What are the types of automotive air conditioning refrigerants?
2 Answers
Currently, the refrigerants used in automotive air conditioning systems include R-12, R-134A, R-407C, R-404A, R-22, and R-410A. Below is relevant information about these refrigerants: 1. R-12 refrigerant has been phased out and banned; 2. R-134A refrigerant is currently the most widely used in the market; 3. R-404A refrigerant is primarily used in refrigerated truck cooling systems, but it is also required for one-drag-two units (freezer plus air conditioning); 4. R-407C refrigerant is currently the preferred choice for pure electric heating and cooling bus air conditioners and has been widely used in recent years; 5. R-22 refrigerant is only used in bus air conditioners by Carrier Corporation in the U.S., with limited market availability; 6. R-410A refrigerant is being tested in small batches by some manufacturers to achieve lighter, smaller, and more energy-efficient units.
Last time I got my car repaired, I specifically asked the master technician about refrigerant. He said that 90% of the cars on the road today use R134a. This stuff doesn't damage the ozone layer, maintains stable working pressure, and cools down the car within 2-3 minutes after turning on the AC. However, you can't use the wrong type for older cars - vehicles from last century used R12 Freon, which is less environmentally friendly and harmful to the machinery. Nowadays, new luxury cars are switching to R1234yf, which costs twice as much but reduces global warming impact by 99%. Always remember to vacuum the system before refilling - if air gets mixed in, the whole system could be ruined. Different refrigerants have different connector sizes - last time a car owner connected them wrong and the compressor immediately seized up.
