Contaminated R12 Refrigerant - Testing & Handling
FILE IN SECTION: 1 - HVACBULLETIN NO.: 53-12-05
DATE: May, 1995
SUBJECT:
Contaminated R12 Refrigerant Testing and Handling
MODELS:
1994 and Prior Passenger Cars and Trucks with R12 A/C Systems
The J 39851 "PureGuard" R12 refrigerant monitor was recently shipped to all GM dealers as an essential tool to test R12 refrigerant. Dealers are strongly urged to install this protective device on their ACR3 or other R12 recovery equipment immediately. The PureGuard is easily installed on any recovery cart (20 minutes), requires no recovery cart modifications, is fully automatic (no training required) and does not increase the time required to perform normal A/C service procedures. Proper use of this tool can:
^ Prevent damage to your R12 recovery/recycling equipment.
^ Prevent contamination of previously recovered R12 in the recovery tank.
^ Prevent loss of your recovered R12 as contaminated refrigerant will activate automatic air purge system.
^ Prevent the spread of contaminated R12 to other vehicles you service.
If your dealership has multiple R12 recovery stations which are not protected, use the PureGuard to check the refrigerant in these recovery tanks for contamination at least once each week. Simply connect the PureGuard blue service hose (that would normally be connected to the vehicle low side service port) to the red or vapor side of any recovery cart tank and run the test. It is also important to check a tank containing recovered/recycled material for purity before installation on your charging equipment. Even new R12 refrigerant purchased from sources other than GM should be tested for contamination prior to use.
Sources of Contaminated R12 Refrigerant
Since refrigerant testing has not been a standard practice in the mobile A/C repair industry, the amount of R12 refrigerant contamination is unknown. As R12 prices rise and supplies are depleted, it is anticipated that contaminated R12 refrigerant may become more prevalent from the following as well as other sources:
^ The use of R12 refrigerant substitutes without installation of unique service fittings and proper identification labeling.
^ Improper use of R12 substitutes, such as topping off R12 systems with R134a or other refrigerants available to "do-it-yourselfers".
^ Poor quality or contaminated new or reprocessed R12 refrigerant.
R12 can and should continue to be used to service vehicles built with R12 as long as it is available. Combining any refrigerant with R12 results in a refrigerant mixture which cannot be used in an A/C system.
R134a is the only substitute refrigerant approved by GM and should only be used when the appropriate retrofit service bulletin procedures are explicitly followed. Use of any other substitute refrigerant requires the purchase of additional dedicated recovery, recycling (if applicable) and charging equipment to service each substitute refrigerant used.
However, you should know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed several products as acceptable replacements for R12 mobile A/C systems under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP). Some of these products are: R134a, R401c (a DuPont refrigerant blend) and FRIGC (another refrigerant blend). It is important to understand that the SNAP program only considers the health, safety and environmental characteristics of a chemical. It does not test for A/C system cooling performance or durability. That judgment is deferred to the vehicle manufacturer. Use of any R12 refrigerant substitute without dedicated service equipment, unique fittings, labels and refrigerant testing prior to recovery, could result in contamination of the R12 supply and the loss of the R12 recycling program.
What To Do When Contamination is Detected
Repeat the test to verify contaminated refrigerant is present. Clear the PureGuard following the instructions listed on the face panel, then perform a second test to verify that the vehicle A/C system contains contaminated or mixed refrigerant.
Contact the vehicle owner to advise that previous A/C system repairs were apparently performed with an R12 refrigerant substitute. Suggest the owner contact or return to the previous repair facility. Explain that environmental regulations prohibit repair facilities from discharging ozone depleting A/C refrigerants into the atmosphere. Explain that recovery of this unknown refrigerant could damage your service equipment.
If the customer wishes to pursue repairs through your facility, it is recommended that the proper A/C service equipment be purchased. General Motors recommends the Kent-Moore J 41428 "Scavenger", an air operated refrigerant recovery station, be used to remove unknown refrigerants. The air operated feature reduces the hazard of recovering potentially flammable refrigerants. Dealers should evaluate the need to purchase the equipment based on the number of contaminated vehicles they encounter.
As an alternative to the initial purchase of a recovery only station, dealers should check locally for A/C specialty shops which may have the equipment to service substitute or contaminated refrigerants. They may be able to provide contaminated refrigerant recovery service to the dealer.
The GM Service Technology Group has tested a recovery procedure where a 15 or 30 pound DOT approved refillable tank is fully evacuated then connected to a vehicle A/C system to recover the charge. Testing has shown that even when the recovery tank is cooled down in dry ice, the procedure does not guarantee the entire charge will be recovered. Since EPA regulations require full recovery of ozone depleting substances, GM does not recommend this procedure.
Contaminated Refrigerant Disposal
Although A/C refrigerant testing and disposal have not been a service practice in the mobile A/C industry, It has been common in the stationary A/C service industry for many years. Listed at the end of this bulletin are companies that provide refrigerant disposal service for the stationary A/C industry. Please be advised that GM has not independently evaluated these companies and is not in any way endorsing or promoting the use of these companies. Each of these companies has expressed an interest in providing refrigerant disposal service to GM dealers.
In working with the stationary A/C industry, these companies typically receive large volumes of different refrigerants that have been mixed together. Unfortunately, because the volume of material returned by the mobile A/C industry will be in much smaller quantities, the cost of handling will be greater.
To arrange for return of the refrigerant, simply call the company nearest you using the phone number listed below. The company will advise you on billing and shipping procedures. Disposal cost will vary between $3.00 and $5.00 per pound plus freight and handling. Shipping charges will vary by distance and location. In general, a 7 to 10 day turn-around time on the tank can be expected. The tank can be shipped via common carrier. Documents that your refrigerant has been properly disposed of will be sent to you with the return of your tank.
As an alternative, many dealerships already have contracts in place with a disposal company who manages their hazardous wastes. In these cases, the disposal service may agree to handle containers of mixed refrigerants. Initially, the local disposal companies may be surprised by this inquiry. They may want to evaluate how much material will be collected before deciding whether to provide this service.
As we move forward with the practice of testing R12 refrigerant, it will take time for all the questions to be answered. STG will provide additional information as soon as it is available.
Understanding The PureGuard
The PureGuard is a highly sensitive instrument capable of detecting R12 with 3% or less cross-contamination with other refrigerants. Any refrigerant mixture in excess of this amount poses a threat to both your refrigerant supply and recovery equipment. The PureGuard uses a pass/fail approach when monitoring the refrigerant and is precisely calibrated to cut power to the recovery machine if it encounters R12 mixed with any substitute refrigerants. The PureGuard ignores the presence of the air, dyes or oils in the refrigerant sampled.
At least 20 psi must be present in the vehicle's A/C system for the PureGuard to function. Otherwise, refrigerant cannot be introduced to the PureGuard's test chamber. If a vehicle's A/C system contains less than 20 psi, it is an indication that the vehicle's system is nearly depleted of refrigerant.
Occasionally, erratic PureGuard operation or service code 002 display will be encountered when A/C system pressure is exactly 20 psi. If this occurs, simply cycle the on/off switch to reset the PureGuard. After the 30 second PureGuard warm-up cycle, proceed immediately with vehicle recovery operation.
Feedback from the field has indicated PureGuard service code 002 will also be displayed if the oil drain port is not sealed. Make sure the "0" ring seal in the cap is in place and that the cap is tight.
If the PureGuard fails to clear or if you experience any other problems operating the PureGuard, contact Kent-Moore Technical Service at 1-800-345-2233. The unit should not be returned without first contacting Kent-Moore to obtain return authorization.
Refrigerant Disposal Locations:
United States Refrigerant Reclamation Inc.
12420 North Green River Rd.
Evansville, IN 47711
800-207-5931, FAX - 812-867-1463
Omega Refrigerant Reclamation
5263 North Fourth St.
Irwindale, CA 91706
310-698-0991, FAX - 310-696-1908
Refrigerant Management Svcs of Georgia
216 F. Atlanta Hwy.
Cumming, GA 30130
Ph/FAX - 800-347-5872
Refrigerant Reclaim Inc.
122 Old Stage Coach Rd.
Dumfries, VA 22026
800-238-5902, FAX - 703-441-0393
Gartech Refrigerant Reclamation Ctr.
2002 Platinum
Garland, TX 75042
214-272-4070, FAX - 214-272-8548
National Refrigerants, Inc.
11401 Roosevelt Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19154
215-698-6620, FAX - 215-602-8205
CFC Reclamation
1321 Swift North
Kansas City, MO 64116
816-471-2511
Full Cycle-Global
550 James Street
Lakewood, NJ 08701
908-370-3400, FAX - 908-370-3088
Refrigerant Reclaim Svcs, Inc.
dba Full Cycle-Global
121 S. Norwood Drive
Ft. Worth, TX 76053-7807
817-282-0022, FAX - 800-831-6182
Full Cycle-Global
2055 Silber, Ste. 109
Houston, TX 77055
713-681-7370, FAX - 713-681-9947
Full Cycle-Global
343 South Airline Hwy.
Gonzales, LA 70737
504-644-5303, FAX - 504-644-1809
Full Cycle-Global
2966 Wireton
Blue Island, IL 60406
708-388-8551, FAX - 708-388-8550