A/C refrigerant

JBINTX

Goblin Guru
I started watching the first few videos for stripping the donor. Should I have the A/C refrigerant removed prior starting?
 

Murcielago311

Well-Known Member
This should help. Link
I had mine drained at a local tire place. They charged me $50 to do it, which I thought was ridiculous, but I called other places and they all wanted to charge for a full AC service to do it.
 

KSLunsfo

Well-Known Member
They charged me $50 to do it, which I thought was ridiculous, but I called other places and they all wanted to charge for a full AC service to do it.
Sheesh.... and one more reason people will just crack a line and walk away... This problem goes away of course if your car was hit in the front and suffered the appropriate damage.
 

JBINTX

Goblin Guru
Thanks guys. Had a local guy do it for free this morning (of course he got the refrigerant). Not so much a tree hugger, but I try to do my part. :)
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
Thanks guys. Had a local guy do it for free this morning (of course he got the refrigerant). Not so much a tree hugger, but I try to do my part. :)
Nice guy. I had a hard time finding someone to pay to remove my refrigerant. They wanted $140 at some shops... but I found one that would do it for $20.
 

Lonny

Administrator
Staff member
I don't understand why they allow the sale of canned air, it is the same gas used in car A/C units.

The sole purpose of canned air is to vent 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane into the atmosphere so you can dust things off.

https://www.winzer.com/UserFiles/documents/891_7039_7.pdf

I think there were laws that did not allow you to vent R-12 into the atmosphere, I wonder if there are laws against an individual venting R-134 a from a car instead of from canned air?

It would be nice to know if it is acceptable by EPA for our builders to just vent their systems.
 

Tinkles

Well-Known Member
I think there were laws that did not allow you to vent R-12 into the atmosphere, I wonder if there are laws against an individual venting R-134 a from a car instead of from canned air?
There are. It has been 10+ years since I got my certification. But as I remember and release of refrigerant gasses into the atmosphere is punishable by prison time and a very hefty fine under the Clean Air Act. I want to say it is sections 608 and 609 of the Clean Air Act where everything is defined.
 

Lonny

Administrator
Staff member
I have searched all over the internet trying find the actual R-134a laws. I read through through the EPA sections that refer to 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane.
Everything I find is about it's safe handling.

While reading through the EPA PDF I found that 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane is vented to the atmosphere in most of is uses.

I have a feeling that 100% of the R-134a that they sale at auto part store, Walmarts and gas stations is eventually vented into the atmosphere.

This is the description they give.

1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane is a hydrofluorocarbon and haloalkane refrigerant with thermodynamic properties similar to R-12 but with insignificant ozone depletion potential and a significantly lower global warming potential.

Other uses include plastic foam blowing, as a cleaning solvent, a propellant for the delivery of pharmaceuticals (e.g. bronchodilators), wine cork removers, gas dusters, such as Dust-Off, and in air driers for removing the moisture from compressed air. 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane has also been used to cool computers in some overclocking attempts. It is the refrigerant used in plumbing pipe freeze kits. It is also commonly used as a propellant for airsoft airguns. The gas is often mixed with a silicone-based lubricant.

Until I see something that says it's okay to dump our R-134a I'm not going tell anybody to do it. But it seems like it's common practice to vent 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane into the air everyday.
 
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