Air conditioning systems are common on modern motor vehicle. Over half of new vehicle are fitted with them as standard and this proportion is on the increase. They work in much the same way as a refrigerator. An evaporator converts the refrigerant from liquid into a gas and there is a condenser for reversing the process. This effects are used to cool down the interior of a vehicle. The system is entirely enclosed and nobody should be exposed to the refrigerant chemical during normal operation.

The only 2 refrigerants currently approved by equipment and motor manufactures for use in air conditioning systems is R134A and R1234YF. The main risk to health and safety associated with the above gases occur if they are released into the atmosphere. The risk include: 

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Frostbite - caused by skin or eye contact with the refrigerant liquid or gas 

Asphyxiation - if the heavier then air gas escapes in sufficient quantities into vehicle inspection pit or similar confined space where someone is working.

Harmful gases - resulting from thermal decomposition of the refrigerant in contact with naked flames or exposure to high temperatures. 

 

Some vehicle manufactures may recommend that the refrigerant is removed from air conditioning systems before refinishing/respraying work is done in a spray bake oven. Guidance should always be sought from the manufacture beforehand. 

Refrigerant recovery and recycling equipment:

Equipment for servicing and maintaining air conditioning systems normally performs the following functions: 

1. Recovery - recovers refrigerant without allowing it to escape to atmosphere 

2. Recycling - passes refrigerant fluid through a filter to remove contaminants 

3. Evacuation - removes air and moisture from the system

4. Recharging - refills the air conditioning system with the correct amount of refrigerant. 

Work involving any of these activities should only be done with approved equipment and by people adequately trained in its correct use. Ensure all legal requirements have been met. 

To increase profits many garages or scrap yards don't follow the rules when it comes down to the air conditioning system. By law you have to take the following steps:

1. Check that all refrigerant has been recovered before removing the air conditioning system from a vehicle to be scrapped or recycled. 

2. Ensure that everyone using the equipment or working on the system has been trained and qualified. 

3. Don't deliberately discharge refrigerants into the atmosphere. 

4. Carry out any roadside work on vehicles involved in accidents until the air conditioning system has been checked for possible leaks or other damage. 

5. Mix refrigerants when recharging the system. Check with manufactures before blending alternative chemical.

6. Make adequate arrangements for the safe recovery and disposal of old or waste refrigerant, including any contained in scrap receptacles or equipment. 

7. Find out from vehicle manufactures whether the refrigerant should be removed from the system before you carry our refinishing/respraying work in spray bake oven. 

8. Don't carry out any work on a system containing refrigerants over or close to a vehicle inspection pit or similar confined space as people working there could suffocate. 

9. Don's assume that the system is free from refrigerant gases until proved otherwise ( for example with a system pressure gauge ) particularly where the vehicle has been involved in an accident.  

10. Don't overfill refrigerant containers. Always use a digital scale.

11. Follow the instructions of air conditioning system's manufacture and refrigerant supplier. 

12. Always use approved equipment when maintaining or servicing the system. 

13. Don't carry out welding/soldering, burning or other hot work on or near air conditioning systems as this could raise the pressure inside the system and cause an explosion. 

If a system is short of refrigerant, make sure the engineer carrying the repair work follows the next steps: 

- safely remove refrigerant with a reclaim pump into a bottle.

- use a digital scale to check how much refrigerant has been removed 

- pressure test system with Nitrogen or any other approved gases 

- vacuum test system down to 2 TORR

- charge new refrigerant with the correct amount 

- provide all paper work for REFCOM

For more details of our services please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. 

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