R134a. Has anyone else been hoarding it?

[Lefty71]

As I understand things,

Those boys that invented AC and refrigeration were smart cookies, no doubt. They settled on R12 and R22 for good reason. Many will tell you to this day....from a cooling standpoint alone, they are the top choice.
Sometimes i think we might have been better working towards containing it better, as opposed to replacing it with something similar.

Also, worth remembering is the fact that they experimented with the flammable refrigerant methods way back then. They realized that it could add complexity in the form of controls and sensors (thats all coming down the pike) and decided on a safer way. Immoral manufacturers and suppliers are nothing new....be damn careful of what comes out of shady countries.

 

[RJRENTON]

As I understand things, the Dupont family held the patent on R12 and patents are good for about 20 years. So, it became 'harmful" and America replaced it with R134A, also owned by that family. I suspect that 20 year patent has or is about to expire. Can we guess who might own the replacement patent. Someone was just charged with importing/smuggling and selling a refrigerant from Mexico, not sure what it was for, autos or home/business units. I was told that most of our 'banned' refrigerants are still made and widely used in other countries, not sure if that is true. Folks just want to be cool and will pay a large price to do so.

DuPont patented the original group of refrigerant called "FREON", which encompassed a family of chloro-fluoro based hydrocarbons based refrigerants, which were non-flammable, colorless, non-toxic. What killed Freon 12 and Freon 22 and Freon based refrigerants and other chlorinated industal refrigerants is the chlorine component. Someone or persons (?) dermined that this caused the ozone layer in the atmosphere to become depleted, allowing more of the sun's Ultra violet rays to reach the earth....to cause skin cancer (?). The reaction is the chlorine in R12 reacted with the ozone layer, which is 03, which, when exposed to the chlorine in R12, equals chlorine monoxide (ClO) and chlorine dioxide (ClO2) and therefore is consuming the Ozone (O3).....or what some "tree hugger" or "greenie" promotes....or speculates......just my opinion......
BOB RENTON

 

[Lefty71]

the original group of refrigerant called "FREON",

Ahh, Freon.....or as true hillbillies call it "Freeze-On".

 

[Photon440]

Before the development of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants in the 1930s, one of the most common refrigerants in use, especially in industrial and marine applications, was CO2. 'Freon' took its place because it could operate at lower pressures and therefore made use of less complicated machinery.

CO2, also known in the refrigerant industry as R744, is far safer as far as levels of toxicity, but chemical industry has made much of the problems potentially associated with the much higher (up to 10X) pressures required for CO2. Never-the-less, it is starting to become adopted again in large stationary locations, where extra weight won't matter.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)

As shown in the following article, Daimler had made some moves toward CO2 as well.

CO2 as a Refrigerant — A Start Has Been Made - ATZ worldwide

 

[thegarage]

I've been buying a few cans here and there , mostly from walmart. I know it's almost winter, but in florida we still need it. I guess it's being discontinued? Or they just won't let the general public buy it anymore? Google said its a ozone depleting gas? But so was r12 . Now you can buy a substitute that's extremely flammable? Not good , I guess they want our cars to burn like EVs
Which isn't good . All that toxic gas from burning any vehicle is not good either. Crazy world.

If you can find an Ollie's near you, I've been buying cases at a time for the past 4-5 years when it's brought in seasonally @ $5.99 a 12 oz. can. TSC in my area has the same, right now, in stock for $9.99 per 12 oz.

 

[Mariposa Mike]

I'm in Commiefornia where when you buy a can of 134 you also pay an additional $10 deposit until you return the empty can for a refund. So if you don't use the entire can how do you save the contents? There is no common sense with this states Democrats. And no relief in sight as they control 2/3 of the vote. Wonder why so many folks are fleeing CA? This is only one of the reasons. I'm planning a trip to Phoenix next year and making a list of things I need to smuggle back here.