Get ready for R-1234yf

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Commercially viable

Te updated air conditioning refrigerant will require upgrades in training and equipment

By Joy Kopcha

As more automotive manufacturreplaces the current industry ers transition to using R-1234yf standard R134a.” refrigerant, the need to update As part of the switch, MACS, technicians’ training and the equipment along with Robinair, a Bosch in your shop is imminent. Automotive Service Solutions

Automakers are making the switch from brand, is ofering a free test prepaR-134a to R-1234yf in order to meet growration webinar on Section 609 for ing pressure to reduce the environmental the training and certifcation of impact of air conditioning systems, and 100 technicians. Te webinar is improve vehicle emissions standards. scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on May Te Mobile Air Conditioning Society 6, 2015, and will last about 90 Worldwide (MACS) says “automakers minutes. Technicians can become can receive emissions credits for using Section 609 certifed to work environmentally friendly refrigerants, on vehicles using the refrigermeaning afermarket technicians will ant when they take, turn in and begin to see an increase in vehicles using pass the writen test provided. R-1234yf. Technicians can register for the

“Te number of vehicles using R-1234yf training at www.macsw.org. is expected to increase exponentially in the coming years as the refrigerant Te other adjustment comes The Mahle ArcticPro ACX1280 won the ‘best in updated equipment use of technology’ award and stood out from Robinair’s AC1234-6 the MACS competition with its optional internal or external refrigerant identifer. ACS machine recovers, recycles and recharges air condipumps to fll and drain oil. Te machine tioning systems that use the new also has the capability to set up a customR-1234yf refrigerant. Robinair says ized database. Te ArcticPro complies its machine is fully automatic and with the SAE J2843, and at the 2015 comes with an integrated refrigMACS Worldwide Trade Show, it was erant identifer that samples the named the “best use of technology” by coolant before it’s recovered. It a panel of automotive media members. identifes leaks, charges within a Protecting the new R-1234yf refrigerant half-ounce and shows how much from contaminants is the priority for oil was removed from the system products from AirSept Inc. In marketing during service. The AC1234-6 those products, Frank Walker points automatically checks for air accuto the higher cost of the new coolant mulating in the tank and reflls the compared to its predecessor, R-134a, tank as needed and meets all the saying it can cost up to 30 times more, requirements of SAE J2843. and thus protecting every drop is critical. Mahle Service Solutions, a diviTe AirSept refrigerant canister flter sion of Mahle Afermarket Inc., helps service providers protect their ofers the ArcticPro equipment supplies. Te flter fts between the refrigline, which it says is approved and erant tank and fll hose that connects to recommended by several vehicle the machine. It traps debris as it fows manufacturers. Diferent models out of the cylinder and stops it from ofer the choice of an integrated contaminating a shop’s existing tanks and The Robinair AC 1234-6 ACS features a large, colorful graphic display screen and an or external refrigerant identifer. equipment. It works with R-1234yf, as on-board printer capable of printing vehicle Te ArcticPro features a self-test well as other refrigerants and is available service reports to give to customers. function and quick service vacuum with half-inch ACME or quarter-inch

Quik-Link: 800-687-1557 ext. 14116

SAE Flare ftings on any 30-pound cylinder or equipment tank. The AirSept dual automatic recycle g u a r d s t o p s contaminants from a cust o m e r ’ s vehicle and air cond i t i o n i n g system from spoiling a shop’s refrigerant supply during the recovery process. And the AirSept Click Lock security system warns technicians if an air conditioning system has been opened since the The AirSept canister flter works to last time the repair keep debris out of a shop’s refrigershop serviced it. ant supply. It works with the new It snaps over any R-1234yf, as well as other refrigerants. fting and can’t be opened without causing visible damage to the cap. Each lock features a unique serial number which technicians can track with past repair orders.

Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd. is producing a new lubricant to be used in conjunction with R-1234yf. Te Idemitsu Double End Cap polyalkylene glycol (PAG) oil is a synthetic lubricant which closes the carbon chain, preventing the oil from reacting with nearby molecules and is thus more stable, Idemitsu says, than other openended or single-capped lubricants.

It protects the compressor, prevents corrosion inside the system and won’t react to form harmful acids.

Te company cites an analysis of DENSO Products and Services Americas Inc. compressor warranty claims from 2012 which showed that in 24% of cases, the incorrect PAG oil was used. ■

Idemitsu’s double end-capped PAG oil is tolerant of moisture, even at high tempertures, and thus protects an air conditioner’s parts from corrosion.