[AT] OT R134a

James Peck jamesgpeck at hotmail.com
Sat Jan 12 12:27:44 PST 2019


I did an R12 to R134a conversion on an 83 El Camino around 1997. I do remember that the pressure switch that cycled the compressor was changed for one of higher pressure. I did have a certificate to buy R12 but why. R12 was phased out later in Mexico. People simply drove over and had the ac charged with R12 there.

]Stephen Offiler] I was working for a manufacturer of automotive air-conditioning pressure sensors (and other types of automotive sensors) back in the 1990's.  We had to do a lot of development work on the existing R12 designs, in order to be compatible with the R134a refrigerant as well as the PAG lubricant.  I know there was a phase-in period (and Wikipedia tells me it was 1992-1994) after which all new systems had to be R134a.  The manufacture of R12 was banned in 1996.  Existing inventory of R12 was to be packaged in service kits for the old systems, and you had to have some sort of license to buy the stuff.  I am referring here to automotive, but, I just don't see there's any way it could have been a different story for ag and heavy duty.  A modern article on the internet discussing tractor cabs makes reference to R134a.

 James Peck] Is R134a the refrigerant currently used in the air conditioning of ag equipment. When was R12 phased out.


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