1234YF Refrigerant is the new a/c refrigerant. Many automobile manufacturers started using this refrigerant as early as 2013. Az Auto Air has been servicing the 1234YF refrigerant since 2015. The 1234YF refrigerant is replacing the R134A refrigerant because it has a lower greenhouse effect. It is very important to have a professional repair facility handle your vehicles refrigerants system due to the fact that the 1234YF refrigerant is flammable under certain circumstances.
What to Expect when you bring in your car for service
- Bring your vehicle in anytime Monday through Friday till 3pm. No Appointment Necessary.
- We charge $150.00 for the a/c inspection. We will give you a written estimate for repairs. When you decide to have the repairs done with us, We will apply the $150.00 towards the repairs.
- We are going to preform an a/c inspection that includes checking all of the components.(ie Compressor, Condenser, Cooling fans, Mode, temperature and recirculation door, refrigerant levels.)
- We will also check all safety related items to ensure the vehicle is safe. ( ie Brakes, fluids, tires, belts, hoses.)
- If all it needs is an evacuate and recharge of the system we will also apply the $150 towards that as well.
- An evacuate and recharge of the 1234YF for a standard system is $400.00, If you have a dual unit system the price is $450.00.
Why the new refrigerant?
R-134a was originally the replacement for R-12 which was phased out when it was found to be harmful to the ozone layer. Years later, R-134a was found to contribute to global warming, and now it too is being phased out . Enter R-1234yf. R-134a and R-1234yf do have many similar properties. That’s because R-134a is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) while R-1234yf is a hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) refrigerant. Both are composed of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon atoms. However, there are notable differences between the two refrigerants as well. While R-134a has a Global Warming Potential of 1300, R-1234yf’s GWP is less than 1.
Another difference is that R-1234yf is classified as mildly flammable, but put into context, it is interesting to note that it still has the lowest flammability of any engine component-related fluid.
Why is 1234YF so Expensive compared to R134a
The refrigeration cycles of the two refrigerants are similar because the pressure /temperature relationship of yf and R-134a are very similar. Both require the use of an SAE J2842 evaporator. The procedures for recovery and recycling, however, is a bit more complicated with yf due to the sophistication of the equipment. Vehicles with R-1234yf have different service fittings than R-134a vehicles to prevent any potential cross-contamination of the two refrigerants. That means new equipment is required to service yf vehicles. That equipment must also be approved by, and registered with, regional EPA offices. SAE standard J2843, “R-1234yf (HFO-1234yf) Recovery/Recycling/Recharging Equipment for Flammable Refrigerants for Mobile Air-Conditioning Systems,” establishes minimum equipment requirements for the recovery/recycle/recharge of R-1234yf refrigerant. In addition, technicians need to be Section 609 certificated to buy and work with 1234YF.
1234yf Warnings
- 1234YF is a FLAMMABLE refrigerant, The flash point is high and not very likely that the refrigerant will catch fire, but there is a chance
- 1234YF is very expensive to not get right. If there is any
