at all, not because the system knows what refrigerant is in it, but because the control system is set for the operating parameters of the refrigerant it was designed for, and it simply will not operate properly any other way. The one exception I know of to this rule is the rather common retrofit of R-12 systems to run on R-134a.

FYI, factory R-134a systems are generally disproportionately sized in comparison to R-12 systems, and R-134a refrigerant has a slightly different molecular structure, so while a retrofitted R-12 system will work just fine, it may not perform quite as well as a factory R-134a system or as well as the R-12 system's original R-12 did.

As an example, here is a link to refrigerant system charge capacities for various Oldsmobile models, some years using R-12, some using R-134a. You can see for yourself that the R-12 systems generally take more refrigerant, especially the older ones, as it is a bigger system. This seems to vary with R-12 systems that used PAG oil as opposed to the traditional mineral oil.

Oldsmobile A/C System Refrigerant Capacities - R-12 and R-134a

A good example is the variance from the 1993 Bravada to the 1994 Bravada, without rear A/C. Otherwise, the same vehicle. Also, the Ciera's varying years show a different charge capacity when factory systems began using R-134a. Also, being based on GM's FWD A-body, they were otherwise the same vehicle from 1982-1996. I know, having owned several.

For the application in this post, here is a link to the refrigerant capacities for the systems used in Ford light trucks dating back to the mid/late-80s. Scrolling down, you can find the E-350, which clearly shows the systems got smaller when R-134a was introduced. Ford's E-series van was practically identical and unchanged otherwise from 1992 apart from engine options and minor styling changes until official production was ceased in 2015, though it is rumored to still be available as a cutaway commercial cab/chassis.

Ford Light Truck A/C System Refrigerant Capacities - R-12 and R-134a

Moving along, R-22 is a higher-pressure refrigerant that could easily blow out every seam in an R-12 system. This is primarily because it is designed for much higher-capacity systems. R-22 typically runs 50-65% higher pressure on the high side, one of several reasons no professional would ever put R-22 in a system designed for R-12. The R-12 compressors simply aren't designed to deal with that much pressure. I can also see where an overloaded compressor would put more drag on the engine, resulting in reduced fuel economy.

R-22 in an R-12 system would likely even destroy the compressor from such overload, eventually, if it ran at all. The cut-out switches would likely not even allow the system to run at all without being bypassed or replaced with switches set for higher pressure ranges.

It's sort of like running motor oil intended for a gas engine in a diesel (as many an Oldsmodiesel owner learned the hard way in the 1980s), or non-automotive spec motor oil in an automotive engine. It may do in a pinch, but if it runs very long at all, it will certainly have some detrimental long-term effects.

As to this Maxi-Frig product you speak of... I've not heard of it until now, so I can't say for sure whether it is snake oil or not. Your post indicates that it may be a multi-purpose refrigerant, though it would certainly be the first I had heard of one. Don't take it as hating or flaming, I'm merely skeptical of something I haven't heard of. One red flag for me is that you say you charged a GM van again and again with this stuff, indicating that it was higher pressure than the system called for, which would have exacerbated any existing leak.

(UPDATE) However, on checking the site, Maxi-Frig indicates it is merely a brand name that indeed comes in different system types and specs (R-22, R-134a and R-12 are all clearly listed on the website you linked to). Seems to me this is a super-refrigerant that indeed works better than the standard type unique to a particular system, but its merits may well require a perfectly healthy system with no issues, and may cause small problems to become big ones. At the end of the day, it still has to be the proper type (R-12, R-134a, etc.)

Most chain auto parts stores, even Mal-Warts, sell 'hot-rod' synthetic 'booster' refrigerant, as it were, for R-134a systems, most of which I've seen under labels such as Arctic Chill, Super-Cool, Arctic Blast. Perhaps Maxi-Frig is simply another label for such a booster, and most I've seen do exactly as they claim. I've used Arctic Freeze and SubZero from Auto Zone to boost a few R-134a systems myself. (END UPDATE)

Though I do speak from limited experience, I learned mostly from my father, who was an industrial/commercial HVAC control contractor for years, and also knows the nuts and bolts of these systems. I have seen and helped him charge many a residential system with R-22 over the years, as well as many automotive systems, some restoring an R-12 charge, some converting to R-134a, NEVER R-22.

Side note: He happens to have a 1992 GM conversion van that has the rare distinction of still holding its factory charge of R-12. No offense or disrespect intended, but I think you may be confusing R-22 with R-12.

Again, not being a know-it-all, just explaining why I know what I know.
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Old 06-13-2019, 11:06 PM   #18
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A. No offense or disrespect intended, but I think you may be confusing R-22 with R-12.
Oops, you are correct! My bad.
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Old 06-19-2019, 09:33 PM   #19
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You can buy r134a without a epa license, you cant buy r22 unless you have one UNLESS someone is willing to sell it to you AND you lie and say its for resale. Not worth the 5 figure fine if you’re caught.

Lucky for me im epa universal so buying refrigerant is easy. R22 looks like a good investment if you want to buy a couple tanks and hold them for a couple years...
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Old 08-10-2019, 04:48 AM   #20
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No offense or disrespect intended, but I think you may be confusing R-22 with R-12.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WoodenYouKnowIt View Post
Oops, you are correct! My bad.
One quick note in retrospect, DuPont's brand name for R-22 was Freon... Eventually leading many people to mistakenly refer to any and ALL refrigerants by the name Freon... So it's kind of easy to see why some might mistake R-12 for R-22 if you don't know the difference. I myself didn't understand the difference until learning some of this stuff from my old man... At the tender age of 31-ish.

Q-Tip.... What was the verdict on your system?
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