Information on r12 and r134a Freon Refrigerants

by Staff Writer

Most cars in the past ran with only R12 refrigerant, but due to the new school of thought on protecting the ozone layer, most cars now run on R134a refrigerant. Some companies which make the refrigerant / freon will claim they have added value due to their refrigerant technology. Be weary of the claims and make sure it is certified as a type of refrigerant that is approved for your vehicle. Certain refrigerants will come with a leak detector as well. Twelve ounce canisters of freon and thirty pound cylinders are typically the amounts the refrigerant is sold by.

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The UV dye is critical to help find R134a freon leaks. This technology has assisted many a/c technicians in saving time and locating problems quickly. The dyes typically show a bright, long-lasting color which are then detected by either old bulky UV lamps or the new small convenient pen type lights.

To make sure you are getting the right refrigerant, check that it contains a high-tech dye formulation that meets and exceeds the SAEJ2297 requirements. This also includes long-term chemical stability, compatibility with today's high-performance a/c system components, and the ability to maintain brightness and detect leaks for years to come.

It may be a one step application. The process starts by adding the refrigerant to the a/c system which does not contain dye. Get the compressor going and allow the dye to do its work. The lubricant and dye will mix and get dispersed throughout the system. Depending on the size of the leak, the time it takes to point it out will differ. Also, the type of system will make that time vary. After the UV dye is added and circulated, the color or fluorescence can be checked by getting rid of a minute amount of oil from one of the service ports. Finally, blue light lamps will pinpoint the issue or leak