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Old 04-19-2019, 01:12 PM   #45 (permalink)
jeff5may
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Ok so the general consensus is that filling up your automotive air conditioning system introduces the risk of fire in case the sealed system is compromised. Some agencies are advocating the move away from environmentally unfriendly refrigerant, but the manufacturers have not found any practically viable natural substitutes they're willing to stand behind. The small appliance industry has begun to adopt the stuff mentioned in this discussion, but not the automotive industry. This doesn't mean they aren't going in that direction, as a possible candidate, r1234, is somewhere in the flammable range.

AFAIK, it is not illegal for a private owner to modify the air conditioning system in this manner. The risk is not merely theoretical, it's been experimentally and practically demonstrated. For a stuntman or a street racer, please use non-flammable refrigerant. For the other 99.9 percent, it's a personal decision. I would recommend buying a glovebox fire extinguisher for everyone who drives a car anyway, just like jumper cables and road flares.

That being said, the main issue with the retrofit is the system refrigerant charge. This will vary depending on a few factors: absolutely depending on the gas or blend being charged, as well as the metering device employed; more subjectively depending on end goals. Maximum system efficiency and maximum system capacity are achieved by different amounts of charge.
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