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A/C Refrigerant Contamination

Copyright AA1Car Adapted from an article written by Larry Carley for Underhood Service magazine

How "pure" is your refrigerant? Do you know? Most technicians and do-it-
yourselfers never question the purity of virgin refrigerant, and most assume the
refrigerant in a vehicle is "pure enough" unless the A/C system is acting oddly or
has a mysterious cooling problem. The cause may be contaminated refrigerant!

Everyone should be alert for possible refrigerant contamination. Contaminated

refrigerant can cause cooling issues, harm your A/C system, and contaminate
recovery equipment.

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If contaminated refrigerant is accidentally pulled into a R-12 refrigerant recovery

machine, it could cost a repair shop up to $300 or more to decontaminate their
equipment (to replace the dryer and filter, and then vacuum purge for one hour).
The contaminated refrigerant in the recovery tank would also have to be disposed
of, which might be worth several hundred dollars depending on how much was in
the tank.

An even greater danger is when a shop has no idea their equipment is

contaminated, or that they are contaminating other vehicles they service in their
shop.

HOW BAD IS THE CONTAMIANTION PROBLEM?

Nobody knows for sure how bad the refrigerant contamination problem really is.
Some say the issue has been blown all out of proportion by alarmists or those who
are promoting the use of refrigerant identifiers to the service industry. But a survey
by the Florida EPA revealed some startling results.

The Florida EPA asked a cross-section of service outlets to voluntarily participate in

a refrigerant study. There was no cost involved to the participants and there would
be no "consequences" based on what was found. About a third of the service shops
contacted declined to participate for various reasons, and nearly two-thirds of the
used car dealers contacted also refused. Eventually, the Florida EPA tested the
refrigerant in recovery tanks at about 100 service outlets.

Contamination of some sort was found in 38% of the recovery tanks overall!
Independent repair garages and service shops had the lowest rate of
contamination, but it was still 32% (nearly one out of three). Used car dealers were
the worst, with 71% of their recovery tanks (almost three out of four) showing signs
of contamination.

Air contamination was the worst problem, being present in 22% of the tanks tested
overall. But cross-contamination between R-12 and R-134a was also found in 15%
of the tanks. The most cross-contamination (29%) was discovered in used car
dealers.

AIR CONTAMINATION

Air is something you do not want in an A/C system because it is a noncondensable

gas. Air does not change from a vapor into a liquid at the kind of pressures that can
be achieved by an ordinary compressor, so all it does it occupy space and displace
refrigerant. The result is reduced cooling performance, evaporator freeze-up,
intermittent cooling, increased compressor noise, higher than normal discharge
pressures, and maybe even compressor failure.

Air can get inside an A/C system a couple of ways. Air enters the system anytime
the system is opened for service. If the system is not vacuum purged prior to
recharging, air may still be inside when the refrigerant is added.

Air can also enter through leaks. Even when the system contains refrigerant and is
under pressure, some air and moisture will still get inside. The desiccant will take
care of the moisture, but there is no way to get rid of the air short of removing and
recovering the refrigerant and then pulling a strong vacuum on the system.

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Another way that air often enters the system is when refrigerant is added. If the
refrigerant tank on a charging station or recycling equipment contains air, it will
enter the vehicle along with the refrigerant. Some recycling machines are designed
to automatically vent trapped air from the recovery tank while others require this job
to be done manually. Once a day is recommended to maintain the purity of the
refrigerant. But some technicians are not as meticulous as others, and most older
equipment does not automatically purge the tanks as well as it should.
Consequently, air contaminated refrigerant is a common problem.

To check for air contamination, a shop technician should note the pressure on the
refrigerant recovery and storage tanks to see if it exceeds the maximum allowable
pressure for a given ambient temperature. If it does, there is air in the tank and the
tank needs to be purged before the refrigerant can be used.
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The worst part about air contamination is that it is difficult to diagnose. Some
refrigerant identifiers can detect air contamination but others cannot. Indicators of
air contamination are higher than normal high side readings, compressor noise and
intermittent cooling problems caused by evaporator freeze-up.

A properly functioning A/C system with a normal charge of uncontaminated

refrigerant should blow air that is about 40 to 50 degrees colder than ambient
temperatures. This will obviously vary with temperature and humidity, but should be
a ballpark figure.

One example of how tricky air contamination can be to diagnose is on 1994-95

Cadillacs. On these vehicles, you may find a code A047 that indicates a low
refrigerant level. Yet when you check the gauge readings, everything seems
normal. Evacuating and recharging system may eliminate the problem, but if it
comes back it means there is air contamination in your recovery tank. The cure,
says Cadillac, is to evacuate and recharge the system using virgin refrigerant rather
than recycled refrigerant.

WHY REFRIGERANT CONTAMINATION IS HAPPENING

Cross-contamination is on the rise for a variety of reasons. One is that we have

moved from a single refrigerant market to a multi-refrigerant market. In addition to
R-12 in older vehicles, R-134a in cars built since 1996, and R1234yf in a growing
number of new vehicles, alternative refrigerants are found in many auto parts
stores. These include blends such as Freeze 12, FRIGC, Free Zone, Hot Shot,
McCool Chill-It GHG-X4 and R-406A. Millions of pounds of this stuff have been sold
to consumers.

NOTE: These alternative refrigerants are for older R-12 systems only. They must
NOT be used in newer vehicles with R-134a or R1234yf A/C systems.

The high price of virgin or recycled R-12 has been the real driving force behind the
proliferation of alternative refrigerants and contaminated products. High prices have
encouraged some people to smuggle in bootleg R-12 from offshore (numerous
arrests have been made, and law enforcement officials say more will be made).
Others are seeking easy profits by diluting virgin or recycled R-12 with other less
expensive refrigerants (such as R-22).

Cylinders of counterfeit Allied Signal Genetron R-12 have reportedly turned up in

various parts of the country. The cylinders do not contain R-12 but some "unknown"
refrigerant. Allied Signal says the counterfeit boxes do not have cut-outs where lot
numbers strapped on cylinders would appear and there are no bar codes or white
painted stripes on the sides. The number "Q 1167" may also appear on the bottom
of the packaging. The cylinders themselves may be marked with a pressure-
sensitive decal whereas the genuine product has markings printed on the cylinder
itself.

The high price of R-12 has also lead some people to use illegal flammable
refrigerants. Consequently, more and more "junk" is turning up in air conditioning
systems and causing problems not only for motorists but also those who attempt to
abide by the law and recover and recycle the refrigerant for use in other vehicles.
Like a bad virus, contaminated refrigerant is being spread from vehicle to vehicle
now that recycling is required for R-12 and R-134a.

CONCERNS ABOUT REFRIGERANT CONTAMINATION

Concerns about cross-contamination were first voiced when it became clear that
new vehicles would be converted to the new "ozone-safe" R-134a refrigerant, so
chosen because it was deemed the best alternative at the time. R-134a's cooling
characteristics closely match those of R-12, and it is nontoxic, nonflammable and
environmentally acceptable. Starting in 1992, the first cars with the R-134a hit the
street. During the next two years, the OEMS converted more and more of their
vehicles so by 1995 virtually all car and truck A/C systems were R-134a.

To minimize the risk of cross-contaminating these two refrigerants, the EPA

required different service fittings for R-134a and labeling so technicians could
identify the type of refrigerant in a vehicle. Unique service fittings are also required
for all other alternative refrigerants. But with many R-134a vehicles out of warranty,
there has been a growing problem with refrigerant cross-contamination.

ALTERNATIVE REFRIGERANTS

Alternative refrigerants must meet the Environmental Protection Agency SNAP

(Significant New Alternatives Policy) criteria for environmental acceptability and
usage. The SNAP rules prohibit flammable refrigerants or ones that contain ozone-
damaging CFCs. For more information, see Flammable Refrigerants.

The only alternative refrigerant currently endorsed by the car makers is R-134a.
They say R-134a can perform well in most R-12 systems when the proper retrofit
procedures are followed, and because R-134a is not a blend of different refrigerants
it will not "fractionate."
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Fractionation is a separation of the ingredients that can occur in a blend caused by

chemical differences between the refrigerants (lighter and heavier elements do not
want to stay mixed), different rates of leakage through seals and hoses (smaller
molecules leak at a higher rate than larger ones), and different rates of absorption
by the compressor oil and desiccant. Fractionation can change the overall
composition of the blend once it is in use, which can change the cooling properties
of the blend. Fractionation also makes it difficult to recycle a blended refrigerant
because what comes out of the system may not be the same mix that went into the
system.

The OEMS also say limiting the alternatives to one (R-134a) simplifies things,
reduces the risk of cross-contamination and eliminates the need for multiple
recovery machines.

The suppliers of blends say their products typically cool better than straight R-134a
in systems designed for R-12. Some also claim that it is not necessary to change
the compressor oil or desiccant (which is usually recommended when converting an
R-12 system to R-134a). They also say the fractionation problem is exaggerated
and do not foresee any major problems with recovering and recycling their products
(recycling blends is currently illegal, but the EPA is reviewing its feasibility).

ILLEGAL REFRIGERANTS

Some refrigerants that have been introduced do not meet the EPA's criteria for
environmental acceptability or safety. Flammable refrigerants that contain large
quantities of hydrocarbons (propane, butane, isobutane, etc.) have been declared
illegal for use in mobile A/C applications, but are still turning up in vehicle systems
anyway because of their cheap price.

Flammable refrigerants pose a significant danger to a vehicle's occupants should a

leak occur. A spark from a cigarette or a switch can ignite the leaking refrigerant
causing an explosion and turning the vehicle's interior into an inferno. It only takes
about four ounces of a flammable hydrocarbon refrigerant such as propane or
butane to create an explosive mixture inside a typical automobile passenger
compartment.

Frontal collisions can also release the refrigerant if the condenser is damaged,
which could result in a severe underhood fire causing extensive damage to the
vehicle.

Merely topping off an A/C system with a flammable hydrocarbon can make the
entire charge of refrigerant flammable if the amount added exceeds a certain
percentage: 10% in the case of an R-12 system and only 5% with R-134a! That is
only three or four ounces of hydrocarbon depending on the overall capacity of the
system.

Flammable refrigerants are used in some stationary applications as well as truck

trailer refrigeration units because there is less risk of leakage or fire. Also, the
amount of refrigerant is typically much less, only five or six ounces total instead of
several pounds.

WHEN REFRIGERANTS MIX

Federal law prohibits the topping off of any A/C system (R-12 or R-134a or R-
1234yf) with any other refrigerant. You must use the same type of refrigerant if the
system is low on charge unless the system is being converted to a different
refrigerant (in which case all the old refrigerant must be recovered prior to making
the change).

R-12, R-134a and R1234yf are not compatible refrigerants because R-134a and
R1234yf will not mix with and circulate mineral-based compressor oil (which may
lead to compressor failure). Nor is R-134a compatible with the moisture-absorbing
desiccant XH-5, which is used in many R-12 systems.

Intermixing refrigerants can also cause cooling problems and raise compressor
head pressures dangerously. Adding R-22 (which is used in many stationary A/C
systems but is not designed for use in mobile A/C applications) to an R-12 or R-
134a system may raise head pressures to the point where it causes the compressor
to fail. Straight R-22 can cause extremely high discharge pressure readings (up to
400 or 500 psi!) when underhood temperatures are high. R-22 is also not
compatible with XH-5 and XH-7 desiccants used in most mobile A/C systems (XH-9
is recommended).

R-134a also requires its own special type of oil: either a polyalkylene (PAG) oil or a
polyol ester (POE) oil. The OEMS mostly specify a variety of different viscosity PAG
oils because some compressors require a heavier or lighter viscosity oil for proper
lubrication (though General Motors does specify only a single grade of PAG oil for
most service applications). The aftermarket generally favors POE oil because POE
is compatible with both R-12 and R-134a and unlike PAG oil it will mix with mineral
oil. Mineral oil, as a rule, should still be used in older R-12 systems.

REFRIGERANT IDENTIFICATION

To identify the type of refrigerant in a vehicle system, you can use any of the
following:

Refer to the vehicle model year. The first R-134a systems were introduced in
model year 1992 on a few models. The main transition occurred during model years
1993 and into 1994. By 1995, virtually all passenger car and light trucks were
factory equipped with R-134a systems.Based on this, you might assume that any
vehicle older than a 1992 model would be an R-12 system and that any built since
1995 would be R-134a. Such an assumption would be mostly true, but there is
always the possibility that an older vehicle might have been converted to R-134a or
recharged with some other refrigerant.

Refer to the vehicle manufacturer's reference or service information decal

under the hood. On newer vehicles, the decal should specify if the system is R-12,
R-134a or R-1234yf. The decal may also specify the refrigerant and lubricant
capacity of the system. Such information is most helpful when it is provided, but on
older vehicles there may be no decal or the factory decal may be missing. Or, the
vehicle may have been charged with who-knows-what (maybe by an unscrupulous
used car dealer) to get it to blow cold air (at least temporarily). Converted vehicles
are supposed to have the proper service fittings installed, but not everyone follows
the rules.

Check the service fittings. R-12, R-134a and R-1234yf systems are equipped with
different types of service fittings to minimize the risk of cross-contamination of
refrigerants and lubricants: R-12 systems have a 7/16 inch threaded schrader valve
type service fitting on the low pressure side, and a 3/8 inch threaded schrader valve
type service fitting on the high side. R-134a systems have a 13 mm quick-
disconnect service fitting on the low pressure side, and a 16 mm quick-disconnect
service fitting on the high pressure side. Other refrigerants are supposed to have
different fittings from these. So if a fitting does not appear to be one for R-12 or R-
134a, it is probably something else.
A refrigerant identifier can detect contaminated refrigerant BEFORE it is put into
your vehicle.

It can also check your A/C system for contamination that may be due to
someone
adding the wrong refrigerant or bad refrigerant.

REFRIGERANT IDENTIFIERS

The best defense against the unknown and the risks of cross-contamination,
adulteration or flammable refrigerants is for shop's to use a refrigerant identifier.
The equipment will tell the technician if the refrigerant is is pure (acceptable) or
contaminated (not acceptable). Some identifiers will show a percentage breakdown
of the various ingredients, which can help identify hydrocarbons as well as unknown
blends.

An identifier should be used to test a vehicle prior to hooking up a refrigerant

recovery machine, to check the quality of recovered and recycled refrigerant, and to
check the quality or purity of "virgin" containers.

The four basic methods of identifying refrigerants used in detection equipment

include:

Chemical Dissociation. This method uses an ultraviolet lamp to measure the

amount of chlorine within a sample. This will reveal the level of R-12 in a sample,
but does not detect hydrocarbons (flammables).

Acoustic Resonance. This method is based on the principle that sound travels at
different speeds through different refrigerants. By measuring the velocity of sound
through a sample, the unit can measure within 5% the purity of the refrigerant. It
also is capable of detecting hydrocarbons.

Infrared Spectrum. The theory behind this method is that different refrigerants
have different wavelengths within the infrared light spectrum. The unit works similar
to an infrared exhaust analyzer to identify the presence of R-12, R-134a and R-22.
Purity can be measured with 98% accuracy. Percentages of each refrigerant are
then displayed. The unit can also detect hydrocarbons (some units will sound an
audible alarm if hydrocarbons are detected in the sample).

Thermo Conductivity. Each refrigerant dissipates heat at a different rate. By

measuring the rate of heat dissipation in a sample, the unit can give a go-no go
indication of the type of refrigerant (R-12 or R-134a) if the same is at least 98%
pure. This type of unit does not detect hydrocarbons or display percentages of
concentration, but is very simple and inexpensive compared to the others.

The advantage of using equipment that measures actual concentrations of the

refrigerants in the sample is that it allows you to see what exactly is in the
refrigerant. There is no way to separate one type of refrigerant from another in a
shop environment, so all contaminated refrigerant regardless of the level of
contamination must be disposed of to prevent cross-contamination of recovery and
recycling equipment as well as other vehicles.

Identifying blends is not as easy as identifying pure R-12 or R-134a because most
identifiers have limited capabilities. The percentages shown may not correspond to
what is actually in the system when blends are involved. Some equipment suppliers
have reference charts to identify a blend by its characteristic fingerprint. But as
mentioned earlier, fractionation may change the makeup of the refrigerant resulting
in a different fingerprint.

OTHER WAYS TO IDENTIFY REFRIGERANT

Using a gauge set to identify the refrigerant in a vehicle system only works if the
system has relatively pure R-12 or R-134a in it. It does not work so well if the two
refrigerants are intermixed or if the system has a low charge or is contaminated with
other substances (such as hydrocarbons). Even so, if you think someone has
converted an R-12 system to R-134a, higher than normal high pressure gauge
readings would probably confirm your suspicions. Likewise, if you think someone
may have charged an R-134a system with R-12, lower than normal high pressure
side gauge readings would be present.

An electronic leak detector can tell you if R-12 or R-134a is present, but it will not
tell you if the refrigerant is pure. Older R-12 leak detectors sniff for chlorine, which
is absent in R-134a so an R-12 leak detector should not react in the presence of R-
134a. If you get a reaction on a vehicle or bulk container that is supposed to contain
R-134a, it would tell you the refrigerant is cross-contaminated.

HANDLING & DISPOSAL OF CONTAMINATED REFRIGERANTS

Getting rid of contaminated refrigerant currently requires sending it to an approved

processor for recycling or destruction (it is illegal to vent it into the atmosphere). R-
12 gives off toxic gases when burned, so it must be incinerated under closely
controlled conditions or broken down chemically.

More Air Conditioning Articles:

Troubleshooting Air Conditioning Problems

Alternative Refrigerants

Flammable Refrigerants

New Refrigerants & A/C Systems

California proposes ban on R134a sales to motorists

Retrofitting older vehicles with R-12 A/C systems to R-134a

MACS Recommended A/C Service Procedures (PDF file - requires Adobe Acrobat
Reader to view).

Automatic Climate Control

A/C Compressor Failures

A/C Condenser Flushing

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