| Has anyone tried R152A in their A/C's? [message #370061] |
Fri, 01 July 2022 11:09  |
boybach
Messages: 566
Registered: December 2020
Location: Vancouver Island
Karma: 4
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I know most of us with original R12 systems are using the propane/butane blends (duracool etc) and that's working just fine.
In my case, the coach system was changed to use R134A and with that refrigerant becoming harder to source (Canada - Montreal protocol) I'm leaning towards installing R152A - 1,1 Diflouroethane CAC 75-37-6, a refrigerant commonly sold as "compressed air" or "duster".
Apparently this is totally compatible with the seals and PAG oils found in R134A systems, has better cooling properties and needs far less by weight to fill a system. The quantity of R152A in an R134A system is determined by using the formula (oz.R134A x 0.64) = oz.R152A.
I haven't tried it in my TZE (yet) but I've got a 2003 Ford Explorer that blows warm. That system calls for 32oz of R134A so it'd take 20.4oz R152A ..so basically I can fill it if I pick up a 12oz and a 10oz can of duster. Planning to do so soon.
R152A can be used in an R12 setup too, but I believe the systems have to be drained of the old oil and replaced with PAG, just as you would if you were converting to R134A.
The reason I started looking at R152A again (first heard about it about 12 yrs ago) is because my shipment of 12 cans of R134A that I just bought on eBay got stopped at the Global Shipping depot and tagged "undeliverable" due to some green BS regulation. So they refunded me. I've re-ordered some more on Amazon; maybe that will arrive.
Life is full of workarounds for do-it-yourselfers driving old things eh? 
Larry
Larry - Victoria BC -
1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses
[Updated on: Fri, 01 July 2022 11:11] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Has anyone tried R152A in their A/C's? [message #370062 is a reply to message #370061] |
Fri, 01 July 2022 18:53  |
boybach
Messages: 566
Registered: December 2020
Location: Vancouver Island
Karma: 4
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Update: Today I checked out the Explorer as an experiment.
The system pressure was down to about 10 on the low side, so it had some R134A in there -but not enough to start the compressor. I had about a can and a half of duster around and as today was Canada Day everywhere was closed so I couldn't buy any more.
No matter, as R152A and R134A are fully compatible with each other I just thought I'd pop some in there to see if things improved. The ambient temp today was about 80°f so my target pressures in straight R134A would have been 40-50psi on the low side and 175-210psi on the high side. The rule of thumb when using R152A in an R134a system is to reduce the psi figures by 10% for a given temperature range, so if I was running straight R152A in 80°f ambient, ideally my readings should be 36-45psi low side and 158-189psi hi side.
Of course after adding R152A to the system I'd be running a mix of the two, so I set my target about 1/2 way between the two ranges - 38-47psi low and about 164-200psi high. I think I put in roughly 16ozs (10oz can plus about half a 12oz) before I ran out of refrigerant. As luck would have it, this amount of R152A "duster" got the readings very close to my target pressures and gave me about 35°f at the centre vent.
So, all in all, a good day!
Larry
Larry - Victoria BC -
1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses
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| Re: Has anyone tried R152A in their A/C's? [message #370064 is a reply to message #370062] |
Sat, 02 July 2022 22:53 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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Cool! (no pun intended)
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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